“It’s in those moments when the subject believes himself to be unobserved that the mask slips and the true self can be glimpsed.” This story made me question if it is truly possible to ever really know someone. Secrets prove to be dangerous and keeping them may be deadly. Mark Edwards masterfully executes a cleverly crafted plot that is thought-provoking with shocking twists and turns. This character-driven story is smart, original, and entertaining. I was immersed in the mystery of “the secret” and the discovery of its keeper. The journey to the surprising conclusion is gripping and intense. I highly recommend this book to all thriller addicts. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for my copy.

This thriller really caught me off guard—in the best way. The Wasp Trap kicks off with a super intriguing setup: six grads in the summer of ’99, working for a quirky psych professor on a website that’s supposed to revolutionize online dating. Flash forward 25 years, and they’re all invited to a reunion dinner. Sounds innocent enough… until it’s definitely NOT! 😳

Right from the start, you know something’s off. There’s an unexpected guest, weird vibes, and secrets simmering just under the surface. It’s a locked-room style mystery where no one’s telling the full truth—and some people will go to dangerous lengths to keep the past buried.

I got completely hooked on the group dynamic. They haven’t seen each other in decades, and you can feel all the tension and baggage between them. Watching everything slowly unravel—lies, betrayals, long-held grudges—was so satisfying. And the last 20%? I flew through it. So many twists, and I genuinely didn’t see the ending coming.

If you’re into:
* Twisty thrillers
* Dysfunctional, untrustworthy characters
* That eerie “something’s not right” vibe
* Locked-room suspense with psychological layers

…then definitely add this one to your list!
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

Fun little romp with some unlikable characters I enjoyed hating. Nice spin on the genre and kept me guessing until near the end.

4.5 ⭐️
This has confirmed for me that Mark Edwards is an auto-buy, auto-read. I believe this is my third or fourth read by this author, and this is my probably my favorite yet. This was such a unique take on the one by one trope, and so twisted in a psychological way.
Told in dual timelines, we follow a group of friends who began as colleagues working under a professor on a dating site in London. We soon learn that something happened towards the end of that, which not only stopped the dating site from launching altogether, but kept our group from staying in touch.
Twenty-five years later, two of the friends decide to throw a dinner party reunion as a way to honor the professor who has recently passed. What begins as an awkward catchup soon has our group turning on each other, suspecting each other, and revealing dark secrets.
This book kept me guessing throughout.
Thank you, NetGalley for this e-ARC!

was super excited to see an ARC of this book available from Atria via NetGalley. I have read almost all of Mark Edwards' books, and they always rate highly for me. This one is probably one of my favorites. It is complex, smart, twisty, suspenseful!

I am the same age as these characters, so I thoroughly enjoyed the flashbacks to 1999 with the pop culture references that are from my own era. In the present-day timeline, the suspense and sense of foreboding are excellent - doors that can't be unlocked? A strange cry from outside? Can't imagine what could go wrong!

There were so many twists, none of which I predicted, especially the two at the very end.

I did get a little confused a few times, mostly when Mr. Edwards was speaking in depth about the programming, as I have very little knowledge of that. And I think also occasionally because of all the characters (though they were all developed well, and it was not difficult at all to remember who was who).

There are cats in the book, and I was pleased to see none of them are harmed!

I’ve liked the three other Mark Edwards books I’ve read. But this one did not work well for me. What starts with an interesting premise failed in its execution. The characters felt either cliched or flat, the plot twists bordered on the surreal and there was more than one hole in the storyline. The main character was boring, totally obsessed with a woman he hadn’t seen for 25 years and whom he’d never had the courage to even go after.
Twenty five years ago, a group of six recent university graduates found themselves working for a college professor to develop a dating app site. Not just any dating app, but one that uses a psychological survey to match people. Things ended badly and they haven’t seen each other since. But now, they’ve come together at a dinner party to memorialize the recently dead professor. But things take a violent turn when they are taken hostage with their captors demanding information.
The story moves at a brisk pace. In typical thriller fashion, the story requires a suspension of belief, more and more as the story goes along. But the tension and suspense in the present day story are both palpable. It’s entertaining but not memorable.
Given my prior good experience with Edwards’ books, I’m hoping this is just a blip.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

It's almost impossible to review without sharing details of the plot and the drama, and this is the kind of twisty thriller where spoilers matter. I liked the locked-room aspect with the character trapped in the present-day, blended with their memories and years of previous secrets.

A good locked room mystery with a surprising twist! The atmosphere here was wonderfully creepy and the relationships between the characters were interesting. A good story for a rainy night.

This is my seventh book by Mark Edwards, and while I’ve really enjoyed his writing in the past, The Wasp Trap left me feeling confused for most of the story. The pacing was good and the atmosphere was tense, but I struggled to follow what was happening at times. It wasn’t as clear or gripping as his other books for me, though there were still a few twists that kept me curious enough to finish. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published September 16, 2025.

Mark Edwards' books are always a bit messed up, but I know that going into them, so the shock value is a little less, but for me, that makes the book more enjoyable! The Wasp Trap did not disappoint. I love a good locked room mystery and the plot had some unique points, which made it even more enjoyable for me

ooh! i was on the edge of my seat this whole book! i loved the plot and the character development. the characters were so diverse and i was really able to connect with them. the twists and turns were genuinely soooo good and i didn't predict them (which is always nice with this genre). i loved this concept and thought it was so well executed! highly recommend this one!

thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity!

Another dark intriguing psychological thriller by Mark Edwards! This book kept me guessing what the big secret was the whole time.

One thing I really liked about this book is that it had some new and interesting concepts that I haven’t seen in any other books. Lately I feel like a lot of the books are very similar, which can be fun, but it starts to make the books all feel the same and less memorable.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a fun popcorn thriller! The twist got me and I read a lot of thrillers. Highly recommend this as a pool or beach read.

This took me a bit of time to really get a grip on, there are quite a few characters to keep track of and this can either make or break a thriller in this case or added to the overall effect of the story and plot.

For readers who love locked room mysteries this one’s for you it hinges on dialogue so you need to be perceptive to pick up on the twists.

I have to say, I’ve never read anything quite like this. What a unique and interesting concept, and in my opinion, it was executed perfectly. From start to finish, I never really knew where things were going, but that’s exactly what kept me hooked and wanting to read more.

I also really enjoyed the writing style. Even with so many characters, the author made each one feel distinct, which I really appreciated since I usually have a hard time keeping track when there are a lot of people in a story.

I found myself really connecting with William, since he was the underdog, I was rooting for him the whole time. That made me even more invested in how everything would turn out.

This was my first book by this author, but definitely not my last. It was the perfect mix yet balance of suspense, thriller, and mystery.

thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Mark Edwards for the chance to read this amazing book!

The Wasp Nest was a fun, twisty thriller that kept me turning the pages! It was very plot-focused, which I was in the mood for. I love a locked room mystery, and this one added some interesting and surprising twists. The flashbacks to their shared past helped give a bit more depth to the present-day setup and made the stakes feel higher. By the midpoint, I was fully hooked and racing to see what would happen next, which I love in a thriller. If you're looking for an entertaining, fast-paced thriller with some surprising twists, I recommend this one!

Thanks to the Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this eARC.

🕷️ The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards

🪤 When Safety Becomes a Cage

Mark Edwards returns with The Wasp Trap, a taut and claustrophobic descent into paranoia, where the ordinary becomes grotesque and the truth is buried beneath layers of psychological debris.

At the center of the novel is Simon—a schoolteacher whose attempt to escape grief by moving into a remote eco-community becomes a trial by psychological fire. Edwards constructs the community as both utopia and trap, laced with spiritual jargon, watchful eyes, and rituals that throb with latent menace. Think Stepford Wives meets Midsommar, but filtered through the bleak lens of English countryside gloom.

The wasps of the title aren't mere insects—they’re symbols of latent violence, of things kept hidden, buzzing just out of sight. As Simon’s attempts at healing dissolve into suspicion and dread, Edwards masterfully shifts tone from eerie unease to suffocating horror. The prose is stark, stripped of adornment, which only heightens the dread—it feels like the novel itself is holding its breath.

🧠 Trauma as Narrative Architecture

What makes The Wasp Trap compelling isn’t just its suspense—it's how Edwards weaponizes trauma. Simon’s grief isn’t just a backdrop; it’s the lens through which he sees the world, one increasingly distorted by cult-like behavior and emotional manipulation. The narrative invites readers into his unraveling, blurring the line between genuine peril and trauma-induced delusion.

Secondary characters function like distorted reflections—each offers a different vision of coping, whether through denial, conformity, or spiritual absolutism. Their presence sharpens the thematic inquiry: What do we risk when we surrender our autonomy for healing?

It’s not just storytelling—it’s psychological architecture built out of sound.

🕳️ The Wasp Trap is a psychological thriller for readers who prefer slow burns with sharp teeth. Edwards doesn’t spoon-feed catharsis—he buries it, somewhere beneath emotional manipulation and social dread. The result is unsettling, intellectually provocative, and a masterclass in thematic tension.

Wow! This was a fun, dark, twisty locked door ride!
I have never read anything by this author and honestly saw the cover and had a brief read of the synopsis and I knew I had to check it out.

I did not see the twists coming at all. My jaw was on the floor. These were short super fast chapters and the tension and thrill will make you not want to put this down.

Thank you atria and NetGalley for the gift copy!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

I read this a few weeks ago and then came to leave a review and realized I don't really remember it. It was fun and kept my attention, but was ultimately a bit forgettable.

Fun! But ultimately that's about it. Really readable with twists along the way, but it didn't blow me away. Saw some things coming, didn't care too much about the characters, writing was solid enough. A true 3 star thriller for me.