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namitakhanna's review against another edition
4.0
A year earlier on the day of Lucas and Nina’s wedding his sister Alex was found drowned. Alex’s death was ruled as suicide and the wedding was cancelled but Lucas was sure that one of the guests had murdered his sister .Now one year later Lucas has all his friends gather at his Polskirrin stately home his house once more. He has devised a weekend where they play The Murder Game in the hope of finally finding the killer.
The Invitation by Rachel Abbott is the second book in the Stephanie King series. It’s a well written , gripping fast paced psychological thriller with lots of secrets and unexpected twists and turns that makes it a highly entertaining read . Cannot wait for the next book in the series !
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Invitation by Rachel Abbott is the second book in the Stephanie King series. It’s a well written , gripping fast paced psychological thriller with lots of secrets and unexpected twists and turns that makes it a highly entertaining read . Cannot wait for the next book in the series !
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
niya_books's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Slow at the beginning but that’s is okay because your truly getting to know the characters. The second part does speed up but things are a bit repetitive.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Suicide, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Grief
manon_b's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
itputsthebookupontheshelf's review against another edition
3.0
At first, I was a bit confused by the happenings of "a year later," but that was probably me, just not paying attention, lol. We start off at a dinner party for a wedding that is supposed to happen the next day.
We are introduced a bit to the characters, but when it came to the sister, that is where I had gotten confused. Something had happened to her when she was young, but somewhere in my mind, I took that as the "before story" and that the dinner party was "a year later." That's not the case.
Most of the group is aware of what had happened to the sister when she was young, as they had all grown up together, but one of the wives (possibly girlfriend at that time) didn't know what had happened. So you only get little bits of people not wanting to talk about it. Then tragedy hits, again...
NOW, one year later, they are all invited back, but no one expects it's for the reason they are all called there for... The brother who was originally going to ger married the year before thinks someone there is the killer. He sets up a Murder Mystery Dinner where all the guests have to try to retrace their steps and try to recall their conversations while wearing the exact clothes and eating the same food that fateful night.
If they don't follow the game to find out who committed the murder they year prior, the host will start telling all their secrets....
It was a pretty interesting read with some twists I didn't necessarily see coming. I didn't expect the exact ending but did kind of guess who the killer was. I was entertained, though, and things that happened in between kept me interested enough to finish the story.
I do think the ending could have been done a little better... It was kind of left what not everyone found out what actually happened, and some information was left kind of haphazardly in the prologue.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for a chance to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
We are introduced a bit to the characters, but when it came to the sister, that is where I had gotten confused. Something had happened to her when she was young, but somewhere in my mind, I took that as the "before story" and that the dinner party was "a year later." That's not the case.
Most of the group is aware of what had happened to the sister when she was young, as they had all grown up together, but one of the wives (possibly girlfriend at that time) didn't know what had happened. So you only get little bits of people not wanting to talk about it. Then tragedy hits, again...
NOW, one year later, they are all invited back, but no one expects it's for the reason they are all called there for... The brother who was originally going to ger married the year before thinks someone there is the killer. He sets up a Murder Mystery Dinner where all the guests have to try to retrace their steps and try to recall their conversations while wearing the exact clothes and eating the same food that fateful night.
If they don't follow the game to find out who committed the murder they year prior, the host will start telling all their secrets....
It was a pretty interesting read with some twists I didn't necessarily see coming. I didn't expect the exact ending but did kind of guess who the killer was. I was entertained, though, and things that happened in between kept me interested enough to finish the story.
I do think the ending could have been done a little better... It was kind of left what not everyone found out what actually happened, and some information was left kind of haphazardly in the prologue.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for a chance to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
gwennilo's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
wavymayvy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bookrantreviews's review against another edition
5.0
Gathering with old friends for a wedding should be a joyous occasion. Yet, when Jemma Hudson attends a weekend wedding bash for her husband Matt’s oldest pal Lucas Jarrett, it becomes anything but a happy event when the body of Lucas’ little sister is found floating near the rocky seashore. Although Jemma barely knew the girl, the death changes everything.
A year later, Jemma’s happy marriage is in tatters, although she can’t understand why. At Lucas’ request, she, Matt, and their friends return to the scene of the tragedy in order to mark the anniversary. But what Lucas has in mind isn’t a somber remembrance. Although his sister’s death was ruled a suicide, he’s convinced that one of his guests may be a killer. He devises a disturbing ‘murder game’ to reveal everyone’s secrets and uncover what really happened. Only new detective Stephanie King can put all the pieces together to figure out the truth, and it’s more shocking than you’d ever believe.
Addicting, pulse-pounding, and shocking, “The Invitation” by Rachel Abbott is a book you can’t put down. It takes off running from the very first page and doesn’t let up until the last. With light yet vivid descriptions that bring the scenes to life and characters so well developed that you feel like you know them, it’s a psych thriller brimming with enough mystery to keep you enthralled and guessing. Red herrings swim in schools. The secrets the characters harbor give the story multiple layers– and create some shocking twists.
Although “The Invitation” is the second book in author Rachel Abbott’s Stephanie King Series, you don’t need to read the first book to understand it. Although Stephanie King is a fairly prominent, likeable character, she’s more of a propulsive element in the story than an integral part of the tale. The rest of the book is so well-written, engrossing, and briskly paced, Stephanie could have as easily been used as a mere plot device to solve the case — instead of a developed character.
My favorite type of psych thriller is one that contains vivid characters, red herrings galore, and a fairly fast pace. “The Invitation” checks all those boxes. It’s not as mind bending as other books in the genre, but — as addicting as it is — it’s as good of a read as any, if not better.
A year later, Jemma’s happy marriage is in tatters, although she can’t understand why. At Lucas’ request, she, Matt, and their friends return to the scene of the tragedy in order to mark the anniversary. But what Lucas has in mind isn’t a somber remembrance. Although his sister’s death was ruled a suicide, he’s convinced that one of his guests may be a killer. He devises a disturbing ‘murder game’ to reveal everyone’s secrets and uncover what really happened. Only new detective Stephanie King can put all the pieces together to figure out the truth, and it’s more shocking than you’d ever believe.
Addicting, pulse-pounding, and shocking, “The Invitation” by Rachel Abbott is a book you can’t put down. It takes off running from the very first page and doesn’t let up until the last. With light yet vivid descriptions that bring the scenes to life and characters so well developed that you feel like you know them, it’s a psych thriller brimming with enough mystery to keep you enthralled and guessing. Red herrings swim in schools. The secrets the characters harbor give the story multiple layers– and create some shocking twists.
Although “The Invitation” is the second book in author Rachel Abbott’s Stephanie King Series, you don’t need to read the first book to understand it. Although Stephanie King is a fairly prominent, likeable character, she’s more of a propulsive element in the story than an integral part of the tale. The rest of the book is so well-written, engrossing, and briskly paced, Stephanie could have as easily been used as a mere plot device to solve the case — instead of a developed character.
My favorite type of psych thriller is one that contains vivid characters, red herrings galore, and a fairly fast pace. “The Invitation” checks all those boxes. It’s not as mind bending as other books in the genre, but — as addicting as it is — it’s as good of a read as any, if not better.
storysquirell's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
aktunmore's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I enjoyed this thriller type book. I will say the big twist is fairly obvious early on, but the author gives you enough other secrets that you want to keep reading to see how every puzzle piece fits together. Overall, really quick and it kept pulling me back.
coffee_kindle's review against another edition
4.0
I'll start by saying this is the 2nd book in the Stephanie King books, but I wouldn't say you had to have read the first (& so It Begins) to read this one unless you want too, as their is enough information within the story to help.
I really enjoyed the story; the setting was brilliant & for me played a huge role in the book, it kept me guessing and intrigued all the way through. I wouldn't say I like many of the characters, but for me that isn't a necessity, as long as they have a purpose.
I really enjoyed the story; the setting was brilliant & for me played a huge role in the book, it kept me guessing and intrigued all the way through. I wouldn't say I like many of the characters, but for me that isn't a necessity, as long as they have a purpose.