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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
2.5 stars rounding up to three. It starts slow then picks up the pace. Overall decent thriller but the characters are all a miserable lot.
I am really getting fed up with marketing blurbs lately. First there was [b:How to Solve Your Own Murder|181350367|How to Solve Your Own Murder (Castle Knoll Files, #1)|Kristen Perrin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1693336762l/181350367._SY75_.jpg|98933793] getting compared to Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, and then this one, which is even more egregious.
At the heart of this book, there is no mystery. None. There are a few twists, sure, but most are telegraphed well in advance for anyone paying the least bit of attention. The way the novel is laid out, you don't know who was killed until 90% of the way through the book. Except, you probably have a good idea from reading the second paragraph of the blurb above. And by the time the victim is revealed, you already know the killer. So again, no mystery. So then, it's a thriller, right? It says so right in the blurb! Except we aren't even sure a crime is committed until the body is found. So, there's no real tension.
It's really a character study of these wedding guests, and of the dozen or so main characters, only two of them (the Bridesmaid and the Plus One) aren't deplorable people. I have a lot of trouble imagining anyone sympathizing with the rest of them. Seriously, if this was written by Agatha Christie, the body count would have been a whole lot higher, and it would have been way more satisfying.
I'm rounding up to three stars on this one, because the novel isn't really bad, it's just not what it's being sold as — which is what I badly wanted it to be.
Oh, and one final note, the multi-cast narration of the audiobook was excellent.
A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.First of all, it's a crime against literature to compare this to Agatha Christie's work, and I doubt very much it was done by someone that's actually read her. The novel's format, writing, and mystery (or lack thereof, really) are nothing like Christie's whatsoever. I have to wonder if whoever wrote that did anything more than Google 'best selling mystery authors' before inserting her name into that blurb, knowing it would help sales.
The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
At the heart of this book, there is no mystery. None. There are a few twists, sure, but most are telegraphed well in advance for anyone paying the least bit of attention. The way the novel is laid out, you don't know who was killed until 90% of the way through the book. Except, you probably have a good idea from reading the second paragraph of the blurb above. And by the time the victim is revealed, you already know the killer. So again, no mystery. So then, it's a thriller, right? It says so right in the blurb! Except we aren't even sure a crime is committed until the body is found. So, there's no real tension.
It's really a character study of these wedding guests, and of the dozen or so main characters, only two of them (the Bridesmaid and the Plus One) aren't deplorable people. I have a lot of trouble imagining anyone sympathizing with the rest of them. Seriously, if this was written by Agatha Christie, the body count would have been a whole lot higher, and it would have been way more satisfying.
I'm rounding up to three stars on this one, because the novel isn't really bad, it's just not what it's being sold as — which is what I badly wanted it to be.
Oh, and one final note, the multi-cast narration of the audiobook was excellent.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Grief, Murder, Alcohol
I loved how Lucy Foley ended it. Absolutely a good book, but not outstanding