THIS BOOK! I loved this so much! At first I was unsure of whether or not I was going to enjoy this story, mainly because I really did not like any of the characters, but as the book went on the more I realised that the characters' unlikability was what really brought this book together. I didn't like any of the characters and yet I cared so much about what was going to happen. They were all so captivating and I really commend Lucy Foley's writing. I think the best thing about this book for me were the reveals and twists! Foley executed them in a masterful way. Pages, or sentences before plot points were revealed I would figure things out. This made it feel organic and true to the story, but not predictable which is often an issue with mystery thrillers. And actually figuring things out made it all the more satisfying to read. The Guest List was such an enjoyable and captivating read.

A strong thriller that throws you headfirst at its dark ending.

The Guest List, as you might guess from the title, is a story about a wedding, about a murder that takes place on the wedding day itself.

It begins with 'now' and a cry in the darkness, then takes us back to the day before and several different character points of view as they recall how they ended up at the wedding and the individual traumas they're all going through. You don't find out who gets murdered until right near the end of the book - though you can have some fun guessing along the way. It's harder to guess who might be the culprit, as there are a lot of motives flying about for violent behaviour.

That was one of my issues with the book - I didn't find the characters very likeable, for the most part. Don't get me wrong, it's an absolute page-turner and I think if you like thrillers this one will work for you. I just found most of the characters a bit icky. It ends strongly, but funnily enough, that was the place where I wanted to dig in a bit more about certain characters' reactions and secrets - they didn't get to share quite as much as I would've liked. I felt like it missed a few pay-offs, but maybe that's just me. So there you go - well constructed, and I'd probably give the author another go because she's very good at tension!

It took me a little while to really get into this book. There's lots of character set up at the start (which is only natural in a murder mystery, especially one with multiple POVs) and it's definitely more of a slow build than a thriller. However, once I got through the first third or so, I could not fault the rest of the book at all. The suspense really starts to build, there's lots of twists and turns, and I couldn't work out the mystery for the life of me! A satisfying and cleverly crafted story, that kept me guessing and entertained right to the end.

‘The Guest List’ by Lucy Foley is a cracking crime mystery set on an isolated Irish island. The guests are there for the wedding of the year – magazine entrepreneur Jules Keegan is marrying reality TV star Will Slater. What follows is a closed room mystery recognisable from Agatha Christie novels. From the beginning you wonder, who in this group of thirty-somethings is going to be killed? Who is the killer and why?
Foley expertly plays with our expectations, manipulating our first impressions of the characters as they are introduced. Old friends. Family. School days rituals. Hidden jealousies. Secret wrongs. The atmosphere on the exposed windswept island with its treacherous bogs, cliffs, caves and haunting churchyard is cranked up to full notch. We experience the weekend wedding almost hour by hour as each key character tells their own story, with the narrative chopping forwards to the present during the ceremony and reception. This switching of viewpoint and timeframe can be very sudden but it does ramp up the tension. The murder takes place quite late in the timeline making this more a psychological thriller, building up to the killing you know will happen.
The basic plot questions are – how well does Jules know her husband-to-be? What exactly happened on the stag weekend? What were the rituals at the public school attended by the groom and ushers? And why is Olivia, Jules’s sister and bridesmaid, clearly not coping with life? The options for victim and murderer are extended beyond the bridal group with Charlie, Jules’ best friend, and his wife Hannah; and bridal organiser and host Aoife and chef husband Freddie. Foley presents lots of hints about the past and secret resentments, I guessed a couple quite early on but this didn’t stop me turning the pages.
Read this over a weekend when you need an easy-to-read distraction.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

On a wild and isolated Irish island , a wedding is about to take place. The guests are gathering and the champagne is flowing but something isn't quite right. Everything continues as planned, albeit with a few hitches and a few unexpected occurrences, and it's certainly a day to remember for the Bride and Groom. Towards the end of the night though a body is discovered - who has met their untimely end amid the celebrations and which of the party-goers helped them on their way?

I really love a murder mystery and Lucy Foley's latest effort didn't disappoint! The harsh setting of the rugged island provided the perfect backdrop for the story as it crept along, twisting at every turn. The tension was created expertly throughout and I was amazed at how many twists spiralled in and changed things as everything built to a crescendo. Some twists you could see coming but others not so much; I don't think I've ever had more WHAAAAT moments as I did when reading this.

Though at first glance it seems that like Foley's 'The Hunting Party' we are presented again with a basic cast of self-obsessed rich people, as the novel progresses and the characters are developed and it becomes clear that all is not as it seems. The majority of the characters in this are actually quite different, they're easier to empathise with, and by the end I was rooting for most of them to have been the culprit just so that they could get their revenge (whilst getting away with it somehow too of course!).

All in all it's another great read from Lucy Foley, definitely one of my favourites this year, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery,

TWs: graphic self harm, attempted suicide, sexual assault, emotional abuse, infidelity, abortion, drowning, disordered eating, bullying, revenge porn, murder, drowning

I really loved how Foley throws you straight into the action and a somewhat mysterious and confusing atmosphere. Information is slowly drip-fed to you, as you piece together what has actually happened and the events leading up to it through multiple perspectives. You become very invested in the story quickly and from then on, you’ll be racing through to discover every seedy little detail.

This was such an engaging thriller, constantly keeping me on my toes. I could not trust anyone I was introduced to and I kept theorising whenever new information was provided. When a thriller immerses you that much, you know it’s a good one. The use of multiple narrators was interesting, with each character having a distinctive voice and being complex, multi-layered individuals. It was really enjoyable to watch layer after layer of secrets be peeled back and this allowed you to get to the core of each character. Their minds were tricksy, dangerous places to inhabit at times but this kept the intrigue up.

Foley’s writing was so entertaining and flowed exceptionally well as the pages just seemed to fly past. She drops tiny breadcrumbs that eventually lead to some explosive reveals. The twists are exceptional, with one in particular causing me to have to put down the book and loudly exclaim. They genuinely will shock and surprise you, adding to that atmosphere of tension and mystery.

The setting was very reminiscent of And Then There Were None for me, with its isolation and the complete power nature had over it. This made it feel primal and terrifying and this beastial nature is one of the key components of the book. It asks who we are at our most basic level and what we will do in order to survive. There’s also a scathing takedown of toxic masculinity and sexism present throughout the book.

The Guest List is a brilliant thriller that will make for a chilling, twisty reading experience.

The multiple point-of-view presentation in The Guest List by Lucy Foley reminds me of The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (or The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, depending on where in the world you are in). The story isn't that complex, in comparison, but it is equally gripping.

Despite being a slow read, the plot succeeds to keep the reader in me hooked to itself. It is enjoyable to read the prose throughout.

The end, though a bit disappointing and guessable, is perfectly executed.

Thanks the the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Verdict: Recommended.

I enjoyed this, not as much as her first book but it was still really good. Everyone in it is awful, except maybe two people, so I didn't care who lived or died, but I love that because it makes the book compelling. I loved the chilling setting and the wedding. Great book, can't wait for her next

Dark and atmospheric. This thriller will keep you guessing until the end. The characters were on the whole unlikeable but you couldn't help but racing through the story,

A gripping thriller with a relentless pace, Lucy Foley has written a brilliantly atmospheric and taut murder mystery. What let it down for me were the characters - they were all nasty, unsympathetic and caricaturish, which I don't personally enjoy but I know other readers won't mind. The Guest List has a wonderfully twisting plot and the combination of perspectives and flashbacks makes for a tightly-written suspense.

I’ll be honest I nearly gave up on this book as I found it very slow at the beginning. I didn’t take to the characters straight away. However I persevered and I’m glad I did! It picked up pace and turned into a fabulous who dunnit mystery!

Thanks to netgalley for this book was keen to read as everywhere l looked this book was - very slow burning story with lots of spin off storylines - nearly gave up and then the story took off - lots of loose ends which all gathered together- stick with the slow start it’s a very good story - looking forward to the author’s next book now - must catch up 😍 #mygoldenbookclub

Lucy Foley has come up with another gem in her follow up to The Hunting Party .This time it is set in the wilds of Ireland as guests gather for a wedding.There is plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing as the book progresses to it's well written ending which was a surprise to me..Having seen some poor reviews for this book it makes me wonder if they have a hidden agenda because i for one really enjoyed the book and Lucy Foley has once again succeeded in writing a cracking psychological thriller,5 stars all the way..Ignore the poor reviews and make your mind up.

This book was okay, the plot was alright although a little bit lacking. Quite character focused and enjoyed to get to know them and all their buried secrets, especially when nobody was what they claimed to be... And the killer... was NOT expecting that!

Lucy Foley’s second book and there were definitely some similarities to her first book in its setting being quite remote, isolated and subject to the elements. It centers around a group come together to celebrate a wedding with a back and forth narrative to fill in the gaps and allow you to come to your own suspicions as to who has being murdered and who is responsible. Again the group in question were not the most pleasant personalities but there were a few more characters that appealed. Overall I found it a quick easy read and would give it 3.5 stars. Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for this ARC

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
I give this 3.75 stars
On an island off the Irish coast, guests gather for the wedding of Jules Keegan and Will Slater.
Old friends.
Past grudges.
Happy families.
Hidden jealousies.
Thirteen guests.
One body.
The cake has barely been cut when one of the guests is found dead. And as a storm unleashes its fury on the island, everyone is trapped.
All have a secret. All have a motive.
One guest won’t leave this wedding alive . . .
This book had me hooked from the start,a fast paced read.
Clever whodunnit with an array of characters and plenty going on.Kept me guessing till the very end.
A recommended read
Thanks to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for my chance to read and review this book

#TheGuestList #NetGalley
I loved Lucy Foley's writing style.
Welcome to a wedding in a place where it's history of violence may haunt you.
Meet these people :-
Aoife :- The Wedding planner
Hannah - The plus one
Johnno: The Best Man
Olivia: The Bridesmaid
Jules: The Bride
Olivia: The Bridesmaid
X :- A dead body.
A dead body is found and spoiled everything. Whose body was it? Who were they? Why were they killed?
Who's this killer?
One of them?
Read this mind blowing novel to know that awesome ending which satisfied me to the bone. Lucy has done a good job in creating tense atmosphere. Although Hannah was a little confusing for me but I got it after two chapters.
Narration and dialogues were the main strength of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advance copy.

"And then the lights go out."


Whhhewwwww I can barely catch my breath. This book has everything I love in a book all in one go.

Thrillers can get a bit samey after you read a few but this offers something different to every book I've ever read before, I am impressed.

The story jumps back and fore in time between different perspectives but you don't get confused at all, its made very clear whose POV and where in the timeline you are at the beginning of each chapter and I really liked that.

The book itself has so many twists I didnt think everything would be neatly wrapped up by the end, but Foley gets all the loose threads tied together and it was amazing.

A 6/5 book for me and definitely a contender for my favourite read the year. I'm still catching my breath.

This one was impossible to put down - so many twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end!
Jules and Will are the perfect couple, having the perfect wedding in the middle of nowhere with all their friends and family. But the perfect wedding suddenly takes a shocking turn when a body is found - who is it and why were they killed?
I haven’t read many mystery/thrillers at all recently as I was starting to feel it had all been done - but Foley has gladly proved me wrong! I loved the way she used so many different characters to tell the story, so it was almost like trying to put the separate pieces of the puzzle together - and of course there was a very satisfying ending! This book was atmospheric, fast-paced and exactly what I needed to get me out of my thriller slump - cannot wait to read Foley’s other works.

Great story, really enjoyed. I have loved all this authors books. I find the characters very relatable.

Many thanks to netgalley and Lucy Foley for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to provide feedback for this book voluntarily.