The Guest List
by Lucy Foley
by Lucy Foley
Blurb:
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 favors, 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?
My Reaction:
I found this one a fast and fun read. I read The Hunting Party by the same author last year. There are definitely similarities between them (especially the way the story shifts among a variety of characters' POV and toggles back and forth in time), but of the two, I much preferred this one.
There are some nit-picky things that maybe don't make complete sense (or aren't explained to my complete satisfaction), but on the whole, I enjoyed it. Entertaining, so long as you don't mind hating or at least not caring for most of the characters! Funnily enough, unlikeable characters was one of the reasons I didn't enjoy The Hunting Party that much, but I guess I'm in a different frame of mind this time, or maybe this cast of characters are more of the "fun to hate" type. Whatever the reason, I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars, which is pretty high for me, these days.
