"The Wedding Party" is a suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.

The story revolves around Carrie and Oliver, a couple deeply in love, celebrating their upcoming wedding at the iconic Stanley Hotel in Colorado. What begins as a fairy tale weekend ends when a murder occurs the morning after the celebration. FBI Special Agent Andrea “Andi” Castle, invited to the joint bachelor/bachelorette party by a friend, finds herself drawn into a new case, and the hotel is put on lockdown.

What L.R Jones does really well is the shifting POVs and her descriptions of both characters and settings. I was enthralled from the beginning with the prologue and trying to figure out how it was connected. The plot has many great twists and turns - it was like Agatha Christie, Riley Sager, and Lisa Jewell had a baby.

Andi Castle was a great protagonist, reminding me of my favorite Criminal Minds profilers and I liked her dad, too although he could be left out and it wouldn’t change the story (but it was excellent writing).

I loved the subtle hint to Stephen King stories - the Stanley Hotel, the bride’s name being Carrie. Brilliant little touches.

It was a rollercoaster book that I couldn’t put down - even while trying to watch an exciting weekend of College Football. So if you like psychological thrillers, this is a must read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for the ARC and the opportunity to read a great book!

A few twists and red herrings along the way made for a compelling read. I kept feeling convinced I knew the answers only to have a new clue shake my confidence. Agent Castle was a good protagonist, though at times lacking some depth.

Woah! This book took me on a wild ride, and I loved every minute of it!

Carrie and her fiancé, Oliver, hold a joint bachelor/bachelorette party at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. (Yes, it’s THE Stanley Hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining!) But, as everyone is celebrating, a murder occurs. Fortunately, there is an FBI agent in attendance. She was the “plus one” of one of the guests and quickly begins her investigation.

This is a very fast read – believe me – you will want to keep reading to figure out what happened. I loved the setting in the Stanley Hotel, (and I loved that the FBI agent was staying in room 217 – the Stephen King room!) Ghosts don’t play a role in this story, but I did enjoy how the author incorporated details about the hotel.
This is very fast-paced until about the mid-point. Then, the pace slows down. It seemed like too much time was spent dwelling on a witness that couldn’t be questioned and I would have rather the investigation continued instead of dwelling on that point. The pace picks up again towards the end and moves at a lightning pace until its conclusion. The ending seemed abrupt, but it served its purpose.

I recommend this book to mystery lovers. There are elements of psychological suspense/thrillers, but the primary focus of the book is on the FBI agent’s investigation. I rated this 4.5 stars and it is one of my favorites of the year. Anyone looking for a fun mystery that is a quick read will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

Great set up!
Carrie and Oliver are hosting a lavish wedding in Colorado's Stanley Hotel. Carrie is a nurse and has invited work friends and a plus one includes FBI agent Andi Castle. When a member of the wedding party dies suddenly, Andi is forced to step in and work.

I loved this book for the most part but thought Andi's father and the repetitive mentions of him to be superfluous. I never really connected with him as anything more than a caricature. The story though, kept me engaged and interested right up to the end. Who doesn't love a wedding? Even a murderous one!
#Thomas&Mercer #Netgalley #Theweddingparty #lrjones

"The Wedding Party" by L. R. Jones promises to be a thrilling and suspenseful ride into the heart of a wedding celebration turned deadly. This psychological suspense novel sets the stage for a tantalizing mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

The story revolves around Carrie and Oliver, a seemingly perfect couple preparing for their dream wedding at the iconic Stanley Hotel in Colorado. However, beneath the facade of love and celebration, secrets and lies lurk, setting the stage for a night that takes a shocking and murderous turn.

The introduction of FBI agent Andi Castle, who finds herself inadvertently caught up in the chaos of the wedding and its aftermath, adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative. Her unexpected role as an investigator, driven by her instincts to solve crimes, introduces a strong and determined protagonist.

The novel's premise of a murder mystery unfolding in the midst of a celebratory event is inherently gripping. The Stanley Hotel, with its rich history and eerie reputation, serves as a compelling backdrop for the story. The locked-down setting and the sense of confinement and isolation add to the tension, making it a perfect setting for a psychological thriller.

As secrets are uncovered, and the body count rises, readers will undoubtedly find themselves engrossed in the race against time to identify the killer among the wedding guests. The story promises to keep readers guessing, with a web of lies and hidden motives that will keep them eagerly turning the pages.

In summary, "The Wedding Party" appears to be a captivating and suspenseful novel that combines the excitement of a celebration with the chilling thrill of a murder mystery. Fans of psychological suspense and tightly woven mysteries are likely to find this book an engaging and exhilarating read.

Great book!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had a bit of everything! It had great suspense, intrigue, action, murder, serial killers, a fantastic who done it that I did not see, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was so very interesting and had me glued to my Kindle! The characters were awesome! I absolutely loved the father!! I'm definitely going to look into if he has any books! What a character! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

As an avid mystery lover I think this was quite enjoyable.
The story is about a couple, Carrie and Oliver, who plan a joint bachelor/bachelorette trip to Stanley Hotel (the hotel that inspired The Shining) and an FBI agent, Andi Castle is invited as a plus one, everything seems to be going smoothly when a murder happens and sets off the mystery.
The beginning of the book was a great hook, it quickly became difficult to put down. The two POVs of the agent and Carrie, the bride-to-be, was refreshing and made the mystery more compelling.
This book is definitely more plot driven than character driven, the mystery kept me engaged despite not connecting with the characters as much as I had hoped, but it is more a personal preference than anything. Te ending did fall a bit short for me, especially because the killer was a bit obvious but nonetheless it was still satisfying and an enjoyable read!

"The Wedding Party" is a suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.

The story revolves around Carrie and Oliver, a couple deeply in love, celebrating their wedding at the iconic Stanley Hotel in Colorado. What begins as a fairy tale wedding takes a dark turn when a murder occurs the morning after the celebration. FBI agent Andi Castle, who was meant to be a guest, finds herself drawn into a new case, and the hotel is put on lockdown.

Phillips masterfully creates a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere as secrets are unearthed, suspicions run rampant, and no one is above suspicion. The plot is filled with twists and turns, making it impossible to predict who the culprit might be.

Andi Castle is a compelling protagonist, and her determination to uncover the truth adds depth to the narrative. The author skillfully combines elements of suspense, mystery, and psychological tension to keep readers guessing until the very end.

"The Wedding Party" is a roller-coaster ride of suspense and intrigue that explores the dark secrets and lies hidden behind the facade of a picture-perfect celebration.The author delivers a gripping story that will leave readers eager to unravel the mystery alongside the tenacious Andi Castle. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a twist, this book is a must-read.