My first book by this author, I did enjoy the story, a tale of a man whose wife supposedly left him without a trace - did she run off, did she die? He meets a new woman and they hit it off and soon marry. Their marriage seems to revolve around what happened to the previous wife. The stranger at the wedding - a private investigator attempts to find out what indeed did happen. I feel the story began really well however I felt that the ending was a bit lacking - I wanted to know more. I loved the references to the historical myths and felt these tied in well especially the ones on Pandora’s box. Overall a good quick read but it did leave me wanting more.

Unfortunately this was not for me. I assume if you were into this kind of thriller genre then the twists and turns and ultimate denouement would be right up your street. I however found the storyline quite contrived and somewhat unbelievable. The characters were unlikeable and I found I was just hoping to get to the end.

Wow! This book is a whole new level of messed up, you think you have a handle on it but how wrong you can be....

Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Annie is marrying Mark, a man she first spotted on a train and met outside her therapy session - does she really know him, and what happened to his first wife Hope? Does Mark know Annie and the secret she is hiding? We follow the narratives of Annie, Hope and Cameron who is trying to discover the truth...someone is lying. This thriller of damaged and damaging people draws you in and keeps you gripped to the last page. I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed this twisty tale of Annie and Marks wedding and the stranger that appears and ruffles a few feathers. The story then goes backwards and forwards to explain past events and how they got together. I was intrigued from the start and it didn't take me long to get to the end. And what an ending. I really did not see that twist coming. Highly recommended.

2024 52 Book Challenge - 10) Told In Non Chronological Order

I quite enjoyed this book. I didn't find either Annie or Mark likable characters, but the mystery and the plot kept me intrigued in the book. I quite liked the chapters that were from Cameron's perspective, and how he pieced it all together. I also really liked the mythology references that were scattered through the book.

I will say that the grammar in this book was atrocious. There were a lot of errors, but as this is a ARC copy, I think that the vast majority of this will be solved before the final publication.

I found it a bit strange at the beginning - I couldn't understand why the bride was so worried to see a stranger at her wedding. I still find it a bit of an overreaction to be honest. But as I got further into it, I really began to enjoy it and I wasn't expecting the ending to be the way it was at all. It took me throughly by surprise. So a bit of a slow burn but ultimately very enjoyable.

After Annie locks eyes with a Mark on the commuter train into London she soon finds herself in the midst of a whirlwind romance and before you know it they’re getting married and starting their ‘happily ever after’. That is until there’s a stranger no one seems to know and her wedding and suddenly things are starting to get complicated.

This was a well-paced, easy read thriller with interesting characters that all feel real and distinct,and well developed relationships.

I don’t think I’ve ever labeled a thriller as an ‘easy read’ but genuinely this was the perfect read for a lazy afternoon. It started off slower (which isn’t a bad thing we get to know everyone and the scene is being carefully set) before things start ramping up with mysteries crawling out from the bookwork. I couldn’t put this down and devoured the whole thing in one sitting.

I enjoyed the references to mythology, they tied in beautifully with the story itself and they added some really interesting pacing dynamics.

I’ve seen a few people mentioning the split timelines and POVs - personally I didn’t find it difficult to keep track of things as when there were split POVs the characters all had very distinct voices.

I did see the twist coming, but as I often say - twists need to be believable and I’ll only buy into them if there’s been some groundwork set. Gauntlet set the groundwork for the final twist early on so it was a really satisfying reveal watching everything click together.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC

A unique, dark thriller that is intelligently written. A meticulous plot built around obsesion and a narrative that burns towards an exhilarating climactic reveal.

Fabulous world building and authentic characters most of them unlikeable except for sweet Nora.

What's not to love?

An unhinged read & not in a good way. Annie & Mark have both been unlucky in life & love & have found each other. The journey is far from smooth & if I’m honest pretty ridiculous.

Between people just disappearing & nobody looking into it & Annie’s so called darkness it was just laughable. I couldn’t wait for it to end. The twist was a bit of a shock alright but I expected a much better outcome from it. The end was far too abrupt. Don’t read it. It’s not worth it.

This story starts with Annie & Mark as they get married. However at their wedding Annie notices a stranger she doesn’t know. She questions her now husband Mark and he doesn’t know him either.
As the ‘happy’ couple go on to their honeymoon the story splits into how they met and their past stories and we find out who the stranger really is.

This book was a slow burner but as you get into it more and more happens and it speeds up.
I had no clue where the story was going to go. I thought I was heading in one direction with it and then something changes! I was quite shocked by the ending!

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to Netgalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and Raven Books for the advanced reading copy.

A slow burn tale of obsession with plenty of misdirection.

This is a good read, but beware those that enjoy instant gratification. You have to work for this one.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my early copy of The Stranger at the Wedding a slow burning, rather chilling story of addictive love. I found the narrative style quite difficult at times, changes in timeline, and narrators or even both.
Overall though I found this to be a most usual tale which eventually drew me in and let me shocked at the very end.

A slowly unravelling story about obsessive love and how what's done in the dark will eventually come to light; perfect to begin curled up with on the sofa, then having to sit up as you get pulled into the lives of Annie and Mark. Both are dynamic characters, so the storylines are easy to get immersed in, with lots of tension and a twist that matches well with the story. The writing style was great and flowed nicely so as not to overwhelm you with details. Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I don't know what I expected when I first started reading but it was not this! Annie is marrying Mark, two years on from his first wife disappearing without trace.
On their wedding day Annie notes a stranger watching her curiously and as the day progresses he engages in chat with her mum. It transpires that he is investigating Hope's disappearance at request of Mark's dad.
A book filled with mystery, intrigue and Greek mythology interspersed, very unique.

This is a fabulous debut.
It might appear slow to begin with, however it has complex layers and characters.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who likes a clever thriller. The ending is amazing!

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.