It is an irredeemable and sobering fact that those who have loved somebody will be engulfed in, and forever changed by, grief when that loved one passes away. For thousands of years, humankind has grieved the loss of each other in varied circumstances. For, that is delicately sewn into our DNA. To suffer and lament when our loved ones die (if they die before us).

Yet, what if grief causes seismic ruptures in one’s spirit and psyche? What if the lack of ability to healthily grieve gives way to inner poison and never- ending torment?

Such ponderings are forensically and realistically examined in stellar Australian author, Rebecca Heath’s, latest poignant psychological thriller, The Wedding Party.

Taking place in two disparate, yet strongly connected, timelines (the present and twelve years ago), this exemplary novel takes place mostly in the outwardly (though there are numerous secrets hidden) idyllic and picture-perfect seaside locale of the (fictional) Refuge Bay in South Australia.

We begin one week prior to the highly anticipated and high-status wedding of twenty-nine year old Adele Pippin (a beautiful yet edgy social media consultant for the luxurious Ellingsworth Hotels brand) and the high-flying, wealthy and somewhat arrogant Jason Ellingsworth (heir to the Ellingsworth empire and fortune) in the sublime in setting, Refuge Bay.

Adele and Jason have ‘history’, and not all of it noble. Twelve years ago, they were the witnesses (amongst a group of teenagers) to a friend, seventeen year old Ollie, drowning after diving into the turbulent and deep waters off the jetty in Refuge Bay one fateful day.

Now Ollie’s still vehemently grieving mother, Melanie, has been invited to the wedding, and so she is back in the place where her life was ripped apart. And nothing has been the same for her since.

Melanie’s intentions in attending the upcoming wedding are ill-conceived to say the least. She has ‘plans’ for the nuptials, and they are dark and murky. Much like the cool water that claimed Ollie after his fatal jump.

Melanie blames Jason for Ollie’s death, as she believes that Jason encouraged Ollie to jump into the water that day. Maybe there were also drugs involved? And to add salt to Melanie’s gaping emotional and mental wounds, Ollie was the laid-back boyfriend of Adele when they were seventeen. The loved-up pair were planning to get married one day. 

Now Melanie is going to have to watch Jason stand beside Adele on their wedding day. A day that Ollie will miss out on. Melanie laments to herself, “Not that I believe that anyone can own anyone else, but they (Ollie and Adele) were meant to be. Now, she’s marrying him (Jason)”. And Melanie sees Ollie’s death as “no accident”.

Melanie further reflects to herself of coming back to Refuge Bay, “The old jetty, wrecked decades ago in a storm, stands alongside a newer structure – all white pylons and fresh wood. And in my head I see the dark, murky ocean between them where the currents are the most dangerous and the water unexpectedly deep. Where innocent boys can drown”.

Melanie’s independent (yet fragile and sad) daughter Sophie (two years younger than Ollie and “a location manager for some TV series I’ve (Melanie) have never watched”) has been requested by Jason to be Adele’s bridesmaid (the maid of honour is the dutiful Katja). 

Why doesn’t Adele want Sophie in the wedding party? And why has Melanie been invited to the wedding? People think Melanie is a little ‘crazy”. Is she crazy (and dangerous) or is she just a grieving mother?

Ollie is never far from Adele’s thoughts, as she thinks of him often, even after so many eventful years have passed. “I take a shaky breath and I can almost smell him. Sweat, sea, sunscreen and some cheap deodorant. Ollie Rhodes….My first love. I didn’t know the connection we shared doesn’t happen often. I couldn’t have imagined it might never happen again”.

Adele marrying Jason may not be the love match made in Heaven that Adele may have dreamt of, but there is a lot riding on their union. For starters, Adele’s parents (Tammy and Terry) are financially in considerable debt (they are big spenders without the financial status to justify it). And they know that the flamboyantly wealthy Jason will bail them out and financially support them.

Jason’s best mate and best man, Rory, and Adele’s younger brother, Pip (a groomsman in the wedding and best friends with Sophie from back in the day and now a huge star on Broadway) are supportive of Jason (or are they?). And what is the pull between Rory and Adele? Is it going to throw a spanner in the works?

When Adele and Jason begin to get menacing text messages warning them off getting married, who is behind it? (And it’s not necessarily Melanie).

Why are Mayor Fiona Lewis (also a doctor) and Melanie so antagonistic to one another? Did Fiona treat Ollie the day he died?

What secrets (or are they in fact secrets?) are Jason, Adele, Sophie and Melanie keeping from the others?

Is Adele feeling normal wedding jitters or does she have good reason to feel nervy about the upcoming wedding to Jason?

Who lit the fire at the reception venue?

Who are the victims of foul play?

Can Melanie and Sophie ever get peace in themselves over Ollie’s death or will Melanie’s vendetta and thoughts of revenge know no ends?

Does the wedding between Adele and Jason ever take place? Is Melanie going to sabotage it? 

Will Melanie’s beach shack forever be a memorial to Ollie? Of Melanie’s shack we are told “everything’s been this way for a long time. From his (Ollie’s) room to the puzzle (still spread out on the table from twelve years ago) to the filleting knives Jim left on the outside sink to run to the jetty that day”.

Are Jason’s formidable grandmother, Dorothy, and her delightful little dog, Laila, going to slot in well to the proceedings or be a source of mayhem? Has Dorothy got secrets of her own?

Rebecca has written a story that encapsulates an abundance of insight into  human nature and the human psyche. It is additionally a greatly intelligent and wise read.

Of course, we are observers of how caustic unresolved grief and secrets tightly held can be. 
In the end, a mother’s grief knows no limits. But grief that is not dealt with properly is poisonous and destructive.

Bravo Rebecca! This is most definitely a wedding that no-one would want to be involved with. But it makes such a wonderful rollercoaster of a thriller. 

Rebecca tells us in the acknowledgements that “Refuge Bay is fictional but is inspired by South Australian beaches where I was lucky enough to spend time as a child with family and friends”.

The environmental descriptions are sublime. A real treat for beach lovers like myself.

I loved every minute of reading The Wedding Party! Please put me down to read whatever Rebecca writes next.