This follows 6 thriller writers who all come along to this writing retreat with a bestselling anonymous author and unfortunately the party planner plans on taking revenge on one of these authors. Ironic. Of course twists and turns ensue as would any thriller book would have, at least a good one. I will say I feel like this plot has been used so many times across multiple genres. Horror, thriller, I’ve even seen it done in romance where a group of writers go on some retreat together and something happens, either everything goes wrong or someone falls in love. I thought this take was fine, but could've been better.

An isolated island and people being picked off one by one? Sign me up!

The plot was a fun one - very "And Then There Were None" - esque. Full of very creative deaths, this book had me flying through the pages wanting to know who died next and how. I liked some characters more than others, so I was, without a doubt, rooting for some to die more than others. It was interesting to see how the plot unfolded, and how everyone's secrets were revealed. And some secrets were JUICY.

I still don't know how I fully feel about the ending. Surprisingly enough, and maybe because And Then There Were None is such a masterwork to me, I felt like an open ending would fit this book better.

Things I loved:
-ALL the mystery tropes
-The nods to And Then There Were None (if you've read this book, you already know 70% of what happens in this book and I'm not complaining at all)
-Multiple povs
-Characters to root for, and characters you hope get killed next

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this earc in exchange for my honest review

Pub Date: 2/11

Thank you to Bantam for this advanced copy.

I am a sucker for any Agatha Christie locked room mystery redo. And then you make it so that it’s writers on an island? I’m in! But … this book was too busy? Convoluted? The writing was great. But it didn’t break the mold like I thought it would.

This was a great time! I was completely sucked in and flew through the book. I worried about 2/3 of the way in it would fall apart but I felt it held together well. Other than a few minor complaints, I truly enjoyed it. (Those are that it may have ended for too long and it’s probably a good idea to change the book given the current situation with Neil Gaiman).

This was such a fun take on the locked room mystery!

An anonymous thriller author invites six other thriller authors for a writer’s retreat on their private island. Full of mystery, games, and incriminating clues, it quickly takes a deadly turn.

For someone who obsessively reads thrillers, I loved the cheeky insight and unique spin on classic mystery tropes. It was fascinating watching the story unfold, not unlike a game of Clue. I was able to predict some outcomes, and others surprised me.

Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the gifted ARC of You Are Fatally Invited.

Six authors are invited to an island writing retreat held by a mysterious author, J.R. Alastor. No one really knows who Alastor is, not even the event coordinator, Mila. Mila has secrets of her own though as she is trying to get revenge on one of the authors for stealing her work. However, things soon take a deadly turn as people start ending up dead.

I loved this one!!! It had multiple nods to Clue (the movie) and And Then There Were None (although maybe this was a coincidence because I didn't see anything in acknowledgements!! But there is a clear line from the Clue movie about men and Kleenex, so it felt like the author was a fan!). Those are two of my favorite things, so I really enjoyed this. The format was really enjoyable with multiple narrators, but only a few within each section. I don't think the reveal at the end was the most surprising, but it was still good and did have a piece of the reveal that I wasn't expecting! I also think the author did a good bait-and-switch with two characters roles at the end that I thought was surprising. I just really loved the intrigue, mystery, and story overall here. Highly recommend!!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this is another dud for February. And Then There Were None is one of my favorite books and I am happy for someone to give the genre a twist, but this novel was all over the place. Multiple points of view that don’t hang together mean the story never coalesces. The overarching voice is all over the place and ultimately makes for a weaker novel.

Thank you Netgalley for an early arc of You are Fatally Invited. This book was so good, I was happy to have received this one early. I would recommend reading it. I gave it 4.5 stars.

3.5 stars

Locked room mysteries are my favorite, and I couldn't wait to read this since it was going to be with a room of authors! Famous and recluse author J. R. Alastor invites the six authors for a writing retreat on an island. Mila, J.R.'s assistant and coordinator of the event is on the island to greet everyone as she and J.R. have created a week of games/riddles for the authors. Mila has more than games on her mind, though, as she has plans to unalive one of the guests.

When a guest turns up dead on the very first morning and it is like a scene from their book, even Mila is shocked. Soon, others are missing, and everyone wants off the island.

It took me a little bit to get into this book. All the author characters are introduced in the beginning and there was a lot of chitchat between them that I found unnecessary. Plus, there are multiple POVs and sometimes I had to go back and see whose viewpoint I was in.

Once I got past the first night, the story moved right along for me. I had no idea who was pulling the strings and was intrigued to find out.

Thank you to Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My first Ande Pliego novel but definitely not my last. This was a great locked room thriller. I loved the character development. Fast moving story with dark and twisted intentions. Enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Ande Pliego and Bantam US for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This thriller was missing just a little something that would have tipped it over from "decent" to "pretty great" for me. Very little sense of place (it takes place on an island off the coast of Maine, but it sure doesn't feel like it beyond the "island" part), and a slightly underwhelming reveal that an astute reader of locked-room mysteries will see coming. The writing was a mite slow but to its credit still kept me turning pages. 3.5 stars.

A very fun read! I loved the blending of horror reference with classic mystery setups. It was definitely a "can't put this down but oh god I have to go to bed" scenario and I definitely recommend it.

A totally anonymous famous author invites other acclaimed authors for a writing retreat on a remote island with a mystery theme. Mila who has been hired by Alastor orchestrates the entire Clue-like weekend until people start dying and that is NOT on the agenda. Who is the reclusive Alastor and who is picking these authors off one by one and will they survive? Fun who-dunnit with lots of secrets and twitst and turns as the authors and Mila rush to try to put the pieces together on who is doing this and why and who is the famed Alastor?

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC! #youarefatallyinvited

An absolute delight! I loved not only the pacing of the story, but the telling of it as well. From start to end, I was given an adventure!

This book was absolutely a fresh spin on the locked room mystery theme. I honestly forgot numerous times it was a debut thriller because the twists and turns were brilliant. A famous hosts a writing retreat on a private island in Maine but one by one these authors are being murdered and games are played throughout with multiple POV’s that keep you interested and engaged throughout the suspense!!

This book is a crazy twist to the game of Clue, or the movie (same thing lol), i was here for all the drama that was to come, I was very excited to read this. These known authors got invited by an award winning author Alistor, who they consider a mentor, to a retreat at his estate, but little do they know things are going to get deadly. And they are all hiding secrets, and somehow there’s a connection, and I could not put this book down, I needed to know the truth, and I needed to know who is who??? It was CRAZY!

3.5 stars. This is a new author for me and I was initially intrigued by the plot and setting. It started off pretty slow, but about halfway through, it really picked up, and I found myself much more engaged. I especially enjoyed uncovering how the characters were connected and even rooting for the narrator—along with some of the other complicated (and often unlikeable) guests. The fact that all the characters were writers added an extra layer of fun to the story. While it wasn’t perfect, it was an entertaining read overall, and I’d be interested in checking out more from this author.

Fans of Agatha Christie will want to add this to their list. The intricately plotted story features strong character development and an atmospheric setting. I kept turning the pages of this whodunnit and was thoroughly surprised by the killer. Four solid stars.

An anonymous bestselling author invites six writers to their private island for what seems like a dream writing retreat for a week of trope filled games and riddles. But host and once aspiring writer, Mila, has her own deadly agenda. With deception at every turn, each author’s ability to misdirect becomes a weapon, making for a high stakes, Clue like mystery.

Told through multiple POVs, this story is an intricate spin on the locked room thriller, packed with complexities and details. I especially enjoyed the descriptive writing, which added to the tension. However, with ten characters to track, the pacing felt inconsistent at times, and with all of the buildup, the ending didn’t fully deliver the payoff I was hoping for.

If you enjoy locked room mysteries with an eerie atmosphere, this one might be worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of You Are Fatally Invited in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ande Pliego delivers a high-stakes, adrenaline-pumping thriller in You Are Fatally Invited, a novel that feels like a thrilling blend of Escape Room and Clue, but with a sinister literary twist. From the moment the guests arrive, the tension is immediate, and the sense of foreboding only intensifies as the story unfolds.

The novel thrives on its fast-paced action and relentless twists, ensuring that nothing—and no one—is quite what they seem. As the group of shady writers finds themselves trapped in a deadly game, Pliego expertly layers deception, paranoia, and shocking revelations, keeping readers constantly on edge. Just when you think the characters have reached their worst moment, the situation escalates even further, making for an electrifying, suspense-filled read.

The setting itself is a character, immersing the reader in an atmosphere of claustrophobia and uncertainty. Each new twist adds to the growing tension, making it impossible to predict who will survive or what dark secrets will be revealed next. Pliego’s storytelling is razor-sharp, blending psychological mind games with action-packed sequences that never let up.

Overall, You Are Fatally Invited is a thrilling, unrelenting mystery that will keep readers glued to the pages. With its intense pacing, unpredictable twists, and a cast of morally ambiguous characters, this book is a must-read for fans of locked-room mysteries, psychological suspense, and high-stakes thrillers.