The first thing I thought after I read the last sentence in this was: When is the next one?! If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is? I enjoyed this so much!

Seven dinner guests, all with envelopes containing the age at which they will die, was a great setup. While I did figure out the identity of the killer, this was a very compelling story to follow. All the characters were well crafted, and I very much cared about why they were under threat and by whom. I haven't been this satisfied with a mystery in months (I've read plenty). I don't often say what kind of read a book reminds me of, but in this case, I will. As I reflected on it when I finished, it brought to mind Peter Swanson's Eight Perfect Murders , which I loved. If you're a Christie fan, you will see callbacks there as well. It was just, for me, all good.

Many thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy.

I thought it was just ok the plot was good but it was a bit drawn out. Overall it was a decent read and I’m surprised I didn’t see the twist coming I thought Viv was the murdered but overall it was okay!

I couldn’t put this down!!

I loved the premise of seven strangers being invited to a mysterious dinner party and then being given a card revealing the age of their death…

But this novel more than delivered on this intriguing hook - there were some great twists and the ending really took me by surprise! More than that, I lived the seven different pov’s - each character was very distinct (not always the case with multiple povs!) and fully realised.

For me, the character development, the lovely observations and the clear voice of this novel really made it stand out. I loved it and will be recommending to everyone!

Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by KJ Whittle was such an original idea for a murder mystery book. Seven random people each receive an invitation to an exclusive dinner party, while there they are given an envelope with the age that they will die at. The truthfulness of these predictions are unknown until two weeks later the first of the dinner party dies at the age predicted by the card.

Each of the characters was well developed, I felt like I could picture them right next to me and that I knew them and their motivations. The dialogue was spot on and it was so rewarding to see each character progress throughout the story. It's full of twists and turns, it was hard to predict what would happen by the end. Within each chapter the POV switches characters, it was really interesting to have all points of view throughout.

Personally I felt that this story was not fully my cup of tea, I almost felt like I knew too much about the characters and therefore didn't have too much sadness when bad things happened because I didn't root for them in many ways. There was one character that I enjoyed getting their POV, but I think having some redeeming qualities would have been beneficial.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark, NetGalley, and KJ Whittle for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

LOVED this book! As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I loved the nod to her, and also the seven deadly sins. I will say that the antagonist was not a surprise, but this book was still full of a number of plot twists toward the end that really shocked me. It was incredibly entertaining and I definitely recommend it for Cozy murder mystery fans!

This seems like a locked room mystery, although it is not technically a locked room. Seven unconnected strangers get an invitation to a dinner party. They meet and chat and get an envelope telling them their age at their death. Very similar to the plot of Liane Moriarty's Here One Moment. But that is where the comparison ends.

The characters are;
Tristan, late 30's software developer,
Stella, early 20s You Tuber,
Matthew, late 30s banker and London's most eligible bachelor/lothario
Vivianne, early 60s magazine editor
Janet, early 40's - I forget everything about her except she was described as being overly made up and wearing too tight/revealing clothes
Gordon- a doctor who goes on talk shows, obsessed with nutrition basically othorexic
Melvin- a closeted cop whose wife has cancer

Once you keep those straight, it is relatively enjoyable. The ending was a surprise to me, I did not feel like there were reveals as much through the narrative as much as the ending was out of left field. I felt like it was a bit depressing once the killer is revealed. The characters were sort of purposefully unlikable although we liked Vivianne more as the plot thickened. I enjoyed the dialogue and kept turning pages, I did read it all in one sitting as it is an easy and fast read, great for the beach. Although the characters were a bit one-dimensional, it helps to not like characters that ultimately get killed off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Book to be published September 9, 2025.

A super engrossing mystery thriller with and then there were none vibes! A full cast of intriguing characters and mystery that will keep you turning the pages!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

KJ Whittle’s Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a darkly clever and utterly gripping psychological thriller that delivers both a chilling premise and an elegant execution. Equal parts whodunit and meditation on mortality, this novel is a suspenseful rollercoaster that will keep readers second-guessing until the very last page.

The story kicks off with a deliciously unsettling setup: seven strangers invited to a mysterious dinner party. When each guest receives a card revealing the age they will die, it's dismissed as an eerie, perhaps tasteless joke. But when one of them turns up dead—right on schedule—the remaining guests quickly realize that this wasn’t just a game. It’s a countdown. Whittle’s brilliance lies in her structure—each chapter is told from the perspective of a different guest, adding richness and depth to a puzzle that’s as emotional as it is cerebral. We get to know each character intimately: their secrets, regrets, fears, and desperate attempts to either outrun fate or confront it head-on. This rotating perspective heightens the tension, making every character both a potential victim and a possible suspect.

The pacing is razor-sharp, with reveals timed to perfection and twists that feel earned rather than forced. Whittle weaves existential dread into a taut mystery, inviting readers to contemplate their own mortality while eagerly flipping pages to find out who’s next. This is more than just a murder mystery—it’s a haunting reflection on life, choice, and the terrifying certainty of death. Thought-provoking, emotionally resonant, and undeniably suspenseful, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a standout in the genre. Highly recommended for fans of Agatha Christie, Ruth Ware, or anyone who loves a mystery that dares to ask the big questions. Just maybe don’t read it before your next dinner party.

My rating system:
1*: DNF or hate finished. Bad writing, bad plot, bad characters.
2*: Only finished because I already spent time on it. Story is interesting enough but major issues with plot, characters, or writing style.
3*: Enjoyed the book but nothing really stuck out.
4*: Thoroughly enjoyed the story, characters, and writing. Some critiques but nothing major.
5*: Will read again. LOVED THIS BOOK.

I'll almost always stop for an Agatha Christie retelling and this definitely caught my eye when browsing Net Galley.

Seven strangers gather at a mysterious location for a swanky dinner party. None of them know why they're at the party or the identity of their host. At the end of the meal, envelopes appear at each of their plates listing the age at which they will die. When the first guest passes at the age on the envelope. the guests gather together over the course of years to attempt to discover why they were chosen and if their fates will come true.

All of the main characters in this book were so very hateable. I did not like a single one of them, which was probably the point. One of our characters, however, has the most lovely development arc throughout the story and that is what kept me reading. Watching a person change their life for the better and discover themself was really refreshing and my favorite part of the story.

There were some timeline jumps in the book that were hard to follow. We didn't get any indication that the time in which the narrator was speaking had changed so I had to do some jumping back and forth to figure out what were memories and what was happening in real time. Additionally, I think it was difficult to tell who the narrator was at any given time because the character's voices and perspectives did not feel very unique. I usually love jumping between characters in a narrative to get different views on the story. However, the characters fell flat in this respect; I feel like I should be able to tell who is narrating given the characters unique personality. Each character felt like they were written in the exact same way so distinguishing between voices here was difficult.

I did see the twist coming from a mile away. So, while predictable, I think one character's arc really brought the story home for me. Three stars, probably will not reread, but enjoyed the ride!

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks for the digital ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Publishing for this advanced copy for review consideration. All opinions expressed below are my own.

Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is an enjoyable, easy read with a compelling premise. Seven strangers are invited to a mysterious dinner party, where each receives a black envelope containing the age at which they will supposedly die. Initially, the group laughs it off as a marketing stunt—until two guests die in freak accidents within months, leaving the rest to wonder if the envelopes were more than just a joke.

The book’s greatest strength lies in how KJ Whittle structures the narrative. After each funeral, the point of view shifts, giving readers a deeper look into each character’s mental state and how the deaths are reshaping their outlook on life. I found myself feeling genuine empathy for the characters as they grappled with their flaws and fears.

While I did guess the twist about halfway through, I still appreciated how it played out thanks to the solid character development. Even though the book contains elements of mystery and intrigue, I found it to be a relatively low-stress read. The tension wasn’t particularly high, but that worked in its favor for me. This is the kind of novel I’d recommend as a solid beach or vacation pick—engaging and easy to get into, but not so gripping that you feel compelled to finish it in one sitting.

Here is the setup: Seven seemingly unconnected guests show up to a mysterious dinner, and nobody knows who the host is. As the evening comes to an end, a mysterious card appears before each guest. Shock ensues when the cards are opened, and on them the age at which they will die at is printed. Chalking it up to no more than a silly PR stunt, the guests depart hoping to put the night behind them. Two weeks later, the first guest is dead at the age on their card. At first they chalk it up to an strange accident, but soon the guests are fighting against time to figure out the mystery before their card comes up.

This book has a point a view for each character of the seven characters. At first they are all unlikable, but as the story progresses and you see into their lives, they become easy to root for. This was such a fun, fast paced read that kept me up late to finish it because I just couldn't put it down. Finding clues from the different POVs that connected all the characters was just as fun as trying to solve the mystery. I will say I did figure out one of the big plot twist rather early, but it didnt stop me from wanting to continue because I wanted to keep reading to solve the rest. Overall this was a 4.5 ⭐ book. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark and the author KJ Whittle for this eARC

Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a chilling debut by K.J. Whittle that reads like a modern Agatha Christie twist. Seven strangers are invited to a secluded London restaurant for a dinner party they never signed up for. Each place setting features a cartoon animal—and a black envelope revealing the date of their death. At first, it’s dismissed as a cruel prank… until the first guest dies.

As the body count rises, the survivors spiral—some investigating, others living recklessly. Told through shifting POVs, the novel teases out backstories and cryptic connections, keeping you guessing until the final, unsettling twist. Clever, creepy, and compulsively readable.

This fun quirky novel was a delight. Seven people who are seemingly unknown to each other receive a mysterious invitation. They gather to find a building that is empty except for room with a roaring fire with an elaborately set dinner table. As the seven guests make their way through a sumptuous feast we begin to learn more about them. We meet a nerdy computer geek, the influencer, the scientist. and so on as we make our way around the table. They seem to be a very disparate group with little in common until the end of the meal as they each are given an envelope. Once opened, the guest is told how old they will be when they die. The party quickly becomes chaotic as the horrified guests begin to wonder what they have become involved in. They agree to exchange contact information and hurriedly depart as next the story unfolds we learn one guest soon dies fulfilling the information on the card. Have they been targeted or is this some type of self-fulfilling prophecy. I do not want to give any more spoilers but this is a clever novel filled with delightful twists and surprise endings and well-developed characters.

Always a big fan of mystery novels to read and Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests did not disappoint. A fast pace who done it novel with multiple perspectives from various characters. Recommend for all readers, and anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

While I was able to guess “whodunnit”, this so much fun to read. I loved seeing all of the different POV’s and timelines. And how well it connected at the very end.
I can see this be popular with bookclubs 🕵🏻‍♀️
Out September 9th, 2025

✨multiple POV
✨murder mystery/whodunnit

Three courses. Seven guests. One card. It’s a deadly evening they’ll never forget. Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On each card is a number - the age at which the guest will die. Spooked but skeptical, the guests disperse into the rainy night with the hope of forgetting the morbid turn of events. Two weeks later, one guest is dead. At exactly the age the card predicted. More guests begin to die as the years go on, each one dead at the same age as their card. It soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is abound. Now, it’s up to the quickly dwindling group of dinner guests to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party all those years ago, before their numbers catch up with them too.
✨✨✨
Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.


Goodreads: Brenda (Jadore_2read)

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This book was such a fun kind of creepy. It starts off with this eerie, Agatha Christie-style dinner party where seven strangers get handed mysterious cards predicting the age they’ll die. Everyone shrugs it off—until one of them dies exactly as the card said. Then another. And suddenly, it’s not so easy to laugh it off.

I loved the way it’s told from each guest’s perspective. You get to peek into their lives, their secrets, their paranoia—some are trying to outrun fate, others are just spiraling. It keeps things feeling fresh and fast-paced, and you’re constantly guessing who might be behind it all (or if something more supernatural is going on).

There are definitely some dark and twisty moments, but it never feels too heavy—it’s more suspenseful than scary. Kind of like a murder mystery dinner party you accidentally walked into… and now can’t leave.

The ending? Pretty satisfying. Maybe not mind-blowing, but it tied things up in a way that worked. If you like character-driven thrillers with a slightly absurd, slightly sinister vibe, this one’s totally worth picking up. Just maybe don’t accept any mysterious dinner invitations for a while.

I would probably rate this book slightly below a 4. There are times when I found the timeline to be a little difficult to follow, but the mystery kept me guessing and it was fun to start piecing things together towards the end. I also appreciated the character development of Vivienne and the way each character was fleshed out overall.

Seven people meet and six end up dying over the course of time. Not a bad book, but the jumping from different POVs got a bit tiresome at times. Reminded me a bit of the Agatha Christie book of the ten on the island. Would recommend.

Cat's Cradle.

This childhood string game came to mind as I was reading this book. Similar to the game, the 'players' a.k.a 7 distinct characters would have the opportunity to pull the string or, in this case, pull their background to share with both the reader and the other characters. Each time a character would get a hold of the string or "storyline" the book would prod the reader to view the story from a different perspective.

The twists was certainly a clever one but felt it took some time to get there.


This ARC was provided by the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.