The Guest List by Lucy Foley

 

The setting is spectacular for what should be the society wedding of the season.  Jules, the bride, is the founder and editor of an online magazine that reports on what is in and what is out.  The groom, Will, is the main character in a TV survival show and a celebrity.  They are both stunning in looks.  The wedding will be held on a remote island off the coast of Scotland.  Will's old school chums are coming.  Jule's best friend, Charlie, is coming with his wife.  This should be perfect.

But will it be?  As the guests gather, tensions start to emerge.  We get glimpses of the deadly secrets behind the scenes from a variety of sources.  There is Jules herself.  Aiofe is the wedding planner who has seen it all and owns the island venue along with her chef husband Freddie.  Olivia is Jules's little sister and is a neurotic girl whose life has been shattered by an event she won't share with anyone.  Hannah is Charlie's wife and not as excited by his friendship with Jules as the both of them are.  Johnno is Will's best friend from back in their childhood days at a strict boarding school that it's alumni refer to as a modern day Lord Of The Flies.

As the secrets emerge, the tension rises.  Will all the secrets be revealed?  Will their revelations spill over into violence?

This is the first Lucy Foley novel I've read.  It was exciting and the way the backstories were slowly revealed was enticing.  By the time the climax of the book arrives, it is difficult to see any other way it could have ended.  Foley worked as a fiction editor in her early career and has written several historical novels in addition to the mysteries she is now known for.  This book is recommended for thriller readers.