Rating - 3.5 stars

A bingeable thriller with a unique POV!

Thanks NetGalley Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

The narrator John Pirhalla ensures the audiobook is never paused often! It took sometime to get used to his style, but once I caught on, I think he did an amazing job portraying all the characters in the book. The voice adaptations & the right pacing made the overall listening a great experience.

Synopsis -

Frank Szatowksi has been estranged from his daughter Maggie for 3 years. So he is surprised when he gets personally invited by her to her upcoming wedding at an idyllic farm house in New Hampshire. Frank is all set to start anew with Maggie and arrives with great anticipation. But what he finds at the wedding is beyond comprehension & he can never seem to fit in to the family Maggie is marrying into. Neither can he be assertive and take it too far with her. But what will he find if he did?

Review -

#HiddenPictures was one of my favourites last year and if you head into this one with the same level of expectations, you might feel a tad bit disappointed. This is also tagged as horror category but there is nothing remotely scary about the plot.

On the other hand, the premise and the distinct POV really sets this apart in the genre. The entire narrative of Frank delves deep into a father who was challenged to single handedly bring up an adolescent girl, the struggles, the regrets and everything that entails for a single parent.

We also get to witness the most bizarre, extravagant wedding in a picturesque setting with some quirky, suspicious characters, a wealthy dysfunctional family that raises our eyebrows with their level of weirdness, toxicity and odd behaviour that seems to be all normal.

With bodies cropping up, the doubts in Frank’s mind begin to escalate & that's when it all boils down to “the last one” left at the wedding. The ending was quite perplexing and also made me feel disgusted to some extent.

Overall, it is impossible to stop and put down the book once you get into it. Depending on one’s history with reading thrillers, the level of enjoyment can vary.

Bring on a big old messy family drama with a side of suspenseful mystery!

What appealed to you most in the story?

I really liked how the drama kept me guessing and quite entertained. Plus, The constant underlying suspense kept me craving more.

I also like how refreshing Frank’s unique and quite different character was. Frank He was humorous at times, grumpy at others, and constantly at war with himself as a parent. Which leads me to the heart of this book-navigating complex parent-child relationships, wanting to always see the best in our children, and the lengths we go to, to protect them.

What to expect:

Family drama

Father-daughter relationship

Isolated setting at very ritzy lodge

How was the audiobook?

The audio is definitely the way to go for the story since it’s tightens the emotions and fully brings each character to life in their own unique way.

How was the pace?

Slow burn

Do you recommend this book?

Overall, this was a compelling thriller with a masterfully layered mystery, that included complex and intriguing characters, and immersive storytelling.

I wanted to like this book, but it was painful to finish. The concept was good, but the execution was lacking. I hated the way the story jumped forward by months several times. Also, there was excruciating detail about some events and locations and nary a word about others.

I had access to an advanced copy for my honest review, and I can't recommend this book.

Hidden Pictures was only of my favorite thrillers (a 5 star read for me) last year so when I saw Jason Rekulak was releasing another, I was super excited to see that I was approved for an ARC of this!

The Last One at the Wedding is perfect for those looking for a quick and spooky read! It's short chapters and divided parts make for a great story! The narrator did an amazing part dividing up the parts.

This bool was different than Rekulak's previous work, but I feel like for me it was because of my huge expectations from Hidden Pictures. The story starts off a bit slow but I absolutely loved the aspect that something was off, we just couldn't figure it out. The first part of the book was strong and I was dedicated to giving it 4 stars. Alas, as I kept reading I just kept getting more and more upset at some of the characters and they were honestly just annoying me! As the story continued and the plot twist was revealed while it was something unexpected, it was just OK. I felt like I had more questions about the story at the end of it. I do love the final sentence of the book as I still feel like we are missing something or something is still amiss!

After taking the first part of the book into account, this was a 3 star read for me! There were also some triggers in here so please be aware before picking this up!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the chance to listen to the ARC of this book.

Hidden Pictures was one of my favorite books of 2022. I have been patiently waiting for the next release by Jason Rekulak since then. The Last One at the Wedding was worth the wait. I listened to the audio book and the narrator was perfect. The vibe of the story was different from Hidden Pictures but it was a great suspenseful thriller. Definitely adding Rekulak to my “must read” authors.
Thank you Jason Rekulak, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC edition of this book.

I have to thank NetGalley for letting me get an early release of the audiobook for this. This book was fantastic! It kept me reading and gripped to my seat wondering what was going to happen. Mystery, thriller, drama all in one with a great plot twist! I will definitely be reading more of Jason Rekulak’s book since I loved this one so much.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is a domestic thriller where the plot keeps turning direction, keeping the reader guessing what will happen next. Several times while listening to the audio version I thought, well I didn't see that coming at all. Frank Szatowski has not spoken to his daughter Maggie for three years and when he gets a call out of the blue that she is getting married and she wants him there he jumps at the chance to walk her down the aisle. But not all is as it seems with this up coming marriage. Frank becomes suspicious and as he learns more about her fiance Aidan Gardner and his wealthy family he becomes alarmed and worried for his daughters safety. And this is where the real fun begins. This is a fun and twisty plot that surprised me over and over again. The narrator John Pirhalla was excellent. Highly recommended. 4 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for a chance to listen to an ARC audio version of this book. All opinions are my own.

After not having contact with his daughter for a few years Frank was shocked when his daughter calls him and tells him she’s getting married! From the time he arrived at the camp for the wedding I thought things were super suspicious. Making every guest sign an NDA, yeah no thanks. Loved all the little twists and turns. I wasn’t expecting the whole marriage thing to be what it was.

I devoured Hidden Pictures, so when I saw that Jason Rekulak was releasing another novel, I jumped at the chance to read it! Again, I devoured this novel! It was vastly different from Hidden Pictures, and definitely a slow build.

Frank gets a call from his estranged daughter, Maggie after 3 years. Maggie is announcing her engagement and wants to clear the air and invite her father to attend the wedding. Shocked, but excited and wanting his daughter back in his life, Frank tries to make amends and wants to reconnect. From the get-go things just seem off and Frank can’t shake that this marriage and his future in laws are hiding things. In an attempt to get his daughter back and protect her, Frank starts to dig for answers. What he finds, creates a whole mess of problems.

It was a fun listen! I appreciated the narration and overall listening experience!

I recently finished reading Jason Rekulak's latest book, and I must say, it was a truly enjoyable experience! The writing was top-notch, and I found myself deeply connected to the main character. The ending took me by surprise with its unexpected twist, and I was thoroughly impressed by the author's skill in pulling it off. Well done!

I really enjoyed Jason Rekulak's Hidden Pictures, and while his latest doesn't veer into the paranormal, it does not disappoint as a thriller. The Last One at the Wedding is expertly narrated by John Pirhalla as main character Frank Szatowski, an aging UPS driver who's been estranged from his only child Maggie for several years. Now Maggie is getting married to the son of her incredibly wealthy boss, and she apparently wants to mend fences so her father can give her away at the wedding. However, all these rich types are hiding something, aren't they?

At first I wasn't a huge fan of Frank. He started out OK but quickly annoyed me with his exasperated treatment of his sister's last-minute foster kid, a precocious 10-year-old named Abigail Grimm, and his insistence on his somewhat antiquated views of propriety. However, he is a man who wants what is best for his child, and as the tension grew, he not only redeemed himself but also became quite the sympathetic character. I applaud Rekulak's ability to subtly shift our perspective of his main character. The Last One at the Wedding was full of suspense and family drama; I couldn't wait to see how it would all end.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this book.

I was nervous to start this was because the early reviews weren’t great BUT I’m happy to report I really liked it!!! Just don’t go into it expecting a Hidden Pictures 2.0🫡

✨rich people being messy + shady AGAIN
✨father + daughter relationship, but they’ve been estranged for 3 years 👀
✨wedding setting (very popular these days)
✨great audio narration 🎧 - this might be why I liked it so much!
✨slower to start but about halfway through it gets juicy!! with a few big turns!
✨character growth! Frank starts out iffy but he really grows on you!

I was entertained the whole time and that’s what I wanted!! I recommend the audio!

I felt like this was a very slow paced book. The story is ok, but seems to drag most of the way through. The story itself has potential, but drones on just a bit.

I received a copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. Many thanks to them and the publisher.

This one was ok. I was pretty bored during a lot of it and really wanted to love it. I have not read his previous book, but had high hopes after hearing all of the hype. I would suggest if you like domestic thrillers.

I loved this one!
It was a slow-burn suspense, and I totally suspected everyone of something.
The web of lies was so intricate, and I loved when the truth started to come out.....!

Great story, and great narrator for this audio book!

THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING
Jason Rekulak


His daughter, not estranged but definitely distant, calls out of the blue, out of turn, and announces she is getting married and would like him to come and be a part of the festivities. Overly delighted and willing to do almost anything for his daughter, he wishes her congratulations, although he has reservations about the man she will marry.

Her fiancé, is the son of a man richer than the pate they will serve at reception. His kind of rich is called wealth and there isn’t much his money can’t buy, including his daughter’s adoration.

He asks if he can contribute to the wedding, he is not wealthy. He has made his living as a UPS driver for years. He can’t do a lot, but he has the kind of love for his daughter that can only come free, the kind of affection that only comes gratuitously.

When he arrives at the wedding there are things that don’t line up correctly. What should be isn’t and what is should never have been. He worries for his daughter and her future. But before he can stand up against the union at the ceremony, he finds there are bigger things to worry about than his daughter’s future marriage.

He must ensure that they all make it out of the ceremony alive, and he must ensure he is not THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING.

This is my second Rekulak. I liked HIDDEN PICTURES and although the twist raised a few hairs at the back of my neck, I enjoyed his writing and couldn’t wait to see what he had come up with in THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING.

I think where Rekulak shines is in the creation of his characters. If you’ve read a lot of thrillers you’ll find that just as a director only makes several iterations of one movie, sometimes it feels like writers only have one story to tell, one character portrait to examine, and one dynamic to exploit.

However, Rekulak seems to have several face cards in his hand, and he takes the pot in THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING with ease as if he knew what the river held, how the turn would play out, how all the cards would land.

He's the winner here and you will be too after picking up THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING.

Out now!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy! It was a pleasure to read, and I can’t wait for the next one.


THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jason Rekulak's latest novel, "The Last One at the Wedding" did not disappoint. It might even be better than last year's novel, "Hidden Pictures".

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak was an entertaining and suspenseful read.
The story and setting is so atmospheric and the mystery will keep you hooked and wanting to read more.
Atmospheric and intriguing, it's well-written and immersive.
This is a pacey tense crime thriller that I flew through!
This book is a propulsive thriller and an addictive mystery.
Rekulak’s writing is phenomenal. And he has written another killer story.
The narrator I thought did an outstanding job of bringing the characters to life.

Thank You NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but I definitely want to read more!
I wouldn’t classify this book as a thriller exactly, but it was definitely fast paced and full of tension. I felt like the author did an amazing job of developing the setting and characters throughout the story. I enjoyed the plot and loved the twists and turns. I did feel that the book ended quite abruptly, but overall it was very entertaining and I had a blast listening to the audiobook. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC.

I recently listened to The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak and narrated by John Pirhalla. John Pirhalla does an excellent job narrating the book.

This was a really good listen! Frank Szatowski hears from his estranged daughter after a long three years, when she calls to invite him to her wedding. He is thrilled and hopeful that they will rekindle their once solid relationship.

Frank heads to the wedding with his sister and her foster daughter. The wedding is being held at a private estate that is crawling with security and NDAs.

Frank's daughter, Maggie, is set to marry Aidan, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Aidan is distant and definitely not happy. Maggie is busy with wedding prep. Aidan's mom is dealing with a "migraine" and absent throughout the festivities.

Things seems shady, and Frank's gut says this situation is not okay. Frank is ready to deep dive into this fiasco and has to decide if he can save Maggie.

I love the part where we learn who the last one is at the wedding. The characters are well-developed, and I found the story interesting and entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the advance listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3+stars.