I love a good closed circle who dun it mystery and The Wasp Trap was no exception. I really liked the setting of this one. Trapped at a dinner party with people you haven’t seen in years is always going to lead to a sticky situation. The characters in this book are so messy. I really enjoyed the twist 80% in. The one at the end was okay but when you read as much of this trope as I have it was a bit predictable. Overall I really enjoyed this book. Mark Edwards is a new to me author and I can’t wait to read more from them in the future. If you like a closed circle mystery I highly recommend you check out The Wasp Trap.
3.5/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

My first book from this author. I enjoyed it and can see potential for this becoming a tv show. I look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

For fans of psychological thrillers that explore the darker facets of human nature and the enduring impact of past actions, The Wasp Trap is a must-read. Its intricate plot, well-drawn characters, and thought-provoking themes ensure it stands out in the genre.The narrative's strength lies in its ability to maintain tension and unpredictability. As the story progresses, Edwards introduces twists that challenge readers' assumptions, culminating in a finale that is both shocking and satisfying. The epilogue, in particular, has been described as "blood-chilling," leaving a lasting impression. I ate this up..Mark Edwards doesnt miss..

This is a nice fast read with short chapters that grabs the attention of the reader. The was a change in timeline, which helped give the reader a backstory to what was happening. I really enjoyed this book and was figuring out how I would rate this book. I felt that the beginning to the story was slower than the rest of the book, but that was mainly because there were the introductions of all the different characters and the backstory. Once I got to the part 2, I was absolutely hooked on what was happening... Then I was at the last 25% of the book and I literally wouldn't put it down because I needed to know the ending. I really enjoyed this read and will definitely pick up more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Whew. This was claustrophobic in the best way. A group of people locked in a house, secrets bubbling up, old betrayals resurfacing—it’s like Agatha Christie had a baby with a Netflix thriller. The structure is tight, the tension ramps up steadily, and I honestly didn’t guess the ending (which almost never happens).

I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a good “everyone’s a suspect” setup. You’ll want to cancel plans to finish it.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

A psychological thriller!

Honestly, I thought this was a general fiction book about friends who rehashed their past drama - kind of like a modern day THE BIG CHILL. (#grandmareference) But it was a thriller! A group of friends who worked together 25 years ago are reunited for a dinner party after reconnecting at their former boss' funeral service. Hijinks ensue. And by "hijinks" I mean "unpredictable things that I did not envision and when I thought I figured it all out, in fact I DID NOT!"

This feels like a fresh take on the genre. I know so many people who will enjoy it! Also, this author was new to me, and I look forward to checking out his other work, if it exists.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I really enjoyed it.

The Wasp Trap is a gripping and relentlessly suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. The twists were smart and genuinely surprising, and the tension never let up. My only complaint was ‘the secret’ everyone kept referencing—after all the build-up and jaw-dropping reveals, it felt a little underwhelming. Still, a compelling and satisfying read overall.

I just finished this book, and let me say no dinner parties are in my plans anytime Soon!! he started off a little slow and confusing, but once I learned who the characters were the flow got much better.

Just imagine 6 friends getting together to celebrate a former boss and find out it is a TRAP!!!

The setting and the plot had me in the edge of my seat from the beginning. The Twist were insane!!! ( love a good twist)

This was my first book by Mark Edwards. I will be
Checking out more of his books soon.

Highly Recommend!

Mark Edwards delivers a wickedly clever locked-room thriller in "The Wasp Trap," where six friends reunite for what should be a nostalgic dinner party but quickly becomes a deadly game of confession. The setup is irresistible: former university colleagues who helped create a dating app with a psychopathy test in 1999 are forced at gunpoint to reveal their darkest secrets from that fateful summer or die.

Edwards expertly weaves dual timelines, building suspense through short, punchy chapters that make this compulsively readable. The characters are well-drawn, each harboring believable secrets and motivations. While some may find the middle section slightly repetitive, the tension never truly lets up, and the final twist is genuinely surprising and satisfying.

What elevates this beyond standard thriller fare is Edwards' psychological insight and the clever integration of the psychopathy test into the plot. Though a few loose ends regarding secondary characters detract slightly, this remains a thoroughly entertaining page-turner perfect for fans of Lucy Foley's ensemble mysteries.

The concept of The Wasp Trap sounded fantastic and something I would really enjoy, but unfortunately I wasn't a fan.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tech friends with secrets from the past. One of them has a secret that will get others killed.

So this book was not at all what I expected... in some ways good... in some ways not great. The setup seemed pretty fantastic; 6 ex-student partners locked in a house having to divulge their biggest secrets. It felt very Black Bag. I would say the first third of the book was exactly what I wanted, but then it took a turn that felt forced. I think the premise left enough to have a little more subtlety. The dramatics and violence seemed unnecessary and essentially took away from what could have been really suspenseful. I dont think the character of Mia was really needed at all. I would rather have seen this play out as a tense "who done it" over dinner. There is a version of this that I think would have been perfection, but in the end it was far too heavy handed.

Wow! This was a very fast-paced story filled with twist after twist after twist! Admittedly it's a little slow in the beginning as everything is getting setup, but once it gets going the pace and the tension don't let up until the end. The short chapters and the two timelines made it fly by quickly. There were twists galore, and they all shocked me. I don't think I saw any of them coming. The epilogue didn't really do much for me, but other than that I loved The Wasp Trap. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

What a book! Very suspenseful and the plot twist definitely caught me by surprise. Highly recommend if you haven’t read this, you should. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read the arc!!

A few years ago I binge read every book by Mark Edward because they were so twisty and kept me turning pages for hours. I had the opportunity to read his upcoming book The Wasp Trap and I see that nothing has changed! This particular book highlights people with psychopathy which is so fascinating and I loved the journey from beginning to end! Especially the dual timelines. This one has an ending you will NOT see coming.

What a smart, entertaining thriller! Edwards has crafted a novel that takes the reader on a dark and twisted journey through the past of the six “Revolutionaries” and also perhaps unintentionally, raises ethical questions about how we place our faith in scientists. I enjoyed this immensely.

Clear your schedule before diving into The Wasp Trap—once you crack it open, you’re not going anywhere. Mark Edwards delivers a chilling locked-room thriller where six old college friends reunite for a dinner party… only to be held hostage and forced to confront a secret they thought was buried in the summer of 1999.

Back then, they were building a dating site—and a controversial test to spot psychopaths. Now, someone wants the truth out, and not everyone may make it out alive.

Told through dual timelines and dripping with tension, this one’s filled with twists, creepy surprises, and a lingering question: who among them is dangerous?

While I loved the pacing and the eerie, claustrophobic vibe, I found the ending a bit unsatisfying and was left confused about the fate of a couple of side characters. Still, it’s a gripping, binge-worthy mystery that fans of psychological suspense will eat up. Recommended!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book reminds me to RSVP no to more invitations and yes to staying home and reading.

Atmospheric with creepiness right from the start. This locked room mystery had my claustrophobia doing double time.

Told in two timelines, 1999 and present day, secrets, psychopaths and deadly games. A dinner party of old friends are taken hostage and must reveal their secrets to stay alive.

I read this in one sitting. It was intense and thoroughly entertaining.

This book had me hooked for the very beginning. A bunch of colleagues set off to make a dating app that could have the potential to measure Psychiatic traits and perhaps predict or identify psychopaths. These 6 friends are later reunited together years later to pay last respects to their beloved professor and mentor who has passed away. The story alternates between the past and present and I found it very exciting navigating between the times lines and learning more about the characters, and what happened in the past to understand how they actually arrived at the present timeline. There were a lot of surprises that I did not see coming, and I really enjoyed reading this book.

The concept of this book seemed really neat... A group of people who worked on a project years ago get thrown back together for a "reunion" where crap hits the fan.

This wasn't bad. I just feel like some of the writing was slightly cheesy in some spots. Some of the things the "bad guys" said were like... ok... com on now. But, in general I enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date : September 16, 2025.