The Bridesmaid delivers a razor-edged psychological thriller that drags the cheerful wedding concept into a sinister shadow. Cate Quinn entwines the narrative around a clutch of bridesmaids, each harboring a private vault of secrets, a cocktail of deceit and tension that brews stronger with every page. Using unreliable narration, ever-shifting points of view, and a parade of fake clues, she keeps the truth elusive until the final revelation.  

The pacing rockets you through dilemmas and betrayals, a holiday cocktail sun-drenched and spiked: you can practically hear the dress zippers tingling with suspense. Its fans relish the shadow count of innocence—118 and falling—in a book that asks, “Which lie stabs deepest?” A flip side: some readers may find that swapping between so many perspectives can whirl the mind like a wilting spin cycle.

The Bridesmaid is a fast-paced, glamorous thriller that perfectly blends suspense, intrigue, and high-society drama. Cate Quinn keeps readers on edge as forensic attorney Holly navigates secrets, rivalries, and deadly motives among the elite. The tension builds with every twist, making the destination wedding a dangerously captivating setting. Exciting, clever, and impossible to put down, this is a must-read for fans of stylish, suspenseful mysteries.

It isn’t enough that Adriana Kensington was kidnapped and the person was never found. Oh no, three years have passed and Adriana is getting married. So why would one of her bridesmaids be killed and is it connected to Adriana?
This is a twisty one. A bridezilla and her uber wealthy father who will spend any amount of money to make this wedding perfect. You might think a dead bridesmaid would slow things down. Nope, it’s full speed ahead.
Holly Stone is not wealthy, but she is a smart lawyer. When she gets the opportunity to step into the dead woman’s shoes, she takes a chance to find out whodunnit and why.
This look into the world of the very privileged and unpleasant is balanced by Holly‘s world. I had several guesses regarding who kidnapped Adriana and who killed Simone. I got one right but totally didn’t guess the other. An enjoyable beach read and I would not mind seeing Holly again.

3.5 Stars

The Bridesmaid is a fast-paced society thriller, that brings together past boarding school trauma, a destination wedding gone wrong, and the aid of forensics in solving a murder. The story includes a mix of unlikable and likable characters, and has a good whodunnit storyline.

I enjoyed the fact that the wedding party had ties, from being in boarding school together, and the strained relationships resulting from their abusive school days. It made for an interesting mystery in trying to work out the identity of the killer, since they all have reasons to be a suspect. I did find that one of the plot lines in the story, made me feel like this was a second book in a series, because of the way the information was presented.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Forensics
* Murder/Kidnapping Investigation
* Multiple POVs
* Childhood Trauma
* Blackmail
* Dark Family Secrets
* Unlikable Elites

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)

If you love psychological thrillers, with questionable characters and crime scene investigations, then The Bridesmaid would be a great addition to your TBR.

I could not get into this book. I wanted to like it because it had all of the elements of a book I typically enjoy, but the main character and the set up didn't interest me at all.

The Bridesmaid is a well-written, entertaining thriller. Cate Quinn's well developed characters challenge stereotypes as the story progresses and humanizes each one. This reviewer admired that plot device more than any other element of the book.

The protagonist, a blue-haired goth girl forensic specialist in spider print dresses is not someone I'd typically want to befriend, and the ultra-rich Kensington family and friends enjoy a lifestyle as foreign to me as life on the moon. At the start of the story, they eye each other with similar misgivings, but by the end of the novel the stereotypes fall away, exposing vulnerabilities we all share, and sweeping the reader along with them. The mystery is layered and complex, but the elements come together by the end of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

This book was really hard to follow along with and jumped quite a bit and was confusing to me as the reader.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this egalley. Unfortunately I did not finish the book at 38%.

I typically like a dramatic and murderous wedding, and having the protagonist be a forensic investigator is an interesting take on the story. The character, however, was very "not like other girls," quirky and independent in a performative way, which made it uninteresting to me. Every bend in the story was extremely unlikely and convenient for the protagonist, making the book feel hollow. The mystery itself is interesting, and if the characters were at all interesting, even in an unlikable way, I may have kept going, but it all felt too neat performative. Other readers may enjoy these characters and plot decisions, but they didn't work for me.

This was my first read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The book cover soooooo intrigued me that I just had to read it. This book covers so much interest of people today, the destination wedding - the venue as a whole. I loved the dark story and the twists and turns it took. Thanks to Net Galley for the advance read #NetGalley #CateQuinn #TheBridesmaid

I really think that the premise of this book was super interesting. I liked the murder aspect, and I felt like the characters were unique and well drawn. It was twisty in the best way I would definitely recommend.

Sometimes wealth and privilege are troublesome.
While our bridal couple do seem to love each other,
after I think about it, I wonder. This book does tell
a twisted tale in which murder is sometimes used
for optics, with social media taking center stage.
Our Forensic Attorney, along with her partner, did
a good job in breaking through all of the secrets.
It was quite the adventure from start to finish. For
fans of Cate Quinn, this is a book you will enjoy!
My thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark
Publishing via NetGalley for review purposes.

3.5 Stars for me - I enjoyed the beginning and the end of The Bridesmaid - but I struggled to get through the middle. It felt like it dragged on a bit and could have been more concise. Overall though, it was an enjoyable thriller overall with multiple POVs and a tough whodunnit to figure out! The main investigator/forensics person (Holly) was my favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC for my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5 STARS (rounded up to 4)

this was a good read. from the synopsis and cover alone, i knew it'd be intriguing. i enjoyed the main character, Holly Stone. she's a witty, quirky, curvy, "gothic-core" forensics expert who looks at the facts of data to find the truth in any crime scene. cops hate to see her coming while also underestimating her abilities just from the way she looks, but she's good at it. her character was a constant fresh breath of air when it came to switching to her POV.

from the get-go, things start pretty intense. it only gets weirder and suspenseful from there. the alleged crimes surround Adrianna Kensington, a very wealthy and famous heiress. her and her wedding entourage all have secrets and everyone seems guilty of something. their demeanors are all polished for the cameras, but behind the scenes it's chaotic and unsettling.

you can tell the author really tried to immerse the reader into the world of the wealthy, which we can always appreciate. i did feel like it became repetitive at times with certain words and descriptions. i felt like the focus on details took away an opportunity to elaborate more on the past. Adrianna, her "friends", and one of the victims all went to Kensington Manor School; an all-girls boarding school of the elite that was founded by one of Adrianna's ancestors. it's repeatedly mentioned that there was abuse and bullying that went on there that both shaped and traumatized the girls who attended there, but aside from what is revealed... it doesn't really go into much that makes the reader think it truly garners the reasons for their behaviors. felt like something big was missing, like a much more tragic back story. there just seemed so many questions left unanswered.

i don't think any of the characters were meant to be likable in any way, aside from Holly, Fitzwilliam, and Ortiz. i also enjoyed the blooming chemistry between Holly and Fitzwilliam. they came from two different lifestyles on different sides of the track, yet they found a way to find common grounds in each other. their bond was a charming sub-plot that really rounded out the story and made me want to keep reading.

i enjoyed this read, but it ended with me wishing there were better answers to the "why?"-- hence the 3.5 rating. still, i don't regret reading it and would happily recommend it for thriller/mystery-seekers like me. it is worth the read, probably more so for those who don't get too hung up on the details. an interesting read, nonetheless.

thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rising from the streets of Poland and fleeing to New York Leopold Kensington made a name for this The Kensington family is notoriously rich and deadly if you cross them. Adrianna Kensington is getting married and is making a big show of it. No detail is overlooked and no price is too big.

When a celebrity bridesmaid is murdered weeks before an exclusive society wedding, forensic attorney Holly Stone is drafted as an unlikely undercover replacement. As she works to unpick the lives of the notoriously private Kensington family, glamour-averse Holly discovers a new worst enemy in bridezilla Adrianna.

What secrets does the Kensington family want to keep buried and how far will they go for their namesake?

This was a 3 star thriller for me. If you are looking for a slow burn thriller that grabs you at the end this book is for you. With the slower burn it was a little harder for me to want to pick it back up. Multiple points of view keep the reader guessing on whose story is the truth. Rich people behaving badly is always a favorite trope of mine, and oh my do these Kensington’s take the cake.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the electronic advanced reader copy.

This book is out November 4, 2025.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn is a sharp, fast-paced thriller that turns high society glamour into a deadly game of secrets and lies. When forensic attorney Holly Stone goes undercover as a replacement bridesmaid after a shocking murder, she’s thrust into the opulent yet cutthroat world of the Kensington family. Quinn masterfully layers tension with biting wit, capturing the toxic mix of wealth, ambition, and rivalry simmering beneath the champagne and designer gowns. As Holly navigates bridezilla demands, hidden agendas, and the constant threat of another killing, the stakes rise with every page, leading to a finale that’s as explosive as the wedding itself.

Great plot with clues pointing to everyone as the murderer. I liked the story and was kept in suspense about who indeed did it, but this book had a bit of a dark cast to it for me. It seems odd to say for a thriller but I read them all the time and just can't pinpoint what it was about this one that seemed different. It didn't impact the book overall, as I still enjoyed it and would recommend to fans of the genre.

Forget champagne toasts and designer gowns, Cate Quinn serves murder on silver trays at this wedding, and the RSVP comes with bloodstains.

The Bridesmaid drops forensic attorney Holly Stone into the kind of world that could chew her up in 3 inch heels. A celebrity bridesmaid is dead, the bride’s smile is pure venom, and the Kensington family’s wealth feels less like privilege and more like a weapon. From the moment Holly steps in as an “undercover” bridesmaid, the air smells faintly of roses, salt water, and danger.

Quinn has a gift for turning luxury into menace. The glimmering yachts, the tailored suits, the champagne pyramids, they’re all just stage props for a performance masking something rotten. Every bridesmaid is a suspect, every conversation feels rehearsed, and every secret comes wrapped in silk with a bow you don’t want to untie.

The pacing is wickedly sharp. One chapter feels like slow champagne bubbles, the next like a champagne bottle exploding in your hands. Holly is smart, flawed, and just reckless enough to make you nervous for her. And as the wedding draws near, the question shifts from Who killed the bridesmaid? to Who’s not making it to dessert?

By the end, I wasn’t just flipping pages, I was scanning the guest list, wondering if I’d survive as a +1.

A glamorous, cutthroat, and deliciously sinister romp down the aisle, just pray your invitation gets lost in the mail.

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn is an excellent psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The story is about several women who reunite for a destination wedding, all bridesmaids.
These ladies have secrets!!!! One of them turned up dead and there are a lot of pointing fingers and suspense.

The characters are well written, complex and extremely flawed.

The story is taut and exciting with multiple twists.

Highly recommend!

cool concept just wish the pov’s flowed from an interview perspective or focused more on boarding school flashbacks. i found myself skipping over certain characters chapters which can happen with books like this. i started skimming to get to the reveal at the end or only focusing on holly. thank you netgalley for the arc!