This was chaotic family drama personified. There was really more family stuff than mystery but it was rife with unreliable characters and questionable circumstances so it was still an entertaining read.
The production and narration were entertaining and kept the drama alive.

I LOVE Jason Rekulak and the production of his audiobooks. At first, the synopsis didn't really interest me much, but boy was I wrong! This book, for me, is essentially about what it means to be a parent and to let yourself really know your child and acknowledge who they are as a person, for better or worse. Coming to terms with the fact that some people we love are not who we believe them to be is powerful.

This book was really good and it went in directions I most certainly did not expect. I would say it reminded me a bit of I Am Not Who You Think I Am by Eric Rickstad, and that's a good thing. I usually lean heavily to women's fiction so it is memorable for me to indulge in a mystery with a male protagonist (the good guy in this case!) and I enjoyed it start to finish.
EXCELLENT NARRATOR!

I was willing to give Rekulak another shot after the transphobic mess that Hidden Pictures ended on, but after reading this it's clear that he is just not for me. It was near impossible for me to connect with Frank, and his paranoia was ridiculous. It was absolutely a slog to get through this,

Jason Rekulak has released a new book following the success of his standout novel, Hidden Pictures. It's important to note that The Last One At The Wedding is quite different in tone and theme, focusing more on family domestic suspense rather than supernatural elements. The story explores a father's determination to protect his daughter, which provides a compelling and emotional narrative. While I found the book engaging, I prefer the prominent supernatural aspects in his debut. Nonetheless, Rekulak's shift in focus showcases his versatility as an author.

The Last One at the Wedding is a gripping mix of family drama and psychological suspense. Frank Szatowski’s journey to reconnect with his estranged daughter at her lavish wedding quickly takes a dark turn as he uncovers unsettling secrets about her new in-laws. Rekulak masterfully balances heartfelt moments with spine-chilling tension, keeping readers hooked until the final twist. If you enjoy thrillers with complex characters and a touch of mystery, this one is a must-read!

What a rollercoaster. I went into this expecting a general thriller I could sink my teeth into. The cover and title caught my eye, it's rare I find a thriller these days I don't like. I got about 20% into this audiobook, and almost wrote it off. I wasn't expecting the main character I got. He was sweet, but a bit of a pollyanna hung up on class. I was finding it repetitive how often he referred to his job as a delivery truck driver and just wanted him to relax and enjoy the narrative more.
By 60% in, I would have done anything for this main character. What a genuine, loving father stuck in this insane story. Frank was such a great character because he himself didn't believe what was happening in front of his eyes. I loved watching him crumble and find peace with his new family at the end of the story. I couldn't believe Maggie, it was a trainwreck I couldn't look away from. I was shocked at how heartwrenching Frank made the discoveries because of how stubborn he was in believing in his child.

I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me. What a treat to find an unreliable narrative that makes you believe in hope again???

The book was excellent. I was shocked and devoured it by the end. The rest of the characters were interesting, but none as much as Frank. What a unique character I will find myself thinking about for a while to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started listening to this novel, I was dubious about enjoying a middle-aged man narrator. That said, I really enjoyed listening to John Pirhalla and was pretty quickly drawn in to Rekulak's storyline. He kept me guessing, and I enjoyed the read, but I couldn't get past the side plot with the Frank's sister and her foster daughter. The whole relationship kept taking me out of the story because i found it implausible. Otherwise, a highly entertaining read!

Frank Szatowski‘s daughter Maggie is getting married. After a three year estrangement she called to tell him the big news and invite him to the wedding. Frank, a traditional, middle-class American is expecting to get to know his only daughter’s in-laws. What he finds instead is that Maggie is marrying in to a world of wealth and privilege. And what secrets are the Gardner’s burying with their privilege. As the wedding weekend commences and the hour for the vows draws near, Frank learns more and more what Maggie is getting in to. Will he be able to protect her or risk their rocky relationship?
This is an enjoyable, easy listening suspenseful novel. The narrator gives Frank an authentic voice and it’s easy to feel sympathetic towards him and put yourself in his position. What would you do if you loved your daughter but questioned her choices yet still desperately want to support her?

The cover and the premise was the things that drew me to this book. This one wasn't as spooky and creepy as I was hoping it was book. Overall, decent domestic thriller. Looking forward to the next Rekulak novel!

I finished this book in one day. I couldn't stop listening as the narrator brought the story to life as a father who just wants to do right by his daughter. I was able to deduce some of the events, but one I was not able to (so obvious to me now!) that gave me the major ick. Overall, a great listen and read!

This was a domestic thriller with lots of drama and a plethora of unlikeable characters. The characters are all well developed, but I definitely disliked a bunch of them. I was very intrigued and locked into what was happening, as I found the plot to be different. I was engrossed as twist after twist occurred. I love that the author did something very different from Hidden Pictures while still staying true to his writing style. I enjoyed this book just as much as Hidden Pictures.

Though starting off low, the second half more than made up for the slower start. I was completely immersed in this story and the antagonistic characters. Being a mix of a thriller and of a domestic suspense, I enjoyed the way things wrapped up at the end.

The narration by John Pirhalla was great! I usually stay away from books with only a male narrator, but i really enjoyed the way Pirhalla handled all the characters in this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of "The Last One at the Wedding." I enjoyed this book, but not as much as his first book. I was thankful for the ARC on Kindle,but I know it would be a beautiful hardcover book! Worth buying.

A destination wedding at a private luxury estate. What could go wrong?
A domestic suspense, full of family drama, twisty, messy and a bit of humor.
I didn’t like the characters, but that’s what made the story work, all perfectly flawed, unreliable, all hiding something.
The audio kept me engaged from start to finish.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this complimentary audiobook.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 by Jason Rekulak released October 8, 2024.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I just keep hearing so many great things about his previous book. I really enjoyed this one! I'll have to go read his others. I really I liked the main character. I really appreciate characters that are rigid in their beliefs about right and wrong. I appreciated the ending as well because it was consistent with the characters personality and beliefs. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio.

So this one was vastly different than Hidden Pictures. I am not saying this is a bad thing but I wanted spooky and got a domestic thriller. I also was not the biggest fan of the narrator. The entire story just sort of dragged for me. And all of the characters were incredibly hateable. Except the little one with her lice and sweet soul.

This was a slow burning thriller. The first half of the story is spent laying down the back story required to make the second half make sense. I thought I had it all figured out a couple of times and each time it turned out I was wrong. I was not expecting the reveal or the ending. I will definitely be reading more of Jason Rekulak's work in the future.

This isn't the first audiobook I have listened to that was narrated by John Pirhalla and it won't be the last. I enjoy listening to thrillers and mysteries narrated by John; he does a great job of keeping you engaged in the story.

Finished this audiobook yesterday while I was baking and chopping veggies for Thanksgiving. It’s a mystery centered on an estranged father and daughter coming back together for the daughter’s wedding. She’s marrying the son of an uber-wealthy family at a former summer camp they’ve converted to a luxe family estate.

The estranged dad is a Gulf War veteran and UPS driver, so there are big differences between the two families, even before the secrets start coming out. While suspenseful, the twists were not very surprising or twisty, and the ending fell flat. I did like how the author explored family dynamics and how far a parent will go for their child.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the copy of this book!

I went into this one blind, thinking it would be similar to 'Hidden Pictures'. This was nothing like his previous novel, but I actually think I liked it more. I listened to the audiobook, and it held my attention from start to finish, and was told in such a way that I felt like I was seeing the story. I know many would disagree; but I loved the ending. I did figure the ending out pretty early on, but didn't feel it took away from the ending.

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING [thank you to Flatiron Books and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: The Last One At the Wedding
Author: Jason Rekulak
Genre: Mystery + Suspense
Format: Audio
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
After a father is unexpectedly invited to his daughter’s wedding, everything goes from weird to worse as nothing is what it seems.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
First and foremost: writing reviews about thrillers is difficult because you can’t say too much without giving it away.

I will say that if you go into this book expecting Hidden Pictures, you’ll be disappointed. This is a whole other weird ballgame.

I will also say that if I hadn’t been reading this for book club, I probably would have DNF’d. The action was slow, the characters were horrific, and it was weird disturbing?

If you’re a thriller reader, you’ll probably like it. If you’re a romance reader who dabbles in thrillers, maybe pick a different one?

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Terrible Human Beings
Red Herrings
Old Fashioned Men
Deluded & Unobservant People

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 3.67 ⭐️
# of Pages: 352
Pub Date: October 8, 2024