I became a fan of Jason Rekulak after reading Hidden Pictures. This new book doesn't disappoint, and I also enjoyed the audio version of it.

Frank reconnects with his daughter Maggie for her wedding to Aiden after a three year fall out. Aiden's family owns an uber successful company and is used to having everything their way. Right from the beginning, Frank knew that something was "off" with this family. He is also having trouble coming to grips with the level of deceit that he didn't know his daughter was capable of.

Aiden is accused of killing a former girlfriend and Frank is being sent warning of this. The family vehemently denies the accusations, and it overshadows the wedding. When a second death happens, everything goes haywire.

Frank is upset by how everyone seems to brush over everything and pretend like nothing happened because of the family's name. This type of book is EXACTLY what I love, thrill, suspense and twists and turns!! If you read his first book, and enjoyed it, then you will love this one as well.

Thank you to #netgalley for this #arc

I really enjoyed this book! I did the audiobook and the narrator's voices were spot on. I was definitely surprised when everything started to unfold.

So, I'm still not exactly sure how I feel about domestic suspense thrillers yet. But since I really enjoyed Hidden Pictures I was dying to get my hands on the next Jason Rekulak novel - and damn did he bring a cast of really great but also a mostly really unlikable cast of characters! I loved it!

ೃ⁀➷ I received the audio - advanced listening copy and I just want to say that the narrator, John Pirhalla did such an amazing job at brining Frank to life! Fantastic performance!

In The Last One at the Wedding we follow Frank, our MMC when he gets a call from his estranged daughter, Maggie, inviting him to her wedding. They haven't spoken in years and Frank is surely chomping at the bit to see Maggie and make things right.

However, she comes across very secretive with her invitation not to mention she doesn't tell him until he gets there -- at a very luxurious, private estate -- that she's marrying Aiden Gardner, the son of a tech billionaire.

There is a ton of family drama on both sides, and Frank feels like something isn't right. He overhears mysterious conversations, and there's so many secrets, but the more he tries to find out about the family his daughter is marrying into, the more trouble he finds.

ೃ⁀➷ While Rekulak's previous novel offers up a darker and more ominous feel - The Last One at the Wedding serves in a slower, more suspenseful way. Both are thrilling and entertaining but very different.

ೃ⁀➷ There are many unexpected twists and turns that had me glued to the page, trying to work out my thoughts on who did this or who did that - trying to pin point who was the bad guy because there seems to be many of them in this story lol. It was an interesting and well-balanced blend of atmosphere, tension, horror, thriller, humor, heart, family drama, and conspiracy.

Rekulak has done it again with another great cast of characters - they felt so real. Honestly, listening to the audio felt like listening to someone I know tell a story ... Friends of the family or something- just fantastic. I do recommend this book for anyone who loved a good domestic suspense thriller.

╰⪼ Family Secrets
╰⪼ Wedding Drama
╰⪼ Father/Daughter Relationships
╰⪼ Rich People/Poor Behavior
╰⪼ Single POV
╰⪼ New Hampshire Fancy Lodge Setting
╰⪼ Domestic Suspense/Thriller

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio (😘) for the last minute advanced audio copy - all thoughts are my own. 💘

After reading and loving Hidden Pictures, I was ecstatic to revise an ALC for Rekulak's latest novel. This is completely different than Hidden Pictures. This one was more of a low burn domestic drama, full of secrets and deception with quite a few small twists you do not see coming. I was hooked and filled with anticipation! The audiobook narration was very well done. File this one under another enjoyable Jason Rekulak read.

Hidden Pictures was a 5-star read, so picking up the author's next book was a no-brainer. I try not to go in with high expectations, so I was open to where this book would take us, even as we left the supernatural elements behind.

The Last One at the Wedding- 3.5 Stars- Rounded up to 4.

This suspense novel slowly unravels as an estranged father/daughter relationship starts to rekindle. It's told from the perspective of the father., who loves his daughter and is excited to be part of her life. The parental love lines throughout the book were probably my favorite part. You get flashbacks to their relationship over the years, but in real-time you see his fatherly interactions with a foster child. It gives dimension required to ground him in his role in the story.

Both the beginning and ending were a little choppy. It took a long time to figure out what caused the initial estrangement which left me wondering if we were in an unreliable narrator situation. (Which I'm not fond of). The ending was kind of abrupt. It felt like a chapter or two was missing from the main storyline before it jumps a few months ahead to give a "Where are they now" ending.

I listened to this on audio. The Narration by John Pirhalla was well executed. His performance gave the impression that Frank was telling you his side of the story and only enhanced the experience. 5-stars for the Audio production.

I thought this was a very well done domestic drama/ suspense thriller. I love a marriage/ wedding surrounded by the wealthy mixed with "outsider". It was a lil deeper than your average domestic thriller, and got a bit darker. I had a good time listening, I flew right through it in one day.
This author must just really love J.K. Rowling, and or Harry Potter. He's mentioned them in other book as well. I absolutely adore H.P. but most definitely don't feel the same way towards his creator.

I liked this one! Hidden Pictures is one of my top reads for the year, so when I heard another book by Jason Rekulak I had to read it!!! This was a gripping & page turning thriller. The MC Frank was my favorite character, he’s was the only one that actually used his brain. His daughter & sister on the other hand wasn’t likable at all, I didn’t like how money hungry they were. The twists were unexpected but it didn’t wow me. My only two big complaints was the pacing & the ending!!! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Loved this audiobook. I definitely didn't see the twist coming. Jason Rekulak has become one of my favorite authors. This book definitely kept me guessing! Please write a part two!

“The last one at the wedding” was the first book that I’ve read from Jason Rekulak and I plan to read more. The story starts with Frank Szatowski and his estranged daughter Maggie. We don’t know right away what caused the rift between them but Maggie reaches out to her dad after three years foster when she becomes engaged. Frank, his sister and her foster daughter all go to the wedding in NH at the wealthy Gardner family compound. Maggie and her fiancée Aiden don’t appear to be what Frank is expecting. Something is “off” and he then starts digging into the mystery and all the family secrets.

I listened to the audiobook and was pulled into the story by the excellent narrator, John Pirhalla. I found this one hard to stop listening to and a fast moving story. I couldn’t predict where this would end.

Highly recommend.

I really don’t like to leave any negative feedback but I was so bored with this one. If you can hang in there to about 60% things start to pick up and become more interesting. Still, I hung with it all the way to the end. Hidden Pictures was great… this one felt more like a mid debut novel. Thanks NetGalley for the ALC.

Frank Szatowski and his daughter, Maggie, have been estranged with no contact for the past three years. When Frank gets a call out of the blue inviting him to Maggie’s wedding, he’s overjoyed. It’s a huge affair as the family Maggie is marrying into is quite well to do. No cost is spared and it’s a whole week end affair! The more Frank sees, the more uneasy he becomes, just what is Maggie getting herself into? As he tries to warn her, Maggie pulls back, but when a woman ends up dead on the beach, things take a turn and Frank will stop at nothing to save his daughter…the only question is … does Maggie need to be saved?? There are so many twists and turns in this one keeping the reader on their toes from start to finish! Do yourselves a favor and listen to this one on audio! It was voiced to perfection by John Pirhalla. While the story might be a bit over the top, John’s narration brought the story to life and I loved every minute of it! Thank you to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

The Last One at the Wedding is a slow-burn murder mystery. The audiobook was expertly narrated by John Pirhalla. Pirhalla did an excellent job narrating the single POV of the MMC Frank Szatowski - a widowed father of estranged, soon to be married daughter, Maggie. The story had so many twists and turns, I didn’t have a clue where it would take me until the end. For people who enjoyed Hidden Pictues, this is a very different kind of story, but the quality of Rekulak’s storytelling is on the same level. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the early access to this fun and addictive audiobook :)

Many thanks to Goodreads and Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC of The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak.

The story is gripping, keeping you hooked and in suspense, constantly hoping for a happy resolution while feeling uneasy about the main character’s fate. Although it starts a bit slow, the pace steadily picks up, drawing you deeper into the plot. The unpredictable twists will leave you questioning the story's direction, sometimes pleasantly surprised, other times uncertain about what comes next.

I thoroughly enjoyed uncovering the secrets within the characters. Viewing the narrative from the father’s perspective was a unique touch. Frank, despite his flaws, was a well-rounded protagonist—gruff but with a compassionate and kind core that made him relatable. His struggles felt real, and the intricate family dynamics were depicted with care.

I did wish for more development with the supporting characters.

Overall, this is a well-crafted psychological suspense that thoughtfully delves into social themes and family complexities.

The narrator did a great job.

This story of Frank Szatowski is not what you think it will be. This story is a slow evolution of family and choice. Frank is a UPS driver by trade - and he’s very proud of that. His wife has passed and his daughter now grown is estranged from him until one day she reconnects. She’s getting married and she wants Frank to meet her fiancee The meet the family does not go as Frank had planned, but nothing about this wedding is going as planned. Thanks to NetGalley for this read!

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 by Jason Rekulak is narrated by John Pirhalla was a suspenseful family drama with a really down-to-earth protagonist that won me over.

Frank Szatowski is estranged from his daughter, but when she calls and invites him to her upcoming wedding, his hopes are raised. What he finds when he begins to make connections with this family feel off, but what he begins to discover is nothing expected.

This was a fascinating family drama with a suspenseful undercurrent. I really loved Frank and his simple nature. He was very overlooked and was able sense something wrong and trusted his gut. He could never have guessed, and neither could I, what was really happening and how it unfolded felt well done!

The audio was really great for this. I loved how Pirhalla voiced Frank. It felt very spot-on and added to my enjoyment quite nicely! I definitely recommend this for fans of twisty suspense!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio & @netgalley for this @flatiron_books title that will be out on October 8th!

✨Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the gifted copy of this book!

4.5⭐️ rounded up!

I really enjoyed this story. There was mystery and intrigue, and the plot was pretty intricate without getting confusing or over the top.

I really enjoyed Frank’s character arc. He was a little neurotic and closed off in the beginning, especially toward Abigail, and to see the changes in him over the course of the story was amazing. His revelations about his relationship with Maggie were also complicated, and I was proud to see how he handled her in the end.

I loved Tammy, and I strive to be as ✨unbothered✨ as she is one day. Shoutout to my fellow hairdresser Vicky, she was amazing too.

“Rich people can buy their way out of everything” is not a new concept but to me it never gets old. It gets more and more shocking in fiction, and unfortunately in real life too.

This book reminded me A LOT of The Perfect Couple, a series recently released on Netflix. I haven’t read the book that show is based off of, but this book is very similar to that show. It of course has its differences but is a very similar plot.

I really enjoyed the narrator. I’m not sure I’ve heard him before but I really liked his character voices and he overall did a great job.

This is a really great mystery with great subplots about family dynamics. This was a highly anticipated release for me and I wasn’t disappointed.

This book was a wild ride and I couldn’t put it down. Usually I’ll just listen to books when I’m driving or can’t have a physical book in my hands, but I delayed reading anything else until I finished this! 4.5⭐️ rounded up.

When Frank’s daughter, Maggie, reached out after three years of no contact, he was so excited. She was getting married and actually wanted him at the wedding… but from the get go things were sketchy. She wouldn’t just share details of her fiancés family. Frank had to drive from PA to Boston to learn details in person, and everything got weirder from there. What did Maggie get herself into?! How well did he really know her and understand the decisions she made? Frank’s suspicion about things not being as they seemed are right, but he never saw this coming.

As parents, we are blinded by love for our children to the bad decisions they make. We let pride and protection cloud our judgment. What happens if that cloud lifts and you have to choose between supporting your kids or ruining their lives?

The narrator was great and kept my attention. I finished this audio book in one day… literally couldn’t stop listening to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I know so many are fans of Rekulak's debut HIDDEN PICTURES and for good reason. While I enjoyed that one, I think I liked this one even more, but they couldn't be more different!

I absolutely LOVED that this whole story was told in first-person from one person's POV. I feel like many authors are straying away from a singular point of view lately (which is fine), but in this case, it really helps me as a reader to feel connected to the main character and his thoughts.

If you follow my reviews, you know that slow-burn family suspense/drama is my JAM and this book 100% scratched that itch for me. I may not have been on the edge of my seat plot-wise the entire time, but I was glued to the characters and finished this book in a day.

If you're hesitant to pick this up because (like me) you think the wedding thrillers have been OVERDONE, please do not let that stop you. This isn't your basic island wedding thriller we've all read SO MANY TIMES. This book confirmed what HIDDEN PICTURES had me thinking, which is that Rekulak is about as original as they come! Can't wait to see what he writes next!

The narrator was absolutely perfect. There could not have been a better person to voice Frank Szatowski;s character!

I really appreciate the ending and had to just sit with it for a while.

Highly recommend.

4.5 stars

*The Last One at the Wedding* by Jason Rekulak follows Frank Szatowski as he navigates the complexities of family estrangement and an unexpected wedding invitation from his daughter, Maggie. While the premise holds promise, Frank's character often detracts from the story; he comes across as unlikeable and astonishingly dense, making it hard for readers to root for him.

The writing itself isn't particularly remarkable, but it remains readable, allowing the plot to unfold without becoming tedious. As Frank delves into the unsettling dynamics of Maggie’s new family, the tension builds, albeit in a somewhat predictable manner. While the novel has its moments of suspense, it ultimately feels like it misses the mark in character development and depth. For readers looking for a quick thriller, it offers some entertainment, but it may not leave a lasting impression.

Jason Rekulak has done it again!! This book had my attention from the beginning. Narrators also amazing!