Member Reviews
I'm not entirely sure about this book! I read it in a day and it definitely kept my attention-- I wanted to know who the murdered guest was and why and how. And it was an easy read, which was good! A nice easy vacation read!
But on the other hand, the problems of the rich and drug/alcohol dependent can get a bit tiring. I had the same problem with her first work. I wish the bit about the island being haunted was more of a plot point and more suspense was built up that way. None of the characters were particularly moving/memorable and I didn't love the storyline about the sister falling apart after having an abortion.
I'd recommend it to patrons who like a locked door mystery but wouldn't read it again myself.
What a GREAT read! I read The Guest List by Lucy Foley in less than a day! Foley weave an awesome story of suspense and thriller. She keep you guessing until the very end. The Guest List begins preparing for a wedding, always a happy time. But there is something not right. The location is a remote island in an abandon Foley, rumored to be haunted. Foley takes you through all the characters thoughts and point of views, clearly labeling each chapter with their name and time as a point of reference. Will and Jules have planned an elaborate wedding with all of their childhood friends and families. What is most interesting is how everyone is connected in one way or the other. Foley keeps you guessing. Who did what to who? Who is the victim? Who is the predator? Definitely a nail bitter! I highly recommend The Guest List by Lucy Foley to anyone who likes a good mystery filled with suspense and drama. I will be looking for other works by Foley, too! Such a good weekend read!! Special Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow - HarperCollins publishing and Lucy Foley for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
#TheGuestList #NetGalley
A bridal party converges on a remote island for a two-day celebration. As the guests begin arriving, it becomes clear that there is going to be trouble beyond the storm that's brewing just over the horizon. Several characters reveal their perspective of the story bit by bit, and Foley moves the reader between past and present smoothly and seamlessly. The suspense builds to absolute perfection with shocking revelations leading to a stunning conclusion.
I’m am having such an incredibly fun time reading this one! It is snarky, slick, atmospheric, and I’m completely captivated. Don’t bother me! I’m reading!
Three-quarters through, and this one is great great GREAT! The characters are complex, flawed, selfish and self-serving. Everyone is up for scrutiny, I love the creepy, mucky island, I love the downscale”upscale” wedding. This book is a perfectly uncomfortable, devilish, and all-in!
Closing thoughts: you know that feeling right after you disembark from a great roller coaster ride: hair blown straight back, face flushed, grinning and sort of still in shock? This book is that roller coaster experience! I absolutely loved it.
I absolutely loved this book! The story had me from the beginning, because you could tell that there were things that weren't exactly what they seemed. The book was definitely full of suprises from beginning to end!
The story is told from alternating perspectives throughout, and it goes back and forth from a day before the wedding, to the wedding day, when things went terribly wrong.
The story involves a famous couple, Jules and Will, who have decided to get married on a island that is basically deserted. The wedding planner, Aiofe, and her chef husband, Freddy, are working to make sure they have the picture perfect wedding, like the picture perfect couple they are. Then enter the bride's best friend Charlie and his wife Hannah, who are finally free from there children for a night so they can cut loose. Next up is Johnno, the groom's best friend, who goes back to his school years. Last but not least is Jule's sister Olivia, who is clearly depressed and withdrawn.
As the story goes on you learn more about each of them, and in the end you find that their lives have intersected in ways you wouldn't see coming.
This is the first book I have read by this author and it will definitely not be the last!
I love it when a mystery alternates between the present where a tragic event has happened (or is happening) and the past events leading up to the tragedy. I think it's such a great way to build the suspense! With tons of wedding drama and a captivating setting I was entertained the whole time. Everyone was hiding something or just holding back a secret. There was so much going on that I kept thinking how any one of the characters could be the one to snap and murder someone! The author did a fantastic job of helping the reader understand and relate to the characters by moving the story between several points of view. Each of them had unique insecurities about this event and knowing what was happening in their heads made it much more interesting! I think this will be a big hit when it comes out in May and a great book to take on vacation this summer!
Jules and Will are getting married on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. As guests start to arrive, the story unfolds through flashbacks from the days leading up to the wedding and the wedding night. The events are told from multiple perspectives, including the bride, groom, guests and wedding planner. While I really enjoyed the premise of the story, I wasn't really captured by any of the characters, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. Overall, it was an enjoyable, quick read that I would give 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Publishers and Lucy Foley for this awesome opportunity!
3.5 stars for me!
Jules and Will are getting married on an island off the coast of Ireland. You might start reading the book expecting a story of love and celebration....but you will be quickly surprised.
The story unfolds through chapters written by the bride and groom and different guests. We gradually learn about their history, along with episodes of bullying, backstabbing, infidelity, and unpleasant people who have a motivation for murder.
There were really only one or two characters who were even remotely likable and at a couple points, the storyline went a bit beyond belief. But, overall, it was an interesting read and kept my attention through a long flight.
Thanks to Book Club Girl, Harper Collins Publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Guest List.
eARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Book Club Girl.
I admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the Hunting Party, but really wanted to give Lucy Foley's books another go. I'm really glad that I did as I thoroughly enjoyed The Guest List.
As with the Hunting Party, there were a fair few characters that I really didn't like, but there were also some that I really felt for, and enjoyed reading their perspective. The story is told from different points of view as a number of people converge on a previously deserted island for the celebrity wedding of the year.
There were numerous twists and turns as the story unfolds (some that were pretty obvious, others that blindsided me) and I really enjoyed watching the puzzle come together, piece by piece.
*TW for self-harm*
Many thanks to Book Club Girl and NetGalley for the eARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author Lucy Foley for my copy of this book.
A glitzy wedding on a small island off the coast of Ireland - Will is a reality TV star, Jules runs a successful online magazine. Ms. Foley does a great job on atmosphere - the island is rumored to have ghosts, there are cliffs, caves, and bogs, and a wild storm. She also does a great job drawing some very unlikeable characters - especially the ushers! What a horrible bunch! And how she connects everyone to Will - Olivia, the Plus One’s sister Alice, Aiofe’s brother Loner. One thing I didn’t care for was the way the POV changed so often, and the timeline was pretty jumbled. But all in all, an enjoyable read, with a few good surprises.
The description of the book sounded interesting but this book definitely was not for me. The main issue I had with it was that not one character was likable. There wasn’t one character that I connected with or was rooting for. I feel like the concept could have been great but it seemed like the chapters were disorganized in how they were placed in order.
"And the lights went out."
Ann's with those words, Foley takes you on a haunting and thrilling journey that will have you on the edge of your seat and not wanting you to put this book down. I figuratively felt my heart leap out of chest from every turned page and every mystery uncovered. Foley had me guessing until the very end and I loved every minute of it. We have an Agatha Christie for the 21st century! If you loved The Hunting Party, then you will love this one!
The Guest List by Lucy Foley is an excellent “who-dunnit” murder/mystery.
Throw a bunch of complicated, flawed group of people with questionable motives, secrets, and ties on an isolated island for a wedding...toss in a murder...unravel the mysteries to find the culprit.
Very classic Agatha Christie.
Each chapter has an alternating character’s POV as well as alternating timelines to help add complexity to the mystery. I was definitely impressed with the interplay and interlacing of the characters and their histories.
An excellent mystery that kept me on my toes until the end. I recommend this book for anyone that enjoys the classic murder/mysteries.
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow/Harper Collins for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
I have fallen in love with Lucy Foley's books! She is an absolute wonderful mystery read. The Guest List is one of the best books I have read this year. Her plots and characters keep you guessing all the way until the very end. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review the e-arc copy of The Guest List by Lucy Foley.
#TheGuestList
#NetGalley
#Edelweiss
Foley is truly a 21st century answer to Agatha Christie. She crafts puzzles and doles information out with impeccable timing. Both in this novel and her other most recent book, the identity of the murder victim is not revealed until very late in the book. This is an update to Christie’s formula that is fresh and adds another dimension of intrigue to her novels. The end is extremely satisfying. This title is a great readalike for fans of Ruth Ware.
Following Lucy Foley's "The Hunting Party", the "Guest List" takes place on a desolate island off the coast of Ireland where a cast of characters has gathered to celebrate the wedding between a celebrity reality tv star and a magazine publisher. The cast of characters includes the best man, the sister of the bride, the "plus-one" and of course the wedding planner - all of whom are harboring dark secrets and resentments concerning one of the members of the bridal party. As in Foley's previous book, the story builds up to a suspenseful ending, where we finally learn who the victim is and why every one of the above mentioned has a reason to want that person dead. Well-written and engaging, readers will enjoy this murder mystery set in the atmospheric desolate island. Another winner for Foley. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Very similar framework to Foley's The Hunting Party, but somehow not quite as engaging. The ending had a bit of an interesting twist, the setting was great, and I love a closed set murder mystery, but the characters never grabbed me as much as the ones in The Hunting Party did.
A very, very similar setup to Foley's other novel The Hunting Party, but no less engaging a read. An isolated Irish island is a great setting for this murder mystery, and all the points of view coalesce into a suspenseful finish with a final twist that will leave readers satisfied.
Jules and Will are getting married and holding their extravaganza on a remote island. They’re both successful people who know what they want and how to get it. They are perfect together, in looks and attitude. As the special guests arrive the day before, close school mates of Will, Jules sister Olivia, and Charles, Jules best friend, all is not as it seems. At the rehearsal dinner the school guys become wild and ugly and past differences come pouring out. Hannah, Charle’s wife and Olivia are at a loss to deal with it and find themselves bonding, and the island owners, Aoife and Freddie are trying to keep everyone in control. At the wedding the next day, more secrets and coincidences are revealed, a huge storm comes up, and a murder is committed with everyone a viable suspect.
This is a well crafted novel, brilliant in its telling, but not easy or fun to read, as everyone’s true character is fully revealed..But it’s written beautifully in past tense and present, creating a scary atmosphere, and fully developed characters.
This is a wonderful thriller/mystery, once again, by Lucy Foley. I found this novel to be really interesting and fast paced. The characters are well developed and all in all this is a fantastic quick read. Perfect for a day hold-up getting cozy.