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Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests
Three courses. Seven guests. One card. It's a deadly evening they'll never forget.
Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On each card is a number - the age at which the guest will die. Spooked but skeptical, the guests disperse into the rainy night with the hope of forgetting the morbid turn of events.
Two weeks later, one guest is dead. At exactly the age the card predicted.
More guests begin to die as the years go on, each one dead at the same age as their card. It soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is abound. Now, it's up to the quickly dwindling group of dinner guests to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party all those years ago, before their numbers catch up with them too.
Told from the perspectives of each of the seven guests, which span from hilarious to hateful, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a spellbinding and mysterious exploration of mortality, begging the how would you live your life if you knew your number was up?
Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On each card is a number - the age at which the guest will die. Spooked but skeptical, the guests disperse into the rainy night with the hope of forgetting the morbid turn of events.
Two weeks later, one guest is dead. At exactly the age the card predicted.
More guests begin to die as the years go on, each one dead at the same age as their card. It soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is abound. Now, it's up to the quickly dwindling group of dinner guests to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party all those years ago, before their numbers catch up with them too.
Told from the perspectives of each of the seven guests, which span from hilarious to hateful, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a spellbinding and mysterious exploration of mortality, begging the how would you live your life if you knew your number was up?
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2025
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28524 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 651 reviews
August 18, 2025
The title is not doing this book any justice, because there were way more than seven reasons to murder these dinner guests. It's the story of seven strangers being invited to a dinner party where they each receive an envelope with a card inside that's announcing each character's death age. There is no host to give further explanations and the whole situation is weird in general, but everyone leaves without thinking too hard about it. But that changes when the first guest dies at the very age their card predicted.
I must give credit to the author for writing such an insufferable first chapter and still having me invested in the story later. The first chapter introduces the seven dinner guests and literally everyone read like an exaggerated caricature of a person. There's the judgy middle aged magazine editor, the whiny computer nerd, the lowkey predatory banker, the closeted gay cop, the preachy doctor with an eating disorder, the not-self-made fashion youtuber, and the thirsty businesswoman. I'm sure that they were purposefully written to be unlikable, but it made for such a rough beginning that I wanted to drop the book right away. But the author managed to give more depth to everyone as the book went one. I still didn't like anyone by the end, but it was relatable how everyone was enormously struggling with life and how they were rather affected by the deaths around them. I found it quite unique that the book didn't take place during one evening where the characters get killed of one by one. Instead the story goes on for multiple years after the dinner party and every chapter is set after another character died. There are only 9 chapters in total, but each one was split into the POVs of everyone who wasn't dead at that time. It was rather harsh how yet another POV was cut off with each new chapter and it made for an interesting structure. The setup was good, but I still have to say that this book isn't thrilling whatsoever. From the cover and the title I expected a fun and entertaining murder mystery, but it really read more like general fiction that focuses on different people throughout various points in their lives. There was basically no whodunnit element to the story and no character can be called a big investigator, not even the cop. Because of that, the entire book felt static. There was little to no progress in figuring out what's going on and I don't think that there were many clues given throughout the story. Most of the reveals happened in the epilogue and it was just a bunch of random stuff thrown together, really. It's not a mystery that the reader might try to solve while reading in my opinion. So after a rough beginning and an interesting middle part, the ending left me hanging again. Overall, this book was really missing any kind of thrill, but if you go in with the right expectations it might just work out fine anyway.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
I must give credit to the author for writing such an insufferable first chapter and still having me invested in the story later. The first chapter introduces the seven dinner guests and literally everyone read like an exaggerated caricature of a person. There's the judgy middle aged magazine editor, the whiny computer nerd, the lowkey predatory banker, the closeted gay cop, the preachy doctor with an eating disorder, the not-self-made fashion youtuber, and the thirsty businesswoman. I'm sure that they were purposefully written to be unlikable, but it made for such a rough beginning that I wanted to drop the book right away. But the author managed to give more depth to everyone as the book went one. I still didn't like anyone by the end, but it was relatable how everyone was enormously struggling with life and how they were rather affected by the deaths around them. I found it quite unique that the book didn't take place during one evening where the characters get killed of one by one. Instead the story goes on for multiple years after the dinner party and every chapter is set after another character died. There are only 9 chapters in total, but each one was split into the POVs of everyone who wasn't dead at that time. It was rather harsh how yet another POV was cut off with each new chapter and it made for an interesting structure. The setup was good, but I still have to say that this book isn't thrilling whatsoever. From the cover and the title I expected a fun and entertaining murder mystery, but it really read more like general fiction that focuses on different people throughout various points in their lives. There was basically no whodunnit element to the story and no character can be called a big investigator, not even the cop. Because of that, the entire book felt static. There was little to no progress in figuring out what's going on and I don't think that there were many clues given throughout the story. Most of the reveals happened in the epilogue and it was just a bunch of random stuff thrown together, really. It's not a mystery that the reader might try to solve while reading in my opinion. So after a rough beginning and an interesting middle part, the ending left me hanging again. Overall, this book was really missing any kind of thrill, but if you go in with the right expectations it might just work out fine anyway.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2025
3.5⭐
What to expect -
✉️ Slow-burn mystery
✉️ Agatha Christie vibes
✉️ Unlikeable characters
✉️ Multiple POVs
✉️ Exploration of mortality & the psyche of mankind
Seven guests are invited to a dinner party by a mysterious host who never shows up. Instead, each of them are given a fancy envelope, containing the year of their demise. Some become paranoid, others dismiss it as a prank or a PR stunt - but no one can deny the fact that their end is slowly approaching as the group keeps dwindling from seven... to six... to five to...🥶🤯
I have to admit, I've never read a mystery with a more unique premise than this one. It gives clear nods to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None while adding its own dark twist. But unlike most mysteries inspired by the same that are confined to an isolated setting or limited timeframe, this one spans months after the dinner party, which makes it stand out.
Because of that, we get to spend more time with the characters, their lives, thoughts & struggles - which was both a hit & a miss for me. On the plus side, I liked getting to spend more time with the characters & knowing more about each of them, their quirks, their personalities, and watching whether they'd try to change themselves or resign to fate. On the downside, the book sometimes dragged with too many elaborate details about the day-to-day lives. It didn't ruin my reading experience, but it did make the pacing feel like it was stretching a bit.
Another part I loved was the exploration of mortality & how differently each character responds to learning about their end. Some spiral into paranoia, some seem to await the end (which makes you wonder what they'd gone through to be that way), and some like Vivienne choose to make the most out of the time they've got by creating new memories with loved ones.
And the twists at the end were a little predictable, with hints scattered along the way, but if you're new to the genre, they might still catch you by surprise.
Also the audiobook narration by Jacqueline King made the experience even better!!😍✨ She gave each of the seven characters their own distinct voice & intonation, so you instantly knew when the POV shifted. Plus, her portrayal of the character, Dr. Gordon - probably the most obnoxious, judgemental prick in the book, was spot on!! I honestly wanted to roll my eyes every time he spoke, that's credit to her performance👏🏻👏🏻.
Overall, if you're in the mood for a character-driven mystery with a unique spin, this one's worth picking up.
Huge thanks to Recorded Books for the ALC through NetGalley.
✨Pre-read:
Seven guests invited to a dinner & then being handed the envelope that states when they die! So unique & I'm damn curious to see it all unravel!!!
Got the audiobook ARC, so diving into it soon!!!😍
What to expect -
✉️ Slow-burn mystery
✉️ Agatha Christie vibes
✉️ Unlikeable characters
✉️ Multiple POVs
✉️ Exploration of mortality & the psyche of mankind
Seven guests are invited to a dinner party by a mysterious host who never shows up. Instead, each of them are given a fancy envelope, containing the year of their demise. Some become paranoid, others dismiss it as a prank or a PR stunt - but no one can deny the fact that their end is slowly approaching as the group keeps dwindling from seven... to six... to five to...🥶🤯
I have to admit, I've never read a mystery with a more unique premise than this one. It gives clear nods to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None while adding its own dark twist. But unlike most mysteries inspired by the same that are confined to an isolated setting or limited timeframe, this one spans months after the dinner party, which makes it stand out.
Because of that, we get to spend more time with the characters, their lives, thoughts & struggles - which was both a hit & a miss for me. On the plus side, I liked getting to spend more time with the characters & knowing more about each of them, their quirks, their personalities, and watching whether they'd try to change themselves or resign to fate. On the downside, the book sometimes dragged with too many elaborate details about the day-to-day lives. It didn't ruin my reading experience, but it did make the pacing feel like it was stretching a bit.
Another part I loved was the exploration of mortality & how differently each character responds to learning about their end. Some spiral into paranoia, some seem to await the end (which makes you wonder what they'd gone through to be that way), and some like Vivienne choose to make the most out of the time they've got by creating new memories with loved ones.
And the twists at the end were a little predictable, with hints scattered along the way, but if you're new to the genre, they might still catch you by surprise.
Also the audiobook narration by Jacqueline King made the experience even better!!😍✨ She gave each of the seven characters their own distinct voice & intonation, so you instantly knew when the POV shifted. Plus, her portrayal of the character, Dr. Gordon - probably the most obnoxious, judgemental prick in the book, was spot on!! I honestly wanted to roll my eyes every time he spoke, that's credit to her performance👏🏻👏🏻.
Overall, if you're in the mood for a character-driven mystery with a unique spin, this one's worth picking up.
Huge thanks to Recorded Books for the ALC through NetGalley.
✨Pre-read:
Seven guests invited to a dinner & then being handed the envelope that states when they die! So unique & I'm damn curious to see it all unravel!!!
Got the audiobook ARC, so diving into it soon!!!😍
September 25, 2025
Not at all what I was expecting, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests nevertheless managed to suck me in deep. A deeply thought-provoking story that evaluated morality, the whodunnit element quickly took somewhat of a backseat after the dinner party concluded. That being said, there was still an underlying And Then There Were None vibe to the mystery-laden plot. As this motley crew of quirky, unlikeable characters dropped like flies one by one, there was a constant question of who was behind the deaths and why. Compelling, sharp, and all the while subtly sinister, I found myself finishing it in one single sitting as I was unable to put the book down.
There were only a few minor issues that I could find as I sped through the pages. First off were the multiple POVs. Told from the perspective of every single character involved, it was initially a tad hard to follow. Once I got my head wrapped around each of the personas, however, it made for an interesting way to relay the story. The twists were the next problem on my list. Easily predicted for this mystery/thriller lover, I figured out each of them well in advance. Although, I do have to say that it was likely due to my constant diet of all things suspense. Finally, I wish the end of the book had been given more pages. Clever and on-point, it was a damn good conclusion.
All said and done, with a storyline that brought up the question of what you’d do differently with your life if knew when you would die, it had me thinking long after I flipped the last page. After all, it intermingled the idea of fate, free will, morality, and karma. Laced with understated clues and oodles of red herrings, it would be perfect for any classic mystery fan, although perhaps it’d be best for a newbie to the genre. You see, I found it easy to read between the lines. That being said, not only was it filled with low-key suspense, but the wry humor and almost satirical feel made this book into a bingeable ride. Ultimately, I highly recommend giving it a try. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On the card is a number – the age at which they will die. Thinking it an elaborate prank, the guests disperse into the night, hoping to forget the morbid evening forever.
Two weeks later, one of them is dead at exactly the age the card predicted.
It must be a coincidence. But as more guests die, each one dead at the same age as their card, it soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is afoot. Now, it's up to the quickly dwindling group to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party, before their numbers catch up with them.
Thank you to K.J. Whittle and Sourcebooks Landmark for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: September 9, 2025
Content warning: eating disorder, pregnancy, suicide, mention of: miscarriage, infidelity, cancer
There were only a few minor issues that I could find as I sped through the pages. First off were the multiple POVs. Told from the perspective of every single character involved, it was initially a tad hard to follow. Once I got my head wrapped around each of the personas, however, it made for an interesting way to relay the story. The twists were the next problem on my list. Easily predicted for this mystery/thriller lover, I figured out each of them well in advance. Although, I do have to say that it was likely due to my constant diet of all things suspense. Finally, I wish the end of the book had been given more pages. Clever and on-point, it was a damn good conclusion.
All said and done, with a storyline that brought up the question of what you’d do differently with your life if knew when you would die, it had me thinking long after I flipped the last page. After all, it intermingled the idea of fate, free will, morality, and karma. Laced with understated clues and oodles of red herrings, it would be perfect for any classic mystery fan, although perhaps it’d be best for a newbie to the genre. You see, I found it easy to read between the lines. That being said, not only was it filled with low-key suspense, but the wry humor and almost satirical feel made this book into a bingeable ride. Ultimately, I highly recommend giving it a try. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On the card is a number – the age at which they will die. Thinking it an elaborate prank, the guests disperse into the night, hoping to forget the morbid evening forever.
Two weeks later, one of them is dead at exactly the age the card predicted.
It must be a coincidence. But as more guests die, each one dead at the same age as their card, it soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is afoot. Now, it's up to the quickly dwindling group to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party, before their numbers catch up with them.
Thank you to K.J. Whittle and Sourcebooks Landmark for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: September 9, 2025
Content warning: eating disorder, pregnancy, suicide, mention of: miscarriage, infidelity, cancer
October 10, 2025
2 stars! ⭐️⭐️
Well, I didn’t love it. What I did love was the premise: Seven guests, one card. When seven strangers meet for a dinner party - hosted by an anonymous person - it’s an evening they will not forget. Towards the end of the dinner, each person gets a card with a number on it. That number is the age that they will die.
I thought it started off pretty interesting, but it quickly went downhill. What could’ve been an engaging mystery ended up being so slow and boring that I started skimming around the 50% mark. Every single character was so unlikable that by the time I got to the predictable ending, I just didn’t really care anymore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced copy to read and review.
Well, I didn’t love it. What I did love was the premise: Seven guests, one card. When seven strangers meet for a dinner party - hosted by an anonymous person - it’s an evening they will not forget. Towards the end of the dinner, each person gets a card with a number on it. That number is the age that they will die.
I thought it started off pretty interesting, but it quickly went downhill. What could’ve been an engaging mystery ended up being so slow and boring that I started skimming around the 50% mark. Every single character was so unlikable that by the time I got to the predictable ending, I just didn’t really care anymore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced copy to read and review.
September 2, 2025
It’s November 2015 and seven people get an anonymous invitation to a dinner party. The invitation is classy, and it peaks the interest of the invitees:
• Vivienne, a Middle Aged Deputy Magazine Editor who’s a bit mean and nasty to her colleagues;
• Tristan , an almost 40 year old Freelance Computer Programmer who is living back at his parents after having his heart broken;
• Matthew a Market Trading womaniser who has an overinflated ego, and has been touted as one of London’s most eligible bachelors;
• Melvin, a Welsh Police Officer who likes a drink or ten and is still in the closet;
• Janet, a shallow lingerie store owner who definitely doesn’t want to age gracefully;
• Stella, a young and spoilt Fashion Vlogger with a rich Daddy; and
• Dr Gordon, a rather dull TV Doctor, who thinks he’s A-List, but really he isn’t.
It’s a motley crue of people, with seemingly no connection to each other. They make the best of the evening, chatting and getting to know each other a little, and as the evening comes to a close seven envelopes appear, one for each of them. Inside each of their envelopes is the age they will be when they die. Is it an elaborate hoax, a social experiment or something more sinister?
The first person dies a couple of weeks later at the age that was predicted. This brings the group back together as they wonder if it’s just a spooky coincidence. The story then skips ahead three months when the next person dies. This continues on in the story, skipping ahead to the next death when we find out what has happened in the lives of those that are still alive. The story continues to skip ahead until it takes us all the way to May 2025.
Vivienne is the main character, being a journalist she is naturally drawn to trying to get to the bottom of the mystery, and reminds me a little of Miss Marple! Her character is also the one that develops really well throughout the story. They are all fairly unlikeable characters at the start, but I think that’s the intention.
I really enjoyed it, it was an engrossing mystery, with some twists, one or two that I worked out, but some that I didn’t. It ticked along at a really good pace, it kept me wanting to keep reading, as I was really interested in how it was all going to work out. I loved the character of Vivienne and thought her transformation was really heart warming.
I did find it a little difficult to keep up with all the characters to start off with, but I soon got into the rhythm of the book and kept up with each of them easily after a short while. It certainly makes you question what would you do, and how would you live your life if you knew the age when you would die? It’s a really good concept for the book, and I thought it was executed really well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperNorth for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
• Vivienne, a Middle Aged Deputy Magazine Editor who’s a bit mean and nasty to her colleagues;
• Tristan , an almost 40 year old Freelance Computer Programmer who is living back at his parents after having his heart broken;
• Matthew a Market Trading womaniser who has an overinflated ego, and has been touted as one of London’s most eligible bachelors;
• Melvin, a Welsh Police Officer who likes a drink or ten and is still in the closet;
• Janet, a shallow lingerie store owner who definitely doesn’t want to age gracefully;
• Stella, a young and spoilt Fashion Vlogger with a rich Daddy; and
• Dr Gordon, a rather dull TV Doctor, who thinks he’s A-List, but really he isn’t.
It’s a motley crue of people, with seemingly no connection to each other. They make the best of the evening, chatting and getting to know each other a little, and as the evening comes to a close seven envelopes appear, one for each of them. Inside each of their envelopes is the age they will be when they die. Is it an elaborate hoax, a social experiment or something more sinister?
The first person dies a couple of weeks later at the age that was predicted. This brings the group back together as they wonder if it’s just a spooky coincidence. The story then skips ahead three months when the next person dies. This continues on in the story, skipping ahead to the next death when we find out what has happened in the lives of those that are still alive. The story continues to skip ahead until it takes us all the way to May 2025.
Vivienne is the main character, being a journalist she is naturally drawn to trying to get to the bottom of the mystery, and reminds me a little of Miss Marple! Her character is also the one that develops really well throughout the story. They are all fairly unlikeable characters at the start, but I think that’s the intention.
I really enjoyed it, it was an engrossing mystery, with some twists, one or two that I worked out, but some that I didn’t. It ticked along at a really good pace, it kept me wanting to keep reading, as I was really interested in how it was all going to work out. I loved the character of Vivienne and thought her transformation was really heart warming.
I did find it a little difficult to keep up with all the characters to start off with, but I soon got into the rhythm of the book and kept up with each of them easily after a short while. It certainly makes you question what would you do, and how would you live your life if you knew the age when you would die? It’s a really good concept for the book, and I thought it was executed really well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperNorth for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2025
How would you live your life if you knew when you were going to die?
I’m always intrigued by mysteries inspired by Agatha Christie. Unfortunately, this one fell short.
Seven guests receive invitations to an anonymously hosted dinner party. They each receive a card containing a number – the age at which the guest die. Two weeks later when a guest turns up dead at the exact age the card predicted, the remaining guests realize something more sinister is going on. In the following years, more guests begin to die on the exact age written on their cards. They must figure out who is behind the dinner party before their numbers catch up with them!
I listened to the audiobook which is read by Jacqueline King. I mostly enjoyed this format, but felt that King’s voice worked for Vivienne, the middle-aged magazine editor, but her older sounding female voice became confusing and out of place when she was speaking as the male and younger characters.
The main issue I had with this book was the way it was written. A lot of time is spent in the past using flashback, lending itself to passive voice and taking the reader out of the action. While most of the characters are well-developed (aside from the one who is murdered immediately), I had a difficult time getting invested in them. I also saw the killer a million miles away, so don’t expect to be surprised!
Overall, I found myself quite bored throughout this mystery.
3/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC of Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always intrigued by mysteries inspired by Agatha Christie. Unfortunately, this one fell short.
Seven guests receive invitations to an anonymously hosted dinner party. They each receive a card containing a number – the age at which the guest die. Two weeks later when a guest turns up dead at the exact age the card predicted, the remaining guests realize something more sinister is going on. In the following years, more guests begin to die on the exact age written on their cards. They must figure out who is behind the dinner party before their numbers catch up with them!
I listened to the audiobook which is read by Jacqueline King. I mostly enjoyed this format, but felt that King’s voice worked for Vivienne, the middle-aged magazine editor, but her older sounding female voice became confusing and out of place when she was speaking as the male and younger characters.
The main issue I had with this book was the way it was written. A lot of time is spent in the past using flashback, lending itself to passive voice and taking the reader out of the action. While most of the characters are well-developed (aside from the one who is murdered immediately), I had a difficult time getting invested in them. I also saw the killer a million miles away, so don’t expect to be surprised!
Overall, I found myself quite bored throughout this mystery.
3/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC of Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2025
2.7 Stars
One Liner: Interesting premise, but it became boring after a point
Seven guests meet at an anonymously hosted dinner party. Each of them gets a card with a number on it (the age of their death). Everyone thinks it’s a prank until one of them dies two weeks later, at the mentioned age.
As more guests die similarly, it’s clear that this is not a coincidence. The remaining ones have to figure out who the killer is and why they are being targeted.
The story comes in the third-person POVs of the seven guests in the present tense.
My Thoughts:
This was a fun premise, not a locked-room mystery, but inspired by Christie’s popular book, And Then There Were None.
The story takes place over a few years, so the deaths don’t occur one after another. Even the structuring is different. The chapters are big and named after places/ events. Each chapter has the POVs of the characters involved or the ones who are still alive. So, as the story progresses, the number of POVs comes down.
All seven people were deliberately made unlikeable, so it is hard to feel sad when they start to die. Moreover, one death happens too quickly to even know more about the character. The others fare a little better since we get extra details that add a few layers to their portrayal.
The planning and presentation are great. However, the plot is such that we cannot really call it a mystery. Deaths happen, someone tries a bit to investigate, more deaths, a lot of back-and-forth dialogue, and then we get to the end.
It feels very passive. This made it hard to stay interested in the plot despite the other tidbits of information about the characters. It is more of a character study or analysis than a proper mystery with clues, tension, sleuthing of some kind, etc.
I did guess things at one point and was proved correct. The last two chapters bring everything together. Does it make sense? Some of it, absolutely! But the reveal is still underwhelming. It was more like, ‘Oh, good, I finished the book,’ rather than, ‘Oh, wow, this is cool!’
And of course, we have a last paragraph that appears like it would lead to another book, but is more of a thing we see in thrillers, where readers are left to guess a few things.
To summarize, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests has its moments, but it dragged on almost throughout and made me just want to finish it soon. Do check out the other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #SevenReasonsToMurderYourDinnerGuests
One Liner: Interesting premise, but it became boring after a point
Seven guests meet at an anonymously hosted dinner party. Each of them gets a card with a number on it (the age of their death). Everyone thinks it’s a prank until one of them dies two weeks later, at the mentioned age.
As more guests die similarly, it’s clear that this is not a coincidence. The remaining ones have to figure out who the killer is and why they are being targeted.
The story comes in the third-person POVs of the seven guests in the present tense.
My Thoughts:
This was a fun premise, not a locked-room mystery, but inspired by Christie’s popular book, And Then There Were None.
The story takes place over a few years, so the deaths don’t occur one after another. Even the structuring is different. The chapters are big and named after places/ events. Each chapter has the POVs of the characters involved or the ones who are still alive. So, as the story progresses, the number of POVs comes down.
All seven people were deliberately made unlikeable, so it is hard to feel sad when they start to die. Moreover, one death happens too quickly to even know more about the character. The others fare a little better since we get extra details that add a few layers to their portrayal.
The planning and presentation are great. However, the plot is such that we cannot really call it a mystery. Deaths happen, someone tries a bit to investigate, more deaths, a lot of back-and-forth dialogue, and then we get to the end.
It feels very passive. This made it hard to stay interested in the plot despite the other tidbits of information about the characters. It is more of a character study or analysis than a proper mystery with clues, tension, sleuthing of some kind, etc.
I did guess things at one point and was proved correct. The last two chapters bring everything together. Does it make sense? Some of it, absolutely! But the reveal is still underwhelming. It was more like, ‘Oh, good, I finished the book,’ rather than, ‘Oh, wow, this is cool!’
And of course, we have a last paragraph that appears like it would lead to another book, but is more of a thing we see in thrillers, where readers are left to guess a few things.
To summarize, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests has its moments, but it dragged on almost throughout and made me just want to finish it soon. Do check out the other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #SevenReasonsToMurderYourDinnerGuests
September 16, 2025
4 stars - “Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” is very much reminiscent of the classic Agatha Christie "And Then There Were None"! It’s a pretty solid mystery & I really enjoyed it - also fast paced. The seven changing POV’s were hard to keep track of at first, but all the characters were very well-crafted, and I felt invested as to why they were targeted & their ultimate fates. Recommend to all mystery fans who dig locked-room tropes and similar. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for my “read now” copy - always so fun to discover a new talent!
September 18, 2025
Hiding this behind spoilers so I can complain freely.
Good lord this was derivative and SO SLOW - the last 15% felt like it was 400 hours long and I had to force myself to get through it in case something interesting happened (it did not). It’s like Seven meets The Measure meets And Then There Were None, but with only the worst parts of each.
And the fact that a whiny man baby was the culprit was entirely unsurprising — poor sad little Tristan was adopted (by very nice people it seems) and his girlfriend dumped his loser ass after he got screwed over twice in the workplace (it’s called: a) get a contract and b) read the fucking contract before you a) work for free and/or b) hand over all of your money). And you got kicked out of school because you pushed someone down the stairs and broke his leg? Boohoo. I guess I can understand why he was mad about stuff, but Jesus H he was so unsympathetic and such a drip. This book was BORING AF and I’m so annoyed that I wasted my time listening to it. (And the narrator was super grating too)
Good lord this was derivative and SO SLOW - the last 15% felt like it was 400 hours long and I had to force myself to get through it in case something interesting happened (it did not). It’s like Seven meets The Measure meets And Then There Were None, but with only the worst parts of each.
And the fact that a whiny man baby was the culprit was entirely unsurprising — poor sad little Tristan was adopted (by very nice people it seems) and his girlfriend dumped his loser ass after he got screwed over twice in the workplace (it’s called: a) get a contract and b) read the fucking contract before you a) work for free and/or b) hand over all of your money). And you got kicked out of school because you pushed someone down the stairs and broke his leg? Boohoo. I guess I can understand why he was mad about stuff, but Jesus H he was so unsympathetic and such a drip. This book was BORING AF and I’m so annoyed that I wasted my time listening to it. (And the narrator was super grating too)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A unique twist on “and then there were none” seven strangers are invited to a dinner party by a mysterious host. Toward the end of the evening, seven cards appear. One for each of them that will predict the age of their death. They laugh it off, but then a few weeks later one of the dinner guests dies. More begin to die just as the cards predicted. Now it’s a race against time to find out who and why is behind it. It was a little slow starting and with a lot of people to keep straight, but about halfway through I became really invested with the story. I really enjoyed watching everything unravel.
A unique twist on “and then there were none” seven strangers are invited to a dinner party by a mysterious host. Toward the end of the evening, seven cards appear. One for each of them that will predict the age of their death. They laugh it off, but then a few weeks later one of the dinner guests dies. More begin to die just as the cards predicted. Now it’s a race against time to find out who and why is behind it. It was a little slow starting and with a lot of people to keep straight, but about halfway through I became really invested with the story. I really enjoyed watching everything unravel.
September 14, 2025
There have been quite a few books lately with a storyline of learning when you will die. This was an interesting take on it and quite the mystery.
A mysterious dinner party invitation for 7 very different people. All take the bait and turn up to what looks like an abandoned restaurant only to be served delicious food and wine. At the end of the meal they are all presented with an envelope that will tell them their age when they will die. Surely not right? well, it isn’t long before the first envelope comes true.
This really was a surprising story with an ending that was not predictable. Was a quick and fun read, even if I didn’t particularly like any of the characters.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for my copy of this book to read. Out on September 16th.
A mysterious dinner party invitation for 7 very different people. All take the bait and turn up to what looks like an abandoned restaurant only to be served delicious food and wine. At the end of the meal they are all presented with an envelope that will tell them their age when they will die. Surely not right? well, it isn’t long before the first envelope comes true.
This really was a surprising story with an ending that was not predictable. Was a quick and fun read, even if I didn’t particularly like any of the characters.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for my copy of this book to read. Out on September 16th.
April 2, 2025
ARC for review. To be published September 9, 2035.
3.5 stars - this is a good rating for this book and I wish I could leave it at that, but in honor of the fact that winter is finally behind us, I’m rounding up.
Seven strangers meet for a dinner party in a tiny London establishment with an unknown host, Toward the end of the evening an envelope appears in front of each guest; and inside the envelope a sentence tells the guest how old he or she will be at death. The guests assume this is a prank, laugh it off and head off into the night.
Then, a few weeks later, one of the guests is dead. And her card was correct. One by one other deaths follow and the remaining guests must try to solve the mystery.
So, I’m a sucker for these Agatha Christie-like strangers and an unknown host type of mysteries and this one is above average for the genre. Some really well-drawn characters here and I enjoyed the time I spent with them.
3.5 stars - this is a good rating for this book and I wish I could leave it at that, but in honor of the fact that winter is finally behind us, I’m rounding up.
Seven strangers meet for a dinner party in a tiny London establishment with an unknown host, Toward the end of the evening an envelope appears in front of each guest; and inside the envelope a sentence tells the guest how old he or she will be at death. The guests assume this is a prank, laugh it off and head off into the night.
Then, a few weeks later, one of the guests is dead. And her card was correct. One by one other deaths follow and the remaining guests must try to solve the mystery.
So, I’m a sucker for these Agatha Christie-like strangers and an unknown host type of mysteries and this one is above average for the genre. Some really well-drawn characters here and I enjoyed the time I spent with them.
April 19, 2025
The first thing I thought after I read the last sentence in this was: When is the next one?! If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is? I enjoyed this so much!
Seven dinner guests, all with envelopes containing the age at which they will die, was a great setup. While I did figure out the identity of the killer, this was a very compelling story to follow. All the characters were well crafted, and I very much cared about why they were under threat and by whom. I haven't been this satisfied with a mystery in months (I've read plenty). I don't often say what kind of read a book reminds me of, but in this case, I will. As I reflected on it when I finished, it brought to mind Peter Swanson's Eight Perfect Murders , which I loved. If you're a Christie fan, you will see callbacks there as well. It was just, for me, all good.
Many thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy.
Seven dinner guests, all with envelopes containing the age at which they will die, was a great setup. While I did figure out the identity of the killer, this was a very compelling story to follow. All the characters were well crafted, and I very much cared about why they were under threat and by whom. I haven't been this satisfied with a mystery in months (I've read plenty). I don't often say what kind of read a book reminds me of, but in this case, I will. As I reflected on it when I finished, it brought to mind Peter Swanson's Eight Perfect Murders , which I loved. If you're a Christie fan, you will see callbacks there as well. It was just, for me, all good.
Many thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy.
October 2, 2025
An enjoyable book to pass some time with, but pretty middle of the road. Things start off well, but it gets bogged down with the characters’ lives outside of the mystery and the ending felt both melodramatic and overly sentimental. I was also able to figure out whodunit pretty early on and that killed the vibe quite a bit. Still, if you need a palate cleanser or something that’s not not taxing, but still readable this could be for you.
October 23, 2025
Not sure about that ending..
April 15, 2025
This seems like a locked room mystery, although it is not technically a locked room. Seven unconnected strangers get an invitation to a dinner party. They meet and chat and get an envelope telling them their age at their death. Very similar to the plot of Liane Moriarty's Here One Moment. But that is where the comparison ends.
The characters are;
Tristan, late 30's software developer,
Stella, early 20s You Tuber,
Matthew, late 30s banker and London's most eligible bachelor/lothario
Vivianne, early 60s magazine editor
Janet, early 40's - I forget everything about her except she was described as being overly made up and wearing too tight/revealing clothes
Gordon- a doctor who goes on talk shows, obsessed with nutrition basically othorexic
Melvin- a closeted cop whose wife has cancer
Once you keep those straight, it is relatively enjoyable. The ending was a surprise to me, I did not feel like there were reveals as much through the narrative as much as the ending was out of left field. I felt like it was a bit depressing once the killer is revealed. The characters were sort of purposefully unlikable although we liked Vivianne more as the plot thickened. I enjoyed the dialogue and kept turning pages, I did read it all in one sitting as it is an easy and fast read, great for the beach. Although the characters were a bit one-dimensional, it helps to not like characters that ultimately get killed off.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Book to be published September 9, 2025.
The characters are;
Tristan, late 30's software developer,
Stella, early 20s You Tuber,
Matthew, late 30s banker and London's most eligible bachelor/lothario
Vivianne, early 60s magazine editor
Janet, early 40's - I forget everything about her except she was described as being overly made up and wearing too tight/revealing clothes
Gordon- a doctor who goes on talk shows, obsessed with nutrition basically othorexic
Melvin- a closeted cop whose wife has cancer
Once you keep those straight, it is relatively enjoyable. The ending was a surprise to me, I did not feel like there were reveals as much through the narrative as much as the ending was out of left field. I felt like it was a bit depressing once the killer is revealed. The characters were sort of purposefully unlikable although we liked Vivianne more as the plot thickened. I enjoyed the dialogue and kept turning pages, I did read it all in one sitting as it is an easy and fast read, great for the beach. Although the characters were a bit one-dimensional, it helps to not like characters that ultimately get killed off.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Book to be published September 9, 2025.
September 10, 2025
Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC.
This is a great, fun idea for a mystery. But this is the 3rd book in this format that I've read just this year. If this were the first of this type I'd read, I would probably enjoy it more. I really wish these books had been released further apart.
That being said, I did enjoy this book. The author managed to write an annoying, insufferable first chapter, but just so awful that I didn't want to stop reading! Getting introduced to all the 'players' and their POV of the other players is a bit tiresome, but it is necessary. I hope the author meant to make all of them unlikeable, because they were all awful. (Also like the other 2 similar books this year.)
All very mysterious, the secret invitations, no host, cards appearing on the table predicting the age the person will die at. It's a lot of POV's to go through in each chapter. I wish I'd kept a score card as I read.
I expected a fun, Clue-like murder mystery (partially based on the title and cover), but I never felt a whodunnit plot, and there were very few clues. It was readable, but not an enjoyable mystery to me.
I'm not really sure how to rate this because I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't hate it. IT was readable, but disappointing.
2 stars.
Post-publication: I kept seeing glowing reviews for this after I left mine and wondered what I'd missed. So I requested an audio copy from the library and listened to it. It's still not good. Authors need to stop TRYING to copy Agatha Christie. It doesn't work. You can't re-create "And Then There Were None." Same with copying Clue - it just doesn't work.
And publishers especially need to STOP calling new books "for fans of Agatha Christie" or a new take on her work. It's a lie. Stop getting our expectations up. Let the book be the book.
Utterly disappointed. I'd probably lower the rating to 1.5 stars.
This is a great, fun idea for a mystery. But this is the 3rd book in this format that I've read just this year. If this were the first of this type I'd read, I would probably enjoy it more. I really wish these books had been released further apart.
That being said, I did enjoy this book. The author managed to write an annoying, insufferable first chapter, but just so awful that I didn't want to stop reading! Getting introduced to all the 'players' and their POV of the other players is a bit tiresome, but it is necessary. I hope the author meant to make all of them unlikeable, because they were all awful. (Also like the other 2 similar books this year.)
All very mysterious, the secret invitations, no host, cards appearing on the table predicting the age the person will die at. It's a lot of POV's to go through in each chapter. I wish I'd kept a score card as I read.
I expected a fun, Clue-like murder mystery (partially based on the title and cover), but I never felt a whodunnit plot, and there were very few clues. It was readable, but not an enjoyable mystery to me.
I'm not really sure how to rate this because I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't hate it. IT was readable, but disappointing.
2 stars.
Post-publication: I kept seeing glowing reviews for this after I left mine and wondered what I'd missed. So I requested an audio copy from the library and listened to it. It's still not good. Authors need to stop TRYING to copy Agatha Christie. It doesn't work. You can't re-create "And Then There Were None." Same with copying Clue - it just doesn't work.
And publishers especially need to STOP calling new books "for fans of Agatha Christie" or a new take on her work. It's a lie. Stop getting our expectations up. Let the book be the book.
Utterly disappointed. I'd probably lower the rating to 1.5 stars.
August 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this story! It wasn’t quite was I was expecting, but it was great as it was. I enjoyed the POVs and timelines, I was eager to turn the page and continue on with the story. The characters were different enough that it was easy to keep everyone straight, which I always appreciate. I think it’s a perfect read for fan of thrillers and mysteries. Definitely recommend
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
October 17, 2025
As the end got closer, I anticipated the twist. Still very good. 4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
September 16, 2025
Seven strangers are invited to a dinner party with no apparent connection to one another. When the meal ends, each receives a card revealing the age at which they will die. After this unsettling event, the guests return to their lives. Two weeks later, one guest dies at the exact age on their card. Over the years, this pattern has continued. One guest, determined to discover who is behind the dinner party, must solve the mystery before her numbered age arrives.
The start of this book was very confusing. It was difficult keeping up with the seven POVs, and there were several changes of POV in a chapter. It wasn’t until I figured out who each character was that I was able to start focusing on the story. However, once the mystery of the dinner party cards got started, I was hooked. This book definitely focuses on the question of what you would do differently if you knew you were going to die at a certain age. While some characters accepted their fate, some were determined to fight it. Although I had figured out some aspects of this mystery by the end, I was completely taken by surprise by the conclusion.
This is an engaging mystery filled with several unlikeable characters and plenty of surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the opportunity to review Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The start of this book was very confusing. It was difficult keeping up with the seven POVs, and there were several changes of POV in a chapter. It wasn’t until I figured out who each character was that I was able to start focusing on the story. However, once the mystery of the dinner party cards got started, I was hooked. This book definitely focuses on the question of what you would do differently if you knew you were going to die at a certain age. While some characters accepted their fate, some were determined to fight it. Although I had figured out some aspects of this mystery by the end, I was completely taken by surprise by the conclusion.
This is an engaging mystery filled with several unlikeable characters and plenty of surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the opportunity to review Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 15, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and RBmedia/ Recorded Books for an ALC of this book!
This was giving me Final Destination meets a British mystery, and I'm absolutely HERE for it!
I do wish that there's was more of the actual dinner party in the book but that was really my only "issue". Other than that, this was a really good time! I love when a crass pool of characters are possibly meeting their karma.
One aspect about this book I particularly enjoyed was the growth of some of the characters.
This was giving me Final Destination meets a British mystery, and I'm absolutely HERE for it!
I do wish that there's was more of the actual dinner party in the book but that was really my only "issue". Other than that, this was a really good time! I love when a crass pool of characters are possibly meeting their karma.
One aspect about this book I particularly enjoyed was the growth of some of the characters.
Read
September 13, 2025I went into Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests expecting a high-tension "And Then There Were None" murder mystery situation, but this book had more of a suspense format, like Nine Lives by Peter Swanson. It's even closer to the slightly philosophical women's fiction feel of Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty.
As the synopsis suggests, a group of diverse (in age, occupation, ethnicity and personality) people are summoned to a dinner party with no host. At the dinner, each of them gets a mysterious envelope telling them at what age they will die. Creepy, but they sort of laugh it off. Then the first victim dies.
At this point, I'd either a) call the police or b) be in full detective mode, but they convince themselves that the whole thing is a coincidence. And they keep doing that. YEARS pass.
The most interesting part of the book for me, was the format. It's a multi-POV narrative and as the dinner guests get picked off one by one, one POV disappears.
It took a while to adjust my expectations. This is NOT a traditional murder mystery at all, but yes there is a murderer. I'm not sure how I feel about this!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
As the synopsis suggests, a group of diverse (in age, occupation, ethnicity and personality) people are summoned to a dinner party with no host. At the dinner, each of them gets a mysterious envelope telling them at what age they will die. Creepy, but they sort of laugh it off. Then the first victim dies.
At this point, I'd either a) call the police or b) be in full detective mode, but they convince themselves that the whole thing is a coincidence. And they keep doing that. YEARS pass.
The most interesting part of the book for me, was the format. It's a multi-POV narrative and as the dinner guests get picked off one by one, one POV disappears.
It took a while to adjust my expectations. This is NOT a traditional murder mystery at all, but yes there is a murderer. I'm not sure how I feel about this!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
September 17, 2025
3.5 rounded.
October 13, 2025
Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests follows seven strangers at a mysterious dinner party. At the end of the meal, each guest receives a card revealing the age at which they will die. Two weeks later, one guest dies at their predicted age. As others start to die one by one, the remaining guests must determine whether fate or a murderer is causing the curse before it's their turn.
Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is told from each guest's perspective. The dinner party is hosted on a deserted street on a dark and rainy night, creating a great mood and tension for both the start of the book and the three-course dinner.
The story is a thought-provoking, well-crafted mystery. It’s full of secrets and twists around every corner. Agatha Christie fans will love the story, which is similar to A Then There Were None.
Author KJ Whittle's writing is wickedly good. I struggled a bit with keeping track of all seven dinner guests, although I instantly fell in love with Vivien and Tristen. They are the first two characters you meet, and I appreciated their relationship after the party. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook and loved the narrator Jacqueline King's voice. Her performance, tone, and pacing were delightful.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher RBmedia-Recorded Books
Published September 9, 2025
Narrated Jacqueline King
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is told from each guest's perspective. The dinner party is hosted on a deserted street on a dark and rainy night, creating a great mood and tension for both the start of the book and the three-course dinner.
The story is a thought-provoking, well-crafted mystery. It’s full of secrets and twists around every corner. Agatha Christie fans will love the story, which is similar to A Then There Were None.
Author KJ Whittle's writing is wickedly good. I struggled a bit with keeping track of all seven dinner guests, although I instantly fell in love with Vivien and Tristen. They are the first two characters you meet, and I appreciated their relationship after the party. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook and loved the narrator Jacqueline King's voice. Her performance, tone, and pacing were delightful.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher RBmedia-Recorded Books
Published September 9, 2025
Narrated Jacqueline King
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
July 23, 2025
3.5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the Arc. This was a fun mystery, it kept me engaged and I thought the seven deadly sins parallels was interesting.
Seven guests are invited to a mystery dinner, but they never meet the host or know why they were invited. At the end of the dinner they each get an envelope that has the age they will be when they die. One by one the members start dying in mysterious ways.
Once a character died their point of view went away. I think there was some more background for those characters I felt was lacking. There is some decent twists, while they didn’t blow my mind, I think if you like an easy going quick mystery this will fit the bill.
Seven guests are invited to a mystery dinner, but they never meet the host or know why they were invited. At the end of the dinner they each get an envelope that has the age they will be when they die. One by one the members start dying in mysterious ways.
Once a character died their point of view went away. I think there was some more background for those characters I felt was lacking. There is some decent twists, while they didn’t blow my mind, I think if you like an easy going quick mystery this will fit the bill.
March 22, 2025
I seek out And Then There Were None retellings. This book was the twistiest one I've read. Really fun.
I loved how clever the writing is and how what I expected was not the way it went. I only started vaguely figuring out the book at 80%. As a proud member of the Teenage Agatha Christie Detective Agency, I really enjoyed being stumped for so long.
I loved how clever the writing is and how what I expected was not the way it went. I only started vaguely figuring out the book at 80%. As a proud member of the Teenage Agatha Christie Detective Agency, I really enjoyed being stumped for so long.
July 3, 2025
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a fun "whodunnit" story, that follows a wide range of different characters. The format of the book is written in long chapters, which i didn't mind, because they were broken down into the POVs for each character. All of the characters were interesting, and I loved seeing how Whittle used the mystery backdrop to bring growth to the main character.
The mystery is slow burn and Whittle does a great job of keeping the reader guessing at what the final reveal will be. I enjoyed the tension that the twists brought to the story, and thought everything was wrapped up perfectly at the end.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Questionable Characters
* Multiple POVs/Timelines
* Facing Your Mortality
* Secrets & Suspense
* Plot Twists
* Exploration of Morality
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
If you love books with twists and turns, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, then I would definitely recommend Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests.
Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a fun "whodunnit" story, that follows a wide range of different characters. The format of the book is written in long chapters, which i didn't mind, because they were broken down into the POVs for each character. All of the characters were interesting, and I loved seeing how Whittle used the mystery backdrop to bring growth to the main character.
The mystery is slow burn and Whittle does a great job of keeping the reader guessing at what the final reveal will be. I enjoyed the tension that the twists brought to the story, and thought everything was wrapped up perfectly at the end.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Questionable Characters
* Multiple POVs/Timelines
* Facing Your Mortality
* Secrets & Suspense
* Plot Twists
* Exploration of Morality
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
If you love books with twists and turns, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, then I would definitely recommend Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests.
September 18, 2025
Fascinating concept! I loved how the story was told from several points of view and, while I thought it might be difficult to connect to the characters because of this, it was easy to relate to each one of them. The story held my interest the whole time, and I appreciated the reveal, finally seeing how the guests were connected. This was an interesting read with a few twists that left me reeling.
I received a copy from #NetGalley, #RBMedia, and #Sourcebooks for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley, #RBMedia, and #Sourcebooks for an honest review.
October 20, 2025
Overall: 3.5 stars, rounded up on Goodreads.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Plot: 4
I was definitely intrigued by what was going on, and surprised at the ending, which counts for a lot. That being said, overall I would say this book is more character driven than plot driven. The underlying driving force is the mystery, but most of the prose is spent exploring the characters. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I just don’t think it is what most people expect when picking up a mystery. Overall though, my interest in solving the mystery is what kept me wanting to read the book.
Enjoyment: 3.5
This was a light (despite “murder” being in the title), easy time. I listened on audio and it was nice to have on while doing other tasks, because it did not require 100% of my attention. I think if I had physically read this, I would have found my mind wandering at times.
Writing: 3
There’s not much to say here. The writing was good, but nothing spectacular. Overall very on par with most published authors.
Characters: 3.5
The characters are mostly unlikable (intentionally so), but most of the titular “guests” had no character growth. This doesn’t necessarily make or break a book for me, but when the writing is so character focused, it can be a little frustrating at times.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Plot: 4
I was definitely intrigued by what was going on, and surprised at the ending, which counts for a lot. That being said, overall I would say this book is more character driven than plot driven. The underlying driving force is the mystery, but most of the prose is spent exploring the characters. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I just don’t think it is what most people expect when picking up a mystery. Overall though, my interest in solving the mystery is what kept me wanting to read the book.
Enjoyment: 3.5
This was a light (despite “murder” being in the title), easy time. I listened on audio and it was nice to have on while doing other tasks, because it did not require 100% of my attention. I think if I had physically read this, I would have found my mind wandering at times.
Writing: 3
There’s not much to say here. The writing was good, but nothing spectacular. Overall very on par with most published authors.
Characters: 3.5
The characters are mostly unlikable (intentionally so), but most of the titular “guests” had no character growth. This doesn’t necessarily make or break a book for me, but when the writing is so character focused, it can be a little frustrating at times.
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