Ok, so a couple of things first: I didn't know this was the 2nd book in a series & I think I've learned that I don't like Wedding gone wrong stories. I recently read and didn't like The Guest List and this reminded me of that one in several ways, however, I did like this book more than that one. I liked that , like The Guest List, the story is told from multiple points of view. Also like The Guest List, all the characters seem to have a secret. Also like The Guest List though, there are just too many characters to try and remember. The story flips back and forward between this and the previous year. The first part of the book is slow but I do think the second part made up for it. This book is centered around grief, jealousy, secrets and lies. Part 1 is the wedding and the tragedy- which is a bit of a bore, but Part 2 takes place one year later, picks up and draws you in more to the mystery. I actually enjoyed this one more than I expected I would. However, the ending was a bit of a let down. I feel like half the questions were left unanswered and I wanted closure. I liked it better than The Guest List, but I didn't love it

The Invitation by Rachel Abbott is a brilliant and gripping and twisty novel! A gathering of friends who can’t be trusted is right up my alley so this was a treat to read. When there is something introduced called The Murder Game, I am going to want to read about it.

Take a look at the plot:

The first time Jemma and Matt were invited to Polskirrin – the imposing ocean-view home belonging to Matt’s childhood friend Lucas Jarrett – it was for an intimate wedding that ended in tragedy. Jemma will never forget the sight of the girl’s pale body floating listlessly towards the rocky shore.

Now, exactly one year later, Jemma and her husband have reluctantly returned at Lucas’s request to honor the anniversary of an event they would do anything to forget.

But what Lucas has in store for his guests is nothing like a candlelight vigil. Someone who was there that night remembers more than they’ll admit to, and Lucas has devised a little game to make them tell the truth.

Jemma believes she and Matt know nothing about what happened to that woman… but what if she’s wrong? Before you play a deadly game, make sure you can pay the price…

Though this is second in a series, I read it as a standalone and enjoyed it immensely. I think either way you go in, you will enjoy this novel!

Out now! Get it here, it’s free if you have Kindle Unlimited and $3.99 if you don’t!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Rachel Abbott for lending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Eight people are invited to a summer party, only seven survive. Someone knows more than they are talking about. This summer, secrets will be exposed and seven people will never be the same again.
This book has great reviews on Goodreads, but I just couldn’t get into this book! I found all of the characters very unlikeable and the story was just too slow for me. There was a lot of foreshadowing, hinting and mystery, but really I just wanted to get the plot moving! I DNF’ed at 50%, deciding it was better to set this one aside then struggle through it.

At first I was a bit confused by the happenings of "a year later" but that was probably me just not paying attenting, lol. We start off at a dinner party for a wedding that is supposed to happen the next day.

We are intorduced a bit to the characers, but when it came to the sister, that is where I had gotten confused. Something had happened to her when she was young but somewhere in my mind I took that as the "before story" and that the dinner party was "a year later".  Not the case.

Most of the group is aware of what had happened to the sister when she was young, as they had all grown up together, but one of the wives (possibly girlfriend at that time) didn't know what had happened. So you only get little bits of people not wanting to talk about it. Then tragedy hits, again... 

NOW, one year later, they are all invited back but no one expects it's for the reason they are all called there for... The brother who was originally going to ger married the year before, thinks someone there is the killer. He sets up a Murder Mystery Dinner where all the guests have to try to retrace their steps and try to recall their conversations while wearing the exact clothes and eating the same food that fateful night. 

If they don't follow the game to find out who commited the murder they year prior, the host will start telling all their secrets.... 

It was a pretty interesting read with some twists I didn't necessarily see coming. I didn't expect the exact ending but did kind of guess who the killer was. I was entertained though and things happened in between kept me inerested enought to finish the story.

I do think the ending could have been done a little better... It was kind of left what not everyone found out what actually happened and some information was left kind of haphazardly in the prologue.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for a chance to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

The Invitation by Rachel Abbott is the second of a series featuring DI Stephanie King although, in my opinion, it can be easily read as a standalone novel.

Jemma and her husband Matt are invited to Polskirrin in Cornwall, the home of Matt's childhood friend Lucas. Lucas is set to marry the lovely Nina on the grounds of the estate, and joined by a handful of other friends all seems to be on track for the perfect wedding weekend. But no one could have foreseen the tragedy that would unfold. Fast forward to one year later, and Lucas has again extended an invitation for the group to assemble at the grand estate, but this time a very different motivation is at play. Lucas is convinced that someone among them is responsible for the tragic events of the year before, and an elaborate 'murder game' begins.

This is a novel that will certainly provide a pleasant distraction as you scramble to solve a complex mystery. I have not read the previous novel featuring DI King, but I am certainly intrigued enough to do so.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Great mystery novel. It reminded me of Agatha christie novels. The characters are great, this book kept me on my toes. I sad to see it end.

If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie-type mysteries (think The Mousetrap), then this book is for you. The plot is tight and well-crafted, the characters are intriguing, and the atmosphere is claustrophobic – all of the hallmarks of a great “whodunit.” I was spellbound and couldn’t turn pages fast enough. I highly recommend this book. For a more detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

Jemma & Matt are invited to the wedding of Lucas,one of Matt's oldest friends, & Nina. The beautiful house on the cliffs takes Jemma's breath away. Everything seems to be the last word in luxury, however it doesn't take too long to realise that there are definite undercurrents as the old friends get together. Lucas's sister Alex,seems very withdrawn, Isobel seems intent on stirring up trouble & the atmosphere between the friends is a little strange. The morning of the wedding Alex is found dead in the cove. Detective Stephanie King arrives on the scene but it seemed that it is suicide.

A year later everyone is invited back to celebrate the anniversary. Jemma is unsure whether she wants to go as ever since that day her relationship with Matt seems to have unravelled. When they arrive Lucas has arranged an elaborate reconstruction. He is convinced Alex was murdered & as he seems to have something on each of them he insists they play 'The Murder Game'. Stephanie King finds herself back at the house investigating the disappearance of a young girl. The events of the previous year have always bothered her but it seems there are even more things to concern her.

This was a really good read a la Agatha Christie. However as it was billed as the second in the Stephanie King series I was a bit disappointed with how little she really fitted in with this story- it could have been any detective! That is the reason it didn't make it to Five stars for me.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Thank you for a much needed distraction! I have been having let of misses in the book department lately so I was hesitant to take a chance on an author I don't think I've ever read anything by before. This is going on my 2020 favorite though and I can't wait to read more by the author! Nina and Luca are set to be married and in attendance are the groom three best friends and their plus ones. However, the wedding doesn't go as planned and instead, someone winds up dead.

Now a year later Lucas has called together everyone in a morbid anniversary party where he intends to find his sister's killer. This seriously had me thinking of the movie The Invitation and I thought it was going to go that route.

This kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! A must read for fan of who-dun-it books!


The only gripe was the ending left me confused and I wasn't sure if I missed something or we were intended to be left hanging.

This is the second book in the Stephanie King series. I did not read the first book but I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. I enjoyed this suspenseful, murder mystery. It's an entertaining read with well-developed characters. With lots of secrets and twists, it will keep you guessing until the end. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Rachel Abbott for a copy of "The Invitation" in exchange of an honest review.

The Invitation may be Rachel Abbott's best to date. A mix of old manor house intrigue and complex relationships makes for a thoroughly enjoyable thriller. Life long friends or enemies? What are people capable of? Rachel Abbott comes through again.

More of a mystery than a thriller, this is the second in a series featuring DS Stephanie King and her boyfriend, DI Angus Brodie. Though they normally do not work cases together, the circumstances of this unusual situation take them to Polskirrin, Cornwall.

Wealthy Lucas Jarrett is set to marry Nina Belanger on the grounds of his massive estate and they've invited all of Lucas's best friends from his teenage years. The guests arrive at Polskirrin, a lovely manor house near the crashing waves of the nearby ocean. Matt and Jemma Hudson are themselves newly married -- he's a plastic surgeon now. Other attendees/friends include Andrew Marshall and his fiancée, Chandra Tran, and twins Nick and Isabel Wallace. Over dinner and drinks, they all relax and are looking forward to the festivities. The only "off" note is the occasional appearance of Lucas's half-sister, Alex. When she was 14, something dreadful had happened to Alex, and she's never quite been the same but she lives in an apartment above the boathouse on the property. The friends reconnect and are looking forward to the wedding -- alas, it's completely ruined for all when the body of Alex is discovered on the beach of the cove on the morning of the ceremony and everything is canceled. Flash forward one year. All of the friends have received another invitation to return to Polskirrin to play The Murder Game even though Alex's death was ruled a suicide. In a bizarre set up, Lucas tries to figure out which of his special guests killed his sister. NO SPOILERS.

As you'd expect, this is rather convoluted with various narrators and a lot of twists and turns leading to what might be a surprising conclusion. You will need a serious ability to suspend disbelief as events unfold. I think my main issue was that I really didn't like any of the characters. Their relationships with each other were also quite odd and way too many secrets and lies. Quite a nasty bunch of folks. This was the first book I've read by this author and not sure if I liked this well enough to continue on with the next installment in the series. Can you solve the mystery before the big reveals?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Wow! What a thrill ride this book is! DS Stephanie King is back and takes us into another truly fascinating case. Kept me guessing all the way to the end! Cannot wait to see what she and Gus are up to next!

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture, and author Rachel Abbott for providing me with a copy of this ARC.

I have never read this author before, and boy was I missing out! I was drawn in from the very first page, and couldn’t put this novel down.

The story centers around a group of friends, and bounces between one year ago and present day. They all come together for a wedding, but a body is found instead. A year later they are gathering again to relive that night as a group.

This book was a superbly written, super fast paced psychological thriller. It reminded me of an awesome movie you would unexpectedly find on Netflix for a spooky night in.

Thank you again to those listed above for the chance to read this ARC!

A year earlier on the day of Lucas and Nina’s wedding his sister Alex was found drowned. Alex’s death was ruled as suicide and the wedding was cancelled but Lucas was sure that one of the guests had murdered his sister .Now one year later Lucas has all his friends gather at his Polskirrin stately home his house once more. He has devised a weekend where they play The Murder Game in the hope of finally finding the killer.

The Invitation by Rachel Abbott is the second book in the Stephanie King series. It’s a well written , gripping fast paced psychological thriller with lots of secrets and unexpected twists and turns that makes it a highly entertaining read . Cannot wait for the next book in the series !

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "The Invitation" in exchange for my honest review.

Ms. Abbott grabbed my attention from the first page and did not lose it as I could not stop turning the pages. The story takes place in two stages 'one year ago' and in the 'present day'. The story is about friends - since the age of 14 they were a tight-knit group.

They were gathering for the wedding of Lucas Jarrett and Nina Bélanger at Polskirrin in Cornwall. Lucas is a collector or people - the poor, like his friend Andrew Marshall and the needy, like Nick Wallace and Matt Hudson. Some would say that Isabel Wallace - Nick's twin belongs to this group as well. From the outside looking in might be Jemma Hudson, Matt's wife and Chandra Tran, Andrew's fiancée.

The morning of the wedding a body is found in the cove off the main house. The body - Alexandra Jarrett, Lucas' sister. Lucas is very protective of his sister identifies the body and doesn't let anyone near her.

Sergeant Stephanie King is sent out to investigate and the death is ruled a suicide.

A year later everyone is back at Polskirrin for what Lucas calls 'The Murder Game'. He has the night before his wedding to Nina recreated to the most minute detail - flowers, food, the clothes the guests were wearing.... He's got it in his head that someone, one of his friends killed Alex.

Detective Sergeant King is once again at the house and finds it a very bizarre reunion. She's there with Detective Inspector Angus Brodie to investigate the disappearance of a young Romanian girl Lidia Dalca - last seen a year prior on the eve of the wedding. One investigation turns into two and then into three until the shocking finale of the book.

A wonderful read and I can't wait for the next in the Stephanie King series or the next book for Ms. Abbott in general.

The wedding and the unimaginable – both on the same day.

The year after, a group of friends is invited back to where the wedding took place – a picturesque Cornwall mansion, expecting to celebrate the one-year wedding anniversary with a party.

Little do the guests know that their host Lucas did not invite them for a jovial fete. Quite the opposite. Planning to discover who was responsible for the sinister event of his wedding day, Lucas has more of a chilling get-together in mind.

What happens when the mansion doors close to the picturesque scenery outside and the supposed good friends find themselves in a warped game?

The story concept is brilliant, and Abbot’s writing is absolutely clever. The suspense keeps you feverishly turning pages and the surprises keep coming right down to the bombshell end!

The Invitation is a high-speed, whodunit, must-read, thrill!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture, for the read of Rachel Abbott’s, The Invitation.

Opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

Lucas Jarrett, heir to the Jarrett family fortune, and Nina are set to be married at his lavish estate. He invites his childhood friends, which includes Matt and his wife Jemma to be a part of the upcoming nuptials. However, the wedding ceremony doesn’t proceed as planned when a woman’s body is discovered face down in the water.

One year later, Lucas invites his friends back to the estate, but this time, he has something else planned. Lucas wants everyone to play The Murder Game with the intention that the secrets of that night will be exposed, and he will uncover the murderer that lies in wait.

Jemma is the outsider since she didn’t grow up with this group of friends. She doesn’t believe that her and Matt have any information to share about the woman’s death, but is she wrong? Could her husband have been involved? There are so many secrets that linger beneath the surface that she is not ready for.

What a wild and amazing ride this book was! The Invitation is a brilliantly executed cat/mouse game set amid a locked room backdrop. The story starts a bit slow as we are gearing up with the wedding preparations as well as following the investigation that proceeds after the body is discovered. However, it is clear from the beginning that danger lurks in the corners and that this group of friends harbor many secrets.

I loved that the story was mainly told from Jemma’s POV. Being an outsider to the friend group gave her narration a more unbiased perspective. Additionally, it allows the reader to experience the information as Jemma learns it in real time. In doing so, the author created both a chilling and suspenseful atmosphere.

Overall, this is a fantastic murder mystery that is packed with twists and turns that will leave you guessing up to the very end.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Matt and Jemma are invited to an old friend of Matt's ..and his soon to be wife. Two other close friends are also invited as well as their partners. Lucas will be marrying Nina.

But something happened that night ... something horrifying... and none of them will ever forget what happened.

A year later... to the day ... they are all once again invited to Lucas' home .. for a candle vigil they think. But Lucas has something entirely in mind for all of them ..... and he's devised the Murder Game.

All the characters have secrets ... some big, some small .., and they all have lied about something and are trying to keep those secrets to themselves. But who knows what happened that night a year ago ... and is it connected to another tragedy some 14 years ago? This is well written, deftly drawn characters, warts and all. The plot is tightly woven with an unexpected conclusion.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Wow, what an incredible ride this story was. I have not read a novel by Rachel Abbott before today. But now I can't wait to get my hands on the next.

The Invitation is a psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. I thought the opening chapters were a tad slow but absolutely necessary to set up all the background info to make the suspense and mystery work later.

The story is told from the perspective of several characters, proving that people remember entirely different things from the same scene. The entire story revolves around secrets, ones that should have been kept, and many that would have changed lives if they had found their way into the open.

Other than the tiny problem I have with switching perspectives without a clue in a new chapter, the book flows well while building to the big twist at the finish. The Invitation is nicely edited, and I found no typos or grammatical errors.

Overall, I highly recommend The Invitation to lovers of mystery, suspense, and thrillers. If you want to be entertained by a contemporary fiction novel, this is the book for you. It kept me turning page after page while I read late into the night.


Thank you to Rachel Abbott, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the chance to review this story. The above thoughts are my honest, unbiased opinion.