⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Although this was a slow read for me don't take that as me not enjoying this book !! I was instantly gripped from the start for so many reasons, personally I just never read digitally so it made it harder for me to want to jump into reading !! I have no doubt that if I had a physical copy of this book i'd have read it in a few days.

This book is a fast paced, murder mystery with allllll the tropes and plot twists !!! If you love knives out, ready or not and any similar films this book is defo for you !! The perfect autumnal book, I spent my evenings curled up with a hot drink reading this.

There is such a range of characters within this book meaning multiple povs throughout, however, this didn't feel clunky or confusing as each characters stories interweave with each other to reveal the ending. I found the majority of characters to be likeable except Fletcher who is just written to be insufferable lol. I also loved the chapters that were written from the pov of their roles as it leaves you guessing who is who and includes you as the reader as being in on their games !!

This book leaves you guessing right up until the last few pages. An extremely clever and well thought out plot that ultimately ended very satisfying for me and I feel as if each question I was asking throughout this book was answered.

Overall, this was a really fun read for me !! My first arc, looking forward to doing more of these. I enjoyed reading this alongside a physical book too as digital reading isn't as fulfilling for me but honestly this was a great one to start on as it was such a captivating read ! Ande Pliego is definitely an author I will come back too - such a strong debut !!!

thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for this arc !! all opinions are my own :)

This is a really assured and clever novel that takes the whole Knives Out genre and runs with it with a fresh and skillful style. It's utterly riveting fun and the prose elevates it. It's definitely a superior frontrunner in a crowded market of locked room/trapped on an island novels. I read this in a day.

Due to be published 13/02/2025. This is another ARC that I requested through netgalley as I liked the concept.

This keeps you guessing throughout with a few twists and turns along the way. All characters had something to hide and it was all a question over who had the worst secret that led to the revenge that the killer was looking for.

I liked how the chapters switched between characters it enabled them to share their story independently although it does mean the story was a slow burn. If you like suspense then this will work for you 😊

From the very first chapter the author creates an air of tension. We get to know the story from every POV. I was able to figure out the killer but there is more story to it. It was a fantastic whodunnit from a debut author. Kudos to andepliego . This book very much kept me on my toes and I look forward to reading what their next book.I thank netgalley for the eARC copy.

I found this book very intriguing. It is based on famous authors invited to a remote island of an infamous author. Once there all contact with the outside world is cut off and murders begin. At first I found I had to back track to read the history of each character as it got a little confusing which character had written which book etc. but once I had got my head around it, it came much easier. I enjoyed the book, although I presume this is not the final draft as there were random chapter headings in the middle of paragraphs. Apart from that I would recommend this book to others.

Classic who did it book executed well. I tried to guess so many times but was wrong at each turn.

Highly recommend this book for those who love to guess the killer.

A fantastic whodunnit novel, a locked island mystery populated by... thriller writers! I will do my very best not to spoil anything, because the book comes out next year (PREORDER IT FRIENDS, IT'S FANTASTIC!) but let me just say, it SURPRIZED me! Which very few thrillers or mysteries do, so all the stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for that alone! However, there is so much to love about this book! All the suspects (I mean characters) jump off the page, with distinct voices and motivations. One of these cut it waaaay too close for comfort for fellow writers 🙈 I did manage to guess one of the twists, but not the rest which came in quick succession - friends, I didn't sleep until I finished 😄

I loved this book. At the start I was quite confused by all the different characters, and the switching of narrators, but once I got used it that it gave a really interesting way to gain different views.

The plot revolves around the ‘And then there were none’ concept of people stuck on an island while there is a murderer there. The twist is that these people are all mystery writers so familiar with the genre. The chapters are interspersed with chapters from a book on writing mysteries which set up the different things that will happen in the plot.

I did not work out who was the killer, although thinking back over the book there were clues which I didn’t really pick up on. The author has been really fair to readers and given you a chance to work it out - rather than some books where there’s no way to guess!

I think this is a book that would be great to read in paper form as you’d be able to see the map, and I think it would be easier to keep track of the different characters. I can also see it as a film as it’s very atmospheric and descriptive.

The only thing I didn’t like is at the very end there is a cheerful interview with a character and I felt that was disappointing. It tied things up very neatly, but it wasn’t a ‘neat and tidy’ sort of book so it felt misplaced.

What a great book..
A classic who did it… but with so many more twists ..
I tried to guess , but failed every time ..
I hope from the ending that a book two could come from it! 🤞🏻

So glad I had the opportunity to read this !

This debut novel from Ande Pliego is bold, ambitious and teeming with mystery. The premise is simple- what happens when a group of renowned thriller writers are trapped on an island with a killer? They know literally every trick in the book but both the characters and the reader will be unravelling the web of secrets until the end of the novel.

I thought that this was a such a brilliant concept. I know that this variation of a ‘locked room’ mystery where all of the suspects are trapped on an island always heightens the tension, but what made this book stand out was its awareness of the crime and thriller genre. The group of suspects are knowledgable about these kinds of plots, they know the tropes and that makes them that much more dangerous. Along with the central murder mystery, some of the games and riddles from the writing retreat really made me think as well and I love a book that can do that.

I also liked that none of the character’s intentions could be trusted, not even Mila’s. There are so many secrets to unveil and as the reader we can only speculate as the author slowly trickles in information and twists. As with any good mystery, the author has to make you suspect every character and distrust them in order to keep you guessing.

Whilst it wasn’t a perfect book (there was an over-reliance on tropes and a slightly slow pace at times) I think it’s a promising start to Pliego’s writing career. If you like movies like The Glass Onion and Knives Out or books like The Inheritance Games and Eight Detectives, I think you’ll love this book which honours and plays with the tropes of detective stories!

This book started off really good and kept me intrigued. I started to get a bit confused as there are quite a lot of characters to keep up with.

I enjoyed the story and it kept me guessing up until the very end. Maybe could have been a little bit shorter!

3.5/5

Six crime writers are invited to a retreat by reclusive writer Alastor. However, things quickly take a tun for the worse.

I was intrigued by this book as soon as I read the title, and was hooked as soon as I started reading. The pace of the reveals was just right to keep you interested while still keeping you guessing. The ending was well thought out, and even after the big reveal there were still more twists and turns to be had. Fans of Agatha Christie would love this book. Well done Ande Pliego on a fantastic debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this.

I requested this ARC based on a friend’s review, I just knew I’d burst if I had to wait until February to read it!

You Are Fatally Invited immediately had me intrigued. Who are these writers, how are they linked, who’s the killer, and who betrayed Mila? Questions from the start that kept me hooked throughout.

I really enjoyed the setting of, a private island owned by an anonymous writer who collects film memorabilia is the perfect place for a murder mystery. I also enjoyed learning more about the characters and their backgrounds as the book progressed.

For some reason I can’t quite put my finger on, I sometimes felt like I was being pulled out of the story. I also feel that the ending could have benefited from a bit of additional explanation as it felt a tad rushed.

I’ll be reading this again now that I know the true identity of Alastor to see if it changes how I interpret the book.

I’m also very excited for the cover reveal!

3.5/5

Curious to find out more about a bestselling author whose reclusiveness is legendary, six thriller writers accept his invitation to a remote island retreat (you'd think they'd know better!)

They each have their own secrets, as you would expect. But what none of them expect is to find out that their host is not only aware of all of their hidden horror stories, but has a very special set of games planned to tease out their darkest secrets...

This is a slightly graphic, rather creative and VERY complicated story about people who get their just desserts that will keep you guessing until the very end. It gets 3.5 stars. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC

What could be better than six thriller authors all invited to a murder mystery party? Turns out that a lot could go wrong. This was and enjoyable who-dunnit thriller. I'm not too fond of horror, but still recognised some of the mentions and thought it was fun. The mystery aspect was supreme and the atmosphere was amazing. It was filled with twists that kept me guessing and pondering. A fabulous debut and great murder mystery thriller with characters that each had their unique voice

A well-written and intricately plotted love letter to whodunnits, offering an interesting riff on And Then There Were None.

I thoroughly enjoyed the middle 75% of this book, but found the beginning difficult to get to grips with and the end a bit rushed. However, that middle 75% was brilliant - red herrings, twists and turns, and interesting characters all with secrets and hidden agendas. I guessed a few of the twists, but not all, which was incredibly satisfying. The setting was described beautifully, and the build up to the final few chapters was deliciously tense. I stayed up far too late to get to the end and see what happened. I thought each character was well-drawn and easy to tell apart, although found it slightly jarring when we got chapters from their 'secret' persona which sounded nothing like them. I understand that this was to keep us guessing, but that, along with Mila's constant you-you-you in her first few chapters, disrupted my flow a bit. I also found the final chapters a little confusing, as it hadn't been established yet who was still keeping secrets, but the character development this allowed for was brilliant.

I think this is an excellent debut, and I would happily read another thriller by this author.

6 thriller writers are invited to a sinister event on an island by an anonymous author.

the writing style in this book is so dark and twisty, that it really sets the mood for the plot.

the entire book feels like a mind game, so you feel like a character in the book as you cant trust anyone.

this is perfect for horror fans as it’s filled with references from so many iconic horror tv series / movies.

I loved this book!

It follows a group of authors who are invited to an island for a writing retreat. The host is an unknown famous writer and quickly the week descends into chaos.

It was a slow burner for me whilst all characters were introduced, but once the action started I devoured it. There are elements of thriller, horror and mystery which kept me guessing throughout and the ending was very well written. Not a full 5 stars as I found some of the book overwritten, which made the more dramatic scenes harder to follow - but all in all a great read for fans for thriller with a hint of horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld for the ARC

The notion of a secluded, opulent estate serving as the backdrop for a gathering of renowned authors is certainly intriguing. However, the execution of this particular narrative falls short in several regards. While the premise holds promise, the story fails to offer any genuine novelty or surprises, leaving the reader feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed.

The introduction of the characters and their relationships is handled in a rather clichéd manner. The enigmatic host, J.R. Alastor, and the protagonist, Mila, lack depth and complexity, coming across as one-dimensional plot devices rather than fully realized individuals. The guest list, comprised of "six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem," feels like a lazy attempt to create an air of mystery and intrigue, but ultimately falls flat.

The story's pacing is uneven, with an overabundance of "chattering" and unnecessary details that slow the narrative to a crawl. The author's attempts to build tension and anticipation are hampered by a lack of subtlety and an over-reliance on tired tropes. The introduction of Mila's personal vendetta against one of the guests feels like a half-hearted attempt to add depth to the story, but it fails to truly engage the reader's interest.

The climactic events, including the unexpected murder and the rising body count, are not handled with the deftness one might expect from a story centered around a group of acclaimed authors. The narrative becomes increasingly convoluted and predictable, leaving the reader feeling more frustrated than entertained.

In the end, the story's primary flaw lies in its inability to transcend the limitations of its genre.

While the author clearly has a grasp of the conventions and tropes of the mystery/thriller genre, they fail to breathe new life into these well-worn elements. The story remains firmly rooted in the realm of the familiar, offering little in the way of originality or innovation.

2.5/5

You Are Fatally Invited - Ande Pliego
Release Date: 13th Feb 2025
Rating: 5/5 Stars
——-
As soon as you open this book, you are greeted with a floor plan map which is very reminiscent of a Cluedo board - and I was hooked from the beginning!

You Are Fatally Invited is a brilliant who-done-it, high keeps you guessing as the reader at every turn. There’s red herrings and breadcrumbs throughout, and you cannot help but try and solve the mysteries yourself!

One thing which I think works really well with YAFI is the fact that there is only a handful of characters to keep track of, which helped when dealing with multiple POV’s. Another thing I really enjoyed is that intermittently the chapters are broken up with extracts from Alastor’s book, “The Ink in Your Veins: On Writing Fear” which adds another layer of depths to keep you thinking.

The main story revolves around an elusive writer, J R Alastor, who hosts a Murder mystery retreat for 6 fellow authors of the same genre on an island, and chaos follows…

I really enjoyed this brilliant debut from Pliego, it’s a classic “And then there were none” but it felt fresh, gripping and had me hooked early on. So much thought has been put into this book to keep you on your toes and trying to stay one step ahead of the characters, one to watch next year for any thriller lovers, or huge fans of Cluedo!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bantam, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and author Ande Pliego for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.