What a strange story. Everything seems to be falling into place with Annie and Mark’s relationship, despite the usual ups and downs of married life. Annie snared Mark and eventually captured her love, but underneath the surface lies an evil and twisted woman taking whatever she desires. Annie is indeed a nasty character, but in the early stages of this novel you would never guess what’s in store.

When Annie’s plot is eventually brought to life in the book, the end is easy. No more surprises, as Annie gets her just desserts. To begin with I thought I was reading a romance, but ended up as a thriller.

Not my usual genre, but it was compulsive reading nevertheless.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

A strange read with many layers.

I loved the twists and turns this book took me on and I enjoyed the reveals as the book went on. However I found it a difficult read. For a short book it felt quite long and I'm not sure why.

It's quite a slow burn at the start and then a lot happens quite quickly. However I found it hard to keep up with the flipping between time zones without it being clear when the story was referring to what part. Told from Annie's POV primarily with other POVs dotted throughout, it was sometimes hard to know who was storytelling and in what timeframe. In one part, one character flips to the past, then even further back, then back to the first past and then to the present again.

Overall a good book to read but I wasn't wowed by it.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC

Annie fell in love at first sight with Mark. Six months later they are married.
Mark had been married before for 8yr then his wife disappeared so he does not want this one to go wrong.
A bit of a slow burner told from both POV but who do you believe.
A fantastic twist at the end.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.
Posted to Goodreads

A dark tale of obsessive love. Multi layered, a story that dips in and out of timelines, though the two main characters Annie and Mark are dislikeable. A satisfactory read but a difficult read.

4* A tale of obsessive love

This addictive thriller opens at Annie and Mark's wedding. There's a mystery regarding what happened to Mark's first wife and a detective investigating the disappearance arrives at the wedding reception - he's an uninvited guest and the stranger in the book title. Before being asked to leave he talks to Mark, whatever was said had a serious impact resulting in Mark becoming withdrawn and distant.

I found the beginning slow, but once Annie and Mark's pasts begin to be revealed, I became hooked. Not a book suitable for merely a few minutes of reading. This needs plenty of time to fully absorb the complexities of the plot and attention is definitely required due to several timelines. Even with the author giving clues and hints I was surprised by the ending.

eARC generously supplied by Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed this complex story - particularly at the start, and less so towards the end. I thought the writing was excellent but I did get confused with the timelines which often seemed to change suddenly within chapters. I liked the mythology references and all the mysterious twists and turns that really kept my attention throughout. The ending was rather a shock and left me feeling frustrated and with lots of unanswered questions, but I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Annie and Mark are getting married. Both have a past, particularly Mark, leading to a detective being hired to investigate the disappearance of Marks first wife.

The detective’’s gatecrashing of the wedding leads to a chain of events that culminates in the solving of the mystery.

Overall, a twisty mystery thriller which leads you to places you don’t expect.

I normally love different timelines a that can bring so much to the current story being read but I found this very muddling here. From the start I could not really work out what the mystery was and what was going on after the wedding between mark and Anne. Some chapters appeared to be confsing as it was hard to see who it was about before it changed again. However about 50% of the way through I just wanted to continue to find out what was going on and what was really happening..The plot was excellent but I just felt that it was a plod at the start but I can honestly say that it was well worth the read.
I found the mythological references wonderful and added so much to the story as it unfolded as they were not only interesting but entwind into the story plot. Despite clues being given I did not work out what had happened and was happening still.
A great read and I encourage anyone who likes psychological thrillers and/or mythological stories topreervere and they will love this story.

This was a very addictive thriller which once I started I could not put down. I loved the writing style it was told from different timelines which I think definitely helped build the suspense. It was a very tense read at time that I found it hard to put down I will definitely be recommending this to anyone who loves a gripping thriller. Fantastic read. Thanks to the publisher and netgallery for my advanced copy.

This is an intelligent novel that I found to be more literary than the psychological fiction I gravitate towards, as such I found it a harder read, but as is often the case with novels of this ilk, it is worth persevering with!

Mythology is featured in. this book, which I hadn't expected and as such it encouraged a deeper thinking - likely this would be a good book group read.

The couple featured in this book are Annie and Mark, a couple who have individuality suffered tragedy, Annie is besotted, so far so good, until the mysterious stranger arrives at the wedding, without giving spoilers I will just say questions are raised surrounding `Marks past..... Ewell worth reading to discover more!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

This is very much a book of two halves. Annie and Mark are getting married. All is going well until the day of their wedding when a strange man turns up. Annie takes an instant dislike to him and gets him thrown out but not before he speaks to Mark.. Whatever he says it puts Mark off their honeymoon and this is pretty miserable for the most part. As is usual with books of this sort we are gently misguided and the revelation late in the book came as a real surprise to me (well, a sort of surprise because there were clues there).

What I liked about this book: it was well plotted with a denouement that was interesting and for the most part, unexpected.

What I didn't like: I didn't like the characters. Annie comes across as obsessive, Mark as cold and unfeeling. I didn't buy into their chemistry. I also found the style a bit plodding and distant and the use of imagery a bit odd at times. A 'menagerie of jewellery' anyone?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I flew through this in a day! I just had to know what was going on. It starts off with a bang, had me completely invested from the start and I couldnt put it down until the end. Really good premise, original plot line, well written characters and oh so much tension, twists and turns! I absolutely loved every second of this book

Neither Annie nor Mark have had an easy road in life, something that has ostensibly brought them closer to each other. After all, they both have experienced tragedy and understand the impact that it can leave on a person's life, and that is a powerful bond.

After a chance encounter on a train, and the whirlwind romance that followed that meeting, they are now getting married in the expectation of their very own happily ever after.

The only problem is, things are not going according to their expectations. When Annie realises that a stranger has shown up to their wedding, she is unprepared for what will be revealed. And as questions are raised about the fate of Mark's first wife, things begin to unravel...

This story is smoothly written, which makes for easy reading. The references to some unusual elements - while a little unexpected - are incorporated in ways that do not make them stand out as seeming peculiar. The twist is satisfactory and overall, the plot works well.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Annie is about to marry her fiancé, whom she had a chance encounter meeting on a train one morning. She is totally in love with Mark. Until a stranger appears at the wedding, and questions start to arise. Especially surrounding the disappearance of Mark’s first wife.

I found this book quite an easy read, regardless of the subject. It was engaging and the writing was everything it needed to be. The characters were well written, and I really liked most of them, and found them very easy to read. This was a quick read for me, and I was determined to finish and find out exactly what happened. I look forward to more from this author.

A very addictive fast paced thriller which held my interest from the beginning until the end with great well described characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this ARC which I can thoroughly recommend.

What a hook, what an opening! I love a thriller with a wedding/marriage element and I thought this was a very fresh take on that trope. I look forward to the author's next book!

What a thrilling story that is full of obsession, lies and mystery
Lots of storyines that were easy to follow.. Would highly recommend this book

This is a twisty, complex marriage thriller and a fun easy read.
The characters are well developed and richly drawn in this character driven novel.
Annie believes she will never get married until she sees Mark a handsome stranger on her commute to work. Both Mark and Annie have suffered tragedies in the past and are drawn together.
It is at times a tense and clever story, with interesting characters that are layered and well-drawn.
Tightly plotted and well written, the tale is skillfully structured and well-paced.
A gripping story that is full of intrigue, lies and obsession
Several timelines which are easy to follow.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

The Stranger at the Wedding is an addictive, dark story of control and obsession. It’s a tale of love in all its forms, and it’s full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.

Annie and Mark are both layered, complicated characters with a lot of backstory and ambiguity. They never seem crystal clear, and that’s part of the fun of watching their story unfold. I liked both of them during certain parts of the book, while other times I was suspicious of their thoughts and actions. It takes a clever author to make me feel that way, so well done to A. E. Gauntlett for making me so on edge!

Straight away I loved the writing style, and how the narrative jumps between timelines. It’s a great way to explore Annie’s character, and everything life has thrown at her; whether it be good or bad, it’s all shaped her into the person she is in the present, and why she is how she is. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into her past family life and her relationship with her dad, and how everything started to unravel bit by bit. A non-linear timeline and flashbacks are two of my favourite narrative structures, so their inclusion here definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.

The Stranger at the Wedding is really worth going into knowing as little as possible, which will hopefully make the twists and conclusion that much more shocking. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I look forward to more from this author. If you like dark character studies and memorable thrillers, definitely add this to your reading lists — you won’t be disappointed!

This book is a captivating journey through the depths of imagination. Its rich storytelling and well-developed characters kept me engaged from start to finish. With its thought-provoking themes, it transcends genres and offers something for every reader. A must-read for anyone seeking a literary adventure.