Thank you to Ande Pliego and Net Galley for this ARC! As you can see this review is coming out much later than the publication date, and this is because I struggled with the book. I think that it lacked A LOT for the genre. I think the amount of POVs was very confusing, and I didn’t care about all the characters. It was like I had to wade through 4 people to get to the one I wanted. Plus there was a lot of telling instead of showing. I think all the best murder mysteries are like a scooby doo episode– I should be able to follow along with clues to guess by the end or look back and see the breadcrumbs that were placed that I overlooked. This had very few of either. I’m not really sure why the romance started or why it was necessary. I just wanted more from this book and would’ve DNF, but them allowing me to read the arc made me push through.

4.5 stars

"An exclusive thriller writer's retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered in this twisty locked room mystery." - from Goodreads.

This was such a me type of book. To begin with, the synopsis of the book is basically everything that I love in a mystery. Then when I opened the book I found a map that showed the layout of the house. Such fun! It felt like Clue in the best of ways. I was literally all in with this book from the very beginning. This was one of those books that I both wanted to savor and fly through at the same time. I spend my time reading trying to guess what was going on and who was behind it all. And suspecting everyone at one point or another. I really liked how this author played with the isolated island trope where people were dying one by one. It almost felt like a slasher mixed with a mystery. That being said, my one complaint was that I didn't love the ending as much as I had hoped to. In fact, I ended up going back and rereading the ending just because I felt like I had missed a few things. Overall though, I had such a fun time with this book and cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next. She's a mystery author to watch.

Readers who enjoy suspense filled mysteries that keep you turning the pages should give this book a try. If you loved Dead of Winter by Darcey Coates or They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall then definitely pick this one up. I'm landing on 4.5 stars and rounding up.

This story has definite And Then There Were None vibes (and even a very small Clue (the movie) reference early on), so while it absolutely started off slow... it got more interesting once the characters were being killed off. I guessed the murderer incorrectly, and did not see any of the twist coming. I like how each character had a different personality and it felt like a real writing retreat (minus the murders lol).

I gave this one 3.5 on Storygraph, but will mark it as 4 stars on NetGalley.

Milan plans a writers retreat on a private island. Six thriller writers are collected together. All with secrets. Great locked in room type thriller. I had to get a copy to keep for myself.

Thank you netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

*Thank You @prhaudio For This #Gifted audiobook*

**4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account**

"No, I’d never have catharsis. But I’d settle for revenge."

"I like my men like my Kleenex: expensive, pliable, and disposable.”

Let me invite you to read and listen to the twist upon twist psychological locked room thriller, You Are Fatally Invited, by deviously clever debut author Ande Pliego. You will laugh, smirk, and gasp, as the reveals keep coming along with the deadly games.

Six bestselling thriller writers are invited to a secluded island by reclusive renowned author J.R. Alastor for a writing retreat...or so says the invitation. What happens when they arrive is every mystery thriller trope from a "to die for dinner" to "everyone's a suspect."

Mila, the event planner, has a revenge plot against one of the writers. It gets tricky when she realizes Alastor has his own nefarious games. But it really gets wild when bodies are piling up that neither Mila or Alastor have targeted...could there be a third killer...and could they be next on the killer's list?

A full cast of voice actors deliciously chew up this satirical thriller. The delightful Will Damron reads excerpts from Alastor's book with devilish glee. As Rodrigo, Alejandro Ruiz is schemingly mysterious. The uppity Fletcher has an extra dose of obnoxiousness from John Lee. Violet's outbursts are so extra from the captivating Jeremy Carlisle Parker and Mia Hutchinson-Shaw makes Olivia an alluring character.

There's Dawn Harvey with her chef's kiss sarcasm, as my favorite, the elder author, Cassandra. The dubious Ashton is aided by the charming Feodor Chin. The astutely Victoria Villarreal owns Mila's conflicted inner voice.

With a wink to thriller fans, this writer creates an often tense, shocking murder mystery that had my heart fatally pumping with thriller joy.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing via Netgalley for a fair and honest. All opinions are my own.

I had pretty high expectations for this book and they were exceeded which almost never happens. The characters took a bit to differentiate themselves from each other, but once they did they were fantastic. The motives were emotional and heartbreaking and so realistic. The structure could have very easily gone wrong but she had a steady hand and kept it running at full speed right up until the very end. Highly recommended!

Everything about this novel suggested I'd like it - a writer's retreat on a private island, a locked room mystery/murder. I gave it a shot, but after several chapters I came to the conclusion it just wasn't for me. I didn't care for the characters, and Mila's POV pulled me from the story. Looking at other reviews, I know this was more a me problem.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Don't believe a word she says. There's always more to the story."


My goodness. I absolutely loved the whole clue vibe throughout You Are Fatally Invited. Every single person at this retreat is not innocent. Well, maybe one person but towards the end I'm still not convinced. Anyways, throughout this book you are trying to figure out what they are hiding, who is murdering everyone, and who is the mysterious host. It was a lot but also so much fun trying to figure out.

With each twist and turn, I was so convinced I knew who the serial killer was and who the host was. I'll be honest, I was completely wrong on both counts. Sort of. I figured out who the actual host was but the serial killer took me a while. It was narrowed down to two people and I ended up picking the wrong person. Still, it was really fun and I enjoyed this book a lot.

As for the characters, they were all interesting and I wanted to know what they were hiding. It was kind of amazing how they were all tied to the host at the end. Mostly because we weren't getting the full picture from everyone. Little clues throughout the book didn't make sense until the final reveal.

In the end, I enjoyed this book immensely. I can't wait for the next book Ande writes!

Thrillers that are inspired by Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" are always hit or miss for me, and this one fit that mold perfectly. This follows six horror/mystery/suspense authors who are invited to writing retreat by a reclusive, anonymous, famous author. We also get chapters from the author's assistant who is running the retreat. As one might expect, people start getting killed. We slowly learn why this happening, through a series of games. This was just fine. It didn't bring anything particularly new and exciting to the genre, but there were a few good twists, and one I felt wasn't satisfying at all. The are a lot of POVs, and I thought they were all pretty distinct, so I never got confused there, but I do think this made the pacing choppier. There were a few times where I forgot how characters ended up where they were, and what they were motivated by. I also didn't really understand a single choice the assistant character made and was really annoyed with her at times. I do think the setting is great, the games were interesting, and Ashton and Violet were both compelling characters. I just couldn't get past how convoluted a few of the big plot points were, and felt there were a few holes by the end.

Overall, this would probably be a fine pick for our library. Quick, twisty thrillers are usually a hit here. I'd be interested to see what the author does next, because the bones are there!

Selected this one after seeing it was going to be a BOTM or Aardvark pick (i cant remember which one!). I was a little disappointed by it just based on all of the hype, but appreciated the story. Thanks for the gifted copy.

First, I should mention that I’m a devoted fan of Agatha Christie, which explains why I was both intrigued and a bit nervous when I saw "You Are Fatally Invited". The book is clearly inspired by, and serves as a tribute to, Christie’s iconic "And Then There Were None". It’s not easy to beat a masterpiece like that.

Unfortunately, "You Are Fatally Invited" didn’t succeed in doing so. I say this with regret, as the author clearly put a lot of effort into constructing a "locked-room cat-and-mouse" plot, aiming to make it as suspenseful and surprising as possible. But, for me, it didn’t quite work. I genuinely tried to enjoy the book, but it lacked a certain spark; the plot felt dull and forced. There were inconsistencies in the characters’ motivations and actions, and none of the characters were particularly likable, including Mila del Angel, who was supposed to be the heroine. The constant shifting of the narrator’s perspective made it difficult for me to form an emotional connection with her early on.

That being said, I do appreciate the author's spirit in taking on such a giant. I’ll add one extra star to my review for that.

Best of luck with the next book.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy.

Thank you NetGalley! This book had gripped from the beginning. I’m always into a locked room type thriller especially one on an island. This one has so many theists and turns. I loved reading it!

The story begins when a renowned and reclusive thriller writer invites six other thriller writers for a week’s retreat. The writers are all anticipating the retreat for their own secretive reasons. While they all expects murder to be on the agenda, they are not expecting the murder victims to be real. The writers begin to turn on each other as the realize the murderer is one of their own.

I really enjoyed You Are Fatally Invited. Each writer has a story to tell and a secret they strive to keep hidden. The characters’ emotions feel real as they try to find the murderer and at the same time, try to stay alive.

My interest continued to grow as I read the twisty plot. Just when I think I know who the killer is, the writers begin throws in a twist and I realize I really have no idea who’s the killer. I highly recommend this book. It definitely kept me entertained!

An homage to Knives Out, And Then There Were None, and Stephen King's On Writing. Read for multi-pov, fall vibes, and characters that are each suspects.

A compelling page turner that had me guessing until the end. There are so many twists and turns. Even if you figure out some of it you won’t figure it all out. I loved it!

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It truly kept me guessing the entire time (and I swore I had it figured out about 82% through and then I was thrown for another loop)! I love that we get to see multiple characters’ POV, giving us a glimpse into their personality.

It definitely has the air of “And Then There Were None”, so if that’s your style, definitely pick this one up. There are certainly twists (some you can guess but others may surprise you) and the characters are all different (some more tolerable than others).

Overall, this gets a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me and I highly recommend it if you love a whodunnit!

This was an interesting mystery! Many players involved and a lot of misdirection, kept me guessing up to the end!

Rating: ★★★☆☆
A secluded island, a mysterious host, and a group of writers with secrets—You Are Fatally Invited sets the stage for a classic locked-room mystery with a modern twist. When six authors are invited to a retreat hosted by the elusive J. R. Alastor, they’re met instead by Mila del Angél, who has her own deadly agenda. As a storm traps them on the island, the games begin—and so does the murder.
The atmospheric setting was a highlight for me. The isolated island off the coast of Maine, the raging storm, and the sense of being completely cut off created a deliciously tense backdrop. I also enjoyed the interactive element of trying to match clues to each author—it added a fun layer of intrigue.
However, the large cast made it hard to keep track of who was who, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters emotionally. None stood out as particularly sympathetic or memorable. The pacing also lagged in places, and while there were a few twists and turns, the final reveal didn’t quite deliver the punch I was hoping for.
Still, this was an entertaining read with a strong sense of place and a clever premise. Worth picking up if you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a theatrical flair.
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a readers copy of this title. My review is freely given and doesn’t contain spoilers.

A writer’s retreat turns deadly in this suspenseful story. Hosted by a mysterious author named Alastor, the authors are challenged by a series of games. Each person has something to hide and secrets that they don’t want revealed. Refusal to participate results in death. Can they survive? Can they figure out who amongst them, if any of them, is really Alastor. Read to find out.