"The Last One at the Wedding" was a captivating read. The reader is very immersed in Frank's character and thoughts, so it's a perspective shifter. The relationship between Frank and Abigail progresses in a realistic way and while the plot is reality-suspending at times, the writing is executed well and keeps you turning the page. The ending could have been more satisfying, but this is still a fun and twisty read.

This review will be posted on Goodreads today on Oct. 3, 2024, which is within one week of the publication date.

Happy Release Week!

When UPS driver, Frank, receives a phone call from his estranged daughter and finds out she's about to get married to the son of a billionaire tech tycoon, he couldn't be happier for the opportunity to rekindle their relationship. But when Frank, his sister Tammy, and her last-minute foster kid arrive for the wedding festivities at his future son in law's family estate, things immediately go awry. With the groom-to-be being accused of involvement in his previous girlfriend's disappearance and a different body dropping, Franks starts pushing for more answers. As he investigates, he learns more about the dark secrets the family seems to be hiding.

This book screamed Get Out (vibes) + the Menu (vibes) + Gone Girl (talk about crazy people and their drama). The trickle of clues was really well paced and sustained my interest the whole time. The relational ties were complicated and intriguing, although Tammy was wildly annoying to me. Frank was an unreliable narrator and trying to pick apart clues from his interpretations was fun from a reader's perspective.

HOLY moley the plot twist! You could argue there are multiple, but one of them had me setting my kindle down with my jaw dropped. I LOVE plot twists that actually shock me, and this book got me good.

Overall, this was a good read that I enjoyed and would recommend for anyone who wants a quick mystery read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Jason Rekulak for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very easy listen. I liked how the story flowed, the characters weren’t overly dramatized. It was very enjoyable. He is a good author.

Thank you so much to Flatiron Books for the ARC!

I know so many are fans of Rekulak's debut HIDDEN PICTURES and for good reason. While I enjoyed that one, I think I liked this one even more, but they couldn't be more different!

I absolutely LOVED that this whole story was told in first-person from one person's POV. I feel like many authors are straying away from a singular point of view lately (which is fine), but in this case, it really helps me as a reader to feel connected to the main character and his thoughts.

If you follow my reviews, you know that slow-burn family suspense/drama is my JAM and this book 100% scratched that itch for me. I may not have been on the edge of my seat plot-wise the entire time, but I was glued to the characters and finished this book in a day.

If you're hesitant to pick this up because (like me) you think the wedding thrillers have been OVERDONE, please do not let that stop you. This isn't your basic island wedding thriller we've all read SO MANY TIMES. This book confirmed what HIDDEN PICTURES had me thinking, which is that Rekulak is about as original as they come! Can't wait to see what he writes next!

I really appreciate the ending and had to just sit with it for a while.

Highly recommend.

4.5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley and Flatiron books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed Rekulak's "Hidden Pictures" so I was eager to get my hands on this one. A wedding filled with family drama at a secluded location? I'm in.

The Last One at the Wedding starts with Frank getting a call from his estranged daughter, Maggie, inviting him to her wedding. She doesn't tell him until he gets there -- at a very luxurious, private estate -- that she's marrying Aiden Gardner, the son of a tech billionaire. There is lots of family drama on both sides, and Frank feels like something isn't right. He overhears mysterious conversations, and there's so many secrets, but the more he tries to find out about the family his daughter is marrying into, the more trouble he finds.

There are many unexpected twists and turns in the plot that will keep you hooked and guessing as to what is going on. It was an interesting blend of atmosphere, tension, horror, thriller, humor, heart, family drama, and conspiracy. I really enjoyed this book. Fans of Rekulak's work will love this read, and I will definitely be recommending it to my Mystery/Thriller book club. I alternated between reading the eBook and listening to the audiobook version (depending on whether I was at work or at home), and I found I enjoyed the audiobook version more, as it was more gripping and immersive, but the eBook was also good!

I highly recommend this book! It's one wedding you won't want to miss!

Very unique thriller. Loved the choice to have it be from the dad”s POV. Some books have too few or too many twists and the book falls flat but this felt like the right amount. I enjoyed this one more than the author’s last. Will definitely recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

When Frank gets a call from his estranged daughter, Maggie, inviting him to her wedding, he is confused, but ecstatic. She doesn't tell him until he meets the fiance that she's marrying Aiden Gardner, the son of a tech billionaire. Frank feels like something isnt right, but bites his tongue leading up to the wedding, until he receives a letter in the mail blaming Aiden for the death of a girl who went missing near the family's sprawling private campground. And when a wedding guest ends up dead, Frank decides to get to the bottom of who is to blame.

I loved this book. I flew through it in two nights. I loved the escalating drama and even though a few pieces were a bit predictable, it did not take away from the enjoyment of the story. I look forward to reading Rekulak's next book!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jason Rekulak is a master storyteller! The Last One at the Wedding is both wildly entertaining and thoroughly unsettling. And it just might give you pause to rethink accepting the next time another wedding invite comes along. A 5-star read for me!

I sped read this one in two sittings! I really liked the writing, and the main character Frank and seeing things from his POV. Tammy really got on my nerves though! It was more of a mystery than a thriller (and definitely not horror like his last book) but I was totally sucked in. The ending was kind of sad (which is OK with me).

When I saw this hit the list I knew I had to get it, I loved and devoured Hidden Pictures as I did this one. But I do have to say I dont know what it is but his endings just confuse me. It is like leaving me on a cliff hanger thinking there would be a sequel but I know there is not as he does not do those to my knowledge. The plot and twists and turns were wonderful and kept me stringing along but the confusing ending just left me blah. I wish I understood it better. Minus that I absolutely loved this one!

The Last One at the Wedding is a fast-paced thriller filled with unlikeable characters, except for UPS driver Frank, his sister Tammy, and her foster child Abigail. Frank, who has been estranged from his daughter Maggie for three years, is invited to her New Hampshire wedding. As things unfold, Frank starts to feel something is wrong with her fiancée and his family. He tries to repair his relationship with Maggie, but things don't go as planned. The book is filled with a remote wedding, strangers, and a man who wants to spend time with his daughter. The book is a thrilling read that will keep you hooked, with an advanced copy provided by Little, Brown Group UK. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I could tell from the very beginning who the antagonist was going to be. There were a few twists that I didn't pick up on early on though. I liked it very much. Thank you netgalley for the ALC.

The Last One at the Wedding is nothing like Hidden Pictures - which can either be good or bad depending on your view!

This is more of a domestic suspense “thriller” and contains many well-written but also unlikeable characters. This kept me interested for the majority of my read through. I also got the feeling that the author did not know how to end the story either, as it feels a little disjointed and not what I expected.

There were some tender moments and a lot of suspense with this one. I enjoyed it overall, I think he did a good job writing a more domestic style. However, as someone coming from reading Hidden Pictures - this didn't quite hit the same way.

While there were some elements that I enjoyed, it didn’t win me over as much as Hidden Pictures did.

What would you do if your beloved child, who you haven't spoken to in some years, decides to invite you to the most lavish wedding you would ever attend? Heck yes, you would go. But secrets come out, harsh truths are faced, and reality is questioned by the time you go home.
Frank Szatowski is an average joe. He is a UPS driver that has a decent savings, worked hard his whole life, and positively doted on his daughter. That is until she stopped speaking to him. He tries to reach out to her, but to no avail. Three years later, she invites him to her wedding and wants to put their past behind her. But Frank questions the speed of the wedding as well as the man she is marrying. A very rich tech mogul.
This was okay. Some of the characters seemed a bit one-dimensional for me, but the storyline was interesting and I finished it. I liked Frank's sister and her adopted daughter, they were great characters.
Overall, a good book.

Jason Rekulak's The Last One at the Wedding is a compelling and refreshingly original read that combines humor with poignancy. The novel centers around a unique and engaging premise—following a character navigating the intricacies of life and relationships while grappling with the pressures and expectations surrounding a significant wedding event.

Rekulak’s storytelling shines through with well-crafted characters who are both relatable and endearing. The protagonist’s journey is both heartfelt and amusing, drawing readers into a world where personal growth and self-discovery unfold amidst the backdrop of a wedding that becomes a pivotal moment in their life.

The writing is sharp and insightful, with Rekulak's keen observations and witty dialogue providing depth to the narrative. The pacing is steady, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the character's experiences and emotions.

While the book is largely enjoyable, a few elements could have been further explored to add additional layers to the story. Nonetheless, The Last One at the Wedding is a delightful read that offers a blend of humor and heart, making it a memorable addition to the genre.

Overall, Rekulak delivers a story that resonates with its genuine portrayal of life's challenges and triumphs, earning a well-deserved four-star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Frank, a small town UPS driver, gets a call from his daughter Maggie after three years of silence sharing news of her upcoming wedding. However, on the days leading up to the wedding, Frank starts to believe Maggie’s fiancé Aiden and his family are hiding secrets, which only seems more plausible once he gets to the secluded estate where the wedding is taking place. Can Frank successfully warn Maggie about the family she’s marrying into before the big day?

This is a very different story than Hidden Pictures, not as ominous and dark as Rekulak’s previous book, but the writing was equally as compelling. Frank was a great narrator, skeptic to what was occurring at the camp but also eager to protect his daughter. I didn’t mind the slow burn element because I loved all the rich people drama and the atmospheric New England camp setting. The twists worked well with the story and surprised me, though I wish there was some more closure at the end.

Read if you like:
▪️Slow burn thrillers
▪️Unlikeable casts
▪️Rich people behaving badly
▪️Complex father/ daughter relationships
▪️New Hampshire camp setting

Wow, the plot twists in this book had me wondering what was going to happen next, never guessing it
right. I enjoyed the story line full of misters. I did find some lines that were irrelevant to the story or unessesary but overall it was a great read. I love the characters and think Frank acted as any parent would have , always loving your child above all . However I didn’t like the end, I think the Errol and Maggie deserved a severe punishment along with Gary and Hector.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC! The Last One at the Wedding is a twisty crime novel reminiscent of the Murdaugh murders. Frank Szatowski, a hard working UPS driver gets a call from his daughter Maggie, the two have been estranged since an early incident, but Maggie is looking to reconnect and have Frank be there for her as she is about to be married. Maggie's fiance Aiden is from a very well to do family (Maggie works for the family's corporation). Frank is surprised by the speed of events, but wished to support Maggie. Before the wedding, Frank is sent a cryptic message with a photo of Aiden with a young woman who went missing, and when he gets to the town where the wedding will be held, the family owns a large camp with lots of buildings for guests to stay and grounds on a lake, he meets the missing girl's family. What happened to her? Who are these people that his daughter will be marrying into? With lots of secrets and twists and turns, The Last One at the Wedding will keep readers engaged and puzzling out the pieces to the interconnected crimes.

I was entertained by this book, in spite of being able to spot the “twist” fairly early on. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Frank and Abigail. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The plot is gripping and will have you on the tip of your seat, hoping for a happy ending but always worrying about the main character.
As each chapter went by, I found myself turning the pages quite rapidly because of the slow beginning to the story and its rising momentum. At times, you'll question where this book is headed, whether in a good or bad way, because it was so unpredictable and turned you in many different directions.

I had a great time reading this book and discovering all of the secrets that these characters were keeping. I like that it was written from a father's point of view. Despite his imperfections, Frank was a well-developed main character, and I could understand his motivations. He was grumpy, but he was still sensitive and kind, and I loved that.

Though Frank's suffering was palpably felt, the power and difficulties among family members were skillfully presented. Still, I wish the author had gone a little deeper with all of the characters, especially Maggie and Aidan. A little more mystery or great suspense would have provided much needed tension. I believe they could be engaged in a lot more illegal acts, so I would have liked to learn more about them and dig a little deeper into their world.

All in all, it was an authentic psychological suspense story that examines social concerns and family dynamics. Great read for fans of thrillers.

3/5 ⭐️
The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is a decent thriller that offers an intriguing premise but ultimately falls short of delivering a truly memorable experience. The story follows Frank Szatowski, a blue-collar worker who receives an unexpected call from his estranged daughter, Maggie, inviting him to her wedding after three years of silence. Frank, eager to reconnect, travels to a secluded, luxurious estate in New Hampshire, only to find himself surrounded by an atmosphere of secrecy and unease.

Rekulak sets up an interesting dynamic as Frank tries to navigate the opulent world his daughter is marrying into, particularly with Maggie’s enigmatic fiancé, Aidan Gardner, who comes from a wealthy and influential family. However, despite the promising setup, the plot becomes predictable, and the suspense never quite reaches the level of tension one might expect from a thriller. The pacing drags at times, and while the narrative builds towards a conclusion, it lacks the punch needed to leave a lasting impact.

The character development is somewhat uneven. While Frank’s desperation to reconnect with Maggie is relatable, his interactions with the other characters, particularly Maggie and Aidan, feel underdeveloped. Maggie, in particular, is difficult to empathize with, which weakens the emotional stakes of the story. The subplot involving Frank’s sister and her foster child adds some depth but doesn't fully compensate for the shortcomings in the main narrative.

Overall, The Last One at the Wedding is a serviceable read, but it doesn’t quite live up to the potential of its premise. Fans of Rekulak’s previous work, Hidden Pictures, may find this book less satisfying, as it lacks the eerie, gripping quality that made his earlier novel stand out. While it’s not a bad book by any means, it ultimately earns a middle-of-the-road rating

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!