The Guest List Book Review

Title: THE GUEST LIST

Author: Lucy Foley

ISBN: 9780008297190

Pages: 384

Source: Private Copy

The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favours, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

Official Summary

This is one of those books that have been sitting my TBR for a while. I finally managed to get to it and wow what a read. When you reach for this book you can expect an edge of your seat, suspenseful read you will not want to put down before you reach the very last page.

The Guest List was my introduction to Lucy Foley and I am well and truly hooked. I cannot wait to spend more time with this author. She unravels her story while keeping you intrigued from start to finish. I found I could not drag myself away. I race through this book while I was trying to predict where it was headed and found myself surprises when all the pieces finally come together.

An isolated island, the perfect setting for a stunning wedding. An unusual mix of characters making up the guest list. The bride, with the help of her wedding planner, planned every little detail down to perfection. However, when the groom’s school friends turn into an unruly bunch, and the bridesmaid creates a scene, Julia is convinced that things are not going to go as smoothly as she planned. But nothing prepared her for a dead body turning up.

The Guest List overflows with deep dark secrets, everyone has something they are keeping to themselves. The suspense is absolutely brilliant. I love the time I spent with this book and found myself reaching the end all too quickly. The way the author brings all the pieces together at the end is extremely creative.

I do not think I have ever read a book where I both loved and hated a character. Lucy Foley created a gem when she thought up the groom – Will. This charming, successful man leapt off the pages, and as you get to know him, you are left watching this “perfect” man turn into the most despicable human being you could ever imagine. The author did a marvellous job with this guy.

There is no way I could not love this book and giving this a five-star rating did not require a lot of thought. I was completely engrossed in this story from start to finish. The author successfully turned me into a fan and I cannot wait to get my hands on more of her books.

If you are looking for a book that is guaranteed to keep you glued to the pages as the suspense of a gripping tale enfolds you, The Guest List will not leave you disappointed. Please note: this book contains some sexual content and might offend sensitive readers. To the non-sensitive readers out there, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It’s a brilliant read.

About the Author

Author Bio from GoodReads

I live in London, but love travelling – both in real life and on the page (hence the appearance of some far-flung locations in my writing).

My latest novel is The Invitation – set in the film world of the 1950s, along the Italian Riviera.

My debut novel, The Book of Lost & Found, published in early 2015.

Thank you for reading my review, I do not doubt that you will enjoy this title as much as I have. My only regret is that this book sat on my shelf so long before I got to read it. Are you a Lucy Foley fan? Leave a comment below with your favourite book and I will try to add it to my TBR. Until next time… Happy Reading!