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.

I was so excited to read this book, since I really enjoyed Jason Rekulak's last book. I loved Hidden Pictures, and gave it a five star review. I was excited for this book, The Last One at the Wedding, strictly because of the twisty nature of Hidden Pictures, and expecting that this will be similar. Maybe it was my high expectations, but this book fell a little short for me. I listened to the audio book, and although the narrator was great and engaging, something was just missing for me.

I found Frank to be a little weird and a little bit of an unreliable narrator. I felt like his daughter was weird, and some of the situations that were presented were so fantastical that they were unbelievable. It just didn't hit the right chords, for me personally, and I didn't love it. It was a middle of the road book for me. I will read another Jason Rekulak book, just maybe after reading a few other reviews.

Thanks to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Father/daughter relationships has always interested me and this twisty thriller was no exception. Frank Szatkowski has not heard from his adult daughter for 3 years and one day out of the blue she calls him to invite him to her wedding but it is not just any wedding. His daughter Maggie is marrying the son whose family runs a company making billions. Frank of course is thrilled to be reunited with his daughter but she is not exactly wanting to spend much time with him. As the story goes along, the reader slowly finds out bit by bit why the 2 were separated for 3 years. Frank blames himself for failing his daughter and not being the dad he thinks he should be but Maggie has a lot of history that we learn as the story continues. There are many shocking revelations and I could not stop listening to the audiobook.

The narrator, John Pirhalla, does a great as the dad and the story is told from his point of view. At first you think he's pretty clueless about life in general but he is focused on reuniting with his daughter and letting bygones be bygones...or is he?

Thank you NetGalley for an ALC of this book.

If Jason Rekulak wrote a stylized version of the phone book, I'd read it. The Last One at the Wedding is yet another stellar title from one of my favorite authors. Rekulak's Hidden Pictures was a departure from his previous style and while I'm not much for the more horror-bent supernatural stories, I devoured it. I was so excited to get the chance to read an advanced copy of The Last One at the Wedding and just in time for the end of the summer/beginning of the spooky season. While less horror and more thriller, this is yet another example of Rekulak's insane ability to jump from style to style.

Our MC Frank is estranged from his adult daughter Maggie. When she reaches out to invite him to her wedding, Frank is hesitant but ultimately decides to attend. As it's a thriller, the rest is better left for the reader to experience in real time.

On top of being a fun, fast-paced story, the audio production of The Last One at the Wedding was exceptional. I loved the narration and it really helped to build up tension. Now I just have to find something to keep myself occupied until the next Rekulak book comes out!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I didn't love Hidden Pictures, and this book is completely different, in the best way.

This was a really fun listen.. When Frank, a blue collar dad, receives a call from his estranged daughter inviting him to her wedding, he's shocked. He's shocked AGAIN when he shows up for the wedding, is required to sign an NDA, and learns that his future son-in-law is part of the 1%, super wealthy. But as happy as his daughter seems to be, something is awry--the vibe is off, the people round him aren't quite right, and he has a feeling something bad is going to happen. He's determined to figure out what's really going on. A super fast "read"--as usual, can't wait for Rekulak's next book!

I was kinda of frustrated by the book. The part that is majorly confusing was that Frank is/was aware that his daughter is manipulative but that just seems to escape his mind? Like ooohhh yes there was that one time but surely that doesn’t connect? Frank was such a whiny character and his daughter was a psycho.

That daughter!!! Maaaaaan did she make me mad! I could not believe the levels people go for money! You couldnt pay me enough to live in the presence of weird people with dark secrets. The lies that everyone tells and the hundreds of people who ignore it just to get invited and not black listed. I loved the little girl and i thought the ending was pretty sweet. That father really loved his daughter a whole lot and she just couldnt see it. Good book overall i would say it was worth the read!

This story is an intriguing book by Jason Rekulak. This is my first story from this author and I plan to read more.

Frank is the main character in this story. His estranged daughter, Maggie, contacted him after 3 years because she wanted to invite him to her wedding. Frank met his daughter’s fiancé, Aiden Gardener. Aiden is the son of a wealthy tech tycoon. Frank begins to have a funny feeling about Aiden and things seem to not seem right! Frank, his sister Tammy, and Tammy‘s foster child, Abigail, head together to the wedding in New Hampshire. The wedding weekend brings lots of twists to the story that will keep you guessing.

I loved Tammy’s character in the story because she was always the positive one and tried to keep her little brother on the right track. I liked how the book was broken up into different parts, such as, before the wedding, the reception, etc.. I would recommend this story to my friends.

A big shoutout to the audiobook narrator John Pirhalla! I really enjoyed listening to him read the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.

Given this was definitely one of my most aniticpated reads for 2024, it’s going to take me a little while post-read to formulate my thoughts. I’m just disappointed overall. If I never have to hear about daddy long legs spiders or lice or mayonnaise or someone touching a “buggy head” again in my life, I’ll be thrilled.

Thank you to Jason, Mac Audio, NetGalley for the advance listen.

💒 The Last One at the Wedding - Jason Rekulak

3.75 ⭐️ - A thriller, i’m not so sure. More like a murder mystery with lots of money and family drama and problems! I liked this. I wanted to love it, so I’m a little sad, but I still enjoyed (the audio!) and was intrigued by the story.

Quick chapters, cliffhangers, lots of money, and unreliable characters made this one super quick and addictive. I was hooked into the storyline and figuring out who was keeping secrets, how they connected, and what would happen in the end. I definitely recommend the audio of this one, but the chapters are short so I imagine reading with your eyes is quick too. It’s very different from Hidden Pictures (which I loved) but not in a bad way. It’s a different type of story, but the storytelling was still addictive and I continue to look forward to what Rekulak does next!

I REALLY enjoyed this book. The narrator was so much fun to listen to, he did a really fantastic job of making the main character come to life.

One of my favorite parts of this book was how much I couldn't stand the main character, but by the end of the story I STILL couldn't stand him, but I liked him now. I don't know how to make that make sense. I really enjoyed the twists the plot took, decisions characters made, and especially the ending. Love that kid.

Amazing book. This was a great listen and I did not see the twists coming. I was looking forward to this after how much I enjoyed Hidden Pictures and Jason Rekulak did not disappoint.

Thank you @booksparks @jasonrekulak @macmillan.audio for a gifted copy/ALC!

✨ 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 ✨
This was my third read for as an ambassador for the 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 and it was a suspenseful thriller set on a remote private estate, where an elaborate wedding is to take place!

Frank hasn’t spoken to his daughter Maggie in 3 years, when she calls him up one day saying she’s to be married and wants him there. When Frank arrives for the wedding weekend, he notices the groom is withdrawn and the locals don’t really care for the family.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat with the subtle nuances and weird small things that kept happening. Halfway through the book, a surprise revelation had me yelling, “Ewwww!” And then the story took a new twist and had my perspective changing on the characters!

I could not have predicted where the story ended up, and it definitely was a curious story about this strange family! I did where Frank’s story took him at the end with his sister.

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
John Pirhalla did a great job in his narration of Frank! He sounded like a reasonable, level-headed dad would sound like. He projected his doubts and suspicious nature of Franks character very well. I could speed up the narration easily too and understand him!

✨ 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
💍 Suspenseful thriller
💍 Locked room mystery
💍 Estranged family dynamics
💍 Resort wedding weekends

This book was amazing! I highly recommend it to everyone! I’ve already told a few friends about it and they can’t wait to go buy the book themselves!

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

I ignored the quiet voice in my brain saying something was wrong."

"Every family has dirty secrets."

There are dirty secrets and then there are murderous ones. In the disquieting deceivingly layered The Last One At The Wedding by shrewd unnerving mystery thriller author Jason Rekulak we follow Frank on his journey for the truth, especially the one he's hidden from himself.

Frank is thrilled to hear from his estranged daughter Maggie after years of silence. She's getting married and wants him at the wedding. He's shocked to find out she's marrying Aiden Gardner, from one the richest corporate families.

With his sister, and her 10 year old foster daughter, he heads for the week-long wedding celebration at the Gardner compound. From the start we feel Frank's uncomfortableness that something's off. There's the mysterious envelope sent to him, the NDA he must sign to enter the compound, Aiden's mother who is only seen from a bedroom window, the drug fueled nighttime parties and then the dead body that turns up before the wedding.

This writer has created in Frank a man that is deep down a good man, a confused man, sometimes an unhinged man, too worried about what people think. The always reliable voice actor John Pirhalla makes the most uncanny discerning acting choices bringing Frank to life. Between the writing and the acting I was enthralled with the storytelling.

I figured out some things early but the undertones of the unconditional love of a parent was an emotional surprise. The Last One At The Wedding won't be the last book I experience from this creative author.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.