A group of friends gather to celebrate a wedding on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. But by the time the wedding is over, a body will be found. Is it the bride or the groom? Could it be the bridesmaid, the best man, or the plus-one? Maybe it’s the wedding planner? Or is the more important question – is there a killer loose on the island?
The Guest List is a psychological thriller. It is told in dual timelines, one on the current night of the wedding, and one in the past in the days leading up to it. It is told from multiple points of view from the six characters above.
Honestly, I was not a fan of most of the characters. Everyone is flawed and everyone has a secret. There are a lot of red herrings and just about everyone has a motive for murder. I felt that Hannah (the plus-one) was probably the most relatable character. I thought there were just too many coincidences and I found myself throwing my arms up in the air at the end of this book.
The island plays a big role and I really liked the setting of this book. The island is known as the “island of ghosts” and had been deserted for years until the wedding planner, Aoife, restores it. The island can be creepy and gloomy with its high winds, graveyards, and spotty cell service. The number of dead inhabitants outweighs the living and cormorants (big seabirds) are all around, bringing bad omens. I’m not sure that it is the ideal place to have a wedding but I can envision that the unusual setting was just what the bride was looking for.
I found this book entertaining but the more I think about it, the more it reminds me of the other book I read by this author, The Hunting Party. I kept thinking I was reading the same book. Both books are about a group of friends celebrating in a remote location. A body is discovered but we don’t know who it is. The story is told in flashbacks from different points of view in the days leading up to the present. I’ve only read these two books by this author but I have to wonder if she knows any other stories.
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