Funny, honest characters, a book where I feel like I've met these characters from my own life. Great plot, fun read.

Paul Whatshisname (he is never given a last name) is in his midlife slump. Far from a crisis, he’s weighed down with so much ennui it takes him months to finally work up the gumption to even take the elevator to confront his wife, whom he suspects is cheating with the doggie trainer on the 8th floor.

Instead of finding his wife mid-coitus, he finds the body of his neighbour. Definitely murdered. His wife? Nowhere to be found.

With the help of the cute front desk girl (whom he’s been leering at for the last few months) and an eccentric detective, it’s up to Paul to solve the crime and find out what the heck has happened to his wife. If he can convince himself the effort is worth it, that is.

This book made me want to give it different starred ratings depending on the time I was reading it. At the beginning I found the prose to be laced with filler words, and almost too conversational. I like a laid-back feel to writing, but it took me a while to believe it was intentional and not just lazy. To be fair, I did get into it eventually and didn’t notice the style much after that.

Paul is also a bit of a contentious character choice for me. There seems to be a trend in media these days to portray a “lovable loser” as the main character. Like we’re supposed to sympathize with his mid-life drudgery and his apathy when it comes to changing anything about it. Like he’s supposed to be a mirror to us. I don’t love it. I’m okay with imperfect characters. I love being able to relate to someone who is struggling—we all need that. But I guess I just think we can do better than following a selfish loser around for 4 hours of reading, especially since he doesn’t seem to grow in any meaningful ways, and has a bad habit of turning everything around to be about him. I found myself much more invested in some of the side characters. Ones that actually seemed to care about anything but themself.

His sad life is told in an entertaining way, I’ll give it that. And perhaps as a dark humour, this is the sad state of life it works. I just didn’t find it landed for me. And I love me some dark humour.

The mystery itself… well it’s another head scratcher I guess. On one hand, I did not guess the final solution, but on the other, I don’t think that the clues were laid out that I should’ve been able to guess it. Perhaps that wasn’t the point of the story, but once Paul latches onto a suspect, there isn’t a whole lot of other information we’re given, nor any additional evidence that would help us make an informed guess before the end. It makes sense when it is revealed, but we aren’t given a chance to put it together. And you know what? That can be okay too. It’s just not my preferred type of mystery.

Speaking of the end: whew, another "I don’t know" moment. It ties in with the reveal of the mystery: Paul doesn’t solve the crime himself. Without spoiling it, the mystery is revealed to him in a pretty blatant way rather than him being able to put two and two together, along with the reader. It feels a bit cheap to me, to be honest, like if it were better written, Paul and the reader could’ve figured it out. Harper still could’ve done the ending he chose, he could’ve just had Paul figure it out before the final curtain.

And that final curtain? Well, I can’t spoil it, but I wasn’t a fan. Beyond the issue with the mystery, it was a pretty odd choice, especially with the little tag at the end that reassures the reader. It also employs the MC writing to the reader gambit, which I’ve never really loved.

I did find myself really wanting to keep reading, despite all these negatives, so obviously the characterization was compelling enough for me to hang in there. I just didn’t love what ended up happening with those characters.

A few moments that really shined were the quips about how the mystery genre is basically just following characters around and listening to them talk to different people, as well as comparing short stories to having to meet a new person every 20 pages. I loved those little insights, probably because that is why I avoid short stories, and that is my biggest worry as a mystery author: “Are my characters just sitting around talking?! Will this get boring? Wait… Isn’t this what they all do?”
So, that’s my mixed-bag review of this book. If you’re a fan of midlife ennui, and following around a (I hesitate to call him lovable) loser, then this might be the book for you.

This was a fast, fun read. Dark, at times self-deprecating, humor in a not- too- serious mystery with a 30 something male protagonist. It was like reading a classic sitcom! I will look for this author again.

"Additional Attendee" by Josh Harper is an exhilarating, quick read that stands out. Harper's witty and humorous voice creates a reading experience that feels like chatting with a hilariously hungover friend. The protagonist, Paul, might not be the most likable character, but his interactions and slightly twisted humor make the story irresistibly charming.

The book's prose is perfect for the mystery genre, balancing dark humor with clever writing. While the plot might feel implausible at times, it adds to the charm and escapism of the novel. The narrative has shades of "Only Murders in the Building," delivering laugh-out-loud moments, unexpected twists, and a compelling 'whodunit' aspect that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.

Despite his flaws, Paul's contradictory and narcissistic nature works well within the story, making him both funny and endearing. Harper's ability to blend clumsy charm with slow-building self-awareness ensures that readers remain hooked from start to finish. Overall, "Additional Attendee" is a delightful mix of humor, mystery, and engaging storytelling that leaves you wanting more.

Additional Attendee was the quickest read of my 2024. The voice was hilarious, witty, engaging with the reader, and frankly I felt like I was listening to my friend. A hungover friend, but a friend nonetheless. It was clever, fast, endearing and questionable. I need more Paul!

While you might not find yourself bonding with the protagonist, you are likely to appreciate the way he interacts with his world and the people in it. The prose is funny in a slightly twisted and dark way and it’s perfect for the mystery which he seeks to solve. I appreciated the humour and the writing style, while finding the plot a bit too implausible to really get into. I guess that’s part of the charm of escaping into a good book!

With whispers of ‘only murders in the building’ this had me laughing out loud, guessing ‘who did it’ and turning the pages as quickly as possible.
I loved everything, the setting, the unsympathetic characters and the way it was written, can’t wait for more!

I did not finish this book. They writing style did nothing to capture my attention. The idea seemed interesting, but I just could not become engaged.

I did not finish the novel. This seemed like the sort of story I should enjoy, very Carl Hiaasen. However I didn't like the writing style and gave up about 10% into reading it

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!  

Where to begin with this book? Additional attendee is a man named Paul and how he tries to catch his cheating wife, only to be met with a dead body. While he takes it upon himself to solve the mystery, he’s postponed by none other than himself.

I did not find the main character very likable, but I found him very funny. The author leans on the narrative of a flawed character, which makes it work. For the purpose of the story the character is quite contradicting, but I would’ve enjoyed a little more reliability. Though unexpected, it certainly had me hooked.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a mysterious comedy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fun read! This is the first book I read from the author and I would most definitely read other works of theirs.
I found the book funny but the twists at the end took me by surprise, a lot of books say this but this book delivered!

Although Paul was not the greatest guy, I could sometimes identify with his brain’s inner workings and his anxiety.

I would most certainly recommend this read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author of this ARC copy to read for my honest thoughts.

I didn't expect to like a 'narcissist' protagonist navigating a murder mystery, of all things, and yet here I have been, for the entire length of this book, fully rooting for him every hilarious, insane, sad, frantic page. The mix of clumsy, overtalkative charm, slow-waking self-awareness, and dogged perseverance - all superbly balanced - is sure to get everyone hooked, and the twists refusing to play out as expected guarantee page-turns to the end.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Really nicely written, felt like I was being told a story from a friend sitting across from me as the narrator adresses the reader often. Loads of sarcasm, banter and humour. I loved the inner monologes and how Paul argued with himself to come to conclusions and the tangents he goes off on, I found myself chuckling along quite a bit.
As a character, Paul isn't much to shout about, bit of a d***k but in a good way, he's absolute carnage sometimes but you kinda root for him because he's funny.

"feeling murderous and hungry... A bad combination"
All been there mate... See... He's a funny guy.

The author's talent for creating a character is fantastic through his use of the language, and by that I mean the literal language and phrases the character uses, I can literally picture and even hear the characters talking.

As Paul plays detective, I have still no idea where the story is going, not even the slightest clue who did anything, and when I think it's all wrapping up nicely, Im slid a smooth and subtle twist, like what the heck?!

Very nicely done! Really good book, isn't too much of a mind boggler. Definitely recommend.
Thanks to the Auther and his brilliant humor, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and enjoy this book.

"Additional Attendee" by Josh Harper delivers a captivating and darkly humorous whodunit. Paul, a narcissistic part-time actor, is convinced his wife is having an affair with their dog trainer, only to stumble upon the trainer's corpse and his wife's disappearance. With the help of the alluring front desk person, Paul navigates a maze of deceit, greed, and lust among his fellow tenants. As he confronts his own flaws, Paul must focus on solving the mystery before he becomes the prime suspect. Combining the intrigue of Anthony Horowitz and the grit of Elmore Leonard, this novel is a sharp, existential comedy that's both smart and snarky.

What a fun read! Paul, the main character, is the narrator. He is not the most likable guy, but he is funny and I found myself rooting for him as the story progresses. He occasionally addresses the reader directly, which I enjoy (in this way the book is similar to “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone”). The mystery is compelling and ends with a couple of surprises. I did feel like some parts were a little too unbelievable and drawn out, which is why this is 4 rather than 5 stars. I will be picking up the next book in this series when it comes out!