The events at a school fundraiser night get quickly out of hand, and the fallout leads to devastating results for a group of four couples . . .
Question: How long does it take to tear someone’s life apart?
Answer: Sometimes just one night.
From the outside the parents of the kindergarten class at Darley Heights primary school seem to have it all. Living in the wealthy Sydney suburbs, it’s a community where everyone knows each other – and secrets don’t stay secret for long.
The big date in the calendar is the school’s annual fundraising trivia night, but when the evening gets raucously out of hand, talk turns to partner-swapping. Initially scandalised, it’s not long before a group of parents make a reckless one-night-only pact.
But in the harsh light of day, those involved must face the fallout of their behaviour. As they begin to navigate the shady aftermath of their wild night, the truth threatens to rip their perfect lives apart – and revenge turns fatal.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Ali Lowe’s The Trivia Night is a well written and satisfying debut novel. It clearly demonstrates how very small and judgemental a primary school community can be and the pressures to appear perfect, along with the extent people go, to maintain the appearance of perfection. The story follows four couples and the fall out from a drunken fundraising trivia night. All the couples have secrets or hidden lives they are trying to conceal and after the fateful night their lives implode. I found the journey slow to begin however it drew me in enough that I read the book in one sitting. The story contained clever twists and engaging characters. I enjoyed discovering their secrets and reasons for their choices. I look forward to reading further books by the author. Sheree, WA, 5 Stars
An engaging and sometimes confronting story of the consequences of one night of letting go. The pages turn themselves, with a wicked little twist at the end! Highly recommend! Alanna, QLD, 5 Stars
Ali Lowe’s The Trivia Night grips the reader from the very first page. The story begins with a letter written to ‘my dear husband’ and the reader is not completely sure who is speaking and what exactly happened to these eight parents on this seemingly life changing school ‘trivia night’. Lowe’s characters are engaging and believable. The story unfolds through the perspective of three women and the inclusion of transcripts, emails and letters adds to the reader’s intrigue. I thoroughly recommend this thrilling read; it had me hooked and I could not put it down. Genene, SA, 5 Stars
WOW! The Trivia Night is a fantastic book. It captivates you in the story of parents from a kindergarten class who all attend a trivia night, are sat at a table where they don’t know each other. Secrets are revealed and no one’s lives will be the same afterwards. Heather, NSW, 5 Stars
I enjoyed reading The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe. The way she created all of her characters and told the story through different perspectives of some of these characters kept me interested and not wanting to put my book down! There is plenty of humour, suspense, drama and social issues included in this amazing first novel from Ali Lowe. What a great start to your career and looking forward to reading more of your books in the future Ali! Christine, WA, 5 Stars
The Trivia Night was so much more than I expected. I ran the gamut of reactions reading it: gasping in shock, laughing out loud, cringing in humiliation, righteous indignation, deliciously scandalised, tears of heartbreak…. this book has it all! Once the story gets going there is no downtime, you will want to spend every waking moment reading it. A fantastic debut novel from an author who is most definitely on my watch list. Michelle, NSW, 5 Stars
The school’s annual Fundraiser, a “Trivia Night”, sounds safe and friendly, an evening of meeting new parents from students who now go to this school. Instead it turns into an evening of devastating results for a fall out of four couples. The fundraiser is organised through the parents of the kindergarten class, in a prestigious primary school in a wealthy Sydney suburb. It’s a community where everybody knows each other, and secrets don’t stay secrets for long. The evening goes off splendidly, but as the evening progresses, four couples at one table must live with their decisions. Events that are portrayed in the novel, turn to the topic of partner-swapping and this group of friends/new acquaintances, are caught up in a reckless one-night-only pact. Next day, those involved, begin to navigate the shady aftermath of their wild night. Had me enthralled. Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. Highly recommend it! Edith, SA, 5 Stars
Thank you Better Reading for the opportunity to read The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe. I loved this read!! A drama filled story with twists and turns makes for a great page turner. I loved this story of four couples that make a pact on a fundraising night that will change their lives forever!! This book will make you think and rethink the things you do in life. What an awesome read! Highly recommend. Judy, NSW, 5 Stars
I was going to hold off on reading this book but I buckled under. It was one of the best unplanned decisions I’ve ever made. Four couples bunker down for the night, to play Trivia Night at their children’s school to raise money for the school. When alcoholic drinks are involved and some personal secrets are spilled, each couple is in for a rough night or a morning full of regret. But it’s the time after that night which causes the most problems. This book reminded me of The Other Husband by Kathryn Croft, which I read a few months ago and it had the whole partner swapping concept. I think if you loved that, you’ll definitely love this. I love how the story was told from three mothers’ POVs and different techniques were used to relay the story, such as in the now, a manuscript from a therapist session and an email. For me I was on edge because all I was thinking oh no who was the therapist or has someone read the emails?! So it added that extra suspense to the story for me. I enjoyed the abrupt ended chapters, it left me wanting to scroll through the pages and keep reading with the one POV. But I decided against it as I didn’t want to spoil the book. Overall a wonderful debut novel, and I look forward to reading more of Ali’s books in the near future. Will you be picking this one up? Thank you so much to the @betterreadingau team for the #BRPreview and to @Hachette for the copy. Cassie, NSW, 5 Stars
Ali Lowe’s The Trivia Night is a fabulous, well written debut with an eclectic cast of characters, many of which you could find at your local well-heeled suburban school. Centred on the school’s fundraising trivia night, there are definite Big Little Lies vibes, but the story continues on with the fallout from the crazy evening where it seems everyone went a little too far. There is tension, drama, humour and sad moments, the story touches on heavier themes of alcoholism, domestic violence and infertility. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story kept you guessing all the way through. Many thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review this cracking new Australian novel, I can’t wait to read more from Ali Lowe! Im, VIC, 5 Stars
Surprising, riveting, compelling, shocks, satisfying, secrets, aftermaths. These are just a few of the words to describe this great read from Ali Lowe. The Trivia Night had me riveted from page 1. We think we know our friends and spouses pretty well right? The revelations in this book might have you thinking again. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend. Karan, VIC, 5 Stars
One of the best debut novels by a new author that I have read in a while. The story drew me in from the start and I found it a difficult book to put down. All it takes is one night at a primary school trivia night, involving alcohol, and a little flirting and inevitably one decision is made that will change the course of the lives of the characters. Getting to know the characters from their own individual perspectives in their backstories, leads to an understanding as to why they make the decisions they do. This novel is full of thrilling twists and turns that keep you wanting to turn the pages to find out what happens next. It takes you behind the door and shows how the characters deal with their own issues of alcoholism, grief, anxiety and bullying for starters, and how dealing with their issues leads them down the paths taken and the decisions made. Looking forward to seeing what Ali Lowe comes up for us next, she could easily become my next go to author. Thanks to Better Reading for sending me the book to preview. It was a great read that I highly recommend to others. Rita, WA, 5 Stars
A fancy-dress trivia night primary school fundraiser; a table of eight parents of year one pupils; marital tiffs; flirtatious partners; a rumour about a swinging couple; inhibitions loosened by way too much alcohol; deep, dark secrets; a tightly-held grudge and an iPhone camera. What could possibly go wrong? And when it does, who will be caught up in the aftermath? Australian author Ali Lowe’s debut novel definitely has shades of a certain Liane Moriarty novel, but sports an original plot, an easily recognisable setting, credible characters, plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and an excellent final twist. A brilliant read from an author to watch. Marianne, NSW, 5 Stars
Well this book had it all and I loved it. Who would have thought a primary school trivia night could change the course of four couples lives. It all started with a single conversation. Friendships and relationships were tested and they all had to face some hard truths. I found this book intriguing as I had never read a book like it. I will look out for Ali Lowe’s next book. Renee, QLD, 5 Stars
The main fundraising event of the year at Darley Heights Primary is ‘The Trivia Night’ and it is the gripping setting of where the novel takes place. Four couples make a pact on the night which ignites unthinkable consequences for their relationships and families throughout the novel. As the reader, we get to know the three main protagonists; Amanda, Alice and Zoe in their individual chapter dialogues. I really enjoyed how the chapters in this book were set up this way as it felt like the protagonists were talking to me and also I understood what was going through their minds. The storyline reels you in as it dives in and out of topics such as the need of fitting in, social anxiety, grief, alcoholism and bullying, to name a few, and it shows what families may go through behind closed doors. Nothing is ever perfect like the characters enable the reader to see. The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe is a must if you enjoy a touch of Desperate Housewives; gripping, stylish and very well written. Raffaela, VIC, 5 Stars
Is there anything more delicious than reading a story where ‘good people’ do something very bad? What struck me while reading this story is how believable it is. There are so many characters that I have seen shades of in my own life and the situations they find themselves in are believable. I was turning the pages so quickly wanting to learn more about everyone’s secrets and to unravel the mystery. The writing is propulsive and keeps you on edge. Aotea, QLD, 5 Stars
It happens to all couples, the slump. When things aren’t going right in your relationship, the monotony, the lack of spark, the everyday routines take over and life is dull. What happens when the slump coincides with a school trivia night, alcohol, flirtation and the discovery the couple at your table are swingers? Welcome to The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe. The story follows 3 women, Amanda who is new to the school and trying to make a good impression, Alice the lead school parent fundraising queen and Zoe who is in the midst of IVF pain and heartbreak. The women share their stories (through clever narration) and explain their lives, their loves, their lusts and their mistakes, before, during and after the trivia night. This book is reminiscent of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies. It is a compulsive read and includes a cleverly written storyline with twists that continued right until the last few pages. I really enjoyed reading this book and loved the pace, there was always more to read and hold your attention even after a secret was revealed. I look forward to reading another from Ali Lowe in the future. This is a must read of 2022. Priscilla, ACT, 5 Stars
This was a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me. Gave me Big Little Lies vibes. Loved this book – Didn’t want to put it down. Can’t believe this is Ali Lowe’s first novel. Will definitely read future books by this author. Michelle, VIC, 5 Stars
The Trivia Night is very readable. It covers families who are parents at a local school and their interactions, cliques, gossip, tragedy, cheating, intrigue, revenge, all told with humour that isn’t misplaced with everything that is going on. I recommend this book as an entertaining light read. Gloria, SA, 5 Stars
The Trivia Night is a gripping debut novel by Ali Lowe, and after reading this one, I will definitely be on the look out for her novels in the future. A school fundraiser, parents of that years grade ones and talk of partner swapping leads to a gripping story. Written in a conversational nature the chapters are told from three points of view, each in a different way, Amanda tells us the events as they happen, Alice, Amanda’s best friend, has her side of the story told in the way of transcription, and Zoe shares her side of the story through a series of emails to her sister. I found the story to be a great mix of humour and suspense, and very hard to put down as I was keen to know the outcome. I really enjoyed that as read I knew something big was going to happen, and that was always in the back of my mind waiting for it to be revealed. I felt the characters were well written, each with their own issues that were relatable. I can see a wonderful future for Ali Lowe, her writing is in a similar vain to Sally Hepworth and Liane Moriarty and she could quite easily achieve equal success. Kate, TAS, 4 Stars
The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe is a clever, addictive and humorous story about four wealthy couples who attend a fundraising trivia event at their kids’ local school, Darley Heights. The alcohol flows and as the night wears on, things get a little crazy. But that’s only the beginning of this compelling story, and it’s in the aftermath that we truly see how these four couples will react to their new realities. I can’t help but liken this book to the bingeable television series Desperate Housewives; there’s a similar sense of wealthy privilege combined with the vibrant personalities of four mothers with binding friendships. What I enjoyed most was the suspenseful, complicated drama that transpires after the big night. There’s so much at stake for these couples and it was highly entertaining to see how they navigated their way through some very sticky situations. I loved the use of three different perspectives to tell the story, that of Amanda, Alice and Zoe. We witness the situation through each of their unique voices and this adds depth to both the story and to the individual characters, who are richly crafted. A thrilling, twisty page-turner, perfect for lovers of Liane Moriarty. Linda, QLD, 4 Stars
How adults can behave as though they are still in high school and and an opportunity to live out other peoples lives is not always a good idea – the grass isn’t always greener or as perfect as an Instagram post. Leanne, SA, 4 Stars
Ali Lowe’s debut novel, The Trivia Night has a lot to like about it. Set in an unremarkable suburb with focus on a primary school that could be yours or mine, Ali Lowe captures the moments we have all had. The gossiping at school pick up, the hierarchy at meetings, the fake smiles and genuine friendships developed while your children are at primary school. What makes this stand out though is the relationships she portrays so well. The friendship groups, the husband wife/relationships and the ways in which these can form and unravel seemliness. It reminds us that we never truly know what goes on in the lives of others. Does the book seem a bit of a stretch in parts? Yes, I think so. Did that spoil it? Not at all. A fast paced and effortless read to the very end, with just enough drama throughout. Worth a read. Sue, WA, 4 Stars
This is a great debut novel, well done Ali Lowe! This novel was a little slow to start but once you got through the introduction of all the characters and their personalities, the novel took off and I found myself unable to put it down. At times I found it segmented in areas with the continuity from one stage to another a little uneven An interesting novel that covers numerous social issues and makes you think about what or how you would behave in that situation. It is a great introduction book for those who are not yet into the mystery genre. Overall a great discussion book and looking forward to reading more by Ali Lowe. Kerrie, VIC, 4 Stars
If you’re a trivia buff you should know this is nothing like the weekly trivia nights you get in a pub or club! This takes forming a team for trivia to a whole new level as it explores how close a drunken fantasy gets to the harsh reality of the next day and beyond. The Trivia Night is about four couples who in most cases barely know each other, yet bring all their relationship issues into their school fundraiser and end up sharing more than just their knowledge. It turns into a ripper of a story as each of the couples work through the consequences of what they did or didn’t do, with a couple of unexpected twists as it unfolds. It’s an excellent holiday read and may mean you never look at trivia nights the same way again! Chris, QLD, 4 Stars
This is the story of a group of parents and how they are faced with the challenge of coming to terms with the unexpected and shocking events which they become involved in during a school fundraising event. Ms Lowe’s development of the characters and their individual back stories grabbed me and kept me turning the pages to see if and how they would survive. I found this to be a most enjoyable, clever, twisty, thriller and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. Sue, NSW, 4 Stars
The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe is an interesting read with well developed characters and fascinating drama. It is eye opening and entertaining. The drama covers some important and serious issues including alcoholism and domestic violence. The descriptions are scarily real. The major themes are friendship, love and loss which underpin the lighter tone of the interaction between school parents at a money raising trivia night. The book is well structured as the chapters switch between the three main voices of Amanda, Alice and Zoe. I had no difficulty at all following the individual stories. The fate of the main characters is dealt with in a tidy and satisfying manner. The Trivia Night is a good read. Sandra, ACT, 4 Stars
This was almost unputdownable! But I had to… It begins at a trivia night at the local public school, Darley Heights (but clearly an affluent area). Amanda Blackland’s daughter Evie is just starting year 1 after Amanda has been bullied out of the local private school by evil mother Victoria (now also at the public, Amanda’s friend Alice tells her just at the start of the evening.) This doesn’t help Amanda, whose coping mechanism is alcohol. So this was a ripping read for me. I enjoyed all the gossip and nastiness and flirting and posturing and just general community stuff. The story is told from three points of view, Amanda, Alice and Zoe (another mother). These three women are at the same trivia night table with their partners as well as Lara and Luke Hampson (hot parents who it turns out are swingers!). Gradually the back story is revealed and the pace never really slows down. I thoroughly enjoyed it. JG, NSW, 4 Stars
Wow what a fantastic read. The school trivia night creates great excitement within the school community but it ends with terrible consequences. The local community ends up shocked and dealing with many issues. This book allows us to experience the feelings of the group after making an error in judgement. A group decision affects the whole community and the reader also is taken on the ride. It could happen at any community trivia night. If you enjoy exploring decisions, feelings & consequences, then this book is for you. Maree, VIC, 4 Stars
If you’ve ever been a mum doing the school drop off and wondered what to wear, say or do to be part of the in-group, you’ll find this book a fun read, with some titillation, mischief and misdemeanour thrown in for good measure. The Trivia Night tells the story of four sets of prep grade parents at Darley Heights Primary School, a fictional affluent beach suburb of Sydney. They’re all happily married (more or less), fit, confident, good looking and upwardly mobile. As they get to know one another at the school’s annual fundraiser – the eponymous trivia night – attractions, tensions, jealousies, and plenty of booze make for an explosive situation. The discussion turns to swingers and the night goes downhill from there. Relationships are tested, and as the book blurb tells us, ‘revenge turns fatal’. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of three of the mothers, Amanda, Alice and Zoe, with a prologue and epilogue from Victoria, super-cool mum from outside the group of eight. It’s an entertaining summer read, moves along at a good pace and keeps us guessing until the end. But it did make me ponder – are we women really that silly? Susan, VIC, 4 Stars
Big Little Lies meets Desperate Housewives in this addictive novel filled with a cast of flawed characters, many of whom are difficult to like, yet very interesting! The Trivia Night is written from multiple points of view, giving the reader the titillating ‘fly on the wall’ experience of knowing exactly what is going on from the perspective of each of the characters. Highly recommended. Charlene, WA, 4 Stars
Reminiscent of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, The Trivia Night takes us into the dramas of primary school parents in a rich beachside town. A school where everyone knows everyone else’s business, and how the actions from one fundraising Trivia night can change all of their lives. Told from three perspectives, what happened on the night and how it impacted their families is slowly revealed. This novel drew me in from the start and kept me guessing to the end. I enjoyed the characters, and their evolving back stories. A great debut novel by Ali Lowe. Vivienne, VIC, 3 Stars
This is a tough book to review! I enjoyed the whole concept but struggled with the very different writing styles. I loved how clear all the characters were – they were all clearly struggling behind the scenes but were trying desperately to show a strong and “has it all” front to the world. I loved the drama, bitchiness, gossip and salaciousness of the entire book – it felt like a guilty pleasure reading someone else’s drama while experiencing none of it myself. And the end – holy moly, I did not see that coming! Loved how it wrapped up everyone’s story while acknowledging everything that had happened. Rochelle, VIC, 3 Stars
The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe is quite reminiscent of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies. Written from a number of perspectives, it was interesting to see how the various stories entwined. While there were some sections that I would consider far-fetched and unrealistic, overall it is a well-written, light read. Each character comes with lots of description so you can clearly envisage them, while also encompassing a range of modern relationship issues. The story was full of intrigue and drama making it quite difficult to put down. I look forward to future novels by Ali Lowe. Lauren, QLD, 3 Stars
Unfortunately I was not a huge fan of this book which supposedly focused on 4 couples living in the wealthy Sydney suburbs. The couples met for a planned fundraising school trivia night which turned to focusing on a couple that were swingers and then played on the weaknesses of some of the partners involved and their other problems within their marriages or lives including an alcoholic and an abused wife and included issues of bullying that had stemmed from school and then merged into adult life. Within the mix of the storytelling it was obvious some were telling the outcome of their stories via conversing with a Dr, or by emails to a deceased sister and even in a letter to a murdered husband. There were just too many people involved throughout the book which made it very difficult to read and was one of those books that I could have stopped half way through reading and never picked up again. Amy, ACT, 2 Stars
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