Amazing! I was hooked immediately and could not stop reading. I loved the story and the writing. I hope to see and read more by this author.

Shay was never seen as good enough to them, socially below them, not enough money and cruelly ostracized. But she still caught the eye of Caleb and an invitation to a wedding event of the season, a “who’s who” guest list where the author will overly and repeatedly remind she doesn’t belong. But the mystery begins as the soon to be newly weds are found dead and the reader is introduced to dual timelines.

The characters are interesting to say the least; the rich are portrayed cruelly, judgmental and I find it hard to believe the father of the groom is concerned with our MC’s social status when his son is found dead. Be prepared to back burner some common sense thoughts as you read through this one. Even though this is calling as slow paced, it doesn’t feel it at times. You’ll move pretty easily through it as the author understands how to write a good transition.

This book does have a pet peeve of mine- the one where the “internal dialogue” of our MC contradicts how she really feels or is doing. So that narrative was really only written to trick the reader. Breaking the fourth wall so to speak. So in that reference, be prepared to call the twists.

Overall, I’m on the fence of recommending giving the book a chance. It gets more than interesting around page 100, and the MC more root-able around page 200, even though she felt like a walking contradiction. Let’s put trigger warnings please- the blatant racism from the social elite and abusive narcissistic type relationship was very uncomfortable to read. I would round up to 2.5 stars if NetGalley did half stars

Paradise was definitely lost in Cabo and followed it into the unknown. What. A. Page Turner.

What would you do if you were invited to the wealthiest of weddings at the most luxurious resort and you knew you didn't belong? And what if no one knew your real reason for being there? This is exactly what happens Shaylee "Shay" Kapoor. Radhika Singh and Raj Joshi's wedding is going to be THE event of the season and the world is watching. Shay just so happens to be the plus one of Raj's best friend, Caleb Prescott III. On the morning of the start to the week long festivities, the resort's coordinator finds Raj and Radhika dead. Chaos immediately makes its presence known on the resort as everyone ends up a suspect. The police and National Guard show up, believing the murders are tied to the drug cartel. Shay is an outsider but she has secrets of her own. She just might be in the right position to untangle all of the lies.

This book had a great start and kept getting better and better as it progressed. I was completely caught up in the flow as Lalli introduced new developments to the storyline. The characters were completely distinct and well developed. What a stellar thriller!

Special thank you to NetGalley, S.C. Lalli, and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this incredible thriller in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for a copy of The Plus One by S.C. Lalli in return for my honest review of this book. This had all the things I love in a thriller book. Murder mystery, twisted characters, and scandals. I liked it but I did not love it. I did not connect with the characters as much as I had wanted to. It was a bit predictable in my opinion but still an easy read. I felt that the premise of the book was really good it just did not hit for me as much as I thought it would have.

The wedding of the year takes a twisted turn as a murder mystery unfolds when the bride and groom wind up dead the night before their wedding. The setting was amazing as it was a destination wedding. If you like scandalous rich people, a murder investigation, and unreliable characters then this one may be for you. Just because I did not love this one does not mean you won't. It was more adventurous than I thought it would be. I enjoy a twisted psychological thriller rather than an action packed thriller and this one was more action packed than I had anticipated.

📚 PUBLICATION WEEK BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Plus One By S.C. Lalli
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

The Plus One is a slow burn thriller with a long list of potential suspects and theories in this destination whodunnit.

The story is told by our female MC, Shaylee (Shay), across multiple timelines before and after a murder of two high-profile characters at a destination wedding. The reader learns pretty quickly that Shay is hiding secrets... But that so is everybody else.

In all honesty, I didn't find many of the characters in this book very lovable. A handful of them were likeable, but it was tough to stay super invested in this one because it was a really slow burn for me. There were definitely parts of the story that were suspense-filled and I enjoyed the whodunnit plotline of the book. But even the question of "whodunnit" got narrowed down kinda quickly, so you knew it was a pretty small pool of possible characters who had either committed the crime or assisted in committing the crime... And I think the limited options were what made the story feel a little slower to me.

That being said, I do think there was some good mystery here and I always enjoy a whodunnit thriller. Lalli's writing style was fun, with the moving timeline of the chapters creating lingering suspense as more pieces of the puzzle were revealed.

If you're a fan of a good whodunnit murder mystery, or if you like destination thrillers, I think you'll really enjoy this book. While the pace is set to slow burn, the book itself is a pretty quick read with some fun unexpected twists. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

#ThePlusOne #SCLalli #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammers #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #booksta

"The Plus One" by S.C. Lalli is a very enjoyable whodunit thriller set at a resort in Cabo, Mexico with many twists and turns throughout the entire book. The story was unexpected and really engaging, I could not put it down.
Overall, great read, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & William Morrow Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The initial promise of an exhilarating weeklong wedding extravaganza set in a luxurious Cabos resort, culminating in a shocking murder mystery, had me eagerly anticipating an enthralling read. However, I must admit that the reality fell short of my expectations.

I found myself struggling to maintain interest in the story and it took me quite a while to finish reading it. . Regrettably, none of the characters were likable or relatable, making it challenging to root for anyone or become invested in their fate.

I received an advanced copy of this book from William Morrow via NetGalley.in exchange for my honest review.

Shay is the plus-one at a destination wedding in Cabo. She is dating the groom's best friend. Bride and groom are murdered and only a few people have a key to the murder-room. Police suspect a cartel hit. Fortunately, Shay is also a reporter and knows a thing or two about investigations. Shay also has secrets of her own. Who would want to kill a super-rich couple on their wedding day? I loved the location, even more as I am soon to visit it. Shay was a great main character, and I always love a peek into the lives of the ridiculously rich! Definitely a fun summer read, and I look forward to more from this author!

Thank you to #NetGalley, S.C. Lalli and William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks for this AC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review on Amazon, Instagram and other social media and retail sites upon publication day of Aug 13th.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Plus One! This book lived up to its description of The White Lotus/The Guest List. I enjoyed the setting and the premise: Shaylee, a plus one to the best man in a lavish wedding, decides to launch her own investigation when the bride and groom are found dead on the morning of said wedding. Ultimately, this was a solid book, even if there was kind of a lot going on at all times. I’ll read the next book this author puts out, and I’m excited to see what she does!

This book took me for a ride. I found myself addicted to it and wanting to know what happens. I highly suggest going in blind and just following the ride of the story. It's very entertaining.

The Plus One is twisty without inducing thriller whiplash, the rich people behaving badly are on full display. I loved the slow, steady suspense building until it’s all revealed, and, like usual, I was wrong. If you happen to be going to a wedding anytime soon (or even if you’re not) this book is the perfect travel companion.

Shay is so exited the be “The Plus One” to the most luxurious wedding of the year. Raj and Rashika are set out to get married in Mexico in the event of the summer, a multiple day wedding that Shay feels lucky to be apart of. Just when the festivities start to unfold, the wedding of the summer turns into a disaster the bride and groom end up murdered.

Shay being a reporter feels obligated to dig deep into what happened and where the weekend went wrong. She feels suspicious about her boyfriend, Caleb through the entire weekend but he isn’t the only one acting suspicious. A multitude of people make Shay turn her head and second guess who really killed Raj and Rashika.

Thank you Net Galley for the Arc!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my eARC of The Plus One by S.C. Lalli. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this one by Lalli, a whodunit murder mystery set at an exclusive luxury resort where the only suspects are family and friends of the victims and the murder occurs the night before the wedding celebrations start.

Some of the twists and turns were predictable, but I liked that there were enough different turns to keep the story from being *too* predictable. It did feel a little slow in spots and it felt like it dragged on about some particular aspects for how the story ended, but overall I felt like this was a pretty good read, and I was invested to learn what happened and why.

If you're into murder mysteries, check out The Plus One by S.C. Lalli.

I loved this book so much! The story was addicting and I found myself in detective mode trying to figure out what really happened and I was completely wrong!

When Shaylee Kapoor first arrives at Los Cabos Blush Resort & Spa for the four-day destination wedding of Raj and Radhika, she doesn’t even have time to unpack her bag before she discovers two things. Her boyfriend has been unfaithful to her. And the bride and groom have both been killed.

The wedding was going to join two ultra-wealthy Indian families, and they were going to spare no expense on the festivities. There were going to be parties and yachts, feasts and performances. All while staying at a top resort and being given opportunities to enjoy any indulgence you can think of.

This was not Shay’s world. When she’d met Caleb Malcolm Prescott III three months earlier, she knew immediately that she would struggle to fit in with his friends. They were all successful in business and from wealthy families. She was a graduate student struggling to get by. But Caleb didn’t care about that and asked her to join him and his friends at the engagement party for Raj and Radhika. They had been together ever since and were serious enough that she was invited to the wedding also, as the plus one for the best man.

But then, suddenly, the wedding is cancelled. Most of the guests leave right away. Shay is offered the chance to go back to L.A., but she chooses to stay with Caleb and make sure he’s okay. Even after she finds out that the murders have the hallmarks of a hit by the drug cartel. Even knowing he cheated. Even feeling like she’s not entirely welcome there. Shay stays.

While the locals are looking at it as a possible hit, Shay thinks that they could be making a mistake. The resort has a state-of-the-art security system, with specialized keys. Not just anyone could have gotten into the bedroom of the bride and groom to kill them. Shay thinks it was someone they knew. And as someone who has some insider connections but also the wider perspective of an outsider. But Shay has secrets of her own, and some of those secrets might just put her right in the sights of the killer.

The Plus One is the latest thriller from S.C. Lalli, and it is quite a trip. From the opulence of the wedding and the wealthy lifestyles of Caleb and his friends and family to Shay’s struggles to find the truth, this novel is a twisty ride through all aspects of the human experience. This deep dive into these luxury brands demonstrates just how far the rich will go to stay rich and how they circumvent justice.

The Plus One is packed with surprises that I did not see coming. I raced through this book in one day, going from the gorgeous exclusive resort and the lifestyles of the rich and richer to the dark secrets that lead to murder. I followed this story through the ups and downs, as the secrets were slowly peeled away and the truths bubbled to the top. It’s a fascinating mystery and a twisty thriller with some social justice sprinkled in, and it’s absolutely an amazing ride.

Egalleys for The Plus One were provided by William Morrow through NetGalley, with many thanks.

The wedding of the year ends in a double murder. What mystery/thriller reader doesn’t want to read that?! This book has it all; drugs, scandal, a lover’s quarrel, missing evidence, a locked door murder with a neatly tied up ending. Unfortunately, this book was not as good as the synopsis makes it sound. Actually... the synopsis makes this book seem way more suspenseful and exciting that it truly is. I was overall underwhelmed and disappointed.

The Plus One was a quick and easy(ish) read but I was never completely hooked to the point where I couldn’t put it down. I wanted so badly to love this one! It had some great ideas...the author just fell short of making it actually intriguing and captivating. Yet another book that fell way short of the way that it is presented. Honestly, I had a hard time picking it back up to finish. It took me a day longer than anticipated to read because I struggled to stay invested in it and found myself looking for other books to read next. I wasn’t surprised at who the killer actually was. It had to be one of only a handful of people and they each had motive, it wasn’t a ‘Holy Cow I didn’t see that coming!’ type ending. More of a ‘oh okay that’s a reason, makes sense. I suppose.’.

Some issues I had with this book were as follows;

First, this book focuses a lot on how it was possibly the Mexican drug cartel that committed these murders. Spoiler Alert... it wasn’t them. I mean is it a “spoiler” if it’s so painfully obvious throughout the entire book that it’s not them. The author practically shoves the idea down your throat that any seasoned mystery reader and lover will know it’s not going to be them in the end. It’s was very obvious that it was written in to mislead the reader but it was so overdone it was almost laughable.

Second, the way that the some of the characters behaved had me rolling my eyes. Take Mr. Joshi for example; there is no way he would have let Shay live, especially after all the other horrid things he did. Come on now. At least attempt to have her taken out. A guy like Mr. Joshi isn’t going to just have her escorted off the premises. Let’s be real here. Shay not knowing her boyfriend had a massive drug problem? With how much he was supposedly taking, she would have noticed. I have never done drugs or been around many people doing hard drugs but I can sure as heck tell when someone is on something.

Third, the main female character, Shay, being a journalist...predicable and has been done so many times already. Let’s get creative people. Almost immediately you know she's either a journalist or has been wronged in some way by someone in one of the families. another missed opportunity to really surprise the readers.

Lastly, the characters just really had no depth. Just a brief bit of information here and there but nothing to make you really wonder if they could be the murderer. The majority of the book is Shay running around going back and forth about who is the killer based on who she’s sitting in front of at the moment. No big surprises that she uncovers or shocking new information. The sister having the phone? I mean it’s not really surprising or shocking. The way it was found was more like a last-minute thought that was tossed in.

All of this made the book a bit hard to finish but I did enjoy the ending chapter with Sean and Shay. This book had so much potential.

I wouldn’t call this book a suspense or a thriller. I’d say it's more like a slow burning curiosity. I was kind of bored but also, I want the closure.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, S.C. Lalli, William Marrow Publishing for providing me with digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this who dub it murder mystery with a side of DRAMA! This was a really exciting story with one heck of a paradise setting! I really enjoyed Shay’s constant theories as she uncovered more and more evidence! It was super easy to get lost in the story and wonder who the murderer was! This one was really fun!

I loved Are You Sara?, also a great mystery/thriller from SC Lalli, and this one didn’t disappoint. I finished this in one day! The setting was lush and on point (I will never not read a locked room mystery that takes place at an idyllic resort) and the characters, despite being shady and unlikeable, kept me guessing.

The twists and turns were a little predictable but I think that’s due to me having read about five thrillers in the last week. (I might need a palette cleanser from my go-to genre after this one 😂)

This books was extremely enjoyable. I’m always down for a good mystery. I would not call this a thriller; but mystery. Has a lot of twists and turns and the who done it I was shocked by.

Pick this up. It was released today August 13th

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collin’s Publishers for the chance to read and review this book.

Take the chance is you think the synopsis is intriguing.

🫶🏼

Reviewed on Amazon & Good Reads

I don’t read too many thriller, especially when it’s not fall/cold weather, but this book showed me how amazing a summer thriller can be! It captivated me from the opening chapter! I loved how fast paced it was and how it kept me guessing who the murderer was and motives of all the different characters! Shay felt like such a real character, with all her flaws and passions! Lalli’s writing was so much fun to read and kept me entertained the whole time! The murder at the wedding with tropical backdrop created such a good atmosphere!

This is definitely a perfect book if you’re looking for a quick and exciting thriller to read on a tropical vacation!