Hey all!
After seeing it ALL OVER my online book groups, I finally got ahold of a copy of “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley. This was a quick read, and kept me guessing the whole time.
The story was an entertaining whodunit, which opens in the present time, in the midst of a power outage at a wedding, with a scream of terror in the background. As the narration rotates through the perspectives of 5 characters – the bride, the best man, the wedding planner, the maid of honor, and a plus-one – we also alternate between the day of the wedding and the days leading up to the wedding. So, my first tip is to pay careful attention to the character and timeline listed at the beginning of each chapter.
As is the case with most weddings, perfection is the goal. With two just-famous-enough people getting married, it is a coup for wedding planners Aoife and Freddy to be working with Jules and Will on their big day; it will bring much needed PR to their fledgling wedding venue on a remote Irish island. As is also the case with most weddings, the behavior of people is the one variable outside control. While we learn early on that a body is found somewhere near the site of the wedding, we don’t know whose it is or what has happened. I speculated the whole time I was reading, and was delightfully disappointed when I was wrong and had to guess again.
The story wraps just a smidgen too tidily, but also not in the way I necessarily expected, once I knew what happened to the victim. I wont say more than that, so as not to spoil the fun for you. If you think it’s fun to guess who among the wedding guests might have nefarious intentions. I did.
Given the setting, I would recommend your favorite Irish whiskey. And to read in the day time.
Jaclyn