The Guest List

A Novel

By: Lucy Foley

Narrated by: Jot Davies, Chloe Massey, Olivia Dowd, Aoife McMahon, Sarah Ovens, Rich Keeble

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A Reese's Book Club Pick

“I loved this book. It gave me the same waves of happiness I get from curling up with a classic Christie.... The alternating points of view keep you guessing, and guessing wrong.” (Alex Michaelides, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Silent Patient)

"Evok[es] the great Agatha Christie classics.... Pay close attention to seemingly throwaway details about the characters’ pasts. They are all clues.” (New York Times Book Review)

A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times best-selling author of The Hunting Party.

The bride - the plus one - the best man - the wedding planner - the bridesmaid - the body.

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

©2020 Lucy Foley (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

It was a dark and stormy night... x10000

This book satisfied me like a bag of potato chips. It has one flavor: a dark and stormy night. But it's not a complete meal. I kept going until the end because I honestly did want to know the ending- so it has that going for it. But the ending wasn't very satisfying. Ironic because I think it's intended to be very satisfying. The performance was very good- all different characters reading with different personalities. So in that sense I enjoyed it. But I agree with the other reviewers that I just did not like any of the characters.

I commend the author for writing this book- I do like potato chips. I like this genre and I liked the mystery. I couldn't have written this myself. So apologies for sounding mean. I just don't think it's all that. Maybe I'll try The Hunting Party to compare!

Good plot, but...

I enjoyed listening to this book mostly because I was impressed by some of the things revealed towards the end. But I also bought a copy of this book (before listening) for my mom (who is in her later 70s) and now wish I hadn’t. Foul language is prevalent in this book; there are unnecessary lengthy drinking scenes with so much rowdy stereotypical frat-boy-like behavior; frankly, too many scenes with the men acting like disgusting bullies towards one another; and some unnecessary sex scenes. I didn’t enjoy these parts of the book and I doubt my dear old mom will either. :/

Not a murder mystery

The writing is very good. And if you don’t go in to it believing the marketing “it’s a version of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None then you may like it. But don’t believe what the marketing claims it’s not a murder mystery. There is a murder but it’s in the last few chapters and very quickly solved. Otherwise, if you are looking for a drama about interpersonal relationships this book is for you. Lucy is very good at creating tension throughout the story so when the murder happens it has reached the right point. It’s also slow moving. The performers do a wonderful job. But for me the I wanted a MM so therefore disappointed.

Rip off of another popular story

I was really excited to listen to this book, as I had seen it several places and I love a good mystery. It started off decent, but it devolved into a rip off of Big Little Lies in my opinion. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t say anything more, but this could be Big Little Lies, minus the kids and set in Ireland.

Okay

I agree with Reece’s description of the book-a very old-fashioned mystery. There are so many suspects regarding who the murderer was; however, it didn’t “keep me guessing”. I really wasn’t worried-I knew it would be revealed. I actually stopped listening to this and listened to another book for the second time and then went back. Very light mystery. Had to work to stay interested.

Are you kidding me.

I’ve never seen a soap opera, but this audiobook is exactly what I’d imagine that a soap opera is like. Pretty corny and predictable, and I’m really surprised that it is getting such good reviews.

Spoiler Alert

First, I loved the performance, the rich details, the characters, and 90% of the plot. Where it faltered for me was the plot convenience of having one villain for so many. I understand wanting to have multiple suspects but at least one was a great story until it stretched itself too thin. You start asking “What exactly are the odds?”

Whoever said it’s like Agatha Christie is spot on

Only aggie could have this many murder plots. It got outright absurd towards the end, I thought maybe even the valet had a grudge 😂. But! It was entertaining. I definitely kept dropping by mouth open like “noooo! Whaaat?!” like I was watching Jerry Springer 😂.

Depressing ending

The book had me intrigued till the end. a couple of windy area but intriguing none the less. The ending was so disappointing. It just ruined the entire story. this is the first time I've read this author and I'll try another. I hope without the totally unclimatic ending

Keep Guessing

A great mystery murder novel!

I love the way the author jumps between past and present, but never so much so that you’re lost. The chapter names (which are the titles of the main characters) always hell’s to follow along as well. The voice acting was perfect and truly this is a book made for audio listening.

The story will keep you guessing at what will happened or what has happened to who and by whom, but you’ll never get it quite right. The author does a fantastic job of developing the characters to be those you particularly love of hate, or both. My only complaint for this book was that it seemed to end so abruptly- but perhaps that was due to myself hanging on every word. A great listen!