Great debut from this author. I loved everything about this book!

It ticked all the boxes, mystery, suspense, who done it? Even the ending wrapped up well!

Holy crap.

If you like mystery-thriller-horrors (with a fair amount of blood/gore, you've been warned) and books about books, then this is the book for you. I'm not kidding, read it (when it comes out February 11, 2025).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.

This book follows a handful of thriller mystery novelists on a writers retreat on an island hosted by a famous anonymous writer in the genre. During their visit things don’t go as planned. Overall I liked this book. It had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait to read to find out what was going to happen. I felt very connected to Milly and wanted to see how her story would end. Although I didn’t love the ending I still would recommend this book.

Effective immediately, whenever you look up the definition of "dynamic debut" you'll see a picture of the You Are Fatally Invited cover. Wow. Talk about a book you literally can't put down. If you love twisty thrillers, this is the book for you. There are so many twists and turns it should come with a warning to strap yourself down before you start reading. Ande Pliego has masterfully crafted a winning addition to the locked room mystery genre. It's entertaining. It's fun. It's brilliant. Pliego deftly switches viewpoints between the different characters to produce a book which will deserve to be on the "Best Of 2025" lists. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam, and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is such a clever book. There are so many twists and turns. It was a wild ride reading this book! It’s a very twisted story. The author kept me guessing. It wasn’t until the very end of the book that I finally understood what was happening. It was very different and kept me engrossed the whole time. The writing is clever and fresh. I highly recommend this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the ARC of this. Unfortunately, it was just okay for me. I requested it because the plot sounded really good to me and the locked room-one-by-one is one of my favorite sub-genres. For some reason I just didn't connect all that much and it took me awhile to get through. I do plan on reading more from the author and giving it another go. Again, thank you for the arc.

I love a good locked room thriller, and a remote island murder mystery is even better. Ande Pliego's You Are Fatally Invited takes us to a writer's retreat where the guests are all guilty of one horrific crime or another, and the game is to figure out which sins were committed by which author. Sound twisty enough? Just wait...

As the participants are killed off one by one, the race to find the well-known-but-never-seen writer Alastor intensifies. Who is the mastermind author with a vendetta against every guest? And will anyone survive?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this dark, unpredictable thrill ride.

I have such admiration for anyone who is able to have a book published, and I wish Ande many congratulations on this achievement, however, this book was just not a good read for me. It dragged on for too long, could have been cut by at least 50 pages, and just didn’t evoke a “read in one sitting,” or “couldn’t put down” feeling. Thank you Ande Pliego and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

I'm an absolute sucker for a locked room mystery, and boy does this deliver! I loved the character- driven story, but could've used a bit faster pacing.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

Reclusive author J. R. Alastor invites six thriller writers to his home on Wolf Harbor Island for a writing retreat. Little do they know that they will soon find themselves enmeshed in a deadly game.

Will they all survive?

=========

Told from several points of view, the unfolding story has bits and pieces of J. R. Alastor’s book on writing sprinkled throughout the telling of the tale. Alastor has invited half a dozen thriller writers to Wolf Harbor Island for a week-long writing retreat. However, everyone holds a secret or two and more than one person has murder on their minds.

Isolated in the mansion on the island . . . think Clue . . . the narrative gives readers insights into each of the guests, provides commentary on crime writing tropes, and provides much food for thought as the plot twists and the possibilities keep readers guessing. Although there are no particularly likeable characters, each is well-developed and believable.

Complex, intriguing, and captivating, the evolving story slowly reveals everyone’s secrets. A perfect read for those who enjoy creepy tales filled with murder, mayhem, and dark humor.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley
#YouAreFatallyInvited #NetGalley

"You Are Fatally Invited" is an enjoyable, character-driven mystery story. The writing is a bit proper which made it seem standoffish, and the pace is slower than what I like in a suspense novel, but if you enjoy characters, mysteries, and writing tropes, you will love this! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Pub Date: Feb 11th, 2025.

#YouAreFatallyInvited

A deliciously thrilling Clue-like murder mystery, perfectly set with a backdrop of a four story colonial manor on a foggy private island during autumn. The setting could not be more perfect for a book like this and this is the perfect autumnal read. Lovers of autumn and murder mysteries (and I am both) will eat this one up because the vibes of this are so autumnal.

First off, this is very, very well written. But it does take a while to get into. This is more of a me problem but I think my brain may have been too ADHD to appreciate this book because this one of those types of books you have read very carefully and pay a lot of attention to. It’s written in first person from the POV of a different character for every chapter without any pattern, so it can get a bit confusing because I often would forget who is even narrating the story and have to go back to the start of the chapter. It is really cleverly written, but it was too confusing with the switching POVs for every chapter.

This was really well written, just wasn’t as compulsively readable as some of the other thrillers I’ve read. What I count as a good thriller is a book that I can’t wait to pick up, where the time flies by, and I’m flipping the pages because I want to know how it ends so badly. This unfortunately was not one of those, and as a murder mystery with an immaculate setting, I was hoping that it would be. It kind of was a slog to get through and it took me forever to finish because I never had the motivation to pick it back up. It wasn’t a bad read at all, the author is clearly talented, it just wasn’t interesting enough for me to get more into it. I think the right reader that matches with this type of book would appreciate this though. I’m just more of the kind of reader that is more plot driven than anything, and I would take unimpressive writing and a fantastic plot over a really well written book that is kind of boring. I’ve rated some really mediocrely written books 4-5 stars because I could not put it down. Not everyone would agree with that though, so I do think this book would be a good fit for a certain type of reader!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

"It was silly, I nearly said. But here I was, finally talking to a real author--one of the first I'd ever met in person. And another writer knows that nothing about writing is, in fact, silly--or perhaps the whole thing is. That dreaming up people and worlds is perhaps the silliest, most beautiful thing a human can do."

Brilliant. Captivating. Full of twists. Clue but with authors. The writing was superb. The characters were distinct and well developed. Red herrings abound. The ending, everything coming together, was so clever.

✨An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered in this twisty locked room mystery.✨

Let me tell you, this narrative is a whirlwind of twists and turns, but it’s so wonderfully captivating. Typically, I struggle to keep track of characters, yet surprisingly, this book excels in character development, making the journey feel much more intimate and allowing me to remember each character distinctly. Of course, those shocking twists leave you questioning everything you thought you understood, adding another layer of complexity to the reading experience. There are so many layers! I’m still definitely digesting this one, but I can, with certainty, say this may just be one of my favorite mystery books ever. It’s like a grown-up version of CLUE.

The breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout were perfect. I can’t even count how many times I was fooled. The multiple POVs really helped with the trickery, as did the little excerpts thrown in from one of the characters’ books. I honestly feel pretty proud of myself for guessing one of the more significant twists because, wow! It is hard to say more without spoilers, but one of the twists had me so happy and relieved. And the ending? Perfect.

Some people might find this plot confusing, but it will all become clear by the end if you persevere. You have to give this one a try!!! The expected publication date is February 11, 2025. Go pre-order if you haven’t yet! 🔪🩸

Thank you sooooooo much, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam, for providing me with an ARC of this upcoming mystery/thriller. As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤

I really liked this book! The beginning of my review may not sound complementary but bare with me.

Okay, so I hate this trope. A bunch of people with a secret lured to an isolated location by an unknown party with an axe to grind. That hasn't been original since Agatha Christie came up with it. It's probably the single most abused trope there is. Only a handful of writers has ever done it any justice and this author was one of them.

There's no original idea under the Sun. Everything has been done multiple times. At this point, an authors challenge isn't to write a new idea, its to write an old one in a new way. Most can't accomplish that, in my opinion anyway. Many of today's popular authors can't write to save their lives. They have one good book then use the same formula for everything that follows. Ghost writers support some of the "Literary Giants" because they haven't had an original thought in decades. (No one can write 3 books a year, okay.)

I'm 34 and, believe it or not, I've been reading since I was 2. I've read thousands of books and it's become a challenge to find one I actually enjoy. I've become jaded because it's all been done better before.

So, imagine my surprise to find such an aged idea in such a new way! This author took Agatha Christies "And Then There Were None" and made it her own. She didn't pretend it was a new idea, the book itself acknowledges that these tropes are old and tired. Then she gave them new life! I loved it! It was refreshing and beautiful. And this is the best book I've read this year!

One of the things I dislike most about these plots is the paranoid atmosphere. Everyone scrambling to save their own lives, manipulating and backstabbing each other. It's boring and makes it impossible for me to root for anyone. (I cannot read a book where I don't care about at least one character, or worse, want everyone to die.) But this book gave us options. The MC, Mila, was not perfect. She hated, manipulated, got involved in the scheme somewhat knowingly, etc. Even planned her own murder. But, it worked. I liked Ash. I even liked Olivia. The book was also funny. I'm a sucker for some good sarcasm!

My one complaint is that I wanted more. I really wanted to know more about the the villian. We get the motivation but not a lot of explanation on how. I would also like to know more about Olivia, not a novel, but a short story would be nice. Oh, and why did the old lady kill her husband? We didn't get an explanation on that either.

The writing is very "lofty" so it took me a minute to become immersed in the story. However, I think fans of slower-paced character-driven stories will appreciate this book. I'm not sure quote what to compare the author to, maybe Agatha Christie premise with Taylor Adams insight and Sarah Goodwin pacing? I love the inclusion of tropes as riddles and traps to avoid, and I would readily watch this in movie form.

Reading this book was a rollercoaster experience, with the author skillfully incorporating classic writing tropes, teaching readers about the crime fiction writing process while taking them on a thrilling adventure that simulates a writer's retreat. The author presented the perspectives of all characters, allowing readers to become intimately acquainted with each one, making this a character-driven thriller.

📢 Calling All Mystery Lovers📢

🔪🪦✍️📚✉️🩸

Imagine an isolated island, a group of thriller authors with something to hide and everything to lose, and a retreat packed with plot twists, genre tropes, and games. Mila, the host with her own dark agenda, quickly finds herself entangled in a real-life whodunit when a guest winds up dead—but not the one she planned! With a relentless storm, mounting tension, and a killer who seems to anticipate every twist, the story races toward a deadly conclusion. Perfect for fans of clever, locked-room mysteries, this one is an absolute page-turner that'll keep you guessing until the end! Congrats on the debut, Ande!!

In You Are Fatally Invited entführt uns Ande Pliego in die düstere und spannende Welt eines exklusiven Schreib-Retreats auf einer privaten Insel, wo das Spiel mit dem Tod eine ganz neue Bedeutung erhält. 🏝️✍️

Die Geschichte beginnt mit Mila del Angél, einer ehemaligen aufstrebenden Schriftstellerin, die von dem berühmten anonymen Autor J. R. Alastor eingeladen wird, um einen einwöchigen Workshop für Thriller-Autoren zu leiten. Mila hat nicht nur ihre Leidenschaft für das Schreiben im Gepäck, sondern auch eine persönliche Rechnung mit einem der Teilnehmer.

Der Aufbau ist geschickt, da Pliego die Spannung von Anfang an aufbaut. Sechs talentierte Autoren, jeder mit eigenen Geheimnissen und Abgründen, versammeln sich in Alastors prächtigem Anwesen. Die Stimmung ist unheimlich, und die interaktiven Spiele, die als Unterhaltung gedacht sind, verwandeln sich schnell in einen Überlebenskampf, als ein Mord geschieht – und nicht der, den Mila geplant hatte.

Die Handlung nimmt rasant Fahrt auf, als ein Sturm die Insel vom Festland abschneidet und die Protagonistin gezwungen ist, sich einem Killer zu stellen, der die Tricks und Kniffe des Genres nur zu gut kennt. Mila muss nicht nur ihre eigenen Pläne überdenken, sondern auch herausfinden, wem sie noch trauen kann, während die Zahl der Verdächtigen und Opfer gleichermaßen sinkt.

Pliego schafft es, die Leser mit cleveren Wendungen und einem unvorhersehbaren Finale zu fesseln. Die Atmosphäre ist dicht, die Dialoge scharf und die Charaktere vielschichtig, was das Buch zu einem echten Page-Turner macht.

You Are Fatally Invited ist nicht nur ein spannender Thriller, sondern auch eine Hommage an das Schreiben selbst, an die Macht der Geschichten und die Dunkelheit, die in jeder von ihnen lauern kann. Ein absolutes Muss für Fans von Krimis und psychologischen Thrillern! 🔪📚

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of You Are Fatally Invited.

The title is was what drew my eye to the premise but a part of me thought, here we go again, another locked room mystery.

Personal experience tells me this won't end well and I was right.

I love revenge stories and the premise sounded right up my alley, an anonymous author, an aspiring writer bent on revenge, a big mansion on an isolated island, creepy games and riddles to solve.

What's not to like:

A lot.

Let's start with the cast; not one character is likable though some people experience a bit of growth at the end.

But does that mean I like them? No.

The narrative drags, oh boy, does it drag. Lots of exposition, lots of POVs, lots of talk about suspense and thriller tropes, which is meta since the book is exploiting those very tropes.

All the reader has to figure out is how each character knows each other and in what capacity, but the story is purposely bogged down with dull, monotonous filler about each character's backstory and the books they wrote.

The writing was good, but also too wordy, too verbose...too much.

The story was boring. Even when people start dropping like flies, it took too long to get there and it's hard to care since I didn't like anyone.

Everything was TOO hard to suspend disbelief for; the elaborate schemes, the devious machinations, the setup.

I guessed Mila's ulterior motive but her need for vengeance seemed lame especially after waiting a decade to enact her plan.

This is no Count of Monte Cristo; even the identity of the reclusive author was a downer, and not because I figured out who it was early on.