I really enjoyed this book. It cleverly switched between past and present and had me guessing throughout. It was an unusual and original plot, with plenty of twists. The cast of characters were interesting and colourful and it moved along at a fast pace. I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advance copy.

The premise of this book intrigued me, particularly the back story of a nineties band and their reunion at a wedding. The idea is good although I feel it lacked depth. The band weren't given a name which felt odd but we dud gain insight into their characters.

Oddly, the main character felt less well drawn. I couldn't get the measure of Libby and didn't understand her motivations. She's a reporter but doesn't stay to find out what happened for a scoop. Why wouldn't she just call the police?

There are quite a few plot gaps and it felt rushed, particularly at the end.

That said I enjoyed the '90s chapters the most for interest, character, and plot.

The cover and title looked intriguing, and the mention of a 90s band sealed the deal, but ultimately The Wedding Murders proved a little unsatisfying.

The protagonist is Libby, a young journalist and single mum whose older boyfriend, Matthew, was once part of a successful (if mysteriously nameless) band. When, in the present day, one of his former bandmates gets married, the band reconvene for the wedding, but there are (of course) secrets in the past and danger lurking in the present, beginning with the disappearance of a bridesmaid.

While the sections set in the past, following the band's rise to success, are quite enjoyable to read, it all felt a bit clichéd and the big secret, when revealed, had been pretty clearly signposted.

I learned virtually nothing about the band apart from who was in it and which instruments they played. I didn't know what kind of music the band played, the titles of any of their songs, or even their name. Indeed I spent far too long trying to figure out who to compare them to. Take That are mentioned a few times but the band are clearly not quite a boy band of that ilk (they have a female lead singer, for a start), though they seem more pop than indie, loved by teenage girls and their grannies. A reference to Sleeper felt more as if the author had googled "90s bands with female singers" than any kind of direct comparison. And I couldn't understand at all why the name of the band was withheld, unless the author just couldn't think of one.

This all bothered me more than, to be fair, it probably should have done.

I never felt I got a grip on Libby's character either, and the writing style felt very "tell, don't show" and never really seemed to flow. There was too much explanation in some areas and not enough in others. Ultimately it was a bit of a slog to get through and rather fizzled out in the end.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review

Barely 3 stars really. Wasn't really invested in any of the characters, all horrible and superficial. Fortunately quite a short book. Thanks to Netgalley.

Libby tells most of this story, her boyfriend was a member of a boy band starting in his teenage years. Some chapters of the book document the lives of the band members in that time and how their lives changed in the years that they were in the band. Quite a cliche, their lives changed from being boys at school in Yorkshire, to a life of drink, drugs and debauchery. But after the band split up, the band members went in different directions and have had little or no contact since
Back in the present time, Daniel, the lead singer, is getting married . The former band members have been invited . The wedding takes place in an isolated country hotel in the Yorkshire Dales. Libby is invited to go with her boyfriend . The reasons for the invitations are pretty dubious, none of the former members seem to have any connection with the others and any friendship they may have had is over.
During the weekend, the chief bridesmaid disappears . Libby tries to look into that, but is blocked by various people and the hotel management do not seem to want to get involved. There are more strange occurrences, Libby's boyfriend will not tell her about the past events, but everyone seems to hate Simon who is threatening to publish a book about their time in the band. Something awful happened, but there is little indication about what it was,
I was not keen on the characters, the plot was quite convoluted and most of the book was about Libby jumping to conclusions about former band members on quite flimsy evidence. It was all finished off in a few pages at the end . Not a bad book, but could be better. It did not keep my interest and I had to push myself to finish it .
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4481025120

Quick read, alternating from past and present.
I enjoyed the plot and was intrigued by some of the twists and turns. I thought the ending was a little weak compared to the rest oof the story. I would have like it to have been more in depth. Overall a great read.

One wedding. A group of mates who were once in a famous band and a secret that has kept the old friends apart for years.

Libby is nervous going to the wedding with her boyfriend Matthew. She doesn’t know any of them and he’s never really talked much about his time as a pop star. It’s even worse when some people are far from welcoming.

When one guest goes missing nobody thinks much of it but when there’s an incident with the meals, Libby is beginning to think this secret the guys are keeping has something to do with it. As a journalist it’s in her nature to find out what’s going on, but will finding out get Libby into trouble?

This book is told between different times and points of view. Parts are told from Libby’s point of view as well as chapters from Simons upcoming tell all book and finally taking a look back at the time when the band started out and throughout their career as pop stars.

I really enjoyed how the story was told and I was pulled in from the very beginning. There is so much going on to keep you turning the page and needing to know what happens next. It was a really great read with some unexpected developments along the way.

I have been to a few weddings that end in meltdown but this beats all!! The plot is is a bit silly and not at all believable. The secret they are all trying to suppress is predictable and the characters are not likable. Libby the journalist should have contacted the police when the first person went missing, instead she tries to investigate herself and it makes a hash of it.

This one was just not for me. I wasn’t a fan of the characters or the writing. Libby was just too annoying and whiny. I couldn’t understand what made her so invested in these people she had just met. Why did she insist on being involved in their business? She was a guest at a wedding with a man she wasn’t even sure she wanted to be committed to. Why put her life in danger? Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the story because I didn’t enjoy the writing. I skimmed thru the second half just wanting to get to the end.

I love an easy to read thriller and it’s a bit cozy crime with a whodunnit edge. I’ve read other reviews and can’t understand why it’s not 5 star all the way. Anyway I loved it and would recommend to any reader that likes a soft read

Libby and Matthew have been dating for 18 months. Libby is an aspiring journalist, working on a local paper, trying to make her mark. Matthew is much older, rich and sophisticated. They are invited to the wedding of Daniel and Vicky. Matthew and Daniel, along with other guests Amir and Simon, were in a band in the 90’s, and were quite successful. There is a lot of tension between the “friends” and Libby makes it her business to find out what is going on. There are lots of secrets within the band. The story was told across two timelines and also from extracts of a book written by Simon. A good plot line and an interesting way of presenting the story.

The premise of this book was great and I really looked forward to reading it. However, the constant repetition and reminders did draw the story out. The events, as they unfurled, were very predictable, almost signposted as to what was about to happen. The band members were all pretty obnoxious, and Libby did think highly of herself!! Sadly the ending was lacking and all too silly.

An easy read.

Thank you NetGalley.

Libby is a young journalist who lives with Matthew, an older man who was once in a pop group. He has been invited to the wedding of one of the band's members and Libby is his plus one. While they are there Libby learns that there is something in the band's past that they want to keep hidden. Alternate chapters take us back to the nineties to tell us what happened.

I'm afraid I was unimpressed by this book. None of the characters came to life for me, the secret when it is revealed is somewhat obvious and I felt throughout that we were being told what happened rather than shown. It's readable enough but doesn't stand out in the overcrowded market of this type of book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A fast-paced short thriller set against the background of 90s pop star success and excess.

Libby is a trainee journalist looking for her first permanent role on the local newspaper. After becoming a mum a lot earlier than planned she’s building a career and future for 7-year-old Patrick. She’s met Matthew, a former member of a band who found a few years of international fame in the 1990s, and after 18 months together she’s planning to move in with him with marriage on the cards.

First there’s a weekend away at the exclusive wedding of Matthew’s former bandmate turned TV presenter, Daniel. It’s the first time all of the surviving members of the band will have been back together since they broke up. A time for fond memories and relaxation, or for ghosts from the past to emerge?

This is a well-paced easy-to-read thriller. It runs a fine line between being grounded in reality and pushing the boundaries enough to deliver tension. The ending delivers well and it’s a good choice if you’re looking if something quick and enjoyable to read.

The Wedding M by S. Linley, published by Harper Collins UK / One More Chapter, is a fast read.
Matthew and Libby are on their way to a wedding. Matthew's ex-band-mate is getting married in a manor and both are invited to attend.
TWM has a storyline that jumps between past and present, so not my favorite trope.
A story full of twists and turns, intrigue and suspenseful from start til the last page, 4 stars.

The details, details and even more details.

From the beginning of the group of friends journey into forming a band to years later when the one of the main singers gets married, the book alternate between the two events. The author, Sarah Linley, so carefully crafts this story I got a vivid look into the lives of all the main characters, how they thought and even why they acted the way the did.

This was a an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys a story that offers several people who could have done-it, but it could also be enjoyed by anyone who either wanted to be in a band, or loved popular groups.

While I found this book an easy read, I did find it to just be lacking something. I liked the different perspectives - the present day wedding of a member of 90s Britpop band, back in the 90s with one of the members of said band, and excerpts from the memoir of a third member of the band. I enjoyed the scenes from the 90s, seeing the band going from high school students to success & everything between. However, I just found the rest of the story to be bland. I ended up not liking many of the characters and their actions. I felt that the ending was unsatisfying, and would have liked a little more information.

Oh wow.... this one was crazy!! Definitely was not expecting the ending which always means it is a great thrill. Very suspenseful and honestly I didn't know where it was going at times but yet it still kept my attention. Great read!

The premise of this book certainly reeled me in and whilst it did not quite live up to this overall it was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the chapters that were set in the past or the extracts from the book and the story for the majority of the book was gripping. Unfoprtunately, I did feel the ending let it down somewhat as it seemed to come from nowhere and did not feel believable.

When Libby’s former pop star boyfriend gets invited to a former band members second wedding, she is looking forward to meeting his band mates and seeing a different side of Matthew. She’s not expecting to be thrust into a hostile environment where one band members memoir sends the others in to a panic. When their band secrets get out, their lives could be ruined. But could one of them be the reason wedding guests are going missing and potentially dying?

A wedding weekend getaway at a posh, cozy inn with your amazing boyfriend sounds fantastic...until the secrets from his past keep popping up. Libby and Matthew are supposed to be carefree wedding guests, but Libby can't keep herself settled. What has Matthew done? Has he been honest with her?

The Wedding Murders has a strong premise. In fact, I truly like all of the different angles and twists presented throughout the story. My main complaints lie with the execution; I feel the Linley keeps giving away too much too soon. It's quite easy to anticipate the plot twists due to the heavy handed foreshadowing. I think Linley is clever, but she would have written a better story if she kept her cards closer to her chest. I also wish we got some more details about the ending. I won't spoil anything, but this is where pacing definitely falls apart. After a big reveal, I want more resolution.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Linley's future work, as I think she has a lot of potential. This one just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.