4.5 rounded up. This one was SO CLOSE to a perfect 5 stars and then it suffered abrupt ending syndrome :( But, I still enjoyed it so much I rounded up. The Guest List satisfies so many of the itches you must scratch when playing with the tropes it uses. I was caught up in all the emotions and intricacies and I hated so many of the characters and couldn't wait for their comeuppance. I did guess most of the twists but I didn't CARE because watching it all come together was so damn satisfying. It's why the abrupt ending was a bummer. I needed another few chapters of resolution to come down from the emotional high of the climax.

Regardless! If you like the isolated location trope, plus the messiness of a wedding, with tangled interpersonal relationships and lots of secrets, you'll love The Guest List. It even gave me surprise!boarding school secrets, a favorite trope of mine.

It's is multi-POV, to great effect. You get the wedding planner, the bride, the brides maid (half-sister of the bride), the plus one (wife of the bride's best friend), and the best man. Then, it jumps back and forth in time: in a neutral third person POV you know on the night of the wedding the power goes out and a waitress screams, thinking she's seen a body. And then all the character POVs (1st person) start the day before and lead all the way up to that incident. Each character is vivid and well-drawn, and produce wildly different impacts. Olivia and Hannah, the half sister and plus one, are our audience surrogates--the "nice" ones who bear the brunt of the more horrid characters, ie: the bride (Jules) and the best man (Johnno), plus side characters without POVs (Will, the groom, all of his awful ushers, Hannah's husband Charlie, Jules' parents). Aoife, the wedding planner, is a welcome outside POV who gives us a glimpse of how all the other characters appear on the outside.

That said, it was a slightly slow start for me as I settled into each character and got a sense of what I was in for. Aoife is the most perfunctory POV (b/c she's the third party wedding planner) and she's the first POV we get, so I was worried after a first chapter of pure set-up about how I felt. Jules, the bride, is the second chapter and she's a DOOZY of a character (at turns understandable, but mostly unlikeable), but once I got to spend time with Hannah, Olivia, and even Johnno and then it turned to the earlier POVs to build the story, I was hooked.

I flew through the book, and it's one where I got SO ANGRY on behalf of various characters. I was so sucked into their personal dramas and traumas. I did pretty quickly piece together a few things, and read on the assumption of certain twists, and while I was right, the book didn't feel too predictable. There were one or two surprises.

God, I just love some messy wedding drama. That plus all the secrets and entanglements... I won't go on. I loved it, save the rushed ending. It's really the book's only flaw. I just wanted to see a few more things resolve/sit a bit, since I was so wrapped up in the character's and their problems/fates.

First I want to thank the author and publisher for the advanced reader's copy of the book.

The story focuses on the wedding event of the year between magazine owner Jules and her famous, good-looking fiancee, Will on an island off the west coast of Ireland. It begins the day before the wedding with flashes to the wedding where a body has been discovered and the discovery of who was murdered and why. The reader is treated to multiple pov's between Jules the bride, Will the groom, the wedding planner Aiofe, the plus one Hannah, Johnno the best man, and the maid of honor Olivia.

From the beginning, the author brings the reader into the story; I found myself wanting to find out what happened and why. While, at first, I found it confusing switching between the point of views and the characters (which is usually a challenge for me in these types of books), I came to see that it was an integral part of the development of the story and characters to hear from the various people in the story and to understand how the story unfolded into the ultimate climax.
I will add that one thought I walked away with was how one person could cause so much destruction in one's path and still feel like that they were basically a good person and, at times, a victim--a great example of how well Lucy Foley developed the characters in her book.

This was a great story and well written; I enjoyed reading it.

Friends and family gather on a remote island to celebrate a wedding. Someone ends up dead. Who is it and who did it - so many secrets that are being kept.
Wow! That ending! I did not see it coming. I was already devouring this book and after that I could not wait to see how it ended. Very engaging and the author did a great job of helping keep all the characters clear. Quick read because you can’t put it down!

The Guest List is about the wedding between Julia, a magazine editor, and Will, a Bear Grylls-but-handsomer tv star. They decide to get married on a remote island in Ireland, which provides lots of storms and bogs and graveyards to be the perfectly creepy atmospheric setting. This book had one of my favorite things in thrillers- a completely implausible twist that you don't even care is too contrived because it is just so good. The kind that has you gasping and flipping back to the beginning of the book to check if your hunch is correct. Recommended for readers who like creepy settings, multiple narrators, gaspy twists, or are fans of Ruth Ware, Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for an arc of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

5 star read!! This novel was excellent from the jump. I love the different points of view and just slightly, the different times. I love that it all took place over one wedding weekend and I thought the author did an excellent job of describing the landscape and the layout of the Folly.

Just one I thought I figured out the twist, there was a second and a third twist! I absolutely loved this book. Kept you reading and engaged the whole time!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

5 star read!! This novel was excellent from the jump. I love the different points of view and just slightly, the different times. I love that it all took place over one wedding weekend and I thought the author did an excellent job of describing the landscape and the layout of the Folly.

Just one I thought I figured out the twist, there was a second and a third twist! I absolutely loved this book. Kept you reading and engaged the whole time!

The Guest List was a great thriller. The story centers around a couple getting married on a small island, population: 2. The chapters are based on rotating points of view of people on the island. This was a fast, easy read. It had a bit of a Clue vibe, but more sinister.

Giving this a 3.5. I enjoyed it for sure. I thought the format was awesome - the “night before” perspectives of several people and the “now” perspective given by some all seeing....person? Thing? I don’t know but it worked well to set up a super creepy scenario. I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan and this really felt like the inspired by Agatha but with an individual touch.

My criticisms are:
1) Most of the reveals were predictable - to me at least. Call it a side effect of too many thrillers. Rarely can something really surprise me anymore, and three of the (I think) four big reveals I had already guessed.
2) It was a bit too much time spent dropping all these hints about everyone without any additional information or moving forward. It would have been more effective to have a slow drip where gradually more and more information about their backstories and secrets was provided. But there was a fair amount of time where not much was happening with the secrets being slowly brought to light. Thankfully the atmosphere remained creepy so it didn’t kill my interest.

Overall well done!

Where to start? The atmospheric setting of the story is an island off Ireland’s coast which possesses a brooding and dark countenance. As the guests gather, we begin to understand every story is more layered and complex than what it seems at first and the characters are far more intertwined than even they know. Secrets seem to be table stakes for the main invitees. The bride, Jules, has a complicated history with her father and her mother, one who abandoned them both and the other who resented Jules for taking away a shot at her dream career. Even the relationship with her sister, Olivia, is strained over her jealousy of Olivia’s relationship with her mother. Regardless, she’s asked Olivia to be her bridesmaid even though her best friend from her teenage years, Charlie is probably the closest friend she has. Charlie’s wife has complicated feelings about that and being an outsider at the wedding. And I’ve just captured the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the characters, their flaws, regrets and resentments. Stir them all together in a destination wedding that is landlocked and hunkered down for an impending storm and you have the type of murder mystery that Agatha Christie would be able to unwind afterward. I highly recommend this for those that love fast yet smart thrillers. I will be following this author and looking for her previously published works.

Since joining the working world, I could probably count fewer than a dozen times that I’ve finished a book within 24 hours. Add another one to that list. This is one of those mystery thrillers where not only do the pages turn themselves, but also it leaves you wishing that it could have lasted a little bit longer. Thank you to Book Club Girl Early Read and NetGalley for the early ebook edition of this book.

I received an advance copy of this book from Harper Collins by way of the The Book Club Girls & NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Reminiscent of Agatha Christi this book twists & turns in all the right ways. Told from the changing perspectives of the Bride, Groom, Best Man, Bridesmaid, Plus One, & Wedding Planner this book recounts the lead up, ceremony & aftermath of a contentious wedding. Jules is planning on marrying the enigmatic Will but has received a worrying note causing her to question her groom who is indeed more than he seems. With the wedding on a secluded island with an incoming storm wedding party & guests are all forced into isolation that only increases the tension.

Intersecting storylines, a past come back to haunt everyone end in a murder that waits till the very end to be revealed make for a page-turner. Each character is revealed just enough to leave you wondering which is the trustworthy narrator. The author skillfully handled the varied voices & the non-linear timeline with skill making the book a delight to read.

Fans of "And Then There Were None" will certainly enjoy this read. Good murder mysteries are hard to come by but Lucy Foley never disappoints.

I didn’t think that Lucy Foley could top The Hunting Party, but she has done just that. Back with a similar “Ten Little Indians” style closed-room mystery, Foley tackles family drama, the stress of a wedding, keeping up images, and of course murder. She does so with an a pulse-pounding idea that feels completely authentic.

This book had me from page one! I've read another of Foley's books and, while good, this one was better. The characters were beautifully written and the plot such that I did not see the ending coming. I highly recommend for anyone who is a fan of the true psychological thriller genre!

Oh, fans of suspense/thrillers are going to want to get their hands on this one! The story unfolds one person at a time, chapter by chapter, sometimes present day, sometimes reminiscing about past events. There's Aoife and Freddy, owners of the hotel on the island where a wedding takes place, Jules and Will, the bride and groom, Charlie, the bride's best man, Will's groomsmen, Olivia, Jules' sister, and Charlie's wife, Hannah. It's so clever how the story unfolds and folds in on itself. Had I not found so many grammar errors, I would have given this one 5 stars. #netgalley

A group of friends is gathered on a remote island for a wedding. Mysteries from the past are revealed and some of the guests begin to see the true character of some members of the wedding party. The wedding night ends in quite a twist. I enjoyed this book and had a difficult time putting it down!!! I look forward to reading more from Lucy Foley!

The Guest List is one of those books that you need to clear your calendar once you start reading, because you’re not going to want to put it down! Lucy Foley takes her time building the plot and developing the characters, and it’s time well spent. This is suspense at its finest, and I highly recommend settling in with a cozy blanket, a big glass of wine, and this book!

I'm not entirely sure about this book! I read it in a day and it definitely kept my attention-- I wanted to know who the murdered guest was and why and how. And it was an easy read, which was good! A nice easy vacation read!
But on the other hand, the problems of the rich and drug/alcohol dependent can get a bit tiring. I had the same problem with her first work. I wish the bit about the island being haunted was more of a plot point and more suspense was built up that way. None of the characters were particularly moving/memorable and I didn't love the storyline about the sister falling apart after having an abortion.
I'd recommend it to patrons who like a locked door mystery but wouldn't read it again myself.

The Guest List, by Lucy Foley, is the story of Will and Jules, who are about to be married on an island off the coast of Ireland. The island is uninhabited, with the exception of Hannah and Jerry, who own and live at the venue.

As guests arrive for the happy occasion, we become privy to the histories of their relationship with the bride or groom, respectively. We start to wonder just why some of these guests were invited. There are many hidden agendas, which keep the reader off balance and create confusion as to just what might be at play here.

Despite the fact that the wedding venue, specifically selected by the bride, was chosen to
impress, it is obvious that there is an air of something “not quite right” from the get-go.
A foreshadowing of trouble ahead slowly builds to an unexpected climax I thought I saw coming, but didn’t.

Altogether a good read, which held my interest.
Four stars.

What a GREAT read! I read The Guest List by Lucy Foley in less than a day! Foley weave an awesome story of suspense and thriller. She keep you guessing until the very end. The Guest List begins preparing for a wedding, always a happy time. But there is something not right. The location is a remote island in an abandon Foley, rumored to be haunted. Foley takes you through all the characters thoughts and point of views, clearly labeling each chapter with their name and time as a point of reference. Will and Jules have planned an elaborate wedding with all of their childhood friends and families. What is most interesting is how everyone is connected in one way or the other. Foley keeps you guessing. Who did what to who? Who is the victim? Who is the predator? Definitely a nail bitter! I highly recommend The Guest List by Lucy Foley to anyone who likes a good mystery filled with suspense and drama. I will be looking for other works by Foley, too! Such a good weekend read!! Special Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow - HarperCollins publishing and Lucy Foley for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

#TheGuestList #NetGalley

A bridal party converges on a remote island for a two-day celebration. As the guests begin arriving, it becomes clear that there is going to be trouble beyond the storm that's brewing just over the horizon. Several characters reveal their perspective of the story bit by bit, and Foley moves the reader between past and present smoothly and seamlessly. The suspense builds to absolute perfection with shocking revelations leading to a stunning conclusion.

I’m am having such an incredibly fun time reading this one! It is snarky, slick, atmospheric, and I’m completely captivated. Don’t bother me! I’m reading!

Three-quarters through, and this one is great great GREAT! The characters are complex, flawed, selfish and self-serving. Everyone is up for scrutiny, I love the creepy, mucky island, I love the downscale”upscale” wedding. This book is a perfectly uncomfortable, devilish, and all-in!

Closing thoughts: you know that feeling right after you disembark from a great roller coaster ride: hair blown straight back, face flushed, grinning and sort of still in shock? This book is that roller coaster experience! I absolutely loved it.