Same author has Hidden Pictures but this book fell more into the thriller realm than Horror. The main character is looking to reconnect with his daughter and you find out she’s getting married into a wealthy mysterious family (a part of few sinister things). I enjoyed HP more than this but overall it kept me guessing although the ending felt a bit rushed

This book was twisty and turns you on all directions leaving you wondering where you are going at certain parts-in good and bad ways. Overall I enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading to find out how it all came together, but it didn’t have a hold on my like Hidden Pictures did.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak overall was a fun read that keeps you entertained enough to keep reading. It comes across as a thriller/suspense novel and I will openly admit that after reading Rekulak’s amazing novel Hidden Pictures, I was very excited for this one but sadly, I was left feeling a bit let down. I was expecting more of a thriller feel with perhaps an aha moment by the end but sadly, neither came through. Some parts dealing with grief didn’t feel real, almost as if it was forced and the only character, I really felt much for was Abigail. The power and struggles of love and family were well done and you could really feel the torment that Frank was going through however, a bit more mystery or more intense suspense could have gone a long way. The ending came and went wrapped up a bit too neatly for my liking. If you are a fan of Hidden Pictures, do not go in thinking this book will be the same or you may come away disappointed. As I said at the beginning, it was entertaining enough of a story, but it could of used just a bit more to put it into the next level.
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

HIDDEN PICTURES, the author’s most recent book, was classified as horror, but this falls into thriller/suspense.

Frank Szatowski, a UPS driver (if that isn’t a salt of the earth job) gets a phone call from his daughter Maggie, it’s the first time they’ve spoken in three years. She invites him to her upcoming wedding and he couldn’t be happier that she is making a move to end their long estrangement.

When he arrives at the wedding, his sister and her foster daughter in tow, it’s at a very fancy private estate. Maggie is marrying Aidan Gardner, the only son of a tech billionaire. Frank feels out of place, but he’ll do anything to reconnect with Maggie. However, she doesn’t have time for him, Aidan is evasive and the locals don’t seem to like the Gardners. Plus a local girl is missing. Frank is concerned about what Maggie is getting into.

Frank is a wonderful main character and I really enjoyed most of the book, but I found the end to be unbelievable. It was a fairly good experience, though. 3.5 rating.

4 stars

Another fantastic read from Rekulak!
Loved all the secrets and the characters. Glad he was not a one hit wonder with Hidden Pictures. I may have enjoyed this one even more!

Well, that was fun!

I really enjoyed finding out about all the secrets these characters were hiding and observing this world. I also enjoyed watching the main character 'soften' and grow emotionally with the child. It was difficult in the beginning when he was being a little short-tempered with the child, but I understand that the author did that on purpose and I liked to see how that relationship grew through out the book.

I do wish that the author went a little deeper with the all the characters, especially with Maggie and the Tech Billionaire. I know they were involved in many more dark, illegal activities and I would have liked to read more about them and go a little further into their world.

Overall fantastic book and I am looking forward to more from Jason Rekulak.

THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING is a suspenseful, slow building novel that shows just how dark things can get when the 1% go unchecked. The reader is introduced to Frank, widower and father of one, and right off the bat we know that there is some dysfunction in his family. He has a strained relationship with his daughter, Maggie, so when she calls after 3 years of radio silence to invite her father to her wedding, he doesn’t ask too many questions and jumps at the chance to reconnect. Right off the bat, Frank notices things are off with the Gardner family, and what follows is a steady descent into marital madness, like a thread delicately unwinding at first that turns into a rapid unraveling. Why did Frank and Maggie stop speaking 3 years prior? Why has the groom’s mother been unseen for so long in the midst of wedding prep? What truly happened to Dawn, a local girl who was tied to Aiden Gardner and went missing the year before? To find out, you’ll have to read the book!

The pacing starts out slowly, while building momentum, and I found myself turning the pages rather quickly as each chapter passed. The author does a fantastic job of weaving together multiple storylines to keep you engaged, and even threw in a tender arc of growth in Frank outside of his relationship with his daughter. My only real gripe is that the ending felt abrupt and I just wanted more in the sense of closure and follow up, but overall a dynamite of a read. My first from the author but definitely not the last!

I was a fan of Hidden Pictures so I was excited to get to read this new book...and it did not disappoint! I love that it was from the perspective of a father. I love that he was grouchy and yet still emotional and caring. I felt sad, shocked, angry...everything you want in a great read!

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with the opportunity to read the advanced reader's copy of this book. This year, I have truly become a dedicated fan of Rekulak’s works as I have delved into all three of his books. The storyline is chilling, keeping you on the edge of your seat, yearning for a happy conclusion while constantly fearing for the main character, Frank. I was shocked by his daughter's lack of empathy and her psychopathic tendencies, yet relieved that her father stood firm against manipulation and bribery. Wickedness at its best.

I’m looking forward to talking about it in the near future on my podcast, KPL Lit Talks, and will definitely be buying it for my library.

Whoa! I had high expectations after reading Hidden Pictures and this did not disappoint, Had no idea what was going to happen and it stayed that way for quite a while. Kept me guessing. Read this if you're in a slump!

One of the happiest moments in any parent's life is when their kid finds true love and marries. What happens when that moment turns into a complete nightmare?

I went into this thinking that this was going to blow my mind in the way that 'Hidden Pictures' did. With the completely shocking twists and an ending that was going to blow your mind into a billion pieces. What we get is a book filled with lots of hidden secrets and many smaller twists. While this was good, it wasn't "Hidden Pictures' perfection. And yes, I know that I should treat them as two separate books and I do. It's just you expect a certain level of crazy when you read another book by an author you love.

There was just something about one of the characters that put me on high alert from the very beginning. They way they talked and acted, it made me read a little more closely when they were involved in any scene. My suspicions were right and what a damn psycho. I can't wait to see if any other readers fell for that trap or did you pick up on it.

The story as a whole was decent. It flowed well and really captured my attention quickly. There was never a dull moment between those pages and I was fully invested in the story. I just didn't like that I figured things out so quickly. Damn you brain!

The Last One at the Wedding was a good mystery with a lot of smaller twists. Nothing can prepare you for this wicked ride...

In this captivating novel, Frank Szatowski's emotional journey unfolds when his estranged daughter Maggie invites him to her wedding. Set against the backdrop of a lavish estate and the secretive world of a tech billionaire's family, the narrative kept me engaged with its tense atmosphere and complex dynamics. While the ending may leave some questions unanswered, Jason Rekulak delivers a compelling follow-up to Hidden Pictures that explores themes of family, reconciliation, and the price of curiosity. A must-read for fans of intricate family dramas.

𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕'𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓. 𝑾𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒘𝒆 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚.

Frank Szatowski is a character who immediately came to life for me. He's a UPS driver who is in the Circle of Honor, meaning he's gone 25 years without an accident; he's a widower, and he's estranged from his only daughter...until he gets a phone call. After a three year silence, his daughter Maggie is calling to invite him to her wedding. Frank feels so many emotions and has a multitude of questions, but more than anything, he wants to be at her wedding.

Frank makes the road trip with his sister and her newest foster child, who was an absolute joy to read about (I demand a spin-off with her as a main character!)

But Maggie failed to mention that her husband-to-be, Aidan Gardner, is the son of a tech billionaire. Frank feels awkward and out of place but is desperate to reconnect with Maggie. His keen eye takes in everything; being asked to sign a 50+ page waiver when he enters the property, Aidan's mother being curiously absent from all of the events due to illness, and the open hostility of the people in the town when the Gardner name is mentioned. Frank knows something is off, but he can't figure out what.

This was one of the best thrillers I've read this year, and I'm at over 150 reads at this point. The plot was so layered and complex and the storytelling so deft and accessible that you will forget where you are--it's that immersive. Be prepared for not only a wildly twisty thriller but for a sobering look into what it means to be a parent. Thank you so much to the author and Flatiron Books for this stunning early copy. This title will publish October 8, 2024.

I LOVED Rekulak's first book and was excited to see "The Last One at the Wedding" on NetGalley.

I usually am hesitant reading books from the male main character POV, however, there were a few points at the beginning when Frank was reflecting on his relationship with his daughter that it left me curious that there was more going on. Rekulak was leaving us breadcrumbs to follow for later in the story. Frank was invited to his daughter's wedding but layer upon layer began to peel back the strangeness in the situation that both Frank and Maggie were in.

I found myself invested in this story early on and it was hard to put down with the twists and turns. I highly recommend it for fans of suspense and mysteries. I'll be recommending it to friends and patrons at the library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid thriller, though I vastly preferred Hidden Pictures. This is the story of Frank, a decent man who raised his daughter as a single dad after her mom died. Despite some strain in their relationship, when she contacts him to say she is getting married, he is thrilled to be included. Once he meets her future husband and in-laws, he begins to suspect his daughter is making the worst mistake of her life, and through flashbacks we can see that she’s made a few. As Frank gets swept up in wedding celebrations, he’s trying to decide if he can get his daughter out without doing irreparable harm to their relationship. As he discovers the truth, he realizes that it may be worth destroying his relationship with her to stop something terrible from happening.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC version of this book. I decided to rate this 4 stars because I couldn’t put it down but overall I was fairly disappointed. Weird, I know. I have lots of questions.

-How dumb is Frank? Dude. Your daughter is no good. He won’t stop trusting the wrong people and he screws up everything he tries to do. He might be a teensy bit obsessed with UPS.

-Tammy. I don’t even know how to put it in a question. I think that woman is blind in one eye and can’t see out the other. Is she seriously willing to look the other way after all that happens for money?

-Basically the whole plot gets revealed because Frank steals a phone and starts asking questions of an alcoholic? What?? “I’ll tell you everything if you’ll just chill” is a recurring theme in this book.

-How do you bury someone in a lake?

-Why did Frank have to be included in order for the wedding to seem real?

-How in the world did Frank think that just randomly inviting his hair stylist was normal?

Overall I liked the premise of the book but I feel like a lot of the important details were just skimmed over (who was Gwendolyn really, how much time passed from the last dinner at the apartment and Frank’s prison visit) and some unnecessary details (i.e. the granddaddy long legs and the fact that Frank drove a Jeep) were run in the ground.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy and my honest review.

I was very excited for this as I absolutely loved Hidden pictures, but this book left me a little disappointed.

I don't really know how I feel about the characters, they all seemed pushy and annoying in their own way. Once you learn the main plot twist every other "twist" is obvious.

I still enjoyed the book and look forward to more books from Jason Rekulak.

As a huge “Hidden Pictures” fan I am beyond elated to review the Arc of “The Last One at the Wedding”. Rekulak kills it with this family drama as he drives readers into the world of the 1% and their secrets. The narrator, Frank, is impeccably written where readers can literally immerse themselves into the story. I found myself anxiously turning the pages and needed answers as desperately as Frank. As soon as I finished the last page I found myself desperate to discuss and cannot wait to revisit this book with my book club. Readers will want to unravel the pages and I highly recommend preordering because book groups on social media will be discussing!

This destination thriller is the perfect read during wedding season.
It's an exciting missing persons mystery, not because of the main character (a straight arrow dad) or his family (his sycophant sister and snobby daughter), but because of the elusive, Elon Musk-type 'villains'.

It was fun reading Rekulak's latest book after the brilliant HIDDEN PICTURES.
Thank you Flatiron and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

The concept of The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is one that, on the surface, is nothing new. However, this wedding murder mystery ends up being so much more! The book is a suspenseful tale of a father trying to save his daughter from a life-altering decision.

Maggie is marrying into a wealthy family, and she wants to reconnect with her father Frank after being estranged for several years. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right. Frank arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate―very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. Maggie is marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into.

While we have read a number of books over the past few years that feature a wedding where a murder ales place, Jason Rekulak has been able to bring a fresh perspective to the table with the protagonist being the brides father and the stuff that happens at the secluded estate is just the beginning of the mystery behind what is really going on.

The characters are well developed. We can connect with characters such as Frank as the working-class delivery driver just looking out for his daughter to Frank's sister and her foster daughter Abigail. While Maggie has more going on that meets the eye, we weirdly can see where she is coming from in the long run. The twists, turns and mystery take us by surprise as we did not see what was coming or where we would end up.

Frank wants to reconnect with his daughter, making sure she knows what she is getting in to, but sometimes oversteps his boundaries. We can relate to this in such a ground level that allows us to feel for both father and daughter. Frank's sister and her foster daughter add depth to the tale and proved a great insight into what motivates our decision making.

From start to finish we were hooked on The Last One at the Wedding. The plot, twists, turns and family dynamics had us guessing what would happen with each page turn. We extremely enjoy Rekulak's writing style as it is engaging and immersive, allowing us to enter the world of Frank and his relationship with his daughter and purpose as a father.

The Last One at the Wedding is a brilliant work of suspense and mystery, but is also so much more. The intriguing plot, outstanding character development, and immersive writing had us gripped to the novel wanting to read it all moments of the day. We are along for the ride as Frank tries to do what he thinks is best for his daughter and when everything unravels to what we can only say is an outstanding conclusion.

After reading Hidden Pictures, we had The Last One at the Wedding as one of our most anticipated reads of the year and we were not wrong. This book is in the running for one of the our best novels of 2024.