I love a locked room mystery and this one was excellent. I highly recommend this book if you also like a locked room thriller or any thriller/mystery book really. I really can’t wait to see what else this author comes up with in the future.

Six authors are invited to a mystery writers retreat on a remote island. Mila has organised games for week on behalf of the host, Alastor. But when Alastor doesn't turn up and the bodies start piling up it's clear that there is more to this mystery retreat than writing.

I love a mystery that has you guessing from the start! From the very first page I was trying to work out the many mysteries of this book. Every time I thought I had it figured out there was another twist added. Locked room mysteries are some of my favourites so I really enjoyed the isolated island setting of this book. The people were all so different but perfectly cast as the characters in a mystery. Each person showcased a different mystery trope but there were also some red herrings thrown in along the way.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam for the advanced reader copy!

I have to say, I’m shocked at how much I liked this. At times, was a little dark for me, but the mystery was so well done. Every character has complex, connected secrets, and Pliego does such a good job at stringing you along in anticipation. I've read books with this trope before (such as The Guest List) but You Are Fatally Invited did it so much better. My favorite part was how each character's POV was revealed slowly throughout the book, instead of them being dumped in front of you from the start. I was additionally surprised at how tense the story could be. There were times when I was clenching my jaw waiting for something to be revealed, which is simply a testament to how well the suspense was written. It also felt pretty original compared to other books I've read, and I loved how Pliego incorporated elements of what it feels like to be an author. My only complaint was that, at times, it could get a little cheesy, and the characters too cliche. Very good overall and I'd honestly expect it to become somewhat of a bestseller once it's released!

Wow. Just wow. This was my first advanced digital review copy that I received and it was amazing. A real life Clue Game with thriller authors as the players. Nearly every thriller trope was so intricately added and the characters played so well into the story, I forgot I was reading halfway through. For a debut novel, I am so excited to see what Pliego writes next. Her writing style was so unique and detail oriented, she is an author to watch going forward. If you love the who done it, survive the night, or locked in a room trope, this book is 100% worth picking up as it has all three and more.

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher at Random House, and NetGalley for the digital review copy and allowing me to give an honest review of this amazing book!

thank you so much to Bantam/Ballantine & Ande Pliego for this ARC via Netgalley!!

i had such a good time reading this one! i’ve always loved clue and this took such an interesting spin on the “locked room” idea as well as various other thriller tropes that were weaved in. it was a bit slow to get started but once i really got into the neat of it (40-50% in) i did not want to put it down (and i didn’t lol) and ended up devouring the rest of it. part of this was that the multiple povs was overwhelming at the beginning but i did come to appreciate them by the end.

maybe i was just too enveloped in the story to really think far ahead but i truly did not see some of the ending twists coming which was a nice surprise! overall, i think it wrapped up nicely and i felt content with the ending. if you want a writer’s themed locked door mystery thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat you should give You Are Fatally Invited a read when it comes out February 11, 2025❤️‍🔥🔪

*posted on Goodreads and scheduled to be posted on IG this week*

The premise of this sounded very intriguing, but it did not quite captivate me as I thought it would. The characters weren’t very likable and I felt it hard to keep track of whose perspective I was reading from.

What an incredible debut! I rarely find a thriller that actually keeps me guessing and this one did just that. Every time I thought I had everything figured out, I was completely wrong. If you’re looking a murder mystery with high stakes, this is the book for you!

This book is such a well done thriller, I could NOT put this book down.

J.R. Alastor, a famous, anonymous author, hosts a writing retreat, at his private island, and authors jump at the chance to attend.

However, once they all get there, it turns out Alastor had a sinister reason for all inviting them there, and now they must work together to figure out how to escape. The only problem? Not everyone is who they seem to be. Soon the bodies are piling up, and you start to wonder, will anyone make it off the island alive?

I loved the multiple POVs and quick chapters.- everyone is an unreliable narrator, which I actually adored, because it made it really hard to guess what was really going on. The ending will blow your mind.

If you love a locked room mystery, Agatha Christie novels, or the game Clue, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishers – Ballantine for a complimentary copy of this novel!

I so enjoyed this book!!! It’s a mystery thriller set on a private island where a mysterious author only known as J. R. Alastor invites six authors to his estate. There is also Mila, hired by Alastor to prepare the estate and move the activities along. Then there’s the cook and the housekeeper. Each author has a shady past they’re hiding, and Alastor communicates via Mila that in order to survive, you must confess your sins. But it’s not only the six authors with a questionable past. Mila, the cook, and the housekeeper also have something to hide. With games to play and win, riddles to solve, and a fight to the finish; this is a locked room type mystery with a little bit of Clue mixed in. This novel is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!!! And on top of everything going on and bodies dropping like flies, the island is cut off from the rest of the world due to a storm and someone purposefully disconnecting all communication. So, there is no help coming and there’s a killer loose on the island! And one of them also has a hidden agenda! But the main question everyone is literally dying to find out (no pun intended), is “Who is J. R. Alastor?” Read this exciting rollercoaster of a novel to find out when it comes out February 11, 2025!!!

I must read too many books because so many parts of this book felt familiar. And I don't just mean because the classic mystery tropes were generously sprinkled throughout the story. At the beginning, I struggled with differentiating the characters. I think my count was off! Once I was able to separate them, the reading flowed much smoother for me and I was able to enjoy the finer details. Did I know who J. R. Alastor was before the ending? Kind of. I had it narrowed down pretty good. But like many good books, the journey is as good as the ending. All of which I enjoyed! I will be looking for future books from this author!

You Are Fatally Invited is a fantastic locked room murder mystery that takes place on an isolated island during a writers retreat.
Reclusive author J R Alastor hires Mila to run a themed mystery writers retreat to expose each of the writers' crimes. While Mila is initially excited to get revenge on the author that stole her book, this soon go awry when one author ends up dead. THe authors will have to figure out who among them is a murderer and who is J R Alastor.
This had all the best elements of a Clue game. It was so twisty and interesting. With that many characters, sometimes they can get lost in the shuffle but Pliego did a great job with the narrator choices to make each character stand out.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atrandombooks for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

So after reading the blurb for this I was pretty excited to get started. Unfortunately, this whodunit mystery, just didn’t do it for me.

The setting was perfect for a Clue-esque mystery with a Knives Out vibe. The characters being a group of different authors in a creepy estate was also a fun vibe for a mystery. The individuality of each of them made for a fun ride. It definitely helped having the chapters come from different perspectives. I prefer storytelling in that format for sure, especially mysteries or thrillers. The unraveling of the murders started off promising but it got muddy for me along the way.

The reveal also fell flat for me. The action in the climax also felt forced and out of place compared to the rest of the book but it made for some good imagery. There was just a lot happening at once for no reason and the reveal kind of had the “oh man, really?” vibe.

Overall, it was a decent read and a fun mystery, but nothing to write home about.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Putting successful authors on an island together with murderous strings being pulled sets the creative bar high. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite rise to the challenge.

When an author famous for anonymity and cranking out top tier novels invites six fellow authors to a secluded island for a writers’ retreat they jump at the opportunity to attend. There’s a storm blowing in so you know what that means, everyone is about to be trapped together.

What could possibly go wrong?

The amount of threads and characters is ambitious for a debut. The chapters are narrated from alternating perspectives. The characters aren’t fleshed out enough to carry this off. Their voices aren’t distinctive, I had to double check whose perspective was being heard from. Few characters were more than cardboard cutouts. I can’t imagine the amount of notes involved in keeping the plot threads in order. This isn’t bad in theory, but the many moving pieces bogged down the momentum. Less would’ve been more. If you’ve read many thrillers you will probably clock at least some of the plentiful twists early on.

Lots of tropes are explored, which is fun for fans who love these books, but nothing stood out in particular.

The games were a fun catalyst, but as soon as it built a little steam things would inevitably slow to a crawl.

It took me getting to about 70% to feel like the novel caught a gear and ran with it.

I kept thinking this one might be that rare bird that’s better onscreen than it is on paper.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing an Advanced Reading Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Wow!! Ande Pleigo knocked it out of the park! As a lover of thrillers, I always become disappointed whenever the ending is predictable. This was not the case with You Are Fatally Invited. This book truly kept me on my toes. Pleigo purposefully kept details hidden from the reader until just the right moment. I loved how fast paced the story was and found myself staying up late to finish!

Some critics noted that there were too many characters to keep track of, but I found this to be purposeful! Because of the numerous characters, it was more difficult to pin the crimes to the correct person. This led to a fun reveal!

If you enjoy a "who-done-it" type of book, this one is for you!!

Many thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for sharing this eARC with me!! Congratulations to Ande Pliego for a wonderful book debut!

When world renowned author J.R. Alastor invites a group of writers to a retreat on his private island they have no idea what they're in for. 6 thriller authors get off the boat and are greeted by the event planner Mila, who informs them that their host has been held up but will be joining them shortly. In the mean time they can all get to know each other over drinks and dinner. During dinner they are given a mystery to solve, the first of many. Behind the scenes Mila is more than meets the eye. She has an axe to grind with one of the attendees and is working together with Alastor to get back at him/her. When one of the authors winds up dead, Mila realizes that Alastor is playing his own game and she can't tell whether she's a victim or a participant.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. I loved the premise and the opening chapters drew me in. After the first author's death I started to lose track of all the characters and I lost interest. There were too many people to keep track of and this person perspective. I had high hopes and was really looking forward to this one, but it fell flat for me.

"An exclusive thriller writer's retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered.

When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance - particularly since she has an axe to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem.

Confess the crimes, survive the tropes.

Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two - the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead - and it's not the murder she planned - Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether.

One by one, you'll lose your turn.

With a storm isolating the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book.

Until only one of us remains..."

I loved locked-room mysteries, and here to have the murderers be writers? Perfection.

You Are Fatally Invited's description reminded me of Clue (the game), but ultimately struggled with its final execution. The murder mystery is the most intriguing part, with an original set up (a writing retreat for authors who are all holding onto a dark secret) with a fun map insert to guide the readers through the action. But the slow pacing, repetitive conversations, and an overwhelming number of characters and backstories to keep track of weighed the plot down. The end felt rushed and left me with several unanswered questions.
Mila is well-developed, but the rest of the characters felt uneven. Out of the seven main characters, only three are fully fleshed out, while the others feel underdeveloped or rushed. The lack of depth in some of the characters and unresolved minor storylines detracted from the overall impact of the mystery, leaving me more focused on trying to figure out who J.R. Alastor is rather than connecting with the characters and what they were going through. By the end, J.R. Alastor's motivations felt unclear and did not appear to connect to all the characters involved (or the explanation was not enough for me to feel satisfied).
I am not sure I really enjoyed the style of writing. Maybe it is geared more towards other writers who can relate to the writing tropes or who can feel as if they are part of the inside joke. For a regular reader, it felt very meta but in a "I'm more clever than you are" way.
My favorite part was the various pop culture nerd references like "Don't Blink" (Doctor Who) and Negan's baseball bat (The Walking Dead), to name a few I genuinely smiled at. But these were not enough to compensate for the lack of suspense. I was hoping for more murder mystery games and "whodunnit?" but this book focused entirely on internalized guilt, grudges, and some unforgiveable life choices. It would have been a fun read if I did not have insight into many of the characters' internal monologues because I did not relate to any of them and truly did not care about what happened to them. Ton of promise here but I feel like it all fell flat about 70% of the way in.

Ande Pliego’s You Are Fatally Invited is a wickedly entertaining blend of classic mystery tropes and modern psychological thrills, offering readers a gripping “locked island” whodunit with a meta twist.

The story centers on Mila del Angél, a former aspiring writer, who finds herself hosting an exclusive thriller writers’ retreat at the request of the enigmatic J. R. Alastor. The setting—a secluded island manor off the coast of Maine—drips with gothic atmosphere, complete with a storm to trap its characters and heighten the tension. With a guest list of six thriller authors, each an expert in misdirection and dark deeds, the stage is set for intrigue. But what starts as a carefully curated experience of riddles and scares takes a deadly turn when one of the attendees is murdered—and it’s not the murder Mila planned to commit.

Pliego masterfully intertwines the tropes of the genre into the narrative, creating a self-aware puzzle for readers to unravel. The concept of thriller writers battling wits against a real-life murderer is executed with cleverness and dark humor, making the book both suspenseful and fun. Mila is a standout protagonist—sharp, morally complex, and deeply relatable as she navigates her own tangled motivations and the increasing danger around her.

The pacing is taut, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that keeps readers turning the pages. The clues, red herrings, and character dynamics are expertly deployed, allowing armchair sleuths to piece together the mystery while keeping them guessing until the final reveal. And that reveal? Jaw-dropping in the best way, tying all the narrative threads together in a way that feels both surprising and inevitable.

You Are Fatally Invited isn’t just a locked-room mystery; it’s a commentary on the genre itself, playfully critiquing and celebrating its conventions. Fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley will find much to love, but Pliego’s fresh voice ensures the book stands out in a crowded field.

With its twisty plot, vibrant characters, and razor-sharp wit, You Are Fatally Invited is an invitation you won’t want to decline—just make sure to keep the lights on.

I always love a locked room mystery, and I thought the setting for this one, the island retreat weekend for thriller writers, sounded intriguing. It has all the hallmarks of a great thriller- interesting mansion full of secret passages and weapons, characters full of secrets and hidden agendas, A DOCTORED CLUE GAME TO FIT THE FESTIVITIES!
Unfortunately some of these things made it also a little messy. Several times I had to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to figure out who was narrating that particular chapter. As with any book with a huge cast of characters, you have to pay close attention to remain on top of the story.
It was fairly easy (I thought anyways) to figure out the main “villain”, but that didn’t make the ending any less twisty and satisfying. I loved the Confessional puzzle!

Thanks to Ande Pliego, Bantam/Ballantine/Random House Publishing for providing this arc to NetGalley readers!

US pub date: 2/11/25
Genre: thriller, locked room mystery
Quick summary: Mila's excited to host an exclusive writers' retreat on behalf of a famous author. She's planned some games and surprises - but she never thought that a guest would bring murder to the table.

Clue gets a horror-esque twist in this debut novel - I wasn't expecting that level of darkness! There were plenty of twists and turns and of course, lots and lots of secrets. I liked all the little details of the riddles, and I bet other thriller fans will too. It's a strong debut from Pliego, and I'll look out for more from her. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to Bantam for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.