Publication Date: 11th Feb 2025
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/fatallyinvited-zbt
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213597331-you-are-fatally-invited
Genre: Mystery
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Needs suspended belief but fun
Book Blurb:
Six thriller authors. One writing
retreat.
You’d die to be on the guest list . . .
The Host
Legendary mystery author J. R. Alastor’s books are
sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years of hiding
in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery
retreat on his private island.
The Assistant
Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week
runs smoothly. She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years –
and this could be her chance to get it.
The Players
The six bestselling thriller writers accept their
invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.
The Game
What should have been a week of trope-filled games
takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find
themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination.
They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one...
***
My Thoughts:
The story comes in the first-person POVs of Rodrigo, Mila, Cassandra, Olivia, Violet, Fletcher, and a few others.
So, this is like a locked-room mystery on an island. Yeah, a lot of Christie’s vibes but I won’t compare it with And Then There Were None (I do love that book).
The execution is ambitious for a debut work but
manages to pull it off to an extent. Of course, the book is best enjoyed with
suspended belief. Don’t ask too many questions or think too much about the hows
and whys.
Though we get the story from many first-person POVs,
not all of them have the same number of chapters. Many come from Mila’s POV
while the rest are scattered across the other writers. While this is helpful,
the voices blend at times.
Not all characters are well developed but that’s
okay. I got a rough idea of who they are. That’s enough for the plot. Given
that the pacing is already slow, detailed backstories wouldn’t have helped.
Since many details at withheld until later, we have
to make a few guesses and connections. Half of my guesses ended up correct. The
author surprised me with a few twists. These make sense, so no complaints.
The reveal is a bit weak compared to the hype until
then. It could have been a bit more dramatic. The conclusion is good though. It
may not appeal to some readers (especially if they want hardcore thriller
stuff). I like it.
To summarize, You Are Fatally Invited is an
enjoyable debut. Though it has a few issues and is slow-paced, I cannot deny
that I was entertained by the book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House UK,
Transworld Publishers (Bantam), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains
my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
***
About the Author – Ande Pliego
ANDE PLIEGO began writing stories when she
discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good.
A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books
involving mind games, dark humor, general murder and mayhem, characters pushed
to the edge of themselves, and most importantly, finding hope in the dark.
When not reading or writing, she can usually be
found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant
expeditions to the library.
Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left
footprints all over the globe, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA,
with her craftsman husband and a little son.
Follow the Author:
X/ Twitter: https://x.com/andepliegowrite
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andepliegowrites/
***
This is a pitstop on the blog tour for #YouAreFatallyInvited by ZooLoo’s Book Tours. Thank you for stopping by!
Thank you for taking part in the tour x
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure!
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