Cover art -LOVE. This was another new to me author and WOW! This book hooked me from the start. The book starts with Frank receiving a phone call from his estranged daughter inviting him to her wedding. I was invested right away and what a ride this book took me on. This book had me anxious and tense, I could not put it down. I would have liked a little more closure at the end but honestly the ending fit the characters. If you like suspenseful thrillers/mysteries -Add this one to your must read list!

I wanted so badly to love this book as I did Hidden Pictures. I was so excited! But it was a sizable disappointment. The beginning was great! I didn’t put it down until Frank went to get his haircut. I just don’t think it’s that well-written. Frank was especially poorly written. I thought it was so odd when he was describing his hairdresser’s station; how she had a picture of her deceased daughter on display. This isn’t a direct quote but it was something to the effect of “because she still meant a lot to her”. What a weird thing to write. Rekulak started losing me there and it just got worse and worse. I know he’s better than this because there were some good “thriller” moments, even up until the end. I just had to push myself to keep reading. Having said this, I won’t include any spoilers because it’s obvious people liked this book. Just know that you won’t be reading another book like Hidden Pictures when you read this one.

Book is classified as horror but definitely falls under thriller/suspense category.
Great characters and plot building but the ending falls short overall, because of this I'm rating it a 3/5.

The Last One at the Wedding was a quick read with interesting twists. The author shares enough details through the narrator's memories to keep the reader interested. Readers will come to enjoy the main character's wedding guests and root for them to figure out the main mystery of the novel. This novel would be a great vacation read.

Frank has been estranged from his daughter, Maggie for the last three years so when she suddenly calls and invites him to her wedding, he believes this is a chance to make amends and restore the cherished father/daughter relationship he remembers from when she was a child. The wedding is to Aidan, the son of a meg-wealthy tech tycoon and no matter how hard Frank tries to make a connection with his future son-in-law, he gets the feeling that Aidan isn't really interested in small town Frank aka the UPS driver. Arriving at the secluded wedding venue, Frank has grave misgivings about this wedding but every chance he gets to try to convince his daughter to not rush into this, Maggie finds another reason to rush off to avoid Frank's questions. Why hasn't the mother of the groom made an appearance? What is with all of the security measures and why did he receive a picture of Aidan with his arm around a girl who later is presumed dead just a few months before he met Maggie? Was there an investigation? Why won't anyone answer his questions about the missing girl?
Readers will be drawn into Frank's concerns for his daughter and wonder what secrets the Gardner family is keeping as well as what part his own daughter is playing in this wealth and power driven situation. Who can he believe? Repeatedly warned about digging into the Gardner's family affairs, Frank makes a rash decision which he believes will ultimately either save or condemn his daughter.
Hard to put this down, especially as the clock ticks closer and closer to the actual wedding and Frank gets dangerously close to the truth.

Jason never disappoints in his writing. This book was fantastic. I read it in a couple of days and it only took that long because I had to work and I have kids. The only thing I would have changed or made different is the last scene with Vicky. I would have made that explanation longer or more detailed. Easily a 5 star book!

This was unexpected! There was one scene about 60% through that made me pause and re-read it to ensure I had not misunderstood. Definitely a page turner, with a father who is trying to the right thing along the way, despite making mistakes along the way. I did not see the ending coming really, and Aidan was not who I thought he was. A solid thriller that I would recommend to fans of Megan Goldin, Alex Finlay, and Lucy Foley.

My Honest Review
The Last One At The Wedding
By Jason Rekulak

I love Rekulak writing style so much, his characters feel so real. However, I felt like all the characters (besides the main character Frank) was insufferable. This one grabs your attention from the beginning. Takes you along for the mystery. The ending felt undone and fell flat for me. All in all I like it still.

📚Expected Release October 8, 2024📚
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Flatiron Books, NetGalley, & the brilliant author Jason Rekulak. I’m super appreciative for the opportunity.

I have finally read my first Jason book. Desperate to get my hands on this book after I read the synopsis because I love domestic suspense and that’s exactly what this was. The last one at the wedding really is about a father reconnecting with his daughter because she’s getting married, Like any dad, he wants to know who his daughter is marrying and what kind of family he comes from. He just has no idea what he’s walking into. I loved the theme of found family but more than anything, I loved Frank! He was a hardworking, honest, endearing man and from page one, I was attached to this guy. This story really brought to the forefront what a parent will do for their child and also what they shouldn’t do. I love books that make me wonder what I would do and this is one of those books.

A tangled web of a story that is intriguing and surprising. Just when you think you know what is happening and who is who a twist is revealed. A true psychological thriller that takes a look at family dynamics and social issues.

(will be posted on Goodreads and Storygraph)

Firstly, thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc!


I can confidently say I enjoyed this book more than Hidden Pictures. The cast of characters were much more interesting! Frank was a solid main character, and while he had (many) flaws, I still understood all of his motives. I liked that he was a UPS driver, I’ve never seen that as an occupation in a book before! Tammy was another solid character, and I thought the detail of her being a foster parent really added to the story- Abigail was another great character!!

Sadly, this wasn’t my favorite read of all time, though. I was expecting Maggie to be one of the “big bads” the second she made her presence known. I also knew Aiden wasn’t going to be involved. Though I cannot say I was expecting the BIG twist with the wedding (will leave that out bc it was so unexpected!)

Overall, this is a fun thriller and I’m definitely glad I read it! It was well thought out and written very well!!

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.

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!