Having absolutely loved The Hunting Party, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Lucy Foley’s next novel and so was thrilled to get this as an ARC (thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author), although it turned out I had already bought my own copy by then - a sign of buying waaaay too many books!

As with The Hunting Party, the novel is presented through a tapestry of interwoven voices which, through their differing POVs, provide a full picture. Similarly also, the action takes place in a remote environment, in this case an island. All credit to the author for finding different ways of isolating her cast of characters.

In The Guest List, the characters are drawn together for a media wedding where the beautiful Jules, a high-maintenance web presence and her too-good-to-be-true tv star (a la Bear Grylls) fiancée, Will, are due to tie the knot. I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that no-one is quite what they at first seem because there wouldn’t be much of a plot if they were but we are cleverly kept guessing as to who/how/why. The fantastic ambience is created by a mix of the wild weather, forbidding topography and too much alcohol, a winning formula.

So why not the full 5*s? This is an engaging and enjoyable read, with juicy characters and good narrative tension. For me though, the setup did feel a little forced. Everyone seemed to have motive and opportunity, which felt a bit too unlikely. Amazingly, I did work out who (though I didn’t know quite why), through a process of elimination and a game of ‘if I was writing it then...’. It was great fun and I would recommend it. The storylines were brought together cleverly, it was just a little overdone for my personal 5* but it’s still a solid 4-4.5*

This was my second Lucy Foley book (the first being The Hunting Party). Having previously read that one I must admit I did find the story line very similar and it very difficult not to keep making comparisons, but still a great read! I found the whole vibe of the island very spooky and eerie and I felt this set the scene for what was to unfold perfectly. Normally having too many POV's to follow can really throw me off, however I didn't find that with this book, it kept me guessing all the way through and therefore I found it hard to put down. Overall a great whodunit!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Publishers for the chance to read this in return for an honest review

The Guest List is incredibly similar to Lucy Foley’s previous book ,The Hunting Party’. A selection of (mostly) obnoxious guests are invited to an exclusive location - this time a wild and remote Island off the Irish coast for the extravagant wedding of Jules ( the editor of an online magazine) and Will (Golden boy, TV celeb survivalist).
There’s loads of hidden dark secrets and improbable connections amongst the main party of guests.

It’s all pretty formulaic, but I don’t actually mean that in a negative way. As long as the story has a good pace and holds your attention, I actually enjoy a formulaic book for entertainment and ease of reading.

There’s got to be at least one ‘twist’ - and it’s all the better if you really don’t see it coming.
The Guest List has twists a-plenty and I didn’t see any of them coming. And what twists! Very clever and shocking and they all hit the mark perfectly.

Because most of the guests are so dislikable, it therefore makes most of them expendable. You know there’s going to be a body - but you’re not really invested emotionally in who it might be!
Plenty of the guests have good reason to want the victim dead - so for me, it was pretty difficult to guess who the murderer was going to be.

So yes, it’s formulaic and not hugely removed from The Hunting Party, but I still really enjoyed it.

* Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC.

THIS BOOK! I loved this so much! At first I was unsure of whether or not I was going to enjoy this story, mainly because I really did not like any of the characters, but as the book went on the more I realised that the characters' unlikability was what really brought this book together. I didn't like any of the characters and yet I cared so much about what was going to happen. They were all so captivating and I really commend Lucy Foley's writing. I think the best thing about this book for me were the reveals and twists! Foley executed them in a masterful way. Pages, or sentences before plot points were revealed I would figure things out. This made it feel organic and true to the story, but not predictable which is often an issue with mystery thrillers. And actually figuring things out made it all the more satisfying to read. The Guest List was such an enjoyable and captivating read.

A strong thriller that throws you headfirst at its dark ending.

The Guest List, as you might guess from the title, is a story about a wedding, about a murder that takes place on the wedding day itself.

It begins with 'now' and a cry in the darkness, then takes us back to the day before and several different character points of view as they recall how they ended up at the wedding and the individual traumas they're all going through. You don't find out who gets murdered until right near the end of the book - though you can have some fun guessing along the way. It's harder to guess who might be the culprit, as there are a lot of motives flying about for violent behaviour.

That was one of my issues with the book - I didn't find the characters very likeable, for the most part. Don't get me wrong, it's an absolute page-turner and I think if you like thrillers this one will work for you. I just found most of the characters a bit icky. It ends strongly, but funnily enough, that was the place where I wanted to dig in a bit more about certain characters' reactions and secrets - they didn't get to share quite as much as I would've liked. I felt like it missed a few pay-offs, but maybe that's just me. So there you go - well constructed, and I'd probably give the author another go because she's very good at tension!

It took me a little while to really get into this book. There's lots of character set up at the start (which is only natural in a murder mystery, especially one with multiple POVs) and it's definitely more of a slow build than a thriller. However, once I got through the first third or so, I could not fault the rest of the book at all. The suspense really starts to build, there's lots of twists and turns, and I couldn't work out the mystery for the life of me! A satisfying and cleverly crafted story, that kept me guessing and entertained right to the end.

‘The Guest List’ by Lucy Foley is a cracking crime mystery set on an isolated Irish island. The guests are there for the wedding of the year – magazine entrepreneur Jules Keegan is marrying reality TV star Will Slater. What follows is a closed room mystery recognisable from Agatha Christie novels. From the beginning you wonder, who in this group of thirty-somethings is going to be killed? Who is the killer and why?
Foley expertly plays with our expectations, manipulating our first impressions of the characters as they are introduced. Old friends. Family. School days rituals. Hidden jealousies. Secret wrongs. The atmosphere on the exposed windswept island with its treacherous bogs, cliffs, caves and haunting churchyard is cranked up to full notch. We experience the weekend wedding almost hour by hour as each key character tells their own story, with the narrative chopping forwards to the present during the ceremony and reception. This switching of viewpoint and timeframe can be very sudden but it does ramp up the tension. The murder takes place quite late in the timeline making this more a psychological thriller, building up to the killing you know will happen.
The basic plot questions are – how well does Jules know her husband-to-be? What exactly happened on the stag weekend? What were the rituals at the public school attended by the groom and ushers? And why is Olivia, Jules’s sister and bridesmaid, clearly not coping with life? The options for victim and murderer are extended beyond the bridal group with Charlie, Jules’ best friend, and his wife Hannah; and bridal organiser and host Aoife and chef husband Freddie. Foley presents lots of hints about the past and secret resentments, I guessed a couple quite early on but this didn’t stop me turning the pages.
Read this over a weekend when you need an easy-to-read distraction.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

On a wild and isolated Irish island , a wedding is about to take place. The guests are gathering and the champagne is flowing but something isn't quite right. Everything continues as planned, albeit with a few hitches and a few unexpected occurrences, and it's certainly a day to remember for the Bride and Groom. Towards the end of the night though a body is discovered - who has met their untimely end amid the celebrations and which of the party-goers helped them on their way?

I really love a murder mystery and Lucy Foley's latest effort didn't disappoint! The harsh setting of the rugged island provided the perfect backdrop for the story as it crept along, twisting at every turn. The tension was created expertly throughout and I was amazed at how many twists spiralled in and changed things as everything built to a crescendo. Some twists you could see coming but others not so much; I don't think I've ever had more WHAAAAT moments as I did when reading this.

Though at first glance it seems that like Foley's 'The Hunting Party' we are presented again with a basic cast of self-obsessed rich people, as the novel progresses and the characters are developed and it becomes clear that all is not as it seems. The majority of the characters in this are actually quite different, they're easier to empathise with, and by the end I was rooting for most of them to have been the culprit just so that they could get their revenge (whilst getting away with it somehow too of course!).

All in all it's another great read from Lucy Foley, definitely one of my favourites this year, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery,

TWs: graphic self harm, attempted suicide, sexual assault, emotional abuse, infidelity, abortion, drowning, disordered eating, bullying, revenge porn, murder, drowning

I really loved how Foley throws you straight into the action and a somewhat mysterious and confusing atmosphere. Information is slowly drip-fed to you, as you piece together what has actually happened and the events leading up to it through multiple perspectives. You become very invested in the story quickly and from then on, you’ll be racing through to discover every seedy little detail.

This was such an engaging thriller, constantly keeping me on my toes. I could not trust anyone I was introduced to and I kept theorising whenever new information was provided. When a thriller immerses you that much, you know it’s a good one. The use of multiple narrators was interesting, with each character having a distinctive voice and being complex, multi-layered individuals. It was really enjoyable to watch layer after layer of secrets be peeled back and this allowed you to get to the core of each character. Their minds were tricksy, dangerous places to inhabit at times but this kept the intrigue up.

Foley’s writing was so entertaining and flowed exceptionally well as the pages just seemed to fly past. She drops tiny breadcrumbs that eventually lead to some explosive reveals. The twists are exceptional, with one in particular causing me to have to put down the book and loudly exclaim. They genuinely will shock and surprise you, adding to that atmosphere of tension and mystery.

The setting was very reminiscent of And Then There Were None for me, with its isolation and the complete power nature had over it. This made it feel primal and terrifying and this beastial nature is one of the key components of the book. It asks who we are at our most basic level and what we will do in order to survive. There’s also a scathing takedown of toxic masculinity and sexism present throughout the book.

The Guest List is a brilliant thriller that will make for a chilling, twisty reading experience.

The multiple point-of-view presentation in The Guest List by Lucy Foley reminds me of The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (or The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, depending on where in the world you are in). The story isn't that complex, in comparison, but it is equally gripping.

Despite being a slow read, the plot succeeds to keep the reader in me hooked to itself. It is enjoyable to read the prose throughout.

The end, though a bit disappointing and guessable, is perfectly executed.

Thanks the the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Verdict: Recommended.

I enjoyed this, not as much as her first book but it was still really good. Everyone in it is awful, except maybe two people, so I didn't care who lived or died, but I love that because it makes the book compelling. I loved the chilling setting and the wedding. Great book, can't wait for her next

Dark and atmospheric. This thriller will keep you guessing until the end. The characters were on the whole unlikeable but you couldn't help but racing through the story,

A gripping thriller with a relentless pace, Lucy Foley has written a brilliantly atmospheric and taut murder mystery. What let it down for me were the characters - they were all nasty, unsympathetic and caricaturish, which I don't personally enjoy but I know other readers won't mind. The Guest List has a wonderfully twisting plot and the combination of perspectives and flashbacks makes for a tightly-written suspense.

I’ll be honest I nearly gave up on this book as I found it very slow at the beginning. I didn’t take to the characters straight away. However I persevered and I’m glad I did! It picked up pace and turned into a fabulous who dunnit mystery!

This is the second book by Lucy Foley and I haven't read the first one, but I should say...I haven't read it YET, because if this book is anything to go by, Lucy Foley is an author to watch. I absolutely devoured this book in 1 day. It goes through different perspectives and has you guessing the whole way through. What a thrill, what a ride. Wow wow wow!

Thanks to netgalley for this book was keen to read as everywhere l looked this book was - very slow burning story with lots of spin off storylines - nearly gave up and then the story took off - lots of loose ends which all gathered together- stick with the slow start it’s a very good story - looking forward to the author’s next book now - must catch up 😍 #mygoldenbookclub

Lucy Foley has come up with another gem in her follow up to The Hunting Party .This time it is set in the wilds of Ireland as guests gather for a wedding.There is plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing as the book progresses to it's well written ending which was a surprise to me..Having seen some poor reviews for this book it makes me wonder if they have a hidden agenda because i for one really enjoyed the book and Lucy Foley has once again succeeded in writing a cracking psychological thriller,5 stars all the way..Ignore the poor reviews and make your mind up.

This book was okay, the plot was alright although a little bit lacking. Quite character focused and enjoyed to get to know them and all their buried secrets, especially when nobody was what they claimed to be... And the killer... was NOT expecting that!

Lucy Foley’s second book and there were definitely some similarities to her first book in its setting being quite remote, isolated and subject to the elements. It centers around a group come together to celebrate a wedding with a back and forth narrative to fill in the gaps and allow you to come to your own suspicions as to who has being murdered and who is responsible. Again the group in question were not the most pleasant personalities but there were a few more characters that appealed. Overall I found it a quick easy read and would give it 3.5 stars. Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for this ARC

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
I give this 3.75 stars
On an island off the Irish coast, guests gather for the wedding of Jules Keegan and Will Slater.
Old friends.
Past grudges.
Happy families.
Hidden jealousies.
Thirteen guests.
One body.
The cake has barely been cut when one of the guests is found dead. And as a storm unleashes its fury on the island, everyone is trapped.
All have a secret. All have a motive.
One guest won’t leave this wedding alive . . .
This book had me hooked from the start,a fast paced read.
Clever whodunnit with an array of characters and plenty going on.Kept me guessing till the very end.
A recommended read
Thanks to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for my chance to read and review this book