I usually start my reviews with the positives and end with the negatives, but this time, I'm doing the opposite. This felt like the second longest book I have ever read! In fact, I had to check Amazon for the length to be sure it wasn't. That said, once I got into it, the story picked up, and it was much easier to continue. Also, it was a little confusing to me that while most chapters were told from the perspective of one of the guests, not all were, and there was nothing to tell you that the character had changed. I was torn between a 4 & a 5 star rating, but because of some delicious twists in the story, I decided to go with 4.5 and round it up to 5.

A group of old friends was invited to one of their weddings where a death takes place. A year later, they are invited back to relive that night and are forced by their host to play "The Murder Game" However, this was unlike any murder game I've ever played, since each guest was playing himself, rather than a fictional character.

I did enjoy it enough to check out other things Ms Abbott has written.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Three old high school friends, now in their 30's, gather, each with a plus one - wife, fiancee or sister, at the estate of Lucas, the 4th friend, for his wedding to Nina. On the eve of the wedding, Lucas's sister Alex drowns and it is ruled a suicide. Exactly one year later, Lucas reassembles the same group back to play a murder game where he hopes to uncover who murdered his sister as he doesn't believe it was a suicide.

I love Rachel Abbott and read everything she comes out with but this one wasn't my favorite. Definitely not bad, just not her best in my opinion. I think that I love the concept of the murderer had to be someone in the room, but it falls short for me in execution because so many characters are introduced at once that I spend half the book remembering who is who. Regardless of that, this was a good mystery with an ending I didn't see coming, I just wish it didn't take up to the 50% mark to keep the characters straight.

The Invitation Rachel Abbott
Publish Date 4/16/20

In the second novel of the Stephanie King series by Rachel Abbott, the reader is immersed in a creepy, atmospheric, mystery, about the murder of a woman at a seaside mansion.

Synopsis: The mansion is filled with guests for his wedding when Lucas Jarrett discovers the body of his sister hours before he is set to take his vows. With everyone deeply disturbed by the events the wedding doesn’t take place as planned. A year after the wedding was set to occur Lucas invites the same cast of characters back to his home to participate in his search for the person that drowned his sister in a “Murder Game.” It seems every one of Lucas’ friends has a secret and playing his game is the only way to keep their secrets safe.

The first part of this book was slow and hard to get into. The number of characters was confusing and the atmosphere was not well laid out, in my opinion. Luckily, the second part of the novel picked up and filled in the gaps I felt were lacking in the first part of the book. The second half of the book was more cohesive and the characters were easier to follow and understand. The fact that the first part was difficult to follow and get into made this a 3/5 stars for me.

The story was filled with secrets, lies, jealousy, grief, multiple missing people, murder, and kidnapping. There are mentions of rape, alcohol, poisoning and drugs.

Thank you @netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Abbott does it again.....I have not yet been disappointed with any of her books. The Invitation starts off with the story of the person who has died on the eve of a large celebration (a wedding). The deceased is Alex, the sister of Lucas, the groom. All the guest are stunned. The book then follows all the guests exactly one year later back in the same location. Only this time, Lucas is determined that one of the guests had murdered his sister and is set to find out who among his friends would do something so horrendous.

Abbott keeps you on a roller coaster the entire way. Each time you think you know the who it is - there comes another twist. All I can say I loved the book but don't want to give too much away.

This is the second book in the Stephanie King line. I didn't think I could ever like another detective other than Tom Douglas but Stephanie has a way of drawing you in.

This was a wonderful novel with characters that draw you right in and don’t let go. The storyline flowed seamlessly and kept me glued to the pages.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have been excited to read this since I read the synopsis a few months ago! I have not read the 1 DS Stephanie King novel in this series. This book also goes by the name The Murder Game.

A year ago to the day Matt and his wife Jemma, Andrew and his fiance Chandra, and Nick and his twin sister Isabel have gathered at Lucas' glorious Cornish home, Polskirrin, overlooking the sea. Attending his wedding to Nina. Lucas, Matt, Andrew and Nick been friends for 20 years.

The night before the wedding Lucas troubled younger sister, Alex drowns in what appears to be a suicide. One year later Lucas sends them an invitation to celebrate the anniversary, but anniversary of what? The wedding that never happened, or the tragedy that occurred just hours before the ceremony was due to begin?

They all head back to Polskirrin, where he forcefully insists on the group taking part in a game. They are given costumes and roles based on information he provided and they have to tell the truth. This is a deadly version of the murder mystery game. What does Lucas wish to achieve? Will the friends go along with it? The story is told by Jemma in the first person and from the perspectives of Nina, Alex and DS Stephanie King.

This was very well written, and there is so much suspicion on all the characters that it will keep you guessing until the end. I don't normally like books that go back and forth with the POV but this pulled it off great!

'We are going to enjoy a good old dinner-party game ... we're playing the murder game.'

Jemma and Matt were invited to Matt’s childhood friend Lucas Jarrett home for an wedding that ends tragic. A girl's body is floating toward the shoreline of the house on the eve of the wedding. Now, one year later, they are asked to come back for the anniversary party of what happened. Lucas has come up with a game to make one of the people invited this time to tell the truth of what happened during that event. Everyone has a role to play. Jemma thinks she and her husband don't know anything about what happened to the woman that died during that wedding. But is she wrong? Does her husband know something? What happened to Alex? Secrets will soon be revealed and a game to be remembered.

With an Agatha Christie sort of vibe going on it was hard to figure it all out until the final chapters. The book was a atmospheric chilling setting in an ocean-view home. Part 1 of the book was a bit of labor to get through. Part 2, which takes place one year later, picks up and draws you in more to the mystery. Finding out more of what happens to all the party goers at the end would have been nice to know. It left me with questions that I felt were necessary to be more satisfying.

Overall, Rachel Abbott delivers a suspenseful romp and a twist that shocks in the end.
Special thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley.

The Invitation by author Rachel Abbott is a twisty thriller with a great plot. Character development is on point here!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A black envelope and an invitation...this, to Jemma & Matt. A game? It doesn't matter because what Lucas wants he gets...

Before: an unexpected event occurs on the week of Lucas' wedding to Nina. Interactions among Lucas' best friends are subtle but become strained in many ways...

A great read from a very talented writer. The suspense ramps up at the very start. Highly depicted characters, and a surprising plot - sure to delight the reader!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Many Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a super read.

4.5 STARS

"That’s the thing about old friends… they never let you forget. "

The first time Jemma and Matt were invited to Polskirrin – the imposing ocean-view home belonging to Matt’s childhood friend Lucas Jarrett – it was for an intimate wedding that ended in tragedy. Now, exactly one year later, Jemma and her husband have reluctantly returned at Lucas’s request to honor the anniversary of an event they would do anything to forget.

But what Lucas has in store for his guests is nothing like a candlelight vigil. Someone who was there that night remembers more than they’ll admit to, and Lucas has devised a little game to make them tell the truth....

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THE INVITATION gave me total Agatha Christie vibes! It was a total "locked door" mystery and I literally had NO idea who the culprit was until everything was revealed in the final few chapters. I loved how atmospheric this book was and I enjoyed having a thriller that was also jam packed with mystery and suspense. My only issue with THE INVITATION was that Part One of the story (roughly 20%) was much less interesting than Part 2 (one year later.) I had trouble tracking all the new characters in the first part - hence the not quite 5 star rating. However, I had to stay up late to finish Part 2 because I NEEDED to know what was going on! And that ending? Jaw dropping. Amazing. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my ARC! Grab this one 04/16/2020

This book was wonderfully written. I did not predict that twist. I was shocked and gripped by the story. I recommend you go in blind for this book. You will not be disappointed.

3-4 stars. This was a fast paced read, which I would given 5 stars had the ending cleared up everything and not had so much focus on the detectives. I felt it was way too rushed at the end, which sort of defeated the whole point of reading. So, while I enjoyed the story, I thought it was cut way too abruptly and wasn’t a precise ending that told us what happened to everyone. I think by adding in the detectives parts it took away from the story. I would’ve loved no detective parts and more endings on the entire people at the party. Overall, a decent read that should give you a few thrills and chills!
Will make sure I buzz it up on all the different platforms!

Oh my gosh, I LOVED this book! It has everything - a beautiful setting, a mysterious death, secrets, lies, the works! Jemma and her husband, Matt, are invited to the wedding of one of Matt's oldest friends, Lucas Jarrett. He lives in a massive gorgeous home, Polskirrin, on the water with his bride-to-be, Nina, and his mysterious younger sister, Alex. Jemma has never met any of Matt's old friends, but like much to do with Matt, she doesn't question why. A good time is had by all, as they gather and reminisce about the past. She gets to know everyone except Alex who only joins the group for dinner and barely says a word. But her attempts to find out more are met with discomfort and evasiveness from Matt who will only say that Alex is fragile and disturbed due to a tragedy in their past. He will say no more. Perhaps Jemma should have pushed harder, as the day of the wedding begins with the discovery of Alex's body floating lifeless in the water.

Now it's exactly a year later, and Jemma feels more distant from Matt than ever. She can't believe they are coming back to Polskirrin at Lucas's request., on this date. Are they going to celebrate a wedding that didn't happen? Mourn the loss of Alex? What exactly is happening? But as Matt always says, you don't say no to Lucas. All of the guests from the previous year have returned and Jemma observes just how much history begins to repeat itself. Sure, they gather, drink, reminisce, but there's a much darker atmosphere this time and everyone wonders what Lucas has planned for them. Is he simply lost in grief over his sister's death? Why does he seem so accusatory? After all, Alex's death was an unfortunate act of suicide....wasn't it?

Do not start reading this book unless you have the time to read it from start to finish because you won't want to put it down! I'm telling you, this story will draw you in and make it impossible to keep from turning page after page to get to the heart of these mysterious happenings. You think you know who has done what and why, until you discover that, actually, you don't know anything...