Andrea “Andy “Castle is an FBI agent she recently solved the case of the Spider-Man killer so when her friend Lana invite her to the Stanley Hotel for a bachelor and bachelorette party getaway she is happy to go. When she learns she is staying in the same hotel room that Stephen King did she isn’t happy about it she doesn’t believe in ghosts nor does she want to see any. Unfortunately she will see dead people but it will be right after their murder and not in the afterlife. The bride to be Cassie is missing in her groom to be Oliver Phoenix is dead and has been stabbed 50 times. It will be left up to Andy as the only officer on site to lead the investigation something the local sheriff is fine with. She learns a lot of things about the case and sees a lot of great suspects but the one thing she cannot find is the murder weapon in the white box with the red bow, that Oliver received and wouldn’t show his fiancé Casey and seemed very upset about. Her dad, her boss and her partner try to help her with the case but something just isn’t jelling at least not until she gets a phone call from Tennessee learns about a murder that happened almost the exact same way red bow and all. Let me just stay right up front to anyone who loves crime mysteries this was such a great crime mystery in I dare say one of the best crime mysteries I have ever read. I was so glued to the pages of this book there were 99 chapters and I read the whole thing I could not put my kindle down even when you think you know, It’s not who you thought it was. this book is so good you’ll never guess the killer and it is so good when you do think you’ve guessed you’re Second guessing yourself truly a great book I love Andy her dad her boss even the villains are great Danielle Oliver sister, Kade One of his best friends and Brody oh he is a jerk a pompous jerk but trust me, you’ll love to hate him so if you’re looking for a great read definitely read the wedding party by LR Jones The funny thing is I didn’t like her first book or their first book rather but I absolutely love this one so good… I know I said that lol! I want to thank Thomas and Mercer publishing and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Wedding Party is definitely a locked room thriller you don't want to miss.

Just weeks before the wedding, at a combined bachelor and bachelorette party, the groom to be is brutally murdered.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The characters were fantastic, I especially loved the FBI agent, Andi, and her dad. I would definitely love to see more of her in future books.

I was given the chance to read an early copy of "The Wedding Party" by the author, and I jumped at it as I have become a fan of her work after reading her last book. The location of the story - The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO - is not only breathtaking but also has a rich history. Interestingly, during my stay with my husband, we were woken in the middle of the night by a wedding party, wandering the halls hoping to see ghosts. The hotel's unique and intriguing history makes it a perfect setting for a mystery.

Initially, I found it challenging to keep track of all the characters as Oliver and Carrie have a co-ed bachelor/bachelorette party with a large group of friends. The story dives deep into Carrie's past, which becomes more fascinating as the story progresses. Even though she was adopted into a nice family, being abandoned as a baby left emotional scars.

I loved the references to Stephen King, such as the use of the location where he wrote "The Shining" and naming the bride Carrie. However, I would have appreciated more use of the eerie setting.

The story is gripping, with dark secrets and twisted characters. The dramatic revelations kept me engaged until the end, although I still have unanswered questions.

Thanks to L.R. Jones for providing this book through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

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Carrie and Oliver are happily engaged and are celebrating their wedding with their friends at the well-known Stanley hotel. This party is going to be one to remember. FBI Agent Andi Castle is at the party as a plus one with one of her friends. This party was supposed to be an escape from work and way for Andi to finally relax. Instead, one of the guests at the party is murdered. Now it's up to Andi to uncover who the murderer is and what would motivate them to murder at a wedding party.

What starts out as a night full of friends, fun, drinks, and celebration ends up in a night of murder. The Wedding Party keeps you guessing until the very end. FBI Agent Andi Castle is a strong, badass FMC who doesn't take crap from anyone. She does her job, and she does it well. Andi has the best relationship with her father. He raised her to be independent and good at her job. He's still in her life to support her when she needs it. This book is full of secrets that Andi has to uncover to figure out who the murderer is. While this one isn't full of suspense, there's never a dull moment. Andi is a character that I would actually like to see more of, and I would love it if a series was made off of this book. If you're a fan of murder mysteries, make sure to add this to your tbr.

I love Mystery Thrillers but I did not love this one.

The book opens with a chapter about a crime we will return to later, nothing out of the norm of a mystery book. We then follow two other POVs, Carrie’s -- the bride-to-be, and Andi’s -- the FBI Agent.

Carrie is a nurse and is the bride-to-be of a seemingly perfect guy, Oliver. He is rich and handsome, and most importantly, he cares for her. After a mysterious present arrives at their doorstep, Oliver starts acting weird which drives Carrie into overthinking.

The morning after their wedding party, Oliver was found dead in their hotel room, with Carrie as the main suspect. Luckily, FBI Agent Andi Castle was present at the scene, thanks to Lana, Carrie’s co-worker, who brought Andi as a plus one. Now it’s in Agent Castle’s hands to solve this murder.

This book brought a lot of frustration to me in the form of Agent Castle. Nobody can stop talking about her, not even herself. We have read so much about what she does, about her absolutely irrelevant love life, about what junk food she eats, and most of all about her father.

I didn’t like that Agent Castle appeared to be the only one with the “brain” in the investigative team, and every single person was ready to jump to the simplest conclusion their tiny little brains could muster.

The narrative failed to convince me that Agent Castle is an experienced FBI Agent. For someone who was “scouted” to join the force out of college, she did not exude competency to me. Nothing she does is covert, her deduction skills are terrible, and her interrogation skills even more so. 40% of this book could have been chopped off if only she dropped the Columbo Method, and just literally looked at what was in front of her.

I like how the author built Carrie’s character. Her POV screams about insecurities and overthinking. She thinks she is not worthy of Oliver. She thinks his parents hate her. She thinks her own parents hate her. I like that there’s a subtlety here in how the author tried to build the foundations of someone who is psychologically unstable.

This would have been a great setup. However, I strongly dislike the message that this book paints.

I hated how Agent Castle’s whole identity revolved around the fact that she was her father’s daughter and that she didn’t want to be like him, but she was. And so was Carrie. And I just could not, and would not accept that.

Aside from being her biological father, Carries has absolutely no connection with Norman Morrow, the serial killer. He did not raise her and she didn’t have the slightest idea who her father was until later. It is illogical for me to accept that she ended up exactly as he was.

I did not like that the “correct answer” was the most obvious one. I especially did not like how this book tackles issues like body dysmorphia, mental health, and addiction. And above all, I refuse to subscribe to the idea that we are our blood.

Many thanks to the Author, NetGalley, and Nerdy Girls Collective for providing me with an early copy of the book. Given the nature of my critique, I sincerely hope that the author never stumbles upon this review.

Fast-paced and diabolically fun! The Wedding Party is a good whodunnit peppered with an abundance of family secrets.

FBI Agent Andi Castle got more than she expected when invited for a fun weekend dual bachelor/ bachelorette party.
Needing to solve the case everyone is a suspect and Andi needs to figure out who is the real murderer. There’s a good amount of suspense and a bit of an unexpected twist. The story will keep you gravitating from the first page!

Loved this book so much! This was an edge of your seat, can’t put down, just one more chapter kind of read! This would be great to take on your next vacation if you want something that will completely suck you in to the story !

"Are you going to be trouble?"
"Only for the bad guy."

Sweet, quiet Carrie and dashing, protective Oliver. The perfect couple by all accounts. She would never hurt a fly and he only had eyes for his future wife. All of their friends agreed on this match made in heaven. 

Almost.

Their joint bachelor / bachelorette party held at the infamous Stanley Hotel was set to be wild and fun with all their closest friends. Oh, and Andi Castle - a friend of a friend in need of a break from work who tags along.

The day after the festivities, however, the groom is found murdered in his room. As luck would have it (or was it a coincidence?), Andi Castle is also a seasoned FBI agent.

The book flips through both Andi's and Carrie's point of view and it felt like I was flip-flopping my "whodunit"  with each chapter. 

What I loved: I didn't guess the ending. I had so many theories swirling in my head and the ending didn't come close. I love when I don't see the ending coming.

What I didn't love: This is so minor - but I thought there would be more history or details on the Stanley Hotel. It mentioned some of the ghosts that supposedly haunt there, but if you're looking for a story centered on the location - you won't find it here.

Overall - once I got to the halfway point, I couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend as a fun thriller that's not overly creepy, disturbing or terrifying.

When FBI Agent Andi Castle is invited as a plus-one to a joint bachelor/bachelorette party by her friend Lana, she thinks it will be a nice break from the recent case she closed. But the morning after the party, the groom, Oliver, is found dead in his room and the bride, Carrie, is found covered in blood hiding in the attic of the hotel.

Suddenly Andi is thrown into FBI mode to investigate just who killed Oliver and what happened to Carrie. Not all is as it seems and Andi uncovers some surprising details as time goes on.

This is my first book by this author and I went in blind, which is something I tend to do. I actually really enjoyed this one. The author did a good job building tension and creating a lot of suspense so I really wasn't sure how it was going to end until well into the story.

There were some complexities in the plot that I think were unnecessary and this book seemed like it could have been part of a series based on the background of Andi that is revealed. But overall I did enjoy this semi locked-room mystery and would be interested in reading more my this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the digital copy. My review is honest and voluntary.

Sometimes you want a thriller that is in-depth, darkly gruesome, and completely shocking, and other times you're looking for something more easy-going, popcorn thrillery and entertaining, and I felt that The Wedding Party was a good balance of all of these qualities.

I've seen a lot of low ratings for this one, and I can see why some readers will pick this apart from the occasional repetitiveness, cheesy dialogue, and sometimes stereotypical characters. But at the same time, I had a lot of fun with it, and I think a lot of these reviews were very harsh.

For me, it felt like an episode of Gossip Girl combined with a great detective thriller. I don't think the venue is used to its full potential, but I also think it gave the story a nice little twist. I thought the investigation was developed well, I couldn't guess who the killer was, and that all of the characters had strong characteristics to make them standout. The guests are dramatic, selfish, and ruthless, which always adds to the tension, knowing that the killer could easily be any of them, but FBI agent Andi Castle is a fantastic character to take charge of it all.

If it wasn't for how much I liked Andi, then maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much, but I loved her personality and the background into her career. If this were to become a series, I'd definitely pick up the next book, especially if it's a prequel!

A compelling mystery with a surprising twist at the end. The story focuses primarily on Special Agent Castle's point of view, keeping the reader in the dark and revealing secrets as she discovers them. I enjoyed the mystery and the suspense that was built throughout the book. The fixation on the main character's job as an FBI agent and her renegade father by all the other characters in the book was a bit of a detraction from the story. I felt it didn't fully allow her to stand out as a character by her own merit.

The Wedding Party, has officially blown my mind

This book touches on some really heavy stuff. Yes, this is a thriller and it does in fact have quite a few twists (the last one sure was a doozy!) but it also had strong elements of how far one will go to seek revenge. Along the way secrets and lies will be uncovered.

In true Jones fashion, you will think the book is over and she’ll slip in one major, earth shattering twist that will leave your mouth agape.

Gosh, I really do love this little lady!

Congratulations to LR Jones on yet another sure to be bestseller!

A little bit about the author :

L. R. Jones is a pseudonym for New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, whose dark, edgy fiction includes the highly acclaimed novels The Poet, A Perfect Lie, and the Lilah Love series. Prior to publishing, Lisa owned a multistate staffing agency recognized by the Austin Business Journal. Lisa was listed as #7 in Entrepreneur magazine’s list of growing women-owned businesses

Thank you LR Jones, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me the opportunity to read and review prior to the big release in exchange for an honest review! This one was extra special !

It would be criminal to give this book less than 5 stars ! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Teaser :

For a bride-to-be and her fiancé, secrets and lies make this a killer celebration in this psychological suspense.

Carrie and Oliver. A couple completely in love and the hosts of a wedding to remember at Colorado’s legendary Stanley Hotel. This is Carrie’s fairy tale come true. Her fiancé, Oliver, is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome; successful; and utterly devoted to her. Now family and friends have gathered to celebrate. It’s sure to be a wild night as the drinks flow freely and the fun begins.

But the morning after is murder.

FBI agent Andi Castle was just supposed to be a plus-one. This should have been a calming weekend getaway from what she does best: catch killers. Instead, Andi’s on the hunt again. The hotel is on lockdown. Secrets are being unearthed. And no one is above Andi’s suspicions. But which secrets are worth killing for? Andi’s forced to find the answers fast…before someone else dies.

*ARC Review*🔅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒃𝒚 𝑳.𝑹 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub date: Feb 19, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Thomas & Mercer Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

What a great mystery/thriller novel to remind me why this genre was my first love. The Wedding Party has such an intriguing storyline and dynamic character development. It was a captivating ‘whodunnit’-style mystery that keeps you engaged until the very end.

Following Andi’s character as she attempts to solve the murder of Oliver Phoenix was reminiscent of a CSI/Criminal Minds-type crime drama that has you essentially working the case right alongside the investigators. I love reading mysteries like this one and creating my own theories along the way.

My only complaint is that there are some aspects of the story that I felt were left dangling … pieces of the crime that is were brought up several times and seemed vital to the plot, but ended up without a clear explanation. I had to loop back and reread a couple parts toward the end to try and connect the dots.

Overall, this was a great thriller/mystery read for anyone who enjoys whodunnit mysteries and crime dramas!

💭 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕣 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕕𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘?

💬 ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʙꜱᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀʏ/ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ ɢᴇɴʀᴇ. ɪ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɪᴛ ɪɴ 2023, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ’ᴍ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ’ᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ɪᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ꜱᴏ ꜰᴀʀ!

🏷️
#netgalley #thomasandmercer #amazonpublishing #thrillerreads #mysteryreads #arcreviewer #arcreader #lisareneejones #trending #trendingpost #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #theweddingparty #februaryreads #crimenovels #thrillerbooks #mysterybooks

This is a suspenseful psychological thriller that you’ll think you have figured out but you’re probably wrong.
I love a good whodunnit murder mystery. And a bride to be and groom to be involved? Even better. Andi is the FBI agent who just so happened to be invited to this joint bachelor/bachelorette party where a murder has occurred.
This was a good thriller but a bit slow and repetitive. I’m also confused with some things with the ending.
This is great for fans of slow burns and murder mysteries. Be sure to pick this up February 13.

Thank you netgalley and the author the opportunity to read the ARC for an honest review.

It was frustratingly okay. I wanted it to be amazing so so badly. The premise was intriguing and there were all these characters introduced that made me think that we’d enter this whirlwind of multiple possible suspects. However, in the end, it was all a bit guessable?

So much did but also did not happen while the ending was rushed. We found out who killed it but exactly how? And why did it really take us that long to figure it out? Where’s the murder weapon and how did they get it? What was the moment leading up to the kill? What about all these side characters that just disappear the middle of the book?

Short chapters at least which made it easy to read. The writing was ok.

The Wedding Party was FANTASTIC! I really appreciated the multiple POVs and the main character, Andi Castle, is a calm and very intuitive FBI officer. The Wedding Party gathers at a famous haunted hotel and what else would stop the fun except a murder. But the evidence doesn't add up, time is running out and none of the clues makes any sense! I was delightfully surprised by the twists in this story. I will be on the look out for the next book by L R Jones! ☆☆☆☆

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

3,5 ☆

Carrie and Oliver, accompanied by friends, are having their wedding party at the legendary Stanley House. Among the guests is an FBI agent, Andi Castle.

What should be a great celebration turns into a nightmare when the next morning they come across a murder.

It was an interesting and enjoyable read, although the ending was a little rushed, I wish it had developed the killer's motive a little more, but it's the kind of ending I love. (don't get me wrong).

I didn't give it a higher rating because I generally like more intense thrillers that mess with my head, but for those who want to read something to relax but with a mystery that leaves you thinking, this book is perfect.

I will do my review on Instagram as soon as the book is published.

Lisa, I wish you the best and thanks again!

I wanted to love this because of the setting at The Stanley Hotel and the gorgeous cover but sadly a DNF after 30 pages.

the writing style is blah. Great idea, poor execution with repetitive writing, stilted unnatural dialogue, and waaaay too much telling over showing (I don’t need the play by play of each persons morning routine). The characters are one dimensional so far, a lot of the backstory for Andi was sort of info dumped the first chapter we meet her-draw her story out!! Let us get to know her secrets and traumas over time.

Also the portrayal of women was cringey and borderline offensive-I’m sick of all the diet talk and obsession over weight/eating. Or if they weren’t obsessed over their weight They’re depicted as “nagging, incessant” wives

I just reviewed The Wedding Party by L. R. Jones. #TheWeddingParty #NetGalley

I did not enjoy this, and to be completely honest - din't even finish it. The characters were all self-involved, spoke in cliches and or in a very stilted way, and weren't actually that believable as people - at least not to me. 70 pages in there still wasn't really a plot to follow that could make up for the lack of interesting characters. There was some hope in the absolute beginning, with short glimpses of very dramatic things that had happened, but we got to know too little about that to then just leave it hanging for a long time in the book proper.

I hesitated quite a while before posting this review to Goodreads as I do not want to be super negative and drag the book down for others. I hope other people have enjoyed this book more than I have, but I also don't want to lie just to be kind.

I love a good piece of crime fiction, and this just wasn't it for me. Would maybe be open to trying another book by the author in the future, in case it was just this book that didn't vibe with me.