Frank Szatowski, middle aged widower and father of adult daughter Maggie, receives a call out of the blue from Maggie. He's surprised because they have been estranged for years and it seems she wants to repair their relationship and asks him to walk her down the aisle at her upcoming wedding.
The wedding is held at a private, lush estate - Maggie engaged to the son of a tech billionaire - and Frank arrives with his sister and her foster daughter to 'bury the hatchet' and hopefully have s new beginning with the daughter he has missed so desperately.
Frank feels out of place in this luxe atmosphere and it seems that the local townspeople have a particular hatred for this family, blaming Aidan, Maggie's fiance, for the disappearance and apparent death of a local girl.
What follow are unexplained deaths, suspicious motives, a mother of the groom who is MIA at this lavish affair and as Frank starts to learn more about this secretive and powerful family, he realizes that not only are they not what they pretend to be - but his daughter may be hiding something as well.

I actually had a hard time getting into this book after Rekulak's stellar Hiddden Pictures novel.
About 3/4 of the way in, this novel picks up speed and as what is hidden comes to light, I was pleasantly surprised that this novel was just as twisty and shocking as Rekulak's previous thriller.

Thank you Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the early copy book.

I loved this. I would not call it a thriller, more of a contemporary novel and rich people behave badly trope.
The writing was simple but not bad. More of a "perfect book for vacation" way where I didn't have to think much.
I was annoyed by the dad a little bit, and some parts rang weird to me ( no way his phone wasn't bugged and the ease with which he kept calling overs made me confused). I liked the addition of a foster kid to the story and her storyline, I thought it was cute, and while not exactly relevant to the story it provided a good balance of "good and bad".
Very different from the hidden pictures and I respect the author's ability to create in different genres. Highly recommend.

After loving Hidden Pictures (read just before this one), this one was a bit of a disappointment for me. I enjoyed the intrigue but found Maggie kind of a gross person and not likeable at all. Definitely did not guess the big twist so that's a plus in my book. I will read more from this author but this one couldn't hold a candle to Hidden Pictures for me.

A huge thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

As the wedding bells chime, one father, Frank, seeks to make amends with his somewhat estranged daughter, Maggie, once he learns of his daughter's upcoming marriage to the son of one of the wealthiest men in the world. Naturally, everything feels a bit strange for Frank when he arrives at the luxurious accommodations for this wedding given the rift between him and his daughter. But some things are hard to ignore. Like how Maggie's fiancé is rarely around, the groom's mother seems to have taken ill, and there are rumors of a missing girl being linked to this eccentric family.

The Last One at the Wedding provides a rather fresh look at "domestic"-ish thrillers in many ways, chiefly through Rekulak's decision to tell this story from the father of the bride's point of view. Frank is classified as a blue-collar, honest, hard-working kinda guy who loves his daughter dearly. He's someone riddled with guilt about the state of things, a father who desperately wants to make things right no matter the cost. This character archetype presents a unique lens to tell this story and lends itself to unreliability not due to malice, but because of love.

Combined with this interesting perspective is Rekulak's immersive storytelling. The Last One at the Wedding is a rather fast-paced read that builds upon feelings of suspicion, unease, and wariness given all of the strange occurrences leading up to Maggie's nuptials. This is straightforward, mostly honest storytelling that results in a very dramatic conclusion. It's this facet of the story that Rekulak writes best, the twisty, surprising levels of turmoil, dysfunction, and sheer drama.

A welcome change in narrative structure within the thriller genre, The Last One at the Wedding is one hard book to put down. Jason Rekulak pens an entertaining, propulsive story about the intricacies of family and just how far one will go for the ones they love, especially parents and children. Brimming with drama and suspense, The Last One at the Wedding is a thriller you do not want to miss.

If Jason Rekulak wrote a stylized version of the phone book, I'd read it. The Last One at the Wedding is yet another stellar title from one of my favorite authors. Rekulak's Hidden Pictures was a departure from his previous style and while I'm not much for the more horror-bent supernatural stories, I devoured it. I was so excited to get the chance to read an advanced copy of The Last One at the Wedding and just in time for the end of the summer/beginning of the spooky season. While less horror and more thriller, this is yet another example of Rekulak's insane ability to jump from style to style.

Our MC Frank is estranged from his adult daughter Maggie. When she reaches out to invite him to her wedding, Frank is hesitant but ultimately decides to attend. As it's a thriller, the rest is better left for the reader to experience in real time. Now I just have to find something to keep myself occupied until the next Rekulak book comes out!

This is more 3.5 star than 4. I loved Hidden Pictures so I was very excited to read The Last One At The Wedding. This was a decent thriller with good pacing…although the middle did get a little dull. Most of the characters were rather unlikable but I did really love the little foster girl Abigail. The ending fell kind of flat especially the last page. And I still want to know…what was up with all the Daddy Long Legs??????

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Frank is a UPS driver living in a known city in my state (hey, Stroudsburg!), who hasn't spoken to his grown daughter Maggie in years. She calls him to invite him to her wedding. She's marrying a wealthy heir, and the wedding is a fancy affair at their private 'camp' estate. Frank feels a lot of things are wrong about this situation, from her fiancé to her job to her ill future mother-in-law. This is a classic suspense novel, and I didn't want to put it down. However, I do feel the character of Frank was flawed, at times annoying and naive. He did the opposite of what anyone would do in the same situations! The ending felt a bit abrupt, and I wanted more time spent reflecting on all that happened. Regardless, I really enjoyed this.

Jason Rekulak, author of the wildly famous Hidden Pictures has returned to our eagerly awaiting hands with a brand new novel about a wedding that is threatened by the skeletons in one family's closet.

Frank Szatowski, a humble UPS driver with a spotless record, can't believe it when his estranged daughter, Maggie, calls to invite him to her wedding. After 3 years no-contact, Frank is ready to do whatever it takes to reconnect with his daughter - even attend her wedding at the campgrounds owned by her ultra-rich in-laws. Frank feels something may be off about the match, but is determined to support his daughter no matter what. With the nuptials only three days away, all Frank needs to do is rent a tux, write a speech, and make sure that nothing is going to ruin Maggie's big day -including his new family.

I am going to warn you right now: If you read and loved Rekulak's other book, please reset your expectations for this one. It is a completely different kind of novel; there is no supernatural influence and no horror. It is about as straight a thriller as you can get. That's definitely not a critique - lots of authors jump between genres and do a great job! I just want people to know what they're getting into from the beginning.

This book was a fun read. Frank's voice is unique, and special commendation is due to narrator John Pirhalla for an absolutely showstopping performance. His voice truly brought Frank to life and dramatized the events leading up to the wedding in a way few narrators can pull off. I'll definitely be seeking out more of his work in the future - you've got a new fan, John!

Outside of the narration, I found the book to be pretty good. A lot of time is spent at the beginning setting up the tension between Maggie and Frank, and there is plenty of comedy relief from Frank's sister, Tammy, and her new foster child. I was genuinely surprised at all the times I actually laughed out loud at this book and felt that the goofy moments really made the serious ones pop even more. The setting is described in great detail, but not so much that you feel smothered by description. I really did feel like I was spending my time at a bougie summer camp over these past few days, complete with a spider-infested cabin to wrap it all together.

The biggest credit that this book deserves is Rekulak's development of Abigail's relationship with Frank. Abigail unexpectedly arrives in Frank's life on the day he leaves for Maggie's wedding and despite his promise to "be cool" with his sister's new foster child, the stress of the situation is only exacerbated by her presence. I was ready to punt that little asshole through a window. So, no one was more surprised than I was to find that I really cared about her at the end, and I wanted her to have good things happen in her life. Abigail legitimately went from my least favorite character to my favorite, second only to Frank himself.

This book does a lot of things right for me: The setting! The characters! The mystery being gilded over by a fancy wedding celebration! But the actual putting together of the plot left me feeling a little deflated. At times, it felt like things were just happening with no rippled consequences into the world we were living in. Answers are gained too easily at some points, and at others the answers just don't really seem to make sense. This may be partially me being a snob. Sometimes I feel like I have read so many thrillers, that I need something really spectacular to wow me (leaving unfair middle ratings to other books that are just ok). But in this case, I really do think that some of the (very serious) crimes needed to be explored in a bit more detail - especially when it comes to the real-world consequences of those crimes.

Overall, this is a book that I would recommend to thriller lovers, whether this is your first or 500th book in the genre. Jason Rekulak is really making a name for himself, and I am excited to see what he's going to treat us with next.

Frank hasn’t seen or heard from his only daughter in three years. So when he gets a call from her he’s over the moon - she’s getting married and is inviting him to the wedding! But when he meets up with Maggie and his future son-in-law, something doesn’t feel right. And at the wedding, strange things are happening and the body count starts rising. Who will make it through the wedding, ‘til death do us part?

I really enjoyed this one! I loved Rekulak’s Hidden Pictures, which was a 5-star book for me. This one didn’t have the horror aspect, yet it was a slow burn mystery set at a camp for rich people. I loved the details of the wedding and especially had a soft spot in my heart for the foster child in the story. This is for mystery fans, people who like to peek into the lives of the rich, and anyone who has gone to a wedding and wondered how long it would last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Felt like I was reading a book from my dad’s POV? Not sure how I felt about this book but it was ok!

Definitely could be trimmed down. I enjoyed Rekulak’s Hidden Pictures but this was different!

I appreciated that this book was written from a father's/parent's perspective. Thriller, suspense, family relations, jaw dropping moments.
A little different from the author's last title, but overall I wanted to know more throughout the read and I loved the writing!

"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).