Book Review: A Killer Wedding by Joan O'Leary

A Killer Wedding is a classic "locked-room" murder mystery—though in this case, it's more like a "locked castle" mystery. The story starts off a bit slow, largely because we're introduced to a lot of characters. (Side note: not all of them felt necessary—many seemed to serve mainly as red herrings.)

Once the character backgrounds are established, the story begins to pick up pace. The narrative shifts between present-day events—usually told from the perspective of the main character, Christine—and flashbacks that delve into different characters' storylines.

Around the halfway point, the plot really starts to thicken. The characters become more complex, the tension rises, and the book becomes much more engaging. I’ve always enjoyed a good locked-room mystery, and while I managed to guess a tiny sliver of the twist, there was still plenty that caught me off guard.

This is Joan O'Leary’s debut novel, and I think she’s stepping into the mystery genre with real promise. I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow publishing, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

My students really like this kind of book, family drama, mystery death , wealth, a fancy wedding and an Irish setting. This is well written, a ittle overly long and a bit slow at times but good escapist reading for them. Anything to keep them reading!

I received an ARC of this book from William Morrow via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. One of my favorite aspects of the book was the haves vs. have nots. Christine shopping at sample sales. Neil the bartender making minimum wage. Contrasted with people who have enough money to literally cover an entire ceiling with roses. Christine is funny and smart, a great heroine who also reads as very realistic.

There are so many twists and backstories and conflicts, but it all ties together pretty much perfectly. I only guessed one thing but it was basically just before it was revealed, when I am pretty sure the author was ready for us to guess anyway. But as far as who is a villain and who committed the actual murder - nope - total surprises (which always makes me happy).

In addition, the descriptions of Ballymoon and its luxury (and its secrets) were delicious. I;d love to go there!

I hope this becomes a movie, as I think it would be incredibly entertaining!

Christine is on top of the world. As an editor at THE wedding magazine of record, Bespoke, she has just landed the society wedding of the decade, that of the infamous Ripton family famous for the Glo beauty empire, taking place in Ireland.

Christine's dream job soon becomes a nightmare when the family matriarch, the formidable woman who grew their empire from scratch, Gloria Beaufort is found dead the first morning of wedding weekend. Things go from bad to worse when the family insists on keeping it quiet and going on as if nothing has happened. Christine just hopes to get out alive.

Wow, this was a fun book. Part fancy upper class wedding and part crime/murder mystery thriller, it was filled with action and plot twists that made me race right through it.

Told in multiple POVs with wedding reporter Christine narrating the bulk of the time, A Killer Wedding is filled with interesting characters, most of whom are driven by motives that aren't immediately apparent, but are cleverly made clear throughout the story by author Joan O'Leary. If you loved The Wedding People and want a thriller bent, you will love A Killer Wedding. I know I did. Five stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I really enjoyed this exciting and glamorous murder mystery. It has a bunch of unlikeable characters with secrets to die for. I loved the Irish castle setting and I loved the witty writing and all the glitz and glamor. The only character I really liked was the main character, Christine and I think that is the authors intention. With regards to the killer, I had no idea so, that was well done. My one complaint was that there were too many POV's, although I understand the reasoning, I felt at times the multi POV's bogged down the plot a bit.

There is a bunch of drama, plenty of twists and the ending was wrapped up nicely. Overall I'm thrilled to have read this one and it was a wonderfully done debut novel! Looking forward to more from Joan.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Killer Wedding is a smart, stylish mystery set in a historic Irish castle. Secrets unravel through flashbacks, revealing a tangled web behind a glamorous facade. With a large cast and plenty of twists, it’s a perfect vacation read for fans of suspense and high-society drama.

A Killer Wedding by Joan O’Leary weaves a tangled web of deceit and deception on multiple levels as the Ripton family gathers at a castle in Ireland to celebrate the wedding of beauty conglomerate Glo’s founder Gloria Beaufort’s grandson. The company is in financial trouble and desperately needs the publicity coverage of the wedding will bring. So when Gloria is found shot the family decides to act as if nothing has happened and proceed with the celebration. Ms. O’Leary has written a unique often humorous whodunit full of family secrets and suspects. The ending was a total surprise! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. Highly recommend.

Wow oh wow. This one will keep you on your toes till the very end. Beautiful wedding full of tragic twists and turns! Who to trust? Who to shy away from? Buckle lads!

First thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of A Killer Wedding. I found the book a quick read, great as the proverbial “beach read”. The mysteries of who is the killer, who are these people underneath their carefully maintained personas and how will this all end kept me happily reading. The characters are all flawed and it was interesting to see the “real” person come to light in some cases. Other characters were so stereotypical but I can say no more for fear of revealing too much. I liked the ending very much s the author did a good job of wrapping up multiple story lines in ways that did not seem far fetched.
This book will not be in the running for any awards but it is a nicely written, fast paced, light mystery and we can certainly use one of them these days!

This was an interesting book. I can’t say I really liked any of the characters. Most of all of them lie and cheat. The ending was surprising. It had a little suspense it flowed pretty well. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of A Killer Wedding by Joan O'Leary. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a fun read - perfect for my vacation at the beach. The ultimate wedding is happening between Graham Ripton and Jane Murphy at an ancient Irish castle. Christine Russo, part of the Bespoke magazine wedding staff grabs herself an invite at the hands of none other that Gloria Beaufort, the matriarch and the name behind the billion dollar conglomerate that is Glo.

There are a lot of characters to remember, but O'Leary gives us little bites into everyone's backstory which is helpful.

After Gloria is found dead, the game is on to figure out who had the most stake in her death. Meanwhile, the show... ahem, wedding, must go on. Christine finds herself in the middle of the action trying to figure out whodunit.

The beginning is a bit too much product endorsements but once we get into the meat of the story it is much better paced. Has a lot of White Lotus type intrigue which made it fun.

This book was full of drama, glitz, and glamour. I loved the setting in the Scottish castle, the author did a wonderful job of setting the scene of the wedding. The pacing was a little slow for me, I felt like it was telling me a lot in the first half about the character dynamics and I kind of got bored.it was a little predictable but still a good mystery to enjoy.

I really enjoyed this book! I struggled with all the characters at the beginning and had to make a reference guide, but once I figured it out, all was good. I liked how fast paced the story was even with the flashbacks. The author was able to keep me guessing until the very end.

The perfect summer mystery read -- full of intrigue and twists and turns, all set in a beautiful castle in Ireland amongst the billionaire set. I loved this book and sped right through it. Christine, a journalist for a Vogue-like magazine, is scrappy and convinced her way into covering *the* wedding of the year. But a number of big surprises turn up, and Christine is no longer focused on floral arrangements and canapes - instead, she is focused on solving a murder and staying safe in teh process.

Christine can’t believe her luck. The iconic Gloria Beaufort, founder of the billion-dollar beauty empire Glo, has personally chosen her to cover her grandson’s wedding for Bespoke, the cult fashion magazine that every A-list bride dreams of being featured in. A career-making scoop and a free trip to a castle turned five-star hotel on the Emerald Isle? It feels too good to be true…. Because it is! Good book! This book was funny at times but also had great suspense, mystery, murder, intrigue, and a few shocking twists! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

C.S. O'Leary’s first mystery novel totally caught me off guard in the best way! It’s set at a fancy wedding in an Irish castle, where Christine Russo, a clever fashion journalist for Bespoke magazine, is covering the Ripton family’s over-the-top nuptials. Things get wild when Gloria Beaufort, the big-shot matriarch of Glo Cosmetics, is found dead, and the family decides to stash her body in a freezer to keep the party going. O'Leary’s writing is super straightforward with just enough detail to paint the scene, and the pacing is spot-on for a mystery, giving you that Knives Out vibe with a high-society twist that’s pure fun.

What I loved most was how every character gets a moment to shine, from the snobby Riptons to the stressed-out wedding planner and even the cute bartender who’s not what he seems. Getting everyone’s point of view, including some flashbacks, lets you piece the puzzle together, which is something a lot of mysteries miss. The castle setting, with its stormy nights and hidden staircases, feels alive and adds to the drama. Sure, the middle drags a tiny bit, and some parts are a tad extra, but it’s such a blast that I didn’t mind.

If you’re into classic whodunits with a modern, glam edge, this book’s for you. Christine’s sharp wit and nosy streak keep things lively as she digs into the family’s secrets, and the final twist totally delivers. I was hooked from start to finish, barely able to put it down, and I’m already stoked to see what O'Leary writes next. This is a juicy, entertaining read that’s perfect for curling up with!

4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, author Joan O'Leary, and William Morrow for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Killer Wedding is a sharp, stylish mystery, and Joan O’Leary delivers a fast-paced whodunit set in a luxurious Irish castle! What more could you want?!

Thank you to Net Galley, Joan O’Leary, and the publishers for this arc!

At first, the pace of this mystery/thriller was a little slow for me, but once it got into the heart of the story I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the layers to this novel will the different time lines and characters stories layered on top of each other. The progression of the current timeline with the various flashbacks, added to my desires to try and figure out whodunnit…and I was still wrong! Which I love in this genre, I want to be surprised and not guess the twists, and I didn’t here.

I enjoyed that our “main” POV (although all written in 3rd person) Christine almost at times felt like she could be unreliable. Christine is a fashion magazine writer, not a detective, so she is just as in over her head as we are ours. But we also learn that maybe she is/or can be just as manipulative and conniving as the family in question hosting this murderous wedding weekend.

Probably my favorite part though was the setting. This story brought me right back to being in Ireland with the beautiful descriptions of the castle, weather, etc. Overall 4.5 stars - one of the funnest mysteries I’ve read in a while!

A Killer Wedding is a fun debut, and perfect for fans of Knives Out and Glass Onion! It's got family drama in spades and extremes, all coming to light during the wedding of golden-boy-and-heir to the Glow empire, Graham Ripton's wedding. The book starts off a bit slow, and there are a LOT of characters to be introduced to, but once I hit the 30% mark of the book, I couldn't put it down. O'Leary layered the drama and motives well, hiding red herrings amongst the chapters and in a largely convincing manner at that. The 3rd person narration in the present tense took a bit of time to get used to for me, it felt like it was keeping the reader at a distance from actually connecting to the characters, even if I eventually decided that it helped with the reliability of the story. Overall though, this was a solid debut and I'm looking forward to seeing what O'Leary's next project is!

3.5 stars! For a debut mystery novel, this took me by surprise in a great way! The flow of this writing was phenomenal, and the pacing was perfect for this genre. The vibes that you think you will get from this book are definitely delivered.

One thing that stood out ot me in regards to O'Leary's writing was the straight-forwardness with just the right amount of detail. This is the main reason why I am excited to see what else this author can do in the literary world.

From the beginning, the writing had me hooked. The characters had depth, and we got to learn a lot of information from each and every one of them. I am glad the author gave us a point of view from EVERYONE. We even got a point of view from side characters that I would have never expected. This allowed me to slowly piece everything together, which a lot of mystery books lack.

If you are looking for a classic, whodunit mystery novel, this is it! My head was turning the entire time, and I could not fully commit to one theory about the murder.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Joan O'Leary, and William Morrow for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review. This debut comes out September, 23, 2025!