This was such a fun, twisty read! If you love locked-room mysteries, You Are Fatally Invited is a must-read! Six thriller authors arrive on a private island for an exclusive retreat, but when one guest turns up dead, everyone becomes both a suspect and a potential next victim. The story itself was engaging, and kept me guessing throughout. I loved that we got the POV's from each character as the story progressed, it threw me off the trail of different characters and brought a lot of color to the story. I will absolutely be reading Ande's next books!

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC
3.5 ⭐️

This one was a mixed bag. I enjoyed the way the author used book tropes as a way to format and separate the sections of the story. I also liked the inclusion of other books and interviews in the narrative. These additions gave it a mixed media feel. I think the characters were pretty well developed, and some of them added a dark humor that I appreciated. However, it felt a little too long, and it became cheesy at times. I will be watching out for more from this author.

A mysterious author hosts a writing retreat at his isolated island mansion. The authors gather and of course things do not go as planned and there is a murderer on the loose. Island thrillers always give me heightened anxiety of feeling trapped. This one was enjoyable but not anything groundbreaking. 3.5 stars.

When several mystery authors are invited to an island retreat by one of the most famous authors, they know there will be games. Everyone has a secret, and everyone will pay a price for what they’ve done in the past. Mila is the coordinator of this event and is in communication with the mysterious author who owns the resort. Murders begin to happen; games are played and the body count rises. Mila is left to wonder if she is next on the list. They all had a secret that they were dying to keep. This is quite a twisty, complicated cat and mouse game right to the end. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

I received an ARC of You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego from Netgalley!

The premise of the book really intrigued me and I was excited to start reading.. a secluded house filled with writers that get to play murder mystery games. However, I found that there were way too many characters and swapping points of view to actually come to care for any of the characters or what happened to them. Unfortunately, it took me a lot of energy to push through this book.

What a fun read! You Are Fatally Invited was a locked-room thriller/mystery with lots of red herrings, and lots of twists. Think: The game Clue, but with a bunch of thriller authors, and their tropes are being used against them.

A writers retreat on a (you guessed it) remote island quickly goes south when their host doesn’t show up the first night. Things start happening, and it’s clear someone is out for revenge.

This story unfolded like a dark and sinister game, and I devoured every page.

There were a lot of characters, and a lot of perspectives we got to hear from, which I enjoyed. I especially liked how it bounced from the excerpts from the “book” to what was happening in real life.

I thought for sure I had the who-done-it portion figured out, but definitely didn’t.

A great read!

I cannot resist a twisty mystery set on a remote island — bonus points for a motley crew of pleasingly unlikeable characters who may or may not have SECRETS. 'You Are Fatally Invited' hits it out of the park by getting a little meta about mystery tropes. Dropping a group of authors — who know how the mechanics of crime novels are supposed to work — into their own murder mystery? Genius.

The plot twists are plentiful, surprising, and satisfying — and the ending is brilliant. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Perfect for anyone who loves a modern approach to golden-age crime stories.

"You Are Fatally Invited" by Ande Pliego is a clever and engaging locked-room mystery that delivers a satisfying blend of suspense and literary intrigue. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I dove right in, eager to see how Pliego would navigate the premise of a thriller writer's retreat gone awry.

The concept itself is brilliant: a private island, a reclusive author, and a group of thriller writers, each with their own secrets and motives. The atmosphere is thick with tension from the start, and Pliego skillfully builds the suspense as the retreat takes a deadly turn. The trope-fueled riddles and games add a playful, meta-fictional layer to the narrative, making it feel fresh and unique.

Mila del Angél, the host with a hidden agenda, is a compelling protagonist. Her internal conflict and her determination to uncover the truth drive the story forward. The interplay between Mila and the other authors is particularly well-crafted, with each character adding their own distinct flavor to the narrative.

The isolated island setting, coupled with the escalating body count, creates a palpable sense of claustrophobia and urgency. Pliego masterfully employs misdirection and red herrings, keeping the reader guessing until the final, satisfying reveal. While a few moments felt a bit predictable, the overall narrative delivered a solid twisty mystery.

★★★★☆

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This story is about JR Alastor who hires Mila to help with hosting a writing retreat on a private island for many famous authors who each have something to hide from their past. The group all thinks they have arrived to really figure out who Alastor really is as he writes under a pen name but, little did they know their retreat would turn into games with life and death decisions based on their past choices. They slowly realize the only way to survive is to figure out which one of them is the real Alastor.

I thought this was going to be my first DNF book. I decided to give it a second try before my ARC expired and I’m happy I did. I really ended up enjoying the storyline of the book which was a mix of clue and escape room.

This book was difficult at first because it was hard to keep track of the characters during the first few chapters. The only other issue I continued to have was the chapters were long and each chapter was from a different characters view point which made me continue to go back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose perspective I’ve was suppose to be reading it from.

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

You Are Fatally Invited was one of the most highly anticipated mysteries to be released early 2025, and it did not disappoint!

Bestselling but elusive author JR Alastor hires event planner Mila to run a writer's retreat out of his home in an island off Maine. Other writers relish the chance to meet the author, who has never let his identity be published. But Mila has an agenda of her own. One of the writers attending stole her manuscript years ago and published it as her own. Soon all the writer's lives will be in danger. Their host knows their secrets, and he wants to make them pay.

This book pays homage to all the mystery and thriller tropes, and in particular, the locked room mystery. You will need to suspend belief as everything is over the top and a little crazy. However, it is very fun, if you can call multiple murders fun! I thought it was clever that authors were killed in the manner they had described in their books. It also helps that I find the main character, Mila, appealing.

If you're ready to be really entertained and don't mind not taking your mystery too seriously, this is a clever and fun read and I sped through it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ande Pliego, and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this mystery, but it fell so flat for me. This is a locked door situation that is reportedly a retelling of famous older mysteries. I thought the premise, several mystery writers are on a “retreat” with their anonymous famous host, was so interesting, but I just couldn’t get into this story. The story unfolds through several people’s point of view. I think this was maybe the fatal flaw, as I felt like I didn't get an appropriate character development out of any of them. The characters just felt lacking and I could not relate to them or root for them in the book, so I really didn’t care about their outcomes. I did appreciate the fairly short chapters, which are essential in a mystery, but it felt like such a slow burn until well after midway in the book. I just left wanting more, which says a lot when there are several murderous twists throughout. Nevertheless, this is likely to be a very popular book for many readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

I adore locked room mysteries and luckily we have a decent sized patron base that love them too. This one hooked me from the beginning. I loved the obvious tropes. At the beginning I was sure it was a simple popcorn thriller, by the end my mind was changed. Great plot, good twists, likeable (and not so) characters. Clever, a bit gorier than I initially expected. I've already placed on hold for several of our patrons!

A truly immersive locked room mystery! The thriller writer characters and atmospheric setting were superb. Though the shifting POVs and twists required close attention, I was utterly hooked. The inclusion of a house map was a brilliant touch.

I enjoyed this locked room mystery so much! It reminded me of the game Clue, and it has a map of the house and rooms that help you visualize the story. I loved that the characters were all thriller authors, and the atmospheric vibes were amazing! With all of the twists and multiple POVs, things were hard to follow at times, but I was hooked to the story and could not put it down!! I also loved it so much that I purchased a physical copy and will recommend this to my fellow readers.

Lots of characters made this locked room mystery a bit of a bummer for me. I think a focus on a smaller group of people with more fleshed out personalities would have made this more enjoyable.

In "You Are Fatally Invited," Ande Pliego delivers a riveting mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.

The story centers around an exclusive invitation to a glamorous yet sinister event, where attendees quickly find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and murder. Pliego’s plot is a masterclass in twists and turns, offering surprises at every corner while maintaining a satisfying sense of cohesion.

The pacing strikes a perfect balance between suspenseful build-up and surprising revelations. As tensions rise, Pliego skillfully introduces layers of intrigue that deepen the mystery, keeping readers guessing about both the culprit and the true motives behind the deadly gathering. The narrative’s rhythm ensures that the stakes remain high, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.

What truly elevates "You Are Fatally Invited" is its memorable cast of characters. Each individual is richly drawn, with flaws, motivations, and secrets that make them feel authentic and compelling. Their interactions add depth to the story, creating a dynamic interplay of trust and betrayal that heightens the tension. Pliego’s knack for character-driven storytelling enhances the immersive nature of the novel, making it not just a thrilling read but also an emotionally engaging one. This is a must-read for fans of mysteries with sharp plotting and captivating characters.

“You Are Fatally Invited” is Ande Pliego’s debut thriller centering on a writer’s retreat gone horribly wrong. Six best selling thriller writers, along with three staff members, are trapped on a private island off the coast of Maine during a terrible storm - with a psychotic murder bent on making them pay for their past sins.

Overall this book was very tightly structured and a fun, fast paced read. I loved the writing and especially the short chapters, the mysterious setting, and the complex characters! I also greatly enjoy the inclusion of the triller tropes - it was fun to see how each one played out in the narrative.

However, I did have a few quibbles that kept me from giving this five stars. First, the number of narrators either needed to be narrowed to just a few (two would’ve worked well like Ruth Ware’s “One by One”) or explained to include all of the characters. Pliego’s choice to occasionally add a POV was both distracting and took away some of the suspense.

I also found the ending to be a bit of a let down - I was able to work out the murderer fairly early on in the book. I did however enjoy the wrap up at the very end. While it might have been a bit too contrived I liked the final bits of justice for one of the characters.

Overall “You Are Fatally Invited” was one of the better thrillers that I’ve read - clever, self referential, and fast paced. I’d highly recommend it and I’m looking forward to checking out Ande Pliego’s future works!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random
House/Ballantine/Bantam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review posted on Goodreads on 9 March 2025.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7219778620

I loved the premise and the overall plot of the book, it was twisty and fun. Locked room mysteries are some of my favorite reads!
However I thought that there was too many characters and it was a lot to take in at times.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Six thriller authors are invited to a week retreat at a private island estate hosted by a renowned anonymous author. Why these 6 authors? All have something to hide / confess. As various thriller tropes are written into events as the days go by, the guests must cooperate or end up murdered like the characters in their books.

If Agatha Christie wrote a book about the board game Clue, you’d get this book. They play a custom Clue game representing the rooms at the estate, the estate map at the beginning of the book is the Clue layout, & they have to play ‘games’ to figure out who the murderer is. I would have preferred if the title somehow credited Clue. The current title is mediocre. Same with the house/beach front cover; it didn’t fit the book. The setting is an exquisite four-story estate but the house on the cover looks like a modern day two-story home.

There were some unexpected surprises, excerpts from the host’s newest book that flowed well with what events were occurring, memorable quotes, and unique plot ideas. The suspense / thrill was lacking though. I found myself dozing off or losing focus too frequently. The chapters were really short and switched POVs frequently. It’s written is first person, POV of all the characters. The writing style didn’t vary enough from character to character and with the chapters being so short, it was difficult to recall which character’s POV I was reading / who was talking.

Overall, not a bad mystery read. Would recommend if you like books where characters are forced together in an isolated location to be systemically killed off.

Review and rating posted to Goodreads. Social media posting will occur on March 25.

When several mystery authors are invited to an inclusive retreat by one of the most famous authors, they know the games begin. Everyone has a secret on this writer's retreat and everyone will pay a price for their past mistakes. As Mila is called to coordinate this extravaganza plan with the mysterious author who nobody has ever met. It becomes evident that the revenge Mila seeks is not what she was expecting. As the murder toll rises, Mila is left to wonder if she is next on the list. They all had a secret that they were dying to keep. This is a fast-paced cat and mouse game that had me guessing with every clue and glued to each character. I did not see all the twists coming as all their secrets come out in the end. I had no clue who the mystery author's identity was either. I enjoyed how this novel was written and honestly could picture all the characters. If you want a fast paced thriller, this is the book for you. I will be recommending this book to others and look forward to reading more by Ande Pliego.