This story is about JR Alastor who hires Mila to help with hosting a writing retreat on a private island for many famous authors who each have something to hide from their past. The group all thinks they have arrived to really figure out who Alastor really is as he writes under a pen name but, little did they know their retreat would turn into games with life and death decisions based on their past choices. They slowly realize the only way to survive is to figure out which one of them is the real Alastor.

I thought this was going to be my first DNF book. I decided to give it a second try before my ARC expired and I’m happy I did. I really ended up enjoying the storyline of the book which was a mix of clue and escape room.

This book was difficult at first because it was hard to keep track of the characters during the first few chapters. The only other issue I continued to have was the chapters were long and each chapter was from a different characters view point which made me continue to go back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose perspective I’ve was suppose to be reading it from.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You Are Fatally Invited was one of the most highly anticipated mysteries to be released early 2025, and it did not disappoint!

Bestselling but elusive author JR Alastor hires event planner Mila to run a writer's retreat out of his home in an island off Maine. Other writers relish the chance to meet the author, who has never let his identity be published. But Mila has an agenda of her own. One of the writers attending stole her manuscript years ago and published it as her own. Soon all the writer's lives will be in danger. Their host knows their secrets, and he wants to make them pay.

This book pays homage to all the mystery and thriller tropes, and in particular, the locked room mystery. You will need to suspend belief as everything is over the top and a little crazy. However, it is very fun, if you can call multiple murders fun! I thought it was clever that authors were killed in the manner they had described in their books. It also helps that I find the main character, Mila, appealing.

If you're ready to be really entertained and don't mind not taking your mystery too seriously, this is a clever and fun read and I sped through it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ande Pliego, and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this mystery, but it fell so flat for me. This is a locked door situation that is reportedly a retelling of famous older mysteries. I thought the premise, several mystery writers are on a “retreat” with their anonymous famous host, was so interesting, but I just couldn’t get into this story. The story unfolds through several people’s point of view. I think this was maybe the fatal flaw, as I felt like I didn't get an appropriate character development out of any of them. The characters just felt lacking and I could not relate to them or root for them in the book, so I really didn’t care about their outcomes. I did appreciate the fairly short chapters, which are essential in a mystery, but it felt like such a slow burn until well after midway in the book. I just left wanting more, which says a lot when there are several murderous twists throughout. Nevertheless, this is likely to be a very popular book for many readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

I adore locked room mysteries and luckily we have a decent sized patron base that love them too. This one hooked me from the beginning. I loved the obvious tropes. At the beginning I was sure it was a simple popcorn thriller, by the end my mind was changed. Great plot, good twists, likeable (and not so) characters. Clever, a bit gorier than I initially expected. I've already placed on hold for several of our patrons!

A truly immersive locked room mystery! The thriller writer characters and atmospheric setting were superb. Though the shifting POVs and twists required close attention, I was utterly hooked. The inclusion of a house map was a brilliant touch.

I enjoyed this locked room mystery so much! It reminded me of the game Clue, and it has a map of the house and rooms that help you visualize the story. I loved that the characters were all thriller authors, and the atmospheric vibes were amazing! With all of the twists and multiple POVs, things were hard to follow at times, but I was hooked to the story and could not put it down!! I also loved it so much that I purchased a physical copy and will recommend this to my fellow readers.

Lots of characters made this locked room mystery a bit of a bummer for me. I think a focus on a smaller group of people with more fleshed out personalities would have made this more enjoyable.

In "You Are Fatally Invited," Ande Pliego delivers a riveting mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.

The story centers around an exclusive invitation to a glamorous yet sinister event, where attendees quickly find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and murder. Pliego’s plot is a masterclass in twists and turns, offering surprises at every corner while maintaining a satisfying sense of cohesion.

The pacing strikes a perfect balance between suspenseful build-up and surprising revelations. As tensions rise, Pliego skillfully introduces layers of intrigue that deepen the mystery, keeping readers guessing about both the culprit and the true motives behind the deadly gathering. The narrative’s rhythm ensures that the stakes remain high, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.

What truly elevates "You Are Fatally Invited" is its memorable cast of characters. Each individual is richly drawn, with flaws, motivations, and secrets that make them feel authentic and compelling. Their interactions add depth to the story, creating a dynamic interplay of trust and betrayal that heightens the tension. Pliego’s knack for character-driven storytelling enhances the immersive nature of the novel, making it not just a thrilling read but also an emotionally engaging one. This is a must-read for fans of mysteries with sharp plotting and captivating characters.

“You Are Fatally Invited” is Ande Pliego’s debut thriller centering on a writer’s retreat gone horribly wrong. Six best selling thriller writers, along with three staff members, are trapped on a private island off the coast of Maine during a terrible storm - with a psychotic murder bent on making them pay for their past sins.

Overall this book was very tightly structured and a fun, fast paced read. I loved the writing and especially the short chapters, the mysterious setting, and the complex characters! I also greatly enjoy the inclusion of the triller tropes - it was fun to see how each one played out in the narrative.

However, I did have a few quibbles that kept me from giving this five stars. First, the number of narrators either needed to be narrowed to just a few (two would’ve worked well like Ruth Ware’s “One by One”) or explained to include all of the characters. Pliego’s choice to occasionally add a POV was both distracting and took away some of the suspense.

I also found the ending to be a bit of a let down - I was able to work out the murderer fairly early on in the book. I did however enjoy the wrap up at the very end. While it might have been a bit too contrived I liked the final bits of justice for one of the characters.

Overall “You Are Fatally Invited” was one of the better thrillers that I’ve read - clever, self referential, and fast paced. I’d highly recommend it and I’m looking forward to checking out Ande Pliego’s future works!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random
House/Ballantine/Bantam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review posted on Goodreads on 9 March 2025.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7219778620

I loved the premise and the overall plot of the book, it was twisty and fun. Locked room mysteries are some of my favorite reads!
However I thought that there was too many characters and it was a lot to take in at times.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Six thriller authors are invited to a week retreat at a private island estate hosted by a renowned anonymous author. Why these 6 authors? All have something to hide / confess. As various thriller tropes are written into events as the days go by, the guests must cooperate or end up murdered like the characters in their books.

If Agatha Christie wrote a book about the board game Clue, you’d get this book. They play a custom Clue game representing the rooms at the estate, the estate map at the beginning of the book is the Clue layout, & they have to play ‘games’ to figure out who the murderer is. I would have preferred if the title somehow credited Clue. The current title is mediocre. Same with the house/beach front cover; it didn’t fit the book. The setting is an exquisite four-story estate but the house on the cover looks like a modern day two-story home.

There were some unexpected surprises, excerpts from the host’s newest book that flowed well with what events were occurring, memorable quotes, and unique plot ideas. The suspense / thrill was lacking though. I found myself dozing off or losing focus too frequently. The chapters were really short and switched POVs frequently. It’s written is first person, POV of all the characters. The writing style didn’t vary enough from character to character and with the chapters being so short, it was difficult to recall which character’s POV I was reading / who was talking.

Overall, not a bad mystery read. Would recommend if you like books where characters are forced together in an isolated location to be systemically killed off.

Review and rating posted to Goodreads. Social media posting will occur on March 25.

When several mystery authors are invited to an inclusive retreat by one of the most famous authors, they know the games begin. Everyone has a secret on this writer's retreat and everyone will pay a price for their past mistakes. As Mila is called to coordinate this extravaganza plan with the mysterious author who nobody has ever met. It becomes evident that the revenge Mila seeks is not what she was expecting. As the murder toll rises, Mila is left to wonder if she is next on the list. They all had a secret that they were dying to keep. This is a fast-paced cat and mouse game that had me guessing with every clue and glued to each character. I did not see all the twists coming as all their secrets come out in the end. I had no clue who the mystery author's identity was either. I enjoyed how this novel was written and honestly could picture all the characters. If you want a fast paced thriller, this is the book for you. I will be recommending this book to others and look forward to reading more by Ande Pliego.

This was just ok. There were too many characters introduced at once and it was hard to get going with their different POVs that once the plot actually picked up, I was not very much invested in it.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego – 5/5 Stars!

Okay, I just finished You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego, and WOW. This book totally swept me off my feet! If you’re a fan of dark humor, spooky vibes, and a murder mystery with a side of chaotic family drama, then this is the book for you.

The plot? A total rollercoaster. We follow a group of characters who get invited to a fancy dinner at a luxurious estate… but here’s the twist: one of them is going to die, and they have no idea who it will be. Talk about dinner party goals, right? 😅 There’s so much tension in the air as the characters try to figure out who the murderer is while navigating all the twists and turns of their messed-up relationships. The suspense is real, and just when you think you have it figured out – boom – another bombshell drops. I could NOT put this book down!

What I loved the most? The vibes. It’s got that gothic, “everyone’s hiding something” atmosphere that had me turning pages way too late at night. Also, the characters are SO interesting – they’re all super different, but each one adds their own flavor to the story. You’ll either love them or love to hate them, but that’s what makes the whole mystery so fun to unravel.

And let’s talk about the writing. Ande Pliego has a way of blending humor with dark themes, making it feel like you're reading something seriously intense but still getting those comedic moments that break up the tension. The pacing is perfect; it doesn’t drag, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time.

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be so obsessed with this book, but here I am. If you’re into a mystery that keeps you guessing, a bit of family drama, and a dash of the unexpected, You Are Fatally Invited is a MUST-read. I cannot wait to see what Pliego does next!

5 stars, no question. 🖤🔪

My mind is currently blown by the fact that You Are Fatally Invited is Ande Pliego's debut novel. It is so expertly plotted and intricately woven together that I thought Pliego had been writing for years. I loved that this book had lots of secret passageways and stairwells, and there is a nice handy dandy map of the interior at the front that I had fun looking at. The isolated setting off the coast of Maine was atmospheric as well as vivid and I felt like I was right there with our crime authors. And a week of games fueled by tropes?! This bookish book checked all the boxes when it comes to a locked room mystery with intrigue and extra twisty twists.

The audiobook is performed by a full cast, and I would recommend listening while having a copy of the book close by. It is a beautiful book, and I now want a copy for my shelf. The audio narrators were all winners and even though I couldn’t go higher than a 2x speed (I normally listen at a higher 2 up to a 3), I wasn’t bothered by it and all of their narration was perfectly paced. The end does get a little out there for me which is what brought down my rating just a touch, but I wouldn’t be mad if this got turned into a movie or miniseries. I had to listen to one part near the end a couple of times to truly understand what was going on, and I probably should have turned to the book.

Read this if you love locked room mysteries, bookish books, and the game Clue!

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read You Are Fatally Invited in exchange for my honest opinion.

Six thriller authors are invited to a private island for a Clue like writing retreat and of course someone actually ends up dead. And that’s just the beginning.

I loved this locked room thriller so much! Being trapped on an island with an unknown killer is one of my favorite thriller tropes so I was immediately sucked in. While I did guess who was behind it all correctly early on in the book I was still on the edge of my seat to see how this would all play out. 4.5 stars round up

Thank you, NetGalley Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam books for this free ebook for review. This was a fun debut thriller about a writing retreat hosted by an anonymous author at a private mansion. It’s all fun and games until a guest turns up dead and when everyone has secrets to hide or an axe to grind, the fun writing week turns into a deadly game of who will play the play and get off the island alive

There were some really interesting threads here and I wish the author would have just picked one rather than throwing a bunch of plot ideas and annoying people into a bowl and popping it under the stand mixer. Our main narrator, Mila, was just too much of a sad sack to really root for, especially since she seemed to have found a great and likely lucrative career in the wake of giving up writing but still acted like she had nothing else going on. Also, although I don't necessarily mind a bit of romance in a thriller if it's done well, adding her weirdly schoolgirl-esque crush on another character into the mix just made it lamer. Girl, focus.

So, basic middle of the road three stars for this one because I did like some elements - the setting was great, and I really appreciated feeling the atmosphere of a big spooky house on a private island, and the climactic scene in particular was super evocative and has stuck with me. I'll check out this author again in hopes that a little more experience will have filed down the rough edges of a debut work.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was INCREDIBLE. Ande Pliego has such a way with words, crafting atmosphere, and creating compelling characters. There were so many twists and turns, and I devoured this book! Can't wait to see what Ande does next!

It pains me to give You Are Fatally Invited a low rating, because I loved the concept so much. In this take on a locked-room mystery, six thriller writers travel to an island off the coast of Maine for a writing retreat hosted by renowned anonymous author J.R. Alastor. But they get more than they bargained for when they discover that Alastor knows secrets about each of them, and has set up a series of elaborate, trope-inspired games and riddles to call them out. But then of course, one of the writers turns up dead, and a storm cuts off the island, and then more people die…and you know how this goes.

It’s a story with good (and familiar) bones, and the fact that it’s a book about thriller writers offers some fun meta moments. But unfortunately, overall, I think Ande Pliego was a bit too ambitious and couldn’t quite execute the plot effectively. There were too many characters and not enough differentiation in their narrative voices (since the chapters alternate points-of-view), and the character development was lacking. The characters’ relationships with each other were so unnecessarily convoluted that I was just…lost. Pliego had all these big, fun ideas, but she didn’t tie the various threads of the plot together very cleanly, so it was all just…messy. By the end, I didn’t even really care if the big reveals made sense; I was just ready to be done with the mental gymnastics required to keep everything straight.

If you’re a fan of locked-room mysteries and metafiction, I’d still encourage you to give this one a try; not every book is for every reader, and this one wasn’t for me – but it may be for you. Thank you to Bantam for the complimentary reading opportunity.