The Guest List: A Reese's Book Club Pick

Product Information

Overall, it was a passable way to spend a few hours, but it doesn't quite rise above all the other modern thrillers in this over-saturated genre. It's just if you're going to build up an entire story on nothing but anticipation and petty drama, when it finally gets to the payoff, it better blow me away. And this just didn't.

Feel free to invite some friends to join our Round Table community!http://www.goodreads.com/group/invite_members/26989-goodreads-authors-readers Cocoran, Lucy (21 September 2021). "The Are The Best Bingeable Books You Can't Put Down". Marie Claire . Retrieved 27 December 2021. If you read the great World Leaders' biographies, you can see specific charming techniques used by them over others. These are usually harmless and even symbiotic to both individuals. The predators use these same charming techniques over poor innocent empaths to win over their hearts so that they can manipulate them later to drain even their souls (like the Dementors). Lucey Foley has shown how these predators manipulate others in multiple parts of this novel. Are you willing to kiss all your spare cash goodbye? Are you easily distracted by independent bookshops, big name book stores, and library or used book sales? Are your bookshelves currently a little tight of space? Author Lucy Foley does everything possible to not only channel Dame Agatha Christie but to also create a setting for a psychological thriller/murder mystery that is simply ideal. A remote island just off the coast of Ireland at a Mansion run by a young couple for special occasions. The wife, Aoife is a wedding/party planner and her husband, Freddy is the cook. The occasion is the wedding of Will and Julia (who goes by Jules). There is a select group of friends and family invited for the weekend and the weather forecast is, of course, calling for serious storms and a ton of rain. Sounds like the perfect place to kill someone!The day before, people arrive on the island. The Folly is owned by Aoife (wedding planner) and her husband Freddy. On the bride's side, Charlie is Jules's best friend. Hannah is Charlie's wife. (Charlie and Jules are very close, but Charlie and Will don't like each other.) Olivia is Julia's younger (19) half-sister. On Will's side, Johnno is the best man, and the four ushers are four guys they went to boarding school with, Femi, Angus, Duncan and Peter. Three weeks ago, Jules found an anonymous note telling her not to marry Will. I liked reading the details of putting the wedding together; the food they ate and just all the information that make for a more well-rounded story. Almost like you feel like you’re there but definitely glad you’re not at the same time. Finney, Joanne (7 May 2021). "The best thrillers and crime novels to read". Good Housekeeping . Retrieved 27 December 2021. The setting was extremely atmospheric, channeling a gothic vibe by incorporating some of the island's earlier history and lore into the tale.

Jules overhears Will and Olivia arguing about their relationship. After the lights go out, the groomsmen form a search party and finally find that body – it’s Will… Who were the prime suspects in The Guest List? Many had a motive. Yes Olivia is 19 years old bridesmaid, half-sister of bridezilla, suffering from a big secret makes her lose weight, cutting herself. The secret is gnawing her. She needs to talk someone before she gets hurt herself. Could Helen be her confidante? Lucy Foley is an English author of contemporary, historical fiction, mystery and fiction books. Prior to switching to full-time writing, Foley worked as an editor at Headline and later at Hodder where she was involved with young adult writers including Lauren Oliver and Laini Taylor. Let’s talk about Johnno taking the blame for Will’s murder despite being innocent. Do you think the truth will ever come out about Aoife?Guests gather on a remote island off the coast of Ireland for a celebrity wedding. Sounds idyllic, right? Except this dream wedding turns into a nightmare long before the dead body is found. What do you know...and when do you know it? At what point in the book do you begin to piece together what happened? The overall premise is that there's a wedding on a remote Irish island, the weather closes in and the island is cut off from the rest of the world. And then the body is found. Weiss, Keely (2 July 2020). "16 Thriller Books That'll Give You Instant Goosebumps". Harper's Bazaar . Retrieved 27 December 2021.

The Guest List is a semi-closed room mystery. Which is to say that, there’s a set amount of characters and they are all (more or less) in one place when the murder occurs. So, it’s set on a small private island, and all the people on the island are staying at this property. There’s a limited number of people who could have done it, and you’re trying to figure out who it could be. This story has one of my favorite things, well, many of my favorite things, but one of the most notable is the quirky cast of unlikable characters.The story also suffers from a few other issues that seem to plague most books of this genre. The characters are, unfortunately, all unlikable and dumb. They have trouble saying simple things to each other that would clear up much confusion. They make mistake after mistake, and then ruminate at length about each. And they all drink themselves into stupors at the first sign of discomfort, instead of just... talking. Now, can we talk about the ending?! I know life isn’t fair and all, but how is it justified that the bad guy is dead, the falsely accused is sent to prison, and the killer walks free? I don’t mind Aoife, but I feel sympathetic towards Johnno. He’s not innocent, but he’s also a victim of Will’s. More than anything, I would’ve loved to get a lot less loose ended closure. E]ntertaining if uneven ... Foley defers disclosing the murder victim’s identity until quite late, but she undercuts the suspense with obvious indications of who it is.… [Still,] readers seeking thrills will find plenty.