A Suspenseful Family Drama with a Twist

Jason Rekulak's The Last One at the Wedding is a gripping thriller that delves into the complexities of family relationships and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath a seemingly perfect facade. Frank a middle-aged father, is thrilled when his estranged daughter, Maggie, invites him to her upcoming wedding. However, as he arrives at the secluded estate, he begins to sense an unsettling atmosphere.

Rekulak skillfully builds tension throughout the novel, which kept me guessing about the true nature of the family's secrets. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to empathize with their struggles and fears. The author's writing style is both suspenseful and thought-provoking, forcing me to question the motives of everyone involved.

While the overall plot is engaging, I found the ending to be somewhat rushed and lacking in closure. I would have appreciated a more in-depth exploration of certain plot points and a more satisfying resolution for some of the characters.

Despite this minor flaw, The Last One at the Wedding is a captivating read that will keep you hooked until the very end. Rekulak's ability to create a suspenseful and thought-provoking narrative is undeniable. I would rate the book a 4 out of 5 stars, with a recommendation for fans of psychological thrillers and family dramas.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Jason Rekulak for this advance reader copy!

Loved this book! My second by this author. The craziness of the story had me pulled into the book the entire time. The narrator helped make the book even better for me

If you’re expecting this to be as creative as hidden pictures this book isn’t for you.. adjust your expectations accordingly. This is the definition of a slow burn thriller. One where you won’t like or trust ANYONE.

Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right.

He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate―very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.

Like I said, this is SLOW. But it’s got a great dark atmospheric feel, and some twists, it’s chilling and at times gory but a really good read for spooky season. My only problem was the ending seemed to wrap up really quickly and I felt super icky at times with some of the characters decisions.

I was not a fan of the narrator at all especially doing the female voices.

Thank you to the author NetGalley and publisher for the arc.

I was so excited to get this early copy! I love a good audiobook. The narrator was great. I did really like this book (4 stars), but I liked Hidden Pictures more. The Last One at the Wedding felt like much more of a slow burn. Stick with it though, it is a really good book!

Frank Szatowski and his daughter, Maggie, have an estranged relationship, but after she calls him up and invites him to her wedding he is thrilled to be included again. That is until strange things start happening and people start dying.

Lots of great twists and little surprises throughout this book, but it's keeps you waiting for a while, building suspense and questions. The main character was not always likeable - especially in the first half of the book, which I think makes him a much more realistic character. The author did a great job of painting a picture of the setting. I did enjoy the narrator, even when he did female voices, which sometimes doesn't translate well. There was enough of a recognizable change, but wasn't hard to listen to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audio.

Like many, I was eagerly and highly anticipating Jason Rekulak’s next novel, following Hidden Pictures (which I loved). First of all, this book is nothing like Hidden Pictures — the vibe, genre… nothing feels familiar to what I got from the author’s previous book. I was subconsciously using that reading experience as a barometer for this book (which perhaps was an unfair comparison since they were so different), and ultimately, was let down. It had a slow start for me and never really picked up. I found most characters pretty insufferable. The narrator though played his role FANTASTICALLY well. I quickly decided I didn’t like the character of Frank and that he seemed to be kind of weak and spineless (my impression), but the narrator voiced him perfectly.

I wouldn’t classify this as a thriller and it wasn’t gripping enough for me to classify as a suspense, so I guess it could fall into a little mystery but general drama?

I will definitely still read Rekulak’s next book and hope that it’s more reminiscent to his former novel, but this one didn’t quite do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this ARC.

⭐️⭐️Review⭐️⭐️
📖Title: The Last One at the Wedding
🧍‍♂️Author: Jason Rekulak

About? Frank Szatowski hasn’t spoke to his daughter, Maggie, in three years. She calls him to tell him she is getting married and wants him to be there. He agrees happily. All he wants is for his daughter to be happy and he goes to the wedding hoping to reconnect with her and get to know her soon to be husband and his family. But it’s difficult. Her fiancée is withdrawn and aloof. And he comes to find out his family are tech billionaires. He feels out of place and most specifically-like something really isn’t right and his daughter is making a huge mistake.

How it’s told? Told through the point of view of Frank, the father.

Characters: Frank: always does the right thing, loving and caring father. Maggie-morally gray, secretive. Difficult to figure out what she wants and where she is coming from. Aiden-withdrawn, how to get to know, doesn’t appear to be the typical man getting married and happy about it. Aiden’s father - charismatic and larger than life.

Makes you feel? Like a thriller with beautifully complex characters. It’s fun and funny but also keeps you on the edge of your seat. In my humble opinion - @jasonrekulak can do no wrong!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @macmillianaudio for providing me with the advanced audible copy in exchange for an honest review!

I devoured Hidden Pictures so I went into this with similar expectations and this book did not disappoint! If you are looking for an slow-burn domestic suspense with twisty drama and a sprinkle of crime mystery, then check out Jason Rekulak’s newest novel, The Last One at the Wedding, on sale October 8, 2024.

This story is told in the POV of Frank Szatowski, a father estranged from his daughter, Maggie. When Maggie calls out of the blue for the first time in 3 years, Frank is elated. But she’s calling with some exciting news, she’s getting married in 3 months and wants her father to walk her down the aisle. Of course he’ll be there. But, when he gets to the wedding to meet the groom’s billionaire family, everything just seem…..off, and things escalate rather quickly. Frank, trusting his instincts, unravels a deep intricate web of deceit, greed and utter betrayal. Can Frank save Maggie from this?

The Last One at the Wedding was gripping and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time; the puzzling choices that some of our characters made kept me engaged because I just couldn’t wrap my head around it! As the story progressed, I did not expect some of the twists and I enjoyed how everything tied together at the end. The setting of Pennsylvania and the New Hampshire Lake added to the mystery and suspense of the story. I really enjoyed Frank’s character and his unrelenting integrity, even though he struggled internally with the conflict of protecting his daughter or doing what was right.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the Advanced Listening copy of this novel.

I was SO drawn into this book from the first chapter. The way the father and daughter had this unknown, unsure relationship, just kept me so drawn in. And I just kept anticipating the moment things were going to turn for the worst. It was SO good!

Jason Rekulak does it again! This was a great thriller book about a father who is estranged from his daughter but then she calls him to invite him to her wedding. He begins to learn more about some shady things that surround her new fiancé and his family. This was a great book that I could not stop listening to! There were multiple twists, and I was absolutely here for it. This felt like an action movie to me, but it also tugged at my heartstrings. This father wants so desperately to gain the respect and love of his daughter, especially since her mother died when she was young. I absolutely loved this book!

Dear Author,



It held my attention, but it was not for me.



The audiobook was well done. Narrator did a great job.



Yours truly,

J. D. McCoughtry



Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the chance to listen to this audiobook arc.

Wow! Just wow! What a thrilling ride of a rollercoaster this book was. I loved this novel and it was an easy to listen to and follow along audiobook. There were so many twists and turns, betrayals, deception, and lies. I loved it! I enjoyed the characters in this novel, well most of them anyways. Some were not so likeable and that made it all the more interesting.

Many surprises and twists that I did not see coming and I love that in a novel. Kept me guessing until the end, with a lot of surprises along the way.

I loved this audiobook and I definitely recommend it!

This was the second novel I have read by Jason Rekulak (I loved both of them) and I look forward to more of his books. All the stars for this one!!

Thank you to flatiron books and NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book. Like many, I was basically foaming at the mouth wanting another book by this author. This book did not disappoint, and there were some truly "shiver" worthy scenes...lice, spiders, etc. I would have rated this even higher, but the ended felt a bit rushed to me. Fantastic read!

After reading and loving Hidden Pictures (which is so different from this one), I had high expectations for The Last One at the Wedding, and I’m happy to report that I loved this one just as much! I loved the Pennsylvania setting as I related so much to the describes locations. I was hooked from the start and the constant pacing kept me listening until the end. There were so many unexpected twists that had my jaw on the floor.

I listened to the audiobook and I LOVED the narrator, John Pirhalla, he fit the role perfectly. He added so much emotion that it really brought the audio to life. I can definitely see this book being turned into a movie!

*****Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my gifted copy for an honest/unbiased review.

I will be posting my review on Instagram (thriller_book_sisters) on 9/27/24.

I took too long to read Hidden Pictures. If you haven’t yet … pick it up!! So when I started listening to this book I was thinking it was gonna be good but I got carried away & finished it in 1 sitting!

A dad, Frank tells this story. The book opens with him being sad that his wife has passed and his estranged daughter Maggie is contacting him for the first time in a long while to invite him to her wedding.

Uncle Frank comes across a bit curmudgeony when he picks up his sister and her new foster child Abigail and they head to the wedding weekend.

Frank is unsettled. He is adamant that something is wrong & starts investigating. I think I see why his daughter was estranged. Before long you’re wondering if maybe something is wrong.

I loved the vibes!! And I loved the foreshadowing and putting the mystery together with Frank. Frank grows so much but do you ever outgrown being a parent? At its core the story is about family and what you do for them no matter what.

That ending!!!!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio! I’ve found an auto buy author!

This book totally surprised me. I was expecting a cheesy mystery, but I listened to a nail biter mystery/thriller. The best part was the narrator. He was the best audiobook narrator ever. The book was four stars, but he made it five stars. I felt like the story was believable and not the least bit far fetched. Loved it!

I was so excited to receive this audiobook after devouring Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, but I am sad to say that this one just missed the mark for me. I'm starting off by saying that this was 100% a mystery and didn't really have any "thrilling" aspects at all, in my opinion.

We start off with our main character Frank who is shocked when he receives a call from his estranged daughter Maggie inviting him to her wedding. Frank is elated and determined to fix their relationship. Upon arrival to Boston where she lives, he finds that Maggie and her fiancé live in a very secluded, luxurious private estate. Maggie never mentioned to her father that her fiancé was the son of a famous tech billionaire. Frank intends to use this dinner as an opportunity to get to know his new son-in-law, but finds Aidan to be withdrawn and uninterested in talking to him. As the story goes on, things become more and more strange.

It started out kind of ominous and I definitely thought a lot more was going on than what actually happened in the end. I feel like there were a lot of plot holes, and that this could have gone somewhere completely different. I also don't really understand the point to the book. I don't understand everything with Aidan's mom, I don't understand why things are kept secret and why no one can know about anything in the end, and I don't really understand why Maggie was involved. This book was slow, and I definitely don't feel like I was on the edge of my seat with this one.

I will say I did enjoy the narrator of the audiobook, and I think it suited the personality of Frank well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jason Rekulak, and MacMillan audio for the audiobook ARC of The Last One at the Wedding, available October 8th!

Thank you to flatiron books and NetGalley for the early audio version of this book! I’ve been dying to read more by Jason Rekulak since finishing hidden pictures two years ago.

If you’ve read his previous book, you’d know to expect some crazy plot twists and unhinged people, that’s exactly what you get. Sparkle in rich people doing bad things and covering it up with their power, it gets a bit crazy.

I like that we get the POV of Frank. He’s the father of the bride and has worked hard his whole life as a UPS driver to provide for himself and his daughter. At the beginning of the book, you’re told about a falling out he had with his daughter, and you see that throughout the book. They never really saw eye to eye, but being her father, he always did what he could for her.

I really liked Frank as a character. I think he made the crazy tolerable throughout the book. I thought the book was going in a different direction, but I ended up liking the way he ended it. The plot twist was nuts and I enjoyed it! This was a fun read that I couldn’t put down!! I highly recommend.

I absoutely loved Hidden Pictures so I was beyond excited for this book. I listened to the audio which I have to really love the narrator to like it and I did. The audio was great. It kept you entertained and locked in throughout the whole book.