Ellery Wainwright is supposed to spend her twentieth wedding anniversary together at the luxurious Resort at Broken Point in Big Sur, California.
But now she’s alone. To add insult to injury, there’s a wedding scheduled during her stay. Now, she isn’t certain of anything except for her love for her kids and her growing realization that this place, though beautiful, is unsettling. When Ellery discovers the body of the groom floating in the pool in the rain, she realizes that she is not the only one whose future is no longer guaranteed. Before the police can reach Broken Point, a mudslide takes out the road to the resort, leaving the guests trapped. When another guest dies, it’s clear everyone has a secret. Twisty thriller.

This was such a great locked room mystery since they actually ended up stranded at the resort with all the other guests and the dead body which helps with figuring out who the murderer was. Ellery was supposed to celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary at this luxurious resort but ends up having to go solo to not lose money on a nonrefundable trip. There is a wedding being hosted there at the same time and then the groom turns up dead and before the cops can get there a mudslide takes out the bridge. So it’s her and 2 other guests that decide to start investigating to figure out what happened and during this we keep getting references to a tragedy that happened 2 years prior and Ellery keeps getting flashbacks and while it doesn’t have anything to do with the current mystery it was interesting to figure out what it was and why she was so traumatized about it and the toll it took on her marriage. All in all a great fast read and the twists kept me guessing until the end.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

In June it was announced that actress Reese Witherspoon had chosen Ally Condie’s debut mystery novel, The Unwedding, as her book pick for her book club. I loved Ms. Condie’s Matched series years ago and was excited to read her new novel, joining millions of others who were now reading it along with Reese Witherspoon.

In the book, Ellery Wainwright finds herself alone at a beautiful resort in Big Sur California, but that wasn’t what she’d planned. She was supposed to be celebrating her 20th wedding anniversary, until her husband abruptly left her and asked for a divorce instead. Ms. Condie was writing from personal experience as her own marriage ended after twenty years. While she was at a resort mourning the loss, she realized she was the only one there who wasn’t absorbed with a partner, so if a murder happened, she would be the one to see the details. Thus, the idea for The Unwedding was born.

In the Unwedding, Ellery meets several people at Broken Point resort, including those in a wedding party. Seeing the bride and groom is difficult, as Ellery once had the same hopes and dreams for happiness with her own husband. The author pens a haunting picture of the grief and pain that Ellery is experiencing as she works through the demise of her marriage. It is so open and raw, the reader can truly feel the depths of Ellery’s anguish. The setting in Big Sur is phenomenal and the author describes the scenery so well it’s easy to feel as if we’re all at this luxurious resort, taking in the stunning views, right along with the characters.

Ellery begins to open up a little and befriends some of the other guests, and all of these details set the stage for a murder mystery after Ellery finds the dead body of the groom. Before help can arrive, however, a massive storm washes out all the roads leading to the resort so the police can’t reach them—and no one can get out.

When another dead body is discovered, it becomes a life-or-death situation for the guests at the resort. Everyone has secrets it seems, but can the murderer be found before they strike again? This Agatha Christie-esque mystery will keep you guessing until the last chapter. A satisfying read for those who love a twisty, compelling thriller.

Thank you Grand Central Pub and NetGalley for the eARC of The Unwedding. All opinions in this review are my own.

I have been such an Ally Condie fan since reading the Matched series and Atlantia so I was excited to read her adult book. This thriller had the perfect set up for me with the guests getting trapped by a storm at the elite hotel. Unfortunately, I found the thriller parts of this story to be lacking. I felt like there weren't enough hints or enough tension built so that when the big reveal happens, I was more confused than shocked. Despite not loving this one, I think Condie still has the talent to make an excellent adult thriller.

Ellery is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce right before their big 20th anniversary trip. Ellery doesn’t want to see him take the trip with someone else so she decides to go solo. She quickly finds herself among guests for a wedding taking place on the island, and makes fast friends with a couple of them. When she finds the groom floating dead in the pool, and a huge storm traps all the guests on the island and prevents police from getting to them, the locked door murder mystery begins to unfurl.

This was twisty and more cozy mystery than thriller. You’ll find yourself questioning everyone. You may also find yourself questioning everyone’s sense of reality here because MUCH suspension of disbelief is required to enjoy this novel. I know this book got lots of love but it just didn’t hit the mark for me unfortunately…

I was very excited about “The Unwedding”, but ultimately this fell rather flat for me. The plot sounded a lot sexier than the actual result. It was a slower thriller than I had anticipated and ultimately found it to be not that memorable. 3 stars ✨.

This was a great mystery, to start, but seemed to slow down and meander to the end. I did this as an audiobook and the narrator was wonderful. To start, the mystery is great! I loved meeting the extra friends and gate crashing a wedding. The mystery surrounding the crash and then the discovery of a body and I was hooked! But soon the mystery diverted. We got introduced to a huge cast and I wasn't sure how each of them tied to the main character at all. Then we got pulled into an odd side story about art and I was baffled - what all was going on. When there was a second missing someone, I actually had no idea who the person was and had to backtrack into the story to remember. But it was a good mystery, the ending was pretty surprising and I did find it entertaining!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I was looking forward to reading this first adult book by Ally Condie. The story started off GREAT and then it started getting bogged down with events that happened in Ellery's past and too many characters were entering out of nowhere into the story. It was an OK thriller and kudos to Condie for entering the adult genre.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I just could not get into the premise so I did not finish.

Sad to say that this is just another locked house mystery without a particularly interesting murder or resolution. Back in the day, I really enjoyed the author’s YA Matched trilogy which, despite being one of many following in the wake of the Hunger Games, had a light-footedness and precision that this sorely lacks.

Ellery is at Broken Point resort on her own: it was booked for her and her husband’s 20th anniversary but he’s now with someone else and she’s damned if she’s going to let them enjoy this beautiful Big Sur spot. But the hotel is also full of a wedding party and when the groom doesn’t turn up to the altar and is later found dead in the swimming pool and a storm cuts the hotel off, Ellery and her new friends, Ravi and Nina, somehow decide it’s their job to investigate.

One thing I like about mysteries is that they don’t usually hang around. Though credulity may be strained, if the pace is speedy enough I can suspend my niggling doubts about plot holes and just enjoy the ride. However, this just plods along which gave me plenty of time to wonder about why some things were thrown in without any apparent need - the missing art, Ellery's past tragedy - and why the author made such a dog’s dinner of what should be really very straightforward.

I think this is the author’s first venture into adult lit and her first mystery. Hurrah for trying new things but this was not a success.

Thanks to Grand Central and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

The Unwedding was not on my radar until Anne Bogel mentioned it for her Summer Reading Guide, and gosh am I glad I found out about this one. I'm not the biggest thriller reader and my tastes tend to definitely lie with mysteries. This was definitely that and it gave me Agatha Christie vibes all throughout. Oh, and the blurb references the White Lotus which intrigued me because I adore that show. I will say this is less risque than that... and definitely falls more into the Agatha feel.

Ellery Wainwright is recently divorced and decides to spend a few days in a luxury resort in California to heal and be as she steps into her new self. Unfortunately, after just arriving and really getting settled, she discovers a dead body which sets her vacation on a new course. Ellery befriends a few other visitors at the resort and due to weather, they all become stuck . When more death's occur, Ellery and friends decide to try to solve the murder, but can she trust her friends?

I really enjoyed this and appreciated the older female protagonist and the setting. This felt isolationist and the setting really added to the murders!

3.75 stars. What didn't work for me were the flashbacks into Ellery's past as it didn't add much to the story for me and really just felt like it was adding unnecessary back story to the main character.

This thriller was...fine. I didn't hate it; it was a decent light read, but I didn't find it particularly thrilling. From the synopsis I was hoping for a Big Little Lies meets White Lotus type vibe, but it was unfortunately much more bland than any of that. Ellery was a pretty bland MC with an unnecessarily complicated and *mysterious* background. It started pretty strong, but all the tangents meant to keep you guessing, just got a bit rambling, and reduced the suspense.

I think with the right direction and cast this could make a really fun movie or mini series, but some drama would need to be added.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC!

I've been trying to get into more mysteries/thrillers that take place semi-close to where I am geographically, so I picked this one up based on the Big Sur plot location. This is a pretty decent intro to the genre, not pushing any big boundaries but a solid story with some decent twists along the way that did take me by surprise. I did feel parts were a little meandering, specifically a lot of the thoughts/inner dialogue from the main character - but it's a quick read, great for a day at the beach or pool!

Okay, the "White Lotus meets Agatha Christie" absolutely drew me in. Ally Condie's "The Unwedding" had all the makings of a great book—the isolated resort, cut off from the world, unexplained deaths steeped in mystery. Then it went downhill.

Ellery, going through a tough time with his spouse over a nasty divorce, plans a visit to the opulent Big Sur resort that he and his spouse booked for their 20th anniversary, rather than cancel the trip. The resort is looking like the glitz, as there is a wedding to happen that particular weekend. It was a turn of events when a storm blocks people in the resort, and Ellery currently finds the groom body floating in the pool. The groom still had his wedding attire on. Afterward, the resort is further blocked by a landslide, which blocks off any communication into the resort. The then Ellery together with some few other guests decides to find some truth about the death of the groom.

I'm generally not much a fan of a locked-room mystery, but the Agatha Christie and White Lotus comparison intrigued me. The idea of a "locked room" scenario at a luxurious resort with super-wealthy people sounded interesting. Except, in the end, the real story didn't play out. The amateur sleuthing just never seems real, and the weird happenings weren't at all well described.

Despite the amazing beginning, it felt like the story started to become all over the place: too many missing characters, subplots that were simply confusing, and significant overemphasis on art pieces and their histories that felt rather unnecessary. The imaginative balance tilted too far with an overabundance of characters and side plots, causing it to lose its effectiveness. More focused storytelling and better editing in the plot would have done wonders.

Ellery's character was a highlight, and her personal struggles were done well. But the rest of the book was bogged down with unnecessary details, so I found it hard to continue. At a mere 320 pages, it certainly felt like a lot more; I was pushing myself just to finish.

The Unwedding is a captivating read that combines the tension of a murder mystery with the emotional depth of a personal journey. Ally Condie's foray into adult fiction is both successful and promising, offering readers a well-crafted story that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling. Whether you're a fan of mysteries or looking for a compelling narrative about healing and human nature, The Unwedding is a book worth picking up.

Today’s post was supposed to be an “am reading” post but once I got to a certain point in this book, I could not stop until I was done reading. And I never stay up late!

This was an excellent, page turning thrill ride of a story. I haven’t read a thriller mystery type story in a while and I was hooked instantly. All I could think about when I wasn’t reading, was when will I have time to read again!

The story moves fast and the pacing is excellent, with the short chapters, chapter headings, scary storm, and fascinating characters. There was a Ten Little Indians feel too. I was highlighting phrases, wracking my brain trying to figure out whodunit. I also loved the flashback scenes, helping us to get to know Ellery and her backstory. The author does an incredible job of development with Ellery’s character, I was cheering for her from page one.

All I ask is will there be another book with these characters? (There is not a cliffhanger ending.) And I couldn’t get enough of Ravi and Nina too. An amazing book, all around!

I received a NetGalley link from the publisher. Huge thanks to the publisher.

I was excited when I heard the description for THE UNWEDDING was White Lotus meets Agatha Christie, as these are two of my favorite things. I think the description of Ally Condie’s adult debut was just that. Plus, it was a Reese’s Book Pick, and I tend to like most of those.

It held my attention; I was intrigued and even a little excited about it until the end, when I felt a little disappointed, and the energy fell off a little. Knowing that Reese Witherspoon picked it, I hope this means it is being looked at for a television show because I think it would make a great series. It’s a very visual book with many descriptions that make you feel like you are on the island with Ellery and the other guests. But I think the ending would have a better visual impact than what I felt listening and reading it simultaneously.

I loved the characters. Condie writes characters, especially her main ones, very well. I enjoyed Ellery. Her grief arc was excellently done. I loved Nina and Ravi. They made me laugh so much!

I liked listening and reading simultaneously and being able to switch back and forth. Christine Lankin narrates it, and you can’t go wrong with anything she narrates!

It wasn’t what I expected, but I just hoped for more at the end. It won’t keep me from reading more from Ally Condie because I like her writing style!

Thanks, Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio, for the arc and ACL!

I didn't fly through this book like I thought I was going to. The take on the locked room mystery was good. I liked the setting but there was just so much it was convoluted. Too much with the back story of the main character., That could have just been more straightforward and helped with the feeling that there was just too much going on. It didn't need to also be mysterious.

A book pitched as Agatha Christie meets White Lotus? Count me in.

The Unwedding is Ally Condie’s debut adult novel. I love her YA series Matched, so I was excited to dive into this one.

The book has a solid setup: a remote resort, mysterious deaths, a big storm, and a lead character, Ellery, who’s going through a major life change. But as the story unfolds, it gets bogged down by too many characters and side plots and the mystery gets messy.

Ellery’s character arc is the standout here. If you go into this book expecting a story about relationships and self-growth, you might enjoy it more than I did. I was hoping for more of a rich-people murder mystery vibe, so it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. That said, I will definitely read more of Ally Condie’s work and think The Unwedding could make a great mini-series. It’s already been picked as a @reesesbookclub pick so fingers crossed!

Thank you to @hbgcanada @grandcentralpub for the gifted copy to read and review 🤍

The Unwedding follows Ellery, a forty-something divorcee who originally planned the vacation at a luxurious resort to celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary. After her husband left her, she decided to travel solo instead of losing money by canceling.

Ellery isn’t thrilled to find out that there’s a wedding taking place at the resort, and most of the guests at the resort are part of the wedding party. But things quickly turn sinister when Ellery finds the body of the groom in the pool. An official investigation can’t be conducted because a storm hits and no one can leave or get to the resort. Ellery teams up with a couple other guests to try to find the killer before the death count rises.

I’m a fan of locked room mysteries and this definitely had a tense, sinister vibe. It was slower than I expected; more of a cozy mystery than a twisty thriller.