The Gala

by Amy Tackett

Saw meets Clue in this dark, psychological thriller.

Are you ready to play, Cole?

Two years after the death of his fifteen-year-old daughter, investigative reporter Cole Sloane is still struggling to cope. Between the PTSD episodes, crippling depression, and a trial separation from his wife, he’s flailing, especially at work. But when a mysterious blast from his past—one that connects all the pieces of his life—lands on his doorstep, everything changes.

Graham Zanella, a world-famous underground artist known for orchestrating controversial art performances, is hosting an exclusive gala, and Cole’s invited. After trying and failing to track down Zanella for several years, this was the last thing Cole expected. And after what happened with his daughter, he couldn’t possibly allow this man to wiggle his way back into his life—could he?

Desperate for answers, Cole caves and plays along. But after discovering an earth-shattering secret, he must decide whether pursuing the story is still worth it. How far will he go to report the truth?

An art gala like never before.

Enter…but only if you dare.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Psychological Thriller

350 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2023

About the author

Amy is a thriller author who was born in the heart of Appalachia before later relocating to the Midwest. With a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a professional background in content marketing, she has a passion for storytelling. When Amy’s not writing, you can find her playing with her wild (lovable) children, hiding her book purchases from her husband, or rambling way too much on her Instagram stories. You can connect with her here: @authoramytackett.

Reviews

[Amy Tackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it’s socially acceptable to rate my own book, right? 😆 This project was such a labor of love, and I hope you all love meeting Cole and following his journey.

[Leah Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! This was such a twisted thriller that had me on the edge of the seat and I couldn’t help but keep reading! Once I started I couldn’t stop! Amy did an incredible job with describing the characters so you could visualize who they were and it felt just like a movie! As a parent there were definitely some triggers that had me tear up! This is perfect for spooky season!

[Wendy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy sh*tballs! This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't get enough of Cole Sloane. My heart broke for him, I was outraged for him and thankful he had Emmett. The book was well thought out and very well written. I hope she writes more because I'm now a big fan!

[Kay J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. It was dark. But not to overly at least not for me haha haha. For her debute novel it was written well. Looking forward to her next book

[Taylor Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cole Sloane is top investigative reporter for one of the highest regarded papers in the area. For years he has been following the stories of experimental and controversial underground artist Graham Zanella, even putting aside his family’s needs to follow Zanella’s trail. After losing his daughter, Cole’s focus is less on Zanella until he receives an invitation to an exclusive gala Zanella is hosting. But in order to gain access to the gala, Cole must solve a series of clues. Just how far will Cole go to finally come face to face with the man he’s been hunting for years?

Full disclosure, this book is DARK and the ending is intense. There are trigger warnings in the beginning of her novel, which I fully appreciate and highly suggest everyone checks before reading.

This was a reread for me, and I loved it even more the second time around. Amy does a great job of making you feel the intensity, stress, and anxiety Cole experiences. The Gala explores a lot of today’s hot topic issues, which I know can be controversial. However, Tackett handles each topic really well without it feeling like she’s inserting any possible personal opinions she may have on the topics. The Gala was one of my top ten books of 2023, and I look forward to reading Amy Tackett’s next thriller later this year!

[Danielle Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Tackett pulled zero punches in her debut novel, The Gala.
This story is jammed packed full of thrills that border horror, which was honestly the perfect read for spooky season, and for anyone who loves the thriller/horror genre in general. With an array of highly sensitive and real life topics, and jaw dropping scenes, this novel will have you gripping the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. I'm blown away that this is her debut novel. The writing style is very Riley Sager-like, but with even more mind blowing scenes sprinkled throughout, and even more twistedness.
I can't wait to read anything and everything that Amy writes next.


Please make sure you check the content/trigger warnings before diving into this one!

[Krys Marino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy flawlessly plants the reader in the mind of a journalist who has been trying to seek out an exclusive story of an underground artist, Zanella, he has been after for quite some time. Being a journalist, she executed the MC, Cole, well as he is also struggling with his grief of losing his daughter, River, and being separated from his wife to follow.

When Cole is invited to an exclusive gala by Z, his world is turned further upside down as he plays little games along the way to the final event.

The page-turner had me questioning my own ethics, and it’s a psych thriller you won’t want to miss!

[Madelynne Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was like living out your own investigative dream. I was constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next and always left with my jaw on the floor! Everything about this book was exhilarating and kept me on toes. I never knew what was going to happen next due to the unpredictable nature of the main characters. I could not bring myself to put this book down. Every chapter kept me wanting more! I highly recommend letting this book consume you, like it did me!!

[Books With Bananas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book. The cover is beautiful and I wanted to take a chance on this debit novel.

I was well aware of the posted trigger warnings before picking up this book. There are graphic scenes depicting suicide of minors, murder, and animal cruelty.

**The author should have done more research on mental illness. Cole goes to a psychiatrist soon after his daughter completes suicide, where pretty much says he doesn't want therapy. Bro, you need it. Alcohol isn't a healthy coping mechanism for trauma.

At the end of this story, very young children are ENCOURAGE TO COMPLETE SUICIDE by the antagonist while onlookers just...fucking stand there and accept it, saying they have the right to die how they want. NO! Just, no!
As someone who works at a mental health practice helping patients who experience suicidal ideation, I have to say this is unacceptable. This alone dropped my rating from 3⭐ down to 1.

The characters all need more development. I didn't like Cole from the beginning of the book and I never really changed my mind as the story progressed. He's got a traumatic experience that holds him back and he never really learns or grows from it. It holds him back and is the catalyst that ruins his relationships.

Why doesn't Cole take his service dog with him? Several times he has triggered episodes where he would need the dog.

I hate the estranged wife. I was cheering for them to get back together, just for her to be lying behind his back. It seemed out of character for the few times he interacted with her.

What is the point of Sol??? His character adds no value to the story. A famous, international rock star (who dresses like he's going on stage to perform) is just strolling around suburban Ohio and he's not constantly being stopped by fans for his autograph? How much free time does this guy have? He's just hanging out for a month, no band mates, no tour, no recording studio...

Luna eats all the time and talks like a Zoomer. He reminds Cole so much of his daughter....which makes the fact he's sexually attracted to her super creepy. Her character needs more depth. Thank God they never banged ☠️ They had zero chemistry.

I feel like this story would've worked better if Cole was a detective and was just so overly obsessed with catching the criminal/artist Z. Take the dead daughter out of the equation.

Speaking of River...what was the significance of the broken window?

[Nikki Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book start to finish and found the characters to be lovable and relatable on so many levels! I think the plot line was so unique and intriguing, I was interested from page one and stayed that way all the way through — so much so that The Gala was able to pull me out of a major reading slump. So thanks for that, Amy! AND THAT COVER… are you kidding me? Straight fire, no pun intended.

If I have to point out a negative I would just say I would have loved to see a little more character development on the villain. We learn a lot through the protagonist’s eyes, but we don’t get a lot of why and motivation for the evil Z puts forth. So maybe a follow up, or even a different point of view from the villains eyes would be nice *hint hint* lol I can definitely say I love this book and would definitely recommend it.

[Bridget Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

OHHHH MYYYYY GOSHHHHH

Let me just say this book had me second guessing everything, like I was questioning the dog by the end of this! ( jk Emmett is the best and now I want an Emmett lol ) Seriously though, the way Amy was able to cover such controversial topics with such grace... Phenomenal!! The twist and turns throughout this book had be gripping my kindle for dear life! I literally was going to read one or two chapters and then boom all the sudden it was midnight and I was laying in my bed starring at my ceiling like * What the heck did I just read * ( in such a good way )!!

Im begging for a sequel and just more from Amy Tackett in general! Literally recommending this to all of my listeners on my podcast, and on our tiktok! Im OBSESSED!!!!

[Heather Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Cole is an investigative reporter trying to put his life back together after his 15 year old daughter dies. He is about to lose his wife and his job when an arch nemesis from his past re surfaces, he thinks everything will work out great. Enter a big left turn. He finds out a devastating secret that nearly pushes him over the edge. How far will he go to get his life back?

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why has this only a few ratings?This should be on the top of every list of best. I may be exaggerating but honestly, I have never read anything so raw and brave to tackle these issues. This may be fiction and with a monumental amount of triggers but it hits right through where it is needed.

[Marie Wikle · Rating 5 out of 5]

the event of the year

My goodness what a wild ride! This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns.

I loved this book!

[Jackie Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue is October 3 2022. Cole finds his daughter river with a knife wound and is trying to stop the bleeding and calling for his wife rose begging her to call 911 but once she comes she stands there frozen. Present day is October 3 2024. He now has an emotional support animal, Emmett. He has been going to couples therapy after Rose said this wasn’t working and they’re in a trial break up period. He goes out on his porch after waking up and drifts off, making him late to work again. His boss Nate has had enough and tells him to clear out his desk that he’s fired. He goes to the bar and drinks and realizes he needs to find a new job before rose finds out or she’ll surely not take him back. He’s looking for jobs on his computer when there’s a knock on his door but no one there until he notices the black envelope with the Z and he thinks no way. We’re taken back to Rivers 12th birthday party and Cole was watching the news and the Statue of Liberty got slobbered in paint. And we find out that coke had been chasing a story about this artist Zanella. In this envelope he’s invited to a private gala if he does the 3 tasks asks of him. And he thinks this might be the way to get his job back. He goes to his best friend Jayces office and realizes he can’t do this but Jayce demands he tell him what’s up. He tells him and Jayce says he has to do it and he brings up river. We hear him blaming Zanella for rivers death and wonder how and we find out that he was off chasing Zanella theories when he came home to what had happened to river and he’s always blamed himself and that if he was home maybe he could have changed things. He decides he’s going to do this story in hopes of getting his job back but rose can’t find out because she hates Zanella. We get a flashback to when he had came home one day and told river and rose he was taking them to the ball game for a family event but when things started happening he said something and rose realized they were there for a story. Zanella had staged people in hospital gowns to not wear masks and he was trying to get the story and told river and rose to leave when he found out those people were spreading a new version of chicken pox. Flash forward to present day hes at the drive in movie theatre for the first act when he’s ran into by Luna, she’s one of the photographers he liked from his old work. She figures out hee on a case and begs to stay with him. When it’s time for the movie to start. Sirens start going off and then a voice comes over on the screen that there’s a woman with a demon inside her and they need to release it. And then they hear a helicopter and that’s when the pigs start getting dropped. The screen had shown “Mathew 8:32 he said to them. Go so they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water”. The pigs falling from the helicopter were half dead. And he wondered when Graham Zanella got religious. He went chasing after the women who had been the paid actor of going insane and she threw a bible at him. Then Luna had a pig fall on her and he helped it off and then they went to go to the chronicles and release the story. This is when I get suspicious of Luna. She doesn’t care about leaving her car there, she claimed to be on a date but ditched them, and then she already had her cameras ready? On a date. The night editor Jada allowed him and Luna to run the story and publish it and after he drove Luna back to the theatre and her car was actually there. Then the next day Nate called to ask him to come in the next day and he felt like he’d be getting his job back. He went to see Rose and told her he’s been doing better and they kissed at the new coffee shop that he didn’t know his brother David owns. And then rose said it was time for her to go. He had asked if maybe they could try to go together but she told him she really thought they should do the whole 6 months and work on themselves. When he goes to see Nate he gets his job back and gets asked to do an interview. After Luna asks if he wants to go get drinks and he agrees and when they’re about to leave he gets a message from Z that there’s a reward for him at the movies. They go back to his house to let Emmett out and she insists he come with them which I don’t like because I’d be upset if his dog gets harmed. Luna heads to the concession stands and Emmett drags cole to a tree where there’s a dead baby pig knifed into it. Luna comes over and he tries getting into the website using pig words but then Luna sees “babies” on the knife and that gets them access to the website. Where the same figure comes on and tells him congratulations he passed the first challenge. “With your help we have success filled gained America’s attention and piqued the curiosity of Christian’s and atheists alike. Citizens are questioning their core beliefs all over the country and regardless of what side of religion you’re one, we are starting a conversation”. For his second task he’s assigned to be at the spring hill university for the homecoming parade. Document and report what you see and escape to the bonus floor of owens hall immediately after you never know who may be lurking. Holy shit he wonders if this means he’s finally going to get to meet Zanella. At the parade it finally starts and there are shooters on each float. A little girl is lost from her mom and Cole wants to help her but Luna steps in. Cole has her camera. He’s taking photos and realizes each shooter is wearing the mask of a president. And then the speaker comes over “a well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. This was a second amendment act. Cole understood the assignment. Zanella wants photos of peoples reactions to their causes. Him and Luna meet in the hall where he told them to and when they finally hear someone coming they think it will be Z but it’s Sol, a rockstar. And then they both get messages about meeting their partner and having a drink on him. And realize they have team mates now and there are probably others who were sent to different places to meet. Luna and Cole meet Sol at the restaurant for the special and then cole realizes they didn’t ask the name of the special. “Mommasmilk” when entered into their website, they’re let in. The next video says to be available Friday night from 9 until when the task is done and to live stream because it will most likely be taken down. And it will be at scare minerals scream park. They end up getting drunk at the bar and Sol gets on stage to sing. And then Cole tries to crowd surf and gets dropped. Luna takes him to the bathroom to clean him up and he can’t help but eyeball her thinking how he hasn’t been close to anyone since rose. He’s thinking of kissing her when Sol comes in. They go back out to eat and Sol throws the hot sauce and the bottle breaks looking like blood and he has a ptsd episode and thinks the waitress is river and tries to carry her out of the restaurant. He wakes up the next morning to rose there and she tells him Luna called her and also told her about the Zanella lead and how he was able to get his job back. Things he had hid from her. She tells him she needs time to think about this. She messages him later asking why he lied and he starts to wonder if their relationship is worth saving but I also see him eyeballing Luna but I don’t like her tbh. It’s the night of going to the haunted cave. When he gets there he’s in the line and has a flashback of river and runs to the bathroom to puke and a lady bumps into him making him drop his phone in mud. He tells Luna he’ll need to borrow hers for the live stream while she’s taking pictures. Greyson their social media manager is also there to live stream. It’s time and they go in and at first they don’t notice anything until they see a pregnant lady screaming about their baby but the tour guide continues on but then they end up in a room full of babies in test tubes. And doctors come from the ceiling and then the pregnant lady comes in and the voice over comes over “vaccination is reccomended for all people aged six months and older. This Includes people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now or those who might become pregnant in the future”. And then the pregnant lady yells it was my body and my choice and now my baby is dead and the doctor slices her belly open and an infant drops out of her stomach to the ground hanging by the umbilical cord, it did not cry. Cole isn’t sure how many times he puked that night but the video went viral so it did what it was supposed to. The next day Luna took him to hee uncle to get his phone fixed and Sol called and said he got a text for them to go back to the foxhole brewery again. They agree to meet there. Cole has Emmett who drags him to the kitchen where they find bees. And realize there’s bees in the drink that Sol just had. The name of the beer is the password. They get in and are given the details for the gala and to wear a costume. Sol has them go back to hos house to get designer costumes and he texts Rose. She ends up inviting him to her cookout if he brings Sol. When they get there he asks to talk to her privately and he tells her everything about Zanella and she tells him she’s worried she won’t be enough after Zanella is gone. And then it says she says the words that break coles heart forever. We find out she’s pregnant. But they haven’t slept together in over 6 months so it can’t be his. He gets sick and luna helps him out and takes him home and holds him while he has a meltdown. He takes off work most of that week. And on Friday she asks if they can talk and that she’s home. He goes over and she wants him to sign divorce papers but he wants to know who the dad is and when he says some mean things to her his brother David comes out of nowhere. And he realizes it’s his brothers baby. He asks how long they’ve been fucking and one kiss before river died and they started sleeping together a year ago. And then he punches his brother in the face. He goes driving and is speeding and when he sees the cop lights he decides a high speed chase sounds like fun and he loses them in a parking garage and decides to go to the bar where he gets obliterated and then he goes to the liquor store and buys a bottle and then goes to rivers Grave. Luna messages him and asks how he is and he sends a picture of rivers headstone and luna shows up with a headstone and he introduces her to river. He then almost kisses her and she tells him not now and he takes it as rejection and refuses to let her drive him home even though he’s plastered. We know he missed his exit and decides to just whip around but sees headlights. He wakes up in the hospital and he remembers red car and they say a female women and she’s here, he hit luna didn’t he… he finally gets a nurse to agree to take him to the woman after telling him she was dead. And then he finds out it was Luna. He feels so so bad. But she just has a few bumps and bruises and is going to be okay. She tells him she’s not sure if she’s mad or thankful he’s okay. They both get released and Luna didn’t press charges just asks that his insurance company cover her car and a rental. They arrive to work and he wants to care for her the best he can. He gets her a coffee and offers to get her a sandwich and then Nate calls for him. The brewery burned down and there’s 2 fatalities. Nate asks what the website says. The new Home Screen says “our final event has been relocating. Come find it if you dare.” He pieces together so far the passwords have been babies, mommas milk, and Der Keim which means embryo. They go to the honey creek fertility clinic where they ask about Zanella. The lady comes out and says he had been a regular with no problems but the last time he was here he spit his load onto the nurses face and told her he wanted her to be part of an art performance and they had to put a restraining order against him. She says he mentioned Achilles Pugh and they realize spring hill has a Pughlibrary. They type it in and it works as the password. They watched the video and the mural that’s been in the background all this time was an lllustration of the Pugh library that says “happy death day Pugh”. The voice says they will celebrate explore and mourn the very essence of life itself. Now that you are aware we invite you to enter but only if you dare. Burning the brewery had always been a part of the plan. But cole worries how far Zanella will cross the line with this performance. When they enter the library a man greets them and tells them to then in their phones. There is a safe holding room if they would wish to no longer watch the performances but they can’t leave til the end. It starts where they take of Adam Nelson. He was released after being proved innocent of rape. Tonight they are letting his victims have justice. And young woman start beating him and Luna takes pictures. And then a pregnant women comes out and says this is so her child never has to know the monster who created him and shoots him.the voice then said “thank you to those who chose to stay and document this monumental moment in history. Your work today will help raise national attention for the sex trafficking issue in our country. They were told the next display would be more lighthearted. He noticed flowers on beds and woman came in breast feeding and he was so worried about another baby display but then it announced these are all rainbow babies and this is a happy display and to feel free to ask the woman questions and hear their stories. It’s time for the final act and Luna has a bad feeling about this. But cole tells her he has to see this through. They’re in a room they can only see by candlelight when he finds a door and opens it and there’s Zanella in a chair. He talks to them. And then 6 kids come out and he introduces them and then nadia takes a knife from her stocking and sliced it down her arm in one swift motion. We get a flashback. Cole had been chasing Zanella and upset river and when he came back Emmett was pawing at her door and he found her with the knife and yelled for rose who was in shock. River had committed suicide… so when he comes to he begs someone to help him save Nadia but Zanella explains that these children came here to end their lives and wanted their stories told and reported and to not go to waste and he thought cole would truly understand her story and cole still wants to help her and he still tries and the little girl tells him she wants to die and to help sooner. And she’s gone. Zanella asks for them to document so he has Luna take pictures. The next boy is deaf but Luna says she can do ASL. But then the boy says he wants to die because his mom doesn’t want him and points at Luna. Cole is confused and Zanella says that Luna donated eggs in college and someone chose hers and when they found out he was deaf they didn’t want him but somehow he thinks Luna is who doesn’t want him and he sets himself on fire and Luna freaks out but cole manages to hold the boy while someone gets a fire extenguisher. During all of this he notices Zanella hand tattoo is a nautical star. And he pieces together who it is. He finds Zanella and it is Harley his old room mate. Harley tells him that Cole got him into all this but his name wasn’t cool enough so he changed it. That he constantly listened to cole talk and then he got invested in ethics and that’s how this started. But then he tells him how easy it was to get river to pick up the knife and find salvation and Cole tells him he’s a dead man. They fight but then Zanella starts a fire and Cole makes sure to strangle him while he hears the officers. Graham Zanella was found dead and Cole was under trial for man slaughter. In the epilogue it is January of 2025. He’s in prison. Luna and emmet and Jaxson are there to visit him. Luna took Emmett in when he got brought in. And then Sol comes in when he’s in his room and tells him they’re gonna be late for sermon and we find out Sol started the fire, not Zanella like we originally thought so he’s in prison with Cole too. And that’s how it ends with Cole and Sol going to the sermon together and speaking of finding god. I have so many feelings about this book. It like had twists without having twists. Like the whole book we’re trying to find out why cole blames himself for river and what happened to her and at the end we find out she committed suicide and was it because of Zanella or did he make that up? We also get to watch Cole and Luna start to fall for eachother. We watch coles marriage fall apart. Like where was rose when river did this honestly. This book showed a lot of really strong political things and some of the points were valid Zanella showed but some of them were also really fucked up that he was portraying. I’m glad in the end Luna got her son and enmett. And that the fertility clinic got caught for what they were doing and that it was wrong. There was definitely a lot to unpack from this book and I’m definitely a little bit numb from it but for a debut novel this was very very good and I really enjoyed it. The gala was the perfect title because the whole book was based around him getting the invite to the gala to meet Zanella and in the end, the gala is how it all ends. The turning point of the whole book.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read somewhere that this book was The Great Gatsby meets The Last Housewife and that’s literally the best description. I have so many emotions for Cole- heartbreak and excitement. The thrill of the chase. And touching on ultra controversial topics that most people wouldn’t dare discuss in todays world…. This book is legit the perfect read for spooky season.

[Claudia Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING

This book was so hard to put down! The twist at the end was so shocking I was definitely not expecting it. And unfortunately it did bring light to many issues in society that we can hope to tackle. I look forward to reading more of Amy’s books if this is the first of many, expectations are high!

[Kia Treml · Rating 5 out of 5]

TWISTED. THRILLING. SHOCKING. INSANE!!!

I AM STILL REELING FROM THIS BOOK. I was hooked from the very first page, unable to put it down. The storyline never slowed down, with constant twists and turns, and such creative ideas I never predicted. This book was so unique and original, I think this is truly the best and most unique book I’ve ever read. The authors writing style is so descriptive and elegant with detailed imagery but still an easy read.

I will be sharing this book with everyone I know and anyone I don’t know that’s looking for a great book, and I will be dying for more books from this phenomenal author! The bar has been raised very high!!!

[Juanita Draime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Was so unexpected all the way through and kept you at the edge of your seat! Characters well written and you quickly fell in love with Cole and felt his struggle and pain!

While I loved book it does take some dark turns that may not be for everybody…check the trigger warnings before reading.

[Brooke Laipply · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow wow wow!! The ups and downs in this psychological thriller, makes your stomach twist and keeps the pages turning! Can’t wait to see what the author writes next!!

[To Catch a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 years after the death of his teen daughter, Cole's life is in shambles. He and his wife are undergoing a trial separation, he is trying to get his PTSD/depression under control and after coming in to work late one too many times, Cole gets fired from his job as an investigative reporter.

But his life is about to change after receiving a mysterious invitation to an art Gala from an elusive artist who likes to make dramatic political statements. Desperate to get his life back on track, Cole accepts the invitation, which leads to unexpected discoveries and betrayals.

3.5/5⭐️

This debut novel from @authoramytackett was a solid read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could really put myself in Cole's shoes and feel the pain he must have felt following the death of his daughter (I definitely shed a few tears). The book also touched on a lot of various hot topics and I think the author did an amazing job with getting the reader immersed in the story without being polarizing. I would definitely read a second book by this author!

I found her style similar to Shari Lapena books, so if you enjoy Shari, you may like Amy's book 😊

Thank you to Amy & team for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Publishing date is Oct 3rd 🤩

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOAH. This was my first thought when I finished this book. It was definitely a roller coaster, but it had MANY aspects that I loved. First, a dog, nuff said. BIG mental health theme and really just gets the reality of the struggle. So many times I felt power through the pages because it lets me know I am not alone! I fell in love with everyone. Even the ones we are meant to hate…which brings me to one of my favorite parts of this book. The hit on numerous global issues including abortion, religion, sex trafficking, and so much more. The impact the live art explained in this book had on me will reside for many years to come. It really made me look inside myself and say what is right or wrong? I was in a book rut but this book has motivated me. I am my own storyteller and I am so glad this book made its way into my life ♥️

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy. Shiz.

As someone who basically lives for true crime + crazy psychological thrillers, this book had me on my toes. It’s kind of embarrassing to say that I have become somewhat desensitized to certain things, because of all the books / podcasts I’ve read / listened to, but holy moly. Amy did an outstanding job with this one. And as a debut author?? I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with!

The ending was wild and man oh man… hold on to your seats when you guys get to The Gala…

[Chad Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling read, hooked from the beginning….

It’s a page turner for sure. Amy delivers with a heart gripping opening and keeps you intrigued following Cole who’s fighting for his sanity and career all while chasing his past in this exciting thriller!

[Shayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

How. Freakin. Exhilarating!! If you’re into dark psychological thrillers, this is for you.

It’s a rollercoaster of a book and wraps you around it’s track instantly.
It’s powerful and makes you question your own ethical standpoint.
Its portrayal of real, true feelings is phenomenal.
It’s seriously just so well thought out with it’s details and small connections throughout the story.

Lastly, kudos to Amy for writing on such controversial global topics. It’s seriously a masterpiece.


Notes: Can we talk about The Office references?! LOVEEEEEE. Best show ever!! Extra, extra points for that from a fellow fan. 😆

Tropes: Grief, psychological thriller, guilt, obsession, PTSD

Trigger warnings: mental health, PTSD, grief, death of a child, @bort!on, religion, sex traff!ck!ng, $uic!de

[PAYTON · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO glad I preordered this book, I couldn’t put it down. Author Amy Tackett does a FABULOUS job at sucking you in. I was in it, deep, with Cole the entire time &perfectly felt every single emotion she laid out in the page. Once I started I couldn’t stop. I teared up more than once (in the best way) whether it be from anger, relief, understanding or sadness.
I have so many complimentary things to say but I hate when there’s spoilers in reviews so I’m not going to do it. I LOVED IT I LOVED IT I LOVED IT and will be telling everyone about it
I am bad about skimming pages until the “next event” happens in the book so I don’t have to waste my time with all the filler but the in between was so captivating in itself. I am so excited to see what Author Amy Tackett has in store next!!!

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gala by Amy Tackett and it was phenomenal!!! I cried, I laughed out loud, I gasped idk how many times. I loved the mental health aspects. Definitely check the trigger warnings, but I HIGHLY recommend this twisty thriller!!

[Aleasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book & did not see the ending coming at all! There were parts that absolutely broke my heart,but overall it's a great read!

[Emili Luzny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible! The twists and turns were so unexpected. My mother in law read this book too and loved it! I can't wait to read more of Amy's books!

[Alexis Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gala is a debut release by @authoramytackett and let me just say, it is perfect for spooky season!
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"𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚎, 𝚠𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛...𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚎."
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The Gala is a psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Amy's writing leaves such an ominous tone that you're always wondering what will happen next.
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Cole Sloane is an investigative reporter that has been following an underground artist for years. When tragedy strikes Cole's life, he's left separated from his wife, grieving the death of his daughter, and fighting PTSD and crippling depression.
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But one day he received the break he's been searching for. An invitation in the mail arrives from none other than the underground artist himself, Graham Zanella.
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From that point on, we take the journey alongside Cole as he's forced into controversial events and sketchy games to play until the night of The Gala when the opportunity to meet the man he's been chasing for years will present itself.
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This book it captivating. It'll have you questioning everything and everyone, including your own morals. The suspense is thick and the characters are easy to root for, except for his wife. She's the worst.
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I highly, highly recommend picking up this thriller for spooky season!
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I cannot wait to see what Amy has planned for the future!