The Guest List by Lucy Foley
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.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
Wow. I was not expecting for this to be one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. It is a full cast and each narrator perfectly captured their character. I highly recommend it! Thanks you Libro for sending me an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
A creepy setting and a spooky atmosphere is the number one thing I look for in a mystery, and The Guest List certainly has it! What is it about an island that is so haunting? It is the perfect set up for this kind of story.
There are quite a few characters and I am glad that I listened to the audio because I have a feeling they would be difficult to keep track of otherwise. Each character is deeply flawed and hiding something. I didn’t trust any of them and I loved that! What I appreciated was that I understood their motivations, even when I didn’t agree with them.
There are also a lot of great twists that I did not see coming, which was so satisfying!
The Guest List is a slower mystery that feels more character driven. If you are looking for modern day Agatha Christie, this is it!
A modern day Agatha Christie? How wonderful!! Excellent review, Kristin💜 I’ve got this on audio and you now have me excited.
Yes!! I think you’re really going to enjoy it.
Sounds interesting with great setting and complex character characters. Great review!
Thank you. It’s a good one for sure!
Ok, this “the best audiobooks I have ever listened to” sold me!!! I love a full cast, and often fell a really good narration can bring a book to LIVE! I’m bumping this one up my tbr.
Yessss! The audiobook is amazing.
Great review, I loved this one!
Thank you. It really surprised me!
Ah I wish I’d listened to this on audio now! I didn’t think of that, but it sounds like a great way to go with this. Still, I really loved this thriller and completely agree that it was satisfying! Excellent review!
Thank you. The audio was awesome!
This will be the June pick for Literally Dead Book Club hosted by Kayla and I’m very excited to read it! 🙂
Slow mysteries are perfect, sometimes. Till now, I’ve usually read such books in a historical setting only. This seems like an interesting one!
Ok, you’ve sold me on adding this to my TBR pile!
Yes! That makes me happy!
Definitely agree that this was satisfying and had a creepy atmosphere! Excellent review!
Thank you! My favourite kind of mysteries.