Seductive and twisted. Highly recommended! Readers, find some quiet alone time to settle in with this one because you won't stop reading until you've turned the final page. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.

The plot and story line had so much going for it but it just fell flat for me. It was very fast paced, chapters were short, and I wanted to find out what happened. But the ending was so disappointing, there was so many questions unanswered, and it felt rushed.

Name :- The Wedding Party
Author :- Lorna Dounaeva
Genre:- Psychological Thriller
Lorna Dounaeva delivers a masterfully crafted psychological thriller with The Wedding Party, a tense, atmospheric, and suspense-filled novel that keeps you guessing until the final page. With secrets lurking beneath the surface of a seemingly joyous occasion, this story is perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. Set on a remote Scottish island, The Wedding Party follows multiple characters—each hiding dark secrets that could shatter lives.The Bridesmaid, Sarah, is haunted by a chilling connection to the groom. She knows something that could destroy the bride’s happiness forever. The Friend, Diane, is filled with resentment and suspicion, convinced that her so-called friends played a role in the downfall of her marriage. The Groomsman is willing to do anything to protect his past. But when he meets the groom, a horrifying realization threatens to upend everything. The celebration takes a deadly turn when one of the newlyweds is found dead. With a killer among them, the guests are forced to confront the truth before someone else becomes the next victim.
Likes and Dislikes :-
1 Multi-Perspective Narrative: The shifting viewpoints add layers of intrigue, slowly unraveling the tangled web of lies.
2 Atmospheric Setting: The eerie, isolated island enhances the suspense, making the characters feel trapped—both physically and emotionally.
3 Unpredictable Twists: Just when you think you have it figured out, Dounaeva throws in another shocking revelation.
Dislikes:-
None.
Overall:- The Wedding Party is a gripping, slow-burn psychological thriller that keeps you hooked with its chilling secrets, tension-filled relationships, and unexpected twists. Lorna Dounaeva crafts a dark and twisted whodunit that will leave readers guessing until the very end.
My Rating:- 5/5.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read the digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A group of old housemates have arrived on a secluded island to watch their “friend” get married. Shortly after the ceremony, the groom is murdered and the bride is running for her life. Now she’s missing and the bodies are piling up. Everyone has secrets and any one of them could be the killer.

I really enjoyed this thriller. While it was predictable and the ending rushed, it will still an entertaining and fun read.

What a group of 'friends!
This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish, the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.
Highly recommended!

The Wedding Party is the story of Asha, Diane, Sarah, Pete and Ethan, five 30-somethings that were housemates during their university years. Asha is getting married on a remote Orkney island and has invited her old friends to the wedding. Access to the island is by a weekly ferry service, the group choose to stay on the island for the entire week. The only other people remaining on the island after the wedding ceremony are the newlyweds and a caretaker couple.

As the story unfolds we learn that each of the characters has dark secrets, and their reactions to unfolding events vary from frightened and fearful to aggressive and openly hostile. When the body of the first victim is discovered, it is clear that the perpetrator is one of the wedding party.

This is a well written and intriguing book describing betrayals and deception, it contains multiple twists. Chapters switch between current events and incidents at various intervals prior to the wedding. The changes in timeline are well defined and serve to provide an enlightening insight into previous events and also interesting backstories. The island environment provides a moody atmosphere that adds to the tension and mystery of the story.

Lorna Dounaeva has described each character authentically, and has skilfully portrayed the impact of events on each of the characters in the narrative. I was fully immersed in the story and I would recommend the book to readers who enjoy a whodunit with a gripping plot.

The groom’s grip is icy cold as he shakes my hand. “I have so wanted to meet you.” I look up into his steely eyes and a chill runs down my spine. I know this man, but no one can ever know why…. Great read! Fantastic chilling thriller! It had great suspense, murder, mystery, intriguing, juicy dark secrets, and a few crazy twists and turns! The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This is a dark thriller about why people sometimes drift apart from friendships and sometimes it’s best to leave them in the past. We meet a group of university friends who are getting together to celebrate their friends wedding but after all the celebration and merriment the groom lies dead. Could a friend have done this and what long buried resentment is being held onto from all of the friends. As danger lurks the group of friends struggle to hide secrets and lies between each other and maybe none of them were really friends after all. A great page turner!!

First, the same thing as always, thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

Secondly, I think this was my first Lorna Dounaeva book. Or at least, the first I have been reading, seeing the others are on my never-ending tbr.

Here, we do follow Diane, who is friends Sarah, the bridesmaid of Asha. Ashsa is getting married on a remote island. Or, so she had thought, at least....and then her husband gets shot. And it looks like one of her friends had something to do with it....

A fast-paced, twisty story with the short chapters I do usually prefer, told in the POV of both Diane and Sarah, and some chapters take place prior to the current story. Also, I need to add, I am glad none of those women are my friends. Didn't really warm up with any of them. That did not mean I did not enjoy the book, though. Because I surely did.

The plot and story line had so much going for it but it just fell flat for me. It was very fast paced, chapters were short, and I wanted to find out what happened. But the ending was so disappointing, there was so many questions unanswered, and it felt rushed.

Let me preface by saying I have read other Lorna Dounaeva books and enjoyed them. I was intrigued with the premise of this story and was drawn in by her familiar (to me) writing style. However, I feel like I went for a ride with unlikeable characters (with friends like these, who needs enemies?) and then it suddenly ended without closure. I even went back and reread the last chapter and thought, ok, what next? What happened to ____ and ____ (names omitted to avoid spoilers), The Wedding Party was a miss for me, but is a quick, easy read for an afternoon or beach day.

This was my first novel by lorna dounaeva and it won't be the last, I flew through this so fast. I couldn't put it down. Loved all the twists and the plot.

Sis, why we rushing this wedding? Oh.
😅 such a good book. I was trying to read it all at once and got interrupted. Even when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. Tell of a good book for sure.

Asha is getting married on a remote Orkney island. She invites her friends that she used to share a house with.
Her husband, Gordon is shot by an unknown assailant shortly after the wedding and Asha hides.
Which one of her friends killed her husband?

A slow burn thriller, with so many suspects. I kept changing my mind. I needed a motive for the killings, and never suspected the culprit at all.

The characters all have their flaws, and most are unlikeable. Weak, arrogant, downright nasty.... how on earth did the share a house???

The story is good, and I could picture the terrain of the island, but the book wasn't overly descriptive.

If you want a good whodunnit... this is the book for you. You will probably be as surprised as I was.

First of all I want to say I really adore this cover. Dark colors are often used for covers of thrillers, but bright, vibrant colors can also mean danger. Just look at nature. How many beautiful flowers or brightly colored insects or small animals are not among the most poisonous and therefore deadly?

Getting an invitation to a wedding is always fun, but when there are people who have a hidden agenda, this sheds a completely different light on what should normally be a light and fine appearance.
The story is set on a remote island in Scotland. Only a small group of friends is still present, along with one of the caretakers and there is no way to leave the island. When the first victim is discovered, it soon becomes clear that the perpetrator is one of them. But who?

This is a captivating book that features a mix of secrets, betrayals, and twists.
The story builds up tension by combining past and present. Sarah and Diane have something they're hiding, and the author unravels how their fates are linked.


The setting creates a creepy atmosphere, and the tension keeps you interested from start to finish. The middle portion had a slightly slower pace, but the final revelations made up for it. 4 stars


Thank you

Once Lorna Dounaeva hooks you into a story, she doesn’t let you go. This twisty thriller kept me turning the pages never sure what was going to happen next.

It was brilliant a great read! Amazing… it was filled with twist after twist in the end, which was something I never saw coming… If you’re after a book that you won’t be able to put down, this is it.

Three words to describe this book are: enthralling, breath-taking and hard to put down! I loved it!

As the book explores different friendships between Asha and her friends as I read through the book I was unsure who to trust if anyone at all!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

Thankyou NetGalley & bookouture for this arc copy. We have a group of friends that are really estranged since college who have come together on an isolated island for one of their friends wedding. This book started off really good as there is a murder of one of the newlyweds which really got my attention, but then I just found it childish and slow. After the murder we now have a mystery/who done it really. It’s only so many people who could have done it, as we are on an isolated island.
The title and cover really got my attention. But the book didn’t do anything for me.

Thankyou NetGalley & bookouture for this arc copy, this book follows a friendship group that reunites to attend Asha’s shotgun wedding to her husband.

As they all arrive it shows that they all have a dislike for Asha and wish for her downfall, no one really wants to be at this wedding. The book starts off with a bang when Asha’s husband after the wedding gets murdered, this spins into a who dunnit book. As they r all on a remote island no one can escape. As the story explores the relationship between Asha and her friends it flash’s back from the POV of Diana and Sarah. Throughout the book Sarah is trying to convince Diana to take over the boarding of their friend Peter. Throughout the book is asked a lot. I felt the flashbacks just got tedious and the characters became dull. Unfortunately I predicted the twist and when the twist came it felt underwhelming as well as the abrupt ending.

A group of college friends gather on a remote island for one of their weddings. As the book continues, we find secrets and lies they have been keeping from each other. As they start to die, it’s obvious someone is out to take care of the whole group. But who? And why? I feel like it started out good but then just got way too long. I skimmed the end.

This book was slow to start but it gradually picked up pace. There was just enough suspense to keep me entertained.