The Guest List 3⭐️/5

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

3⭐️/5

Lucy Foley’s 2020 novel, “The Guest List” is a mystery/thriller that takes place on an island off the coast of Ireland for the wedding of handsome TV star, and all-too-perfect Groom, and his Bride, the fiercely ambitious magazine editor. Only, the island has an unsettling history, and everyone on it is plagued with secrets. 

Foley ushers you into the minds of our five narrators: The bride - the plus one - the best man - the wedding planner - the bridesmaid. This switch in narrative perspective proves both jarring and revealing, but Foley manages to focus our attention exactly where it needs to be at any given moment. The book may begin at the wedding reception when the lights go out and a body is discovered, but our characters’ stories begin much earlier.

Resentments, petty jealousies, arguments, desires, dreams foregone, family ties, and, you know, a haunted bog full of bodies? (So the legends say), all make for a wildly gripping story. 

Though, in a world ripe with obstacles (the setting, the history of the island, a WEDDING) it seems many of the obstacles these narrators face are actually themselves, or their lack of self. This perhaps is meant to be an insight on their character, their emotional immaturity, but it oftentimes made it difficult to invest in the main through-line of the story (Who is the victim? Who did it?)

This genre is wildly oversaturated, which means shock value can be difficult (and generally, twists often borders on the ridiculous), so if you’re a regular mystery/thriller reader, then you may feel a bit deflated at some of the “reveals,” but I still found the pace of the story and the knitting together of all the moving parts to be worth the read. I hope you enjoy!