I enjoyed S.C. Lalli’s first thriller, so I jumped at the chance to read her next one. The Plus One is just as solid as the first one, chock-full of suspense and complex characters. I particularly liked the atmospheric feel of this one, with it set in Cabo San Lucas at a luxurious resort with a seedy reputation. I was also further drawn into the narrative by the constant use of interstitials, capturing the juxtaposition between the plans for the wedding festivities and the current high-stakes murder-mystery.
None of the characters are particularly likable, and I feel like Lalli made that work for her story here. All of them, including Shay herself, are messy and have secrets that reflect badly on them, but they’re also fairly compelling to follow in their mess. Shay also makes for a compelling protagonist, as while she is connected to the others, she’s also more of an outsider to the glitzy world the others occupy, and the distance she has from their world proves to be an asset throughout the book.
The plot has a lot going on, sometimes a little too much, as it got a bit overwhelming at times. But it all translates into a multilayered plot that takes time to unravel, keeping my attention throughout the book. The buildup to the reveal was satisfying and surprising, as well.
This was a solid read, and I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy thrillers with messy characters.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

This was a wild ride. A locked room murder mystery with tons of twists and turns. Was a fun read even though I hated all the characters hahaha

Thank you NetGalley and and William Morrow for this ARC. When Shay is invited as the Plus One to Cabo for a wedding extraordinaire with her wealthy boyfriend who knew what could go wrong. This page turner will have guessing till the end. The night before the big day between the ultra rich bride and groom tie the knot they are found shot to death in the grooms villa. Only a few people had access to that villa and upfront no one seems to have a motive. Shay is the outsider in all this, the poor girlfriend of Calab; the grooms BFF. Most everyone treats Shay as second class but what is she really trying to hide and now mixed in this murder investigation how is anything going to be the same again? Tho none of the characters are remotely likeable the story does keep you on your toes and in it to the end.

If you want a great thriller and some twisty mystery, here you have it! I have read hundreds and hundreds of thrillers (probably thousands) and really enjoyed this one. Fans of The Club- you'll really love this ride.

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Plus One is a quick-paced locked room mystery with an alluring premise - the bride and groom of the most extravagant wedding of the year are found murdered just before the festivities begin. Shay, an outsider, stays determined to unravel the lies and uncover the killer despite her own hidden motives. While the story kept me guessing, I didn't fully connect with Shay's character and found her actions at times unbelievable. The writing felt more like a screenplay than a novel, preventing me from getting a true sense of the characters. However, the interesting plot still made for an entertaining read. Perfect for fans of glamorous destination mysteries.

Murders, mystery, secrets - this one sounds good!

From GR:
White Lotus meets The Guest List in international bestselling author S. C. Lalli’s next thrilling novel, where two business moguls were set to be married in the biggest event of the year—until they’re both found murdered the day before the wedding—and a social outsider must unravel the mystery before her own hidden agenda is revealed.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of the ARC. I have rated this book based on the summary.

The Plus One was a 3.5 star book for me. It was quick-paced read with an interesting plot, but I just didn't get that "Wow! That was an amazing book!" feeling. In trying to figure out what was missing for me, I think I would say that I felt like I was reading more of a screenplay than a great novel. I could immediately picture the characters on screen in a compelling movie. The actual writing, however, was perhaps not fully developed enough for me. While I was definitely left guessing who killed Raj and Radhika, I didn't get a true picture of who any of the characters really were. Shay seemed almost unbelievably gullible at times, and many of the questions I had about her character were just sort of conveniently tidied up in the short Epilogue. So in the end, I would break down my rating as a 4 for storyline/plot but a 3 for writing...evening out to a 3.5.

I'm sure patrons will enjoy this, however it didn't keep my interest. Didn't really care about the characters. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

The Plus One

Get Lit ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

I was hooked early on, but as I got to the second half of the book, it started to drag, and the suspense died out.

Things I liked:
✅ Luxury Resort in Cabo
✅ Bride and Groom found dead
✅ Two wealthy Indian families
✅ A whodunit that I didn’t guess but also didn’t surprise me

Things I didn’t:
👎🏼 Too many characters
👎🏼 The main character, “the outsider,” had no real motive. I thought there would be a connection as to why she was watching these two families, but there was nothing to personally link her.
👎🏼 Too many clues that threw off the reader annoyingly

Unfortunately this was a major let down for me. I did not care about a single character. The MC was awful and annoying. The plot and story just dragged.... I appreciate the opportunity to rate and review this book in exchange for my honest review.

🏝️ WILD DESTINATION WEDNESDAY review 🏝️ featuring “The Plus One” by SC Lalli!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Radhika Singh and Raj Joshi are all set to get married at a luxury resort in Cabo. This week long wedding will be a union of two wealthy Indian-American families and said to be the most extravagant event of the year.

That is UNTIL the bride and groom are found murdered in their private Villa … and everyone on the guest list and resort premises become suspects!

Shaylee Kapoor is the girlfriend of one of the best men and has had a plan in place for months to get close to the Joshi family. She stays at the resort after the murders in hopes of untangling all the Joshi family dirty secrets and lies and uncover who murdered the happy couple.

But will staying at the resort make Shaylee a target?? Does she know too much about the powerful family that makes her disposable?

Thank you kindly to @sonya_lalli @williammorrowbooks @harpercollinsca @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on August 13, 2024 and is perfect for locked room thriller lovers and fans of White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers!

Shay doesn’t know how her wealthy boyfriend Caleb really lives. I mean, unlike her poor life as a student, he comes from old money and has super wealthy friends. When he invites her to Mexico to attend his good friends, Raj and Radhika’s wedding, she knows she’s out of her league. But when the bride and groom are murdered, she has no idea that all of her plans are going to come crashing down.
I don’t want to fly into spoil territory, but there was a lot more going on with Shay than I imagined. What did she hope to accomplish? The answers might surprise you. Shay tries to play Nancy Drew and figure out what the possibly corrupt police can’t.
I didn’t love the explanation for why she was here. I’ve also never been so committed to ensuring justice is served, so it might’ve been a me issue. I was, however, invested in figuring out the identity of the killer. There was definitely more than one potential suspect, but alas, I settled on the wrong one.

This book hooked me right from the start with the intrigue surrounding nearly every character. It unfolded at a great pace so I finished it quickly. The only plot point I didn't quite understand was the room access wristbands. It seems to me that technology like that would have serial numbers for each device and they'd be able to tell which wristband was used with a timestamp. That was easily dismissed for me though because I was enjoying everything else.

The Plus One is a twisty novel that follows “Shay”, (Shaylee Kapoor), as she joins her wealthy boyfriend to the destination wedding of the century! Two business moguls coming together in matrimony, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! Until both the bride and groom are found dead and everyone is a suspect.

This novel was definitely a heavier read than my usual, involving the Mexican cartel, dirty business practices, drugs, and murder. I didn’t go into this book expecting it be as in-depth as it was, or I would’ve adjusted my expectations. That’s not to say it was a bad story or anything, just know it’s a very involved story with lots of branches to sprout off from.

The storyline itself was likable! I enjoyed how the characters were from all different backgrounds and didn’t fit into a “mold”. I found the details to be precise and very well thought out. There were a lot of details to lead the reader astray, but also plenty to keep them clued in too. Overall an unpredictable read that is worth 4.5⭐️!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for this ARC.

Attending a wedding at a resort in Cabo as the plus one to a VIP guest sounds amazing on paper. What could be better than a luxurious and all-inclusive suite? It has all the makings of a dream vacation…until the future Mr. and Mrs. turn up dead.

That’s a fast and effective way to put a damper on a weekend getaway.

When Shaylee “Shay” Kapoor accepted the invitation to attend the extravagant wedding of the very influential Radhia Singh and Raj Joshi, she anticipated it would mean a few days of pretending to fit in with the social elite her boyfriend Caleb is so seamlessly a part of. When R adhia and Raj turn up dead in Raj’s bed, things take a darker turn than Shay could have imagined.

While everyone seems quick to blame the couple’s death on drugs, Shay knows there is more at play due to the secrets she has been keeping.

This fun, fast-paced thriller is guaranteed to create a solid choice for a beach read for any genre fan. Shay, while flawed, is an intelligent and intriguing protagonist; it is refreshing to have someone who isn’t blonde and blue-eyed leading the way. Shay is complicated, interesting, and smart – a perfect combination when it comes to a protagonist. The best thing about her is that she is open about her flaws, creating a sense of trust with the reader. This makes it easier for the audience to feel invested in the story, and, as a result, will make for a fun read for fans of smart thrillers.

What a wonderful thriller! Told by a single, reliable narrator, this book just swept me in and held me until the surprising end. I am now a huge fan of this writer!

A double murder at the wedding of the year.. I had to know more!

This was a wild one, set in an exclusive resort in Mexico, celebrity wedding that never was. Shay is thee as the Plus One, the girlfriend of the best man. But there is so much happening under the surface with these 2 families. It was to be the most lavish and expensive wedding ever, with days of celebration. Now there are only questions, and fingers being pointed. Who wanted them dead and why?

A locked room murder mystery with plenty of twists. Certainly kept me turning the pages. A fun read full of unlikeable characters.

Thanks so much to William Morrow for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on August 13th.

Wow. This is my favorite book I’ve read so far this year. And might be my favorite for the entire year.

With a single POV throughout the book and beachy luxury vibes, this was such a fun read.

It was so well written and pulled me in straight from the start. There’s enough twists that you’re the perfect amount of intrigued, but not too confused and it never felt like it was “too much”.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m already dying to pick up another title of hers.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC.

Overall this was a pretty good thriller. There was enough mystery to keep me intrigued. It did struggle a little in pacing. The first 25% was really well paced. Things seemed to slow down and drag a little for the middle. Then picked back up in the last 25%. I don't think this hurt the overall story but during the middle slow down it felt like there was too much going on that just wasn't necessary.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.