The Last One at the Wedding was a well done audiobook. I thought John Pirhalla did a great job of capturing the character of Frank and really adding a layer that I may not have gotten in print.
This was a family/rich person drama/mystery where you know something isn't as it seems or something sinister is happening, but you aren't sure what. It was a bit too slow of a burn for me, but when all the parts come together, there were some twists I didn't expect. I felt like what happens to Frank in his work situation was kind of .. convenient? I don't know, it just felt off for me. Overall, I think Jason Rekulak did a great job of creating a bunch of unlikable characters and having a 'who do I trust' scenario. I felt for Frank as a father and being in such an impossible situation.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for the review.

I truly adored Frank but most of the cast of characters was otherwise quite unlikeable. This was more domestic suspense than thriller and definitely had the rich people behaving badly trope. The ending threw me off a little. Overall it was an enjoyable listen and the narrator did a great job. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC of this one. Publication date 10/8/24

Frank Szatowski is an estranged from his only daughter, so he is surprised do not only receive a phone call from her out of the blue, but be invited to her upcoming wedding!

Frank has been wanting this reunion with his daughter for a long time, so he makes every effort to be a good father of the bride and be involved in the wedding as much as possible … this isn’t your ordinary wedding and his daughter Maggie doesn’t seem to have time or want any help from him… and this is the least strange thing about this wedding!

The story is told from the point of view of Frank and I loved how you get to know him and his desires and his eagerness to create this familial bond with his daughter, all the while, looking at the world in a black and white good/bad mentality. His motivations fuel this mystery and creates a thrilling wedding weekend!

The audio narrated by John Pirhalla perfectly captures the working class, New Jersey voice of Frank. I felt his character come alive as the narrator embodied not only the voice and accent, but the emphasis of his speech. The other characters in the book are well done as well and easily distinguished, but since this is Frank’s story, his character really stands out.

This is one of those books that I did not see where it was going, and I was pleasantly surprised after working through the twist and turns at where it ended!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jason Rekulak, and the publisher for this audio ARC! I might have actually squealed when I got approved for this book—it’s one of my most anticipated reads of 2024!

And wow, it absolutely lived up to the hype. As an audiobook, the narration was outstanding. Whether it was the strength of the material or the narrator’s cadence, I was fully immersed in the story from start to finish.

The main character, Frank Szatowski, was so likable, as were his sister, Tammy, and her foster child, Abigail. Without giving too much away, I really appreciated how the story unfolded naturally, revealing the complexities of parenting in a thoughtful way.

I’m thrilled to have had the chance to read this early. It’s a must-read! 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

Frank Szatowski is living a quiet life as a deliveryman when out of the blue he gets a call from his daughter, Maggie. The two fell out a few years prior and Frank believed that was the end of his relationship with her. Maggie is calling to invite Frank to his wedding. Frank finds out that his daughter is engaged to Aidan Gardner, the son of a tech billionaire. Frank travels to an expansive estate for the prestigious wedding with his sister and her precocious foster child in tow. But in the days leading up to the wedding he begins learning about local hostilities to the Gardner family, odd family members, and everyone pretending everything is fine despite worrisome and dangerous events continuing to happen. Its left to Frank to figure out what is going on and whether his daughter is actually safe marrying into the family.

I loved Hidden Pictures and thankfully The Last One at the Wedding shows Jason Rekulak is really good at building a suspense thriller full of twists. The first act of the book is somewhat slow, but well crafted and engaging as the Szatowski and Gardner families are established. The book examines the class conflict between the two families and the Gardners with the surrounding community and builds off of the classic fish out of water at a wedding trope. Frank made for a very compelling protagonist as someone who is trying to repair a relationship and understand why it was broken in the first place. And the twists and reversals in the book made it much more compelling for me and it created a very exciting final sequence. Another wonderful thriller from Rekulak.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of The Last One at the Wedding in exchange for an honest review.

This was pretty twisted and I liked it!

What I liked:
- Frank is a great character. He's such a dad! Very believable.
- I liked the fancy wedding setting.
- The twists and turns as this story unfolded were intriguing and kept me interested.

What I didn't like:
- nothing

Well damn. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year since I absolutely loved Hidden Pictures. However, many of the 2024 “thriller” releases have not been hitting unfortunately. Either they’re getting worse, or I’m getting pickier (could be both). I put thriller in quotation marks because maybe one part in this entire book was thrilling. It was a slow burn with no real payoff. I was just kind of listening passively. I even skipped a small portion of the book just to get to the end. I didn’t feel like I missed anything either.

The plot of this book was not original in the slightest with no new commentary. Just “rich ppl bad” and “screens bad.” No likable characters either except the foster kid. The main character was insufferable. I can do unlikable characters, but the MC was just a whiny dad complaining the entire time.

I see other people praising the narrator, but I didn’t think he was that great TBH. Maybe it was because I was listening at 2x speed, but his voice for the female characters was straight up bad.

The Last One at the Wedding is out now. Thank you to 2024 Macmillan Audio Influencer Program and Netgalley for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jason Rekulak, and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to a copy of the audiobook version of The Last One at the Wedding in the return of an honest review. I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I having a feeling that if I had read this as a book, instead of listening to the audiobook, it would have been a "did not finish" for me. The pace was agonizingly slow. Sure, there was a twist in it, but it took what felt like forever to get there. I no longer cared how the story wrapped up. Each character was more unlikable than the next. The only reason I am giving this one three stars is because of the narration. That was the only thing that kept me interested. Not sure if it was how the character was written or how the narrator chose to voice him, but when the main character, Frank, was featured all I could visualize was Judd Hirsch.

I loved this book as I knew I would. Audiobook was also well done! Can’t wait for more books from this author.

Thank you for allowing me the chance to review this book. I thought it was well-written and it kept me on my toes, although it wasn’t as suspenseful as I was hoping. I didn’t care for any of the characters and thought they were all pretty unlikable, which was probably the point but it made it challenging to read.

What a ride!!! Hidden Pictures was one of my favorite reads this year, so I was mega stoked to get access to this audiobook! The narrator was fantastic. I’ve never been a reader of books with older male characters as the MC and I was pleasantly surprised by this narrator!! He was engaging, mysterious, and I felt connected to all of the characters via his different impressions.

The storyline was such a roller coaster - I love when you go into the second half of the book totally confused at who done it. Frank and Maggie’s relationship was so surprising and entertaining. I literally had no clue what was going to happen!

My favorite character was Abigail, hands down. Her innocence and love for everyone was a light in this story. I also loved watching Frank’s character development throughout this story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing for this ARC audiobook!

I read Hidden Pictures and absolutely fell in love with Jason Rekulak and wasn't able to put that book down. This book was different. I am not sure i it's because I listened to it on audiobook or what, but I couldn't get into this book as much as I did his first book. While I did finish it, it took me a lot longer than I expected to get through it.

Can I say I liked this book in parts? Frank Szatowski is a genuine, salt-of-the-earth kinda guy who has an estranged daughter, Maggie. Her wedding to the son of a super-rich businesman brings them close again, but when Frank arrives at the wedding, he suspects that nothing is what it appears to be. The entire family just seems a bit off. The premise was interesting and the references to some popular Philly spots delighted me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Are you looking for an epic mystery-thriller that will keep you invested until the last page? Jason Rekulak’s newest novel DELIVERED.

Frank has not spoken to his daughter, Maggie, in three years and is shocked when she calls to invite him to her wedding. When he arrives at the private estate where the wedding will take place with his sister and her foster child, Frank discovers Maggie is marrying billionaire heir, Aiden Gardner.

The family is not friendly, Maggie has no time for him, and Frank gets suspicious when he releases that Aiden is suspected of having something to do with a missing woman. When a fellow wedding guest winds up dead, Frank goes on the hunt to figure out what secrets are being kept from him in a bid to save his daughter.

Why Kirsten loves it
Frank is an everyman way over his head with the antics of the 1%. While he strives to help his daughter in a bid to repair their relationship, he is met with a myriad of scenarios he can’t wrap his head around as he is thwarted at every turn. His outsider looking in perspective was an exceptional narrative tool and as he uncovered each secret, I was every bit as shocked as he was. At the 70% mark my mind literally looked like this – 🤯. I DEVOURED it and you will too.

I requested this title because I really enjoyed Hidden Pictures. This turned out to be nothing like Hidden Pictures, really, but I think I actually liked this one far more!
I loved how throughout the story, readers realize that their first impressions of pretty much all the characters have been wrong. Maggie is not a sweet daughter who hasn't had time for her father, and Adian is not an aloof snob. As one reads, one has to reconsider the events that happened earlier in the story and look at them in a different light. I also really enjoyed Frank as a narrator! He is certainly flawed, but overall a very likeable and relatable character.
The setting is also excellent! I love a locked door mystery, and this was more of a locked complex in the woods mystery, but same idea.
I'm really looking forward to recommending this to the many readers who ask me for a good new mystery each day. I also loved the reader for the audiobook version! I couldn't stop listening once I started it.

This mystery was phenomenal! I love this author and how his writing style gets a grip on you! He makes you feel so much for the characters while on a thrill ride! It had me guessing through the entire book and the atmosphere was spot on!!!

Did not finish.
Despite an interesting setup, I found this book slow and irritating. I found the narrator very punchable. I was not happy with how foster children were represented as dirty, annoying, lice-infested, and probably not traumatized.

From the bestselling author of Hidden Pictures comes a breathtaking work of suspense about a father trying to save his daughter from a life-altering decision. The Last One at the Wedding is a work of brilliant suspense that delves deep into the heart of one family, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The novel explores themes of family, love, and money, taking the reader on a twisty journey of how far one will go to help their kids and do the right thing. The Last One at the Wedding is a marvellous blend of mystery, family drama, class tension, horror, humour, and heart. It's a wedding you won't want to miss!

This just didn't hit for me.
I really hated the dad and the aunt.
I hated how the dad referred to foster kids. Stop singling her out!!
I also found the story to be boring. :(

Imagine not seeing your daughter for three years and one day you get a call from her. She is getting married and wants you at the wedding. This is what happens to Frank Szatowski. He is finally reuniting with his daughter. The trouble is, at the wedding retreat Frank sees some concerning things about the family his daughter will be marrying into, including a suspicious death….

I loved the voice of the main character, Frank. I thought the literal voice of the audiobook was great and also it was refreshing reading a book through the eyes of a caring father. It was a fun read and I love an ending I don’t expect.