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A ‘Wedding at a Summer Camp�� Setting. Sign Me Up!

For three years Frank Szatowski has been estranged from his daughter Maggie. Until out of the blue he receives a phone call from her inviting him to her wedding at Osprey Cove, New Hampshire �� a former summer camp turned retreat �� owned by her future father-in-law, Errol Gardner. Frank readily accepts, is relieved to be back in contact with Maggie. But his first meeting with his daughter’s fiancée, Aidan, doesn’t go well, there’s just something off about him that Frank can’t quite put his finger on. And when Frank discovers that a year ago Aidan dated a girl who went missing it raises all kinds of red flags. Frank is determined to protect Maggie at all costs.

This author’s debut novel, Hidden Pictures, was a hit for me so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Last One at the Wedding. Both contained sinister, creepy, foreboding vibes, tense situations, and mystery elements, but this one was more family drama, and psychological thriller. Having Frank as the sole narrator completely worked as he’s drawn more and more into the Gardner family’s web of lies, yet at the same time we wonder whether he’s entirely trustworthy as we don’t know why he and Maggie fell out in the first place, only that it was big, that he blames himself, and wishes he had of done things differently.

Osprey Cove, a former summer camp surrounded by woods in the middle of nowhere, with the Gardner’s lakefront Lodge overlooking smaller cottages reminded me of a novel I loved earlier this year, The God of the Woods. Just like that one, the setting in this was intricately described, and I loved all the descriptions of the three-day wedding extravaganza, with its delicious food, lavish décor, and various activities.

It wasn’t quite a 5 star read as at times the characters made some dumb decisions, the plot was too convenient, and I also had to suspend my disbelief on several occasions. I also saw the biggest twist coming, but it was a great twist, and I liked how impactful it was and the consequences and fallout that resulted from it. This was surprisingly an emotional read, and I was happy with how everything wrapped up.

The Last One at the Wedding was an immersive, fast-paced, high-stakes read. I always looked forward to continuing, was never bored, and I stayed up late last night finishing it off. I highly recommend adding this one to your tbr for the 8th October 2024.

I’d like to thank Netgalley Uk, Little Brown Book Group UK, and Jason Rekulak for the e-ARC.