This book was like a game of Cluedo, a big house and who did it. A writer Alastor holds a writers retreat at his isolated house on an island, but when one of the writers goes missing, the plot thickens, who did it and why? Mila another author has been employed to give the writers a fun week. It’s a good read, the characters are perfect for this book and the author has thought of the plot well. A 4 star read.

***Advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***

You Are Fatally Invited has a fun premise with lots of potential for social satire, and there are definitely moments where that sharpness comes through. I enjoyed some of the humour, and the idea itself kept me reading, even when the execution wasn’t quite as strong as it could have been.

That said, the pacing felt uneven, with the mystery taking a long time to get going, and the dialogue often tried too hard to be witty. The characters leaned toward caricature rather than fully developed personalities, and while that suited the satirical tone, it meant I never fully connected with them.

Overall, this was an entertaining read in places with a clever concept at its heart, but it didn’t consistently land for me. Still, readers who enjoy heightened, tongue-in-cheek mysteries may well find more to love here.

I liked how this book ramped up the tension by setting it on a secluded island. The action was done really well and i was on the edge of my seat for some of the really big set pieces. I liked the variety of characters who tell their perspectives and loved how they narrated their sections. The explanations were all done really well and i thought that it wasn't too outlandish the reasoning why. I would read more by Ande Pliego as this was done really well.

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. An intriguing cast of characters in an isolated location. The story is told from multiple points of view which adds to the depth of the story and also the suspicion. You are kept guessing the whole book as to how they might be connected and who in fact the killer could be. If you love Agatha Christie and locked door thrillers then you'll love this.

A. Enjoyable Agatha Christie/locked room type novel. It was good. It was easy to read most of the time whilst on the beach although not sure I'd call it a summer holiday read as I did have to concentrate. I thought it was done well I don't agree with reviews saying it was hard to follow I found it fine to follow!

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bantam and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered in this twisty locked room mystery.

When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance—particularly since she has an ax to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem.

Confess the crimes, survive the tropes.

Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two—the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead—and it’s not the murder she planned—Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether.

One by one, you’ll lose your turn.

With a storm cutting off the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book.

Until only one of us remains…

My Opinion

An interesting debut novel. With plenty of twists, this was an entertaining thriller with a clever plot. With short chapters this book was difficult to put down.

Rating 4/5

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego is an enjoyable and smartly written mystery that blends humour, suspense, and just the right touch of drama. The characters are vivid and entertaining, and the setting provides a delightful, immersive backdrop for the unfolding plot. There is plenty to enjoy here, especially for fans of cosy mysteries with a slightly quirky edge.

The mystery itself is well constructed, with enough twists and red herrings to keep you guessing. Pliego’s writing is engaging, and there is a lovely balance of light-hearted moments and intrigue throughout. The protagonist is relatable and easy to root for, and the supporting cast adds real personality to the story.

My only criticism is the pacing. While the plot is interesting and well thought out, there were a few points where it felt a bit slow and could have moved along more briskly. That said, the ending was satisfying, and the story as a whole was well worth the read.

If you enjoy cosy mysteries with clever plotting and charming characters, You Are Fatally Invited is definitely worth picking up. I’ll be keeping an eye out for what Ande Pliego writes next.

This was an odd book because I got such strong feelings about some of the characters so fast. I'm a sucker for these locked room mysteries, and it was fun that the person who seems to be in charge doesn't know the person behind everything (this isn't a spoiler, it's part of the plot).
It's also fun that people were so unreliable -- we knew they had secrets, but they continued to make surprising moves. And I loved the ending! Everything tied together

At the beginning I didn’t know what to make of this book. It seemed to be very disjointed, but as I passed the 50% mark it started to come together. At the end all was clear. It wasn’t an easy read but was one which I enjoyed.

This book is SO good; I absolutely LOVED it and I had to double check that it is actually a debut novel. Wow! Just wow! Ande Pliego is certainly one to watch after leaving me stunned with her wonderful debut novel, You Are Fatally Invited.

With a mystery host, a group of authors and a handful of staff on a private island, it should be pretty easy to work out who the murder is when the body count starts rising...shouldn't it? Nope! I was completely blindsided and totally shocked so I have to say "well played, Ande Pliego!"

The plot is pinsharp and the writing is so vividly descriptive it's lke watching a Netflix series and while I'm on the subject, I really wouldn't be surprised to see this one snapped up for TV, if it hasn't already.

It's grisly at times but constantly gripping and my eyes were on stalks as they raced down the page, devouring every single perfectly crafted word. If I was a thriller author, THIS is the book I would wish I had written. An easy five stars from me for this unmissable debut and the must-read thriller of the year.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

For the most part, this was a really enjoyable murder mystery. However I didn’t think it was terribly original and was able to guess the twists coming. However it was an easy read and I flew through it.

I mostly enjoyed this book but it took ages to get into the characters and I was struggling with who to root for. Generally I enjoyed it but I think there could have been more time spent developing characters.

DNF - Gave it 20% and just wasn't gripped I'm afraid. Wasn't really that fussed about what was going on and was mildly confused.

Shame as it sounded like it should have been my sort of book, just wasn't hitting in the way I wanted.

Sorry

This was such a gripping mystery that kept me hooked. Mila, an event co-ordinator, hosts a writing retreat on a remote island where things take a deadly turn. Trapped by a storm, she has to unravel secrets and lies among six thriller authors to find the killer. The atmospheric setting and complex characters made the tension really intense. I loved the mix of classic whodunit vibes with fresh, metafictional twists.

Listened to it as audio, each POV has a different narrator which I thought was nice. Really liked the audio book and the narrators.
The story itself was ok. It had some tropes that I personally dont like at all like <spoiler>characters not really dying</spoiler> . I had a fun time and was kept busy with guessing. However there were some side characters that barely showed up and had little place in the actual plot, a few of the characters crimes were over the top while others were not bad enough.
Would recommend for anybody looking for a good time but not a masterpiece.

Such a fantastic murder mystery book! Gave me Cluedo vibes which is so cool in a book! So many thriller tropes so perfectly executed and i loved the characters in the story! 100% worth the read this book was so enjoyable

This book surprised me in such a good way. Following six authors who go on a weak author retreat to an island in the hopes of finally unmasking a mysterious author, the twists and turns keep you fully guessing until the end. Felt a little like a rollercoaster reading this.
My issues were it felt very much like a ‘rip off’ of Agatha Christie’s “and then there were none”. There was also a massive pushing on everybody having secrets that felt a little too much.
Otherwise a really enjoyable read

@Youarefatallyinvited by Ande Pliego is about a group of authors invited to Wolf Harbour Island by the very famous author, J.R. Alastor. The invitation is to a retreat that involves a series of murder mystery games. The authors soon realise the fatality of their decisions to attend. They all have to pay for their sins.

This novel is a great thriller, albeit repetitive at times. and not the easiest to follow. It's a slow-burn, but it picks up pace after the middle.

Thank you @Netgalley for an advanced copy of this murder mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of You Are Fatally Invited.

Oh. My. Word. What an epic book. I bounced from suspecting one to another, to everyone and no one. This was a gripping read that I loved.
My only criticism is that I got quite confused at times. Hint: if, like my, information can leak out of your brain, take notes! It's worth it!!!
Highly recommend

Thank you for my earc of this book. This was a really fun and clever premise that was executed well. Great for locked room mystery fans!