Végzetes meghívás

by Ande Pliego, Krisztina Kajsza (Translator)

Hat thrillerszerző. Egy írói elvonulás.
Bármit elkövetnének, hogy rajta legyenek a vendéglistán...

A házigazda
A legendás krimiíró, J. R. Alastor könyveit az egész világon olvassák, de a valódi kilétét homály fedi. Miután évekig a háttérbe húzódott, meghív hat krimiszerzőt a magánszigetére.

Az asszisztens
Mila del Angélt arra vették fel, hogy zökkenőmentesen bonyolítsa le a találkozót. Évek óta másra sem vágyik, csak hogy végre bosszút állhasson a múltja egyik szellemén - és ez lehet az egyetlen esélye.

A játékosok
A hat sikeres szerző kérdés nélkül elfogadja a meghívást - olyan lehetőség ez, amelyért bármelyikük ölni tudna.

A játék
Az izgalmakkal teli kikapcsolódásként induló hét baljós fordulatot vesz, amikor rábukkannak az egyik vendég holttestére, a többiek pedig a házigazda sötét képzeletében megszületett rémálom kellős közepén találják magukat. Lehet, hogy krimiket írnak, de most túl kell élniük egyet...

Miközben egyre erősödik a szigetet a külvilágtól elvágó vihar és egyre nő a holttestek száma, a vendégeknek túl kell járniuk egy olyan gyilkos eszén, aki szó szerint minden trükköt ismer...

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Adult, Suspense

416 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2025

About the author

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, and most importantly, finding the 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, she is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her little son. Ande Pliego is the bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited and The Library After Dark .

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 2 out of 5]

**1.5-stars rounded up**

You Are Fatally Invited features a classic-Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None, set-up. Usually, an easy win for me.

Additionally, it's set on a island off the coast of Maine. As an island resident myself, and having grown-up on the coast of Maine, both of these things should also have been wins.



What else? Oh, yes. The story also features a full cast of characters who are writers. Also a thing that I love, following author characters, getting insights on their processes.

However, even with all of these incredible items being ticked off my personal checklist, this didn't work for me. It makes me sad, but I have to be honest about my experience.



From the very start, the writing style had me off-kilter. It just didn't mesh with me. There was one character whose perspective was 2nd-person, and that's not typically something I enjoy.

Every time I got to that character's perspective it would jar me out of the story. Some people may assume that it's the fact that this whole cast is unlikable, but I assure you, that's not it. I love a cast of unlikable characters.



There were many times when I contemplated DNFing, but I felt like the least I could do was make it all the way through to the end. I owed it that, and it could have come around for me. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

It's pretty rare for me to actively-dislike a book the whole way through. I can almost always find some aspects to point out that I can compliment.

Unfortunately, I actively-disliked this throughout. I switched to the audiobook at around 35% to see if that would help. For a minute, I thought it would. Sadly, that notion disappeared as quickly as a free pizza in a workplace lunchroom.



I had been so excited for it too, based upon the points listed above, but it just wasn't the right story for me. We hated each other. I'm sure this book hated my eye-rolling, huffing-and-puffing ass very much by the end as well. I'm glad we can now go our separate ways.

To me, it felt like the author was more in love with their own words than the plot, or the characters, of this story. I'm not saying this is true, it's just what reading this story made me feel. It's the taste I walked away with.



With this being said, I want to be CLEAR, this is just my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with this book. If you look at the current reviews, I am in the minority opinion on this one.

I would urge absolutely every Reader who is captivated by the synopsis, to go ahead and give this book a shot. It's certainly worth a read and you can come to your own conclusion on it.

Also, I have pointed out in many of my other reviews, I never write an author off after one try. Even though this exact story wasn't quite to my liking, I would totally be down to picking up this author's next work.



Thank you, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate it very much and I know that this novel is going to find a wide audience who loves it!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a thriller addict! Naturally, I couldn’t resist diving into one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year (as noted on Goodreads)—a locked-room mystery meets Clue game, paying homage to Christie’s And Then There Were None. While the multiple perspectives and intertwining mysteries can get a bit confusing—sometimes prompting a second read of chapters to piece it all together—I thoroughly enjoyed the concept, the big twists, and the gripping execution that keeps you guessing until the very end. Although identifying the thief was relatively straightforward, some cleverly laid mysteries kept me on my toes.

Here’s a quick recap of the plot: The enigmatic, bestselling thriller author J.R. Alastor—often compared to a J.D. Salinger of the genre—has remained anonymous for years. Now, he’s hired event planner Mila del Angel to organize an exclusive writing retreat at his secluded manor off the coast of Maine, inviting six thriller authors. But Alastor has a hidden agenda: one of the writers stole Mila’s book, derailing her life. When no one believed her claim, she was forced to watch her stolen work soar to fame under the thief’s name. Struggling to make ends meet and care for her mother’s medical bills, Mila has been stuck planning events—until Alastor reaches out, offering her a chance for revenge at the retreat.

The plan seems foolproof. Mila will communicate with Alastor via her smartwatch while hosting the authors: Fletcher; the writing duo Rodrigo (a former lawyer) and Olivia; Violet (the youngest at 21); Ashton; and Cassandra (a 70-something “Black Widow” rumored to have killed her husband). The group is presented with games and trope-fueled riddles, all while Mila secretly orchestrates her own plan for vengeance. But she didn’t anticipate Alastor’s ulterior motives—or the fact that he has his own vendetta against the guests. When one of them dies unexpectedly and the body disappears, Mila realizes the victim wasn’t part of her plan. The group’s dark secrets begin to unravel: among them are a child killer, a serial killer, a poisoner, and more.

Poor Mila quickly finds herself trapped in a house full of criminals with Alastor showing no intention of letting anyone leave until they pay for their sins. But what if Alastor is one of them? Could he also be guilty of one of the heinous crimes? With the writers dying one by one, Mila must figure out how to survive. Who will be the last one standing? And will Mila ever make it off the island alive?

Overall: This is a brilliantly crafted puzzle—complex, smart, and a perfect read for fans of Christie and locked-room mysteries!

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Bantam for sharing this well-written locked-room mystery’s digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered in this twisty locked room mystery.

When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance—particularly since she has an ax to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem.

Confess the crimes, survive the tropes.

Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two—the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead—and it’s not the murder she planned—Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether.

One by one, you’ll lose your turn.

With a storm cutting off the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book.

Until only one of us remains…

This one was a very slow burn for me. It felt that way all the way to 70%, but that was too late for me. I was really bored. I am really getting tired of this trope. It's a locked room mystery. I thought the atmosphere of the story was very well done.

I didn't have a strong connection to the characters and I felt like there were too many of them It was hard for me to keep track of all of them and it seemed to get confusing at times. I didn't care what happened to them. I really struggled through this book.

I did enjoy the ending. There were some surprises and good twists!
I am an outlier for this book. Many others had lots of love for this book! So make sure you read their reviews.
2.5 stars rounded up to a 3 star.

I want to thank Netgalley, and Random House Publishing Group - Bantam for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available Now!

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A locked room murder mystery with some dark, unguessable twists, You Are Fatally Invited turned the Agatha Christie-esque motif on its head. With an enigmatic host and an isolated setting, it had an underlying mystery core that blended beautifully with a twisted thriller vibe. From the somewhat gorier deaths to themes that made me sit and think, Pliego took Christie’s building blocks and elevated them to outdo even the Grand Dame herself. The best piece of the puzzle, however, was easily the metafiction premise. After all, the cast was packed full of writers along with snippets from their stories. Along with the handful of my most adored tropes, it was an undeniable home run no ifs, ands, or buts.

The plot was—in no uncertain terms—a demonstration in how to construct a winning novel. With short chapters, ever-ratcheting foreboding, and a storyline plotted to perfection, it kept me on the edge of my seat and frantically turning the pages. You see, Pliego took the generic Golden Age framework and added her own subtle flair. From the explosive, adrenaline-fueled climax to the two-part dénouement, there wasn’t a chance of me putting the pieces together in time to outpace the timely reveals. And let me tell you, I tried my best at the whole armchair sleuthing thing. Sadly—or should I say happily—for me, despite plenty of well-disguised hints, the red herrings ultimately did me in.

The characters themselves were simply sublime. Running the gamut from utterly suspicious to root-for-able in the extreme, I reveled in the one I loved to hate just as much as I delighted in the ultimate heroine. Realistic, easily envisioned, and complete with true-to-life flaws, despite the fact that the book required a definite need to suspend all disbelief, this cast came alive more with each page. So much so, in fact, that I’ll be shocked to my core if this book doesn’t become the next blockbuster movie. Thought-provoking, clever, and deliciously crafty, this debut novel is sure to be one of the most binge-worthy, buzzed about mystery/thrillers of the year.

The only teeny, tiny fly in the ointment was how complex and intricate the plot became as it rolled along. Despite the small cast of characters, their various hidden personas meant that notes were required to keep track of them all. On top of the many veiled secrets that were obscured from not only the other characters but the reader as well, the well-layered plot was beyond cryptic at times. Just the same, I ate up every word and flew through the nearly 400 pages in under twenty-four hours. After all, I just had to know the whos, hows, whats, and whys.

All said and done, Pliego has certainly made a name for herself with this masterful whodunnit in no time at all. With well-developed plot lines, a mixed media format, and distinct identities told through multiple POVs, even the complexity couldn’t turn me off in the end. And thanks to complex group dynamics and long-buried secrets, this compulsively readable novel spun tales within tales. So if you are a fan of Knives Out, Agatha Christie, or Clue, this is one novel you don’t want to miss. I’m not exaggerating. You need to make this your next read no matter what. If you need to pre-order it, so be it. It’s a definite must read. Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance—particularly since she has an axe to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem.
 
Confess the crimes, survive the tropes.
 
Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two—the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead—and it’s not the murder she planned—Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether.
 
One by one, you’ll lose your turn.
 
With a storm isolating the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book.
 
Until only one of us remains…

Thank you to Ande Pliego, Random House - Bantam, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: February 11, 2025

Content warning: murder, gun and knife violence, house fire

[Shilo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't going to make much sense, but I'm not sure how else to say it. This is one of those books that I had to constantly think while I was reading it, almost to the point of it becoming a chore. It was kind of difficult keeping the characters straight in general, but then when their crimes and titles were added it became almost impossible for me. I also didn't like when the Mila chapters would say "You said this" and "You walked in the door", etc. It took me out of the story and really confused me.

The mystery was okay enough, but I wasn't a fan of the ending. It went into 'too ridiculous' territory for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A writer's retreat with a twist! When the renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor decides to host a writer’s retreat, the six authors who received invitations jump at the chance to meet the author behind the name. When they arrive at the exclusive island home, aspiring author, Mila del Angél is there to greet them and to act as their host. But where is J. R. Alastor?????

A week of games has been scheduled as Mila has murder on her mind. As a storm rages and the group finds themselves cut off from the outside world, a body is found!

This book had quite a few characters and I found it a tad difficult not to confuse some with others. Plus, no one stood out as likeable and none elicited sympathy from me. What I did enjoy was the atmosphere and the island setting. I love the 'trapped' feeling this book conveyed- a private island off the coast of Maine, a storm, not being able to call for help, etc. I also enjoyed the game of trying to figure out which clue was given applied to which author.


There were parts of this book that I enjoyed and parts where I wanted it to move along a little faster. There were a few twists, turns, and reveals along the way. When the big reveal happened, I was a little underwhelmed but overall enjoyed You Are Fatally Invited but didn't love it.


Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars! 🌟 A huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Bantam and NetGalley for the e-ARC! 🖤

Okay, You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego was such a fun, twisted ride! It gave me all the locked-room murder mystery vibes 💋 and left me guessing the whole time! The whole setup – a private island, a writing retreat, and a murder mystery in the making – had me hooked from the start. 🏝️✍️ Like, I loved how it was so clue-like, with the secret passages and riddles, and how every character had secrets of their own. The pacing was spot-on, and I was all in, trying to figure out whodunit. 🕵️‍♀️

I do have to admit though, the ending wasn’t exactly what I expected. I thought it would tie together differently, but even though it wasn’t perfect, the twists were still clever and the journey was definitely worth it. 😌📚

Honestly, for a debut, this book did a lot right! And the multiple perspectives kept me engaged, even if it got a little tricky in some parts. I was pretty addicted to it, flipping pages like I couldn’t stop.

Tropes I loved:
✧ Locked-room mystery 🕵️‍♂️
✧ Suspense-filled island getaway 🏝️
✧ The unreliable narrator vibe 🤐
✧ Characters with dark pasts 🔪
✧ Whodunit with a twist 🎭

It’s one of those books that you want to talk about with friends because you just need to discuss all the possibilities! I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery with lots of turns. Can't wait to see what this author does next! 👏

CW: murder, betrayal, suspense, some violence

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars (as a debut, I'm tempted to just say 4 stars, but I think 3.5 is probably more accurate to my feelings): This is a very solid and fun version of an isolated closed circle thriller. While the writing felt a bit workman like in places & it didn't necessarily break new ground, it delivers on the promise of the premise in a very entertaining way throughout

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This atmospheric thriller had me racing to the end of this captivating whodunit. I enjoyed how the story unfolded by the different perspectives. Putting the clues together while not falling for the red herrings was engaging and entertaining. The plot is clever with twists and turns that kept it interesting. Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for my copy.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the author thought she was being super clever, the same way I thought I was when I knew I was turning in an A grade English paper - in high school. It's a whodunit, but as hard as she tries, it's a pale shadow of Agatha Christie's And Then There were None. If anything, it's more reminiscent of the game Clue. It was pretty awful. Not bad enough to DNF, but certainly bad enough to wonder why.

Six crime writers are invited to an exclusive writer's retreat on a double pretense, except none of them know it except for the organizers (the host who is highly successful and writes under a pseudonym, and as such, has a well-hidden identity, and the event planner). The host and event planner are in cahoots for revenge, and the retreat is the excuse and the setup. What the planner doesn't know is that it's not her revenge that's in the works. Each of the writers are guilty of something, and each of them will need to face their retribution commensurate to their guilt. It doesn't sound bad, right? It even sounds like a decent setup, but the execution is awful.

Save yourselves some time on this one. Rounding up to 2.

[G · Rating 1 out of 5]

This fell flatter than a pancake. Sadly, IMO most of this is due to mediocre writing. The plot is seriously, if not ludicrously convoluted, the characters are all insufferable cardboard cut-outs that don't even come close to resembling anything remotely person-like, and what's worse, they're boring as hell. But what kills this baby dead is the writing. Everything is overwritten to within an inch of its life. There's no room for atmosphere or flow or even just air to breathe, everything is buried under an avalanche of stilted, lifeless, over-explaining prose that is trying so hard you can feel its muscles strain. The author just doesn't know when to let up, everything is always that little bit over the top... and it gets annoying very, very fast.
People rarely just speak; instead, they forever "coo" and "harp", they "probe", "huff", "rasp" "prescribe" and "bumble some excuse" or other. Breaths trip. Someone "gesture[s] with his chin to the far end" of a room. The prose is as purple as a jar of grape Gatorade: "my smile faded with his footsteps as I stared through one of the glass cases, sinking into the stirred waters of my musing."
"A growl curled in my throat", yeah well, a little honeyed tea might help with that. Some dude wrote a YA thriller "that had ripped my soul out through my rib cage last year" (ouch), which, apparently, counts as a compliment. (Also, glad we apparently finally managed to pinpoint the location of the human soul.) "A chill bit into the back of my skull", ouch again. Triple ouch or just occupational hazard? You judge: "I hoped [getting published] stung like a paper cut slitting your throat." Some paper cut, I guess...
For some reason, we're apparently supposed to feel for the papercut-wishing character and their histrionics, which basically tells you all you need to know about the author's handling of her characters. Then again, throwing hissy fits is the go-to reaction for these people; they can't just dislike the idea of a beach picnic in the cold, they need to be colorful: "A flare of annoyance shot through me at Alastor sentencing us to the outdoors in late October." Dude, you're not being "sentenced" to anything. You're just supposed to have a meal outside. Keep it down with the annoyance flare until you actually need one, okay?

This is an author very much in love with her own writing. Sadly, it doesn't feel like she was thinking very hard about what she was saying; some things don't even make that much sense: Alastor's mansion "had gone through extensive renovations, and now, the media called it the height of luxury. Not that any journalists had ever actually been here." So, um, how would they know about the "height of luxury" thing? And, "the media"??
Someone feels their "thoughts slipping like slimy fish out of [their] hands", which I imagine is an unpleasant thing to experience, but not as bad as feeling "[your] gut shrivel[ing] like an aged cherry.". There's also apparently some magic trickery of perception at work, undoing basic physics: "Our forms swam in the mirror of the blackened window, distorted shapes moving a second behind." A second behind?!? How is that even possible?? And how does it not make you want to run screaming from the room?
Someone wanders the nightly halls in search of some water because "I wasn't about to drink from the tap like an animal." Which is not only the most flimsy excuse for a "reason" to get a certain scene in motion, it doesn't even make sense, as of all the animals I've known in my lifetime, none were able or willing to manipulate the tap, instead settling for a nice bowl on the floor.

I also found it hilarious that six totally famous mystery writers stuck on an island OF COURSE talk about nothing but their respective books, or, in some cases, book, singular. Like, if you put Stephen King in a room with Dean Koontz and Stephen Graham Jones and Ramsey Campbell, would they spend the next hours holding forth on their latest novels and nothing else? Personally I like to think that they'd basically chat about everything BUT their books; anything else would be rather cringe-y, especially if their shop-talk turned out as inane as the one in this book ("I have always wondered how you [...] craft such graphic imagery. [...] What is your source of inspiration?"). But of course the characters in this thing are all one-dimensional clichés who happen to somehow have written a bestseller, so that's the one thing they talk about.
Which makes sense, I guess, because they're only ever called "the authors". It's the authors do this and the authors do that, "I guided the authors" here and "I directed the authors" there. They're not people. They're certainly not individuals. They're the authors, or rather, some ancient Technicolor cliché of persons who have written a book. (Fun fact: the concept of ARCs has not made it into Ms Pliego's world, as evidenced by one of "the authors" coming across their host's latest work: "'Ro, look. It's Alastor's book on writing. It's releasing next week. But it's here.'" Wow. Really.)

Which brings us to the author's idea of writing itself, as in, the process of putting words on paper. If you listened to Ms Pliego, you'd be forgiven to think that this is something utterly special, a quasi-religious act of creating only to be mastered by the chosen few (just a reminder, we're talking about mystery writers here. People writing tomes about killer lawyers and stuff titled "An Ecology of Scars" and producing paragraphs like the following: "Horror had slit her vocal cords. Blood splashed a constellation of darkness onto the pale marble, drowning the starlight through the window like a black hole."). So if you write yourself, and you come across another writer, it's like two unicorns crossing paths, a moment that's insufferably beautiful as well as totally magic... well, at least in the author's worldview:
"But here I was, finally talking to a real author -- one of the first I'd ever met in person. And another writer knows that nothing about writing is, in fact, silly -- or perhaps the whole thing is. That dreaming up people and worlds is perhaps the silliest, most beautiful thing a human can do." But don't stop there: if writing is "your thing", "if it's something that feels like a part of you, like you come alive when you write -- then just because you're not writing now doesn't mean you're not a writer."
You know, this kind of reasoning might be perfectly applicable to a cheater or a serial killer, but as for creating art, be it making music or painting or writing stories, I'm tempted to ask how in the world you consider yourself an artist if you're not making art. No-one can seriously expect to be called a chef if they don't cook, nor a farmer if they don't farm. But somehow just thinking about maybe possibly creating stuff sometime in the future is equivalent to being an artist? Please.

The fetishizing of authordom extends to the writer's implements as well, especially that holy grail, the one thing no self-respecting writer can do without, The Notebook. Lots of attention is given to The Writer's Notebook. "A writer's notebook was their mind on paper, and I itched to thumb through his" (ew). "Nearly every writer had one, a cemetery for stray thoughts and scraps of dialogue which may or may not be resurrected in a story." A cemetery?? For thoughts? So they, um, rest in peace and don't come back? Another character covets those notebooks as well, if only to "[p]eel apart his thoughts and everything that made him a bestseller."

Apart from the weird perspective on the writing craft, there is some kind of murder mystery going on, and riddles and stuff, and towards the end things finally let loose and turn totally bonkers, but I gave up long before that. This book needed some serious editing. It also needed several units of personality injected into its characters, and some humor would have been nice as well -- the novel takes itself and its concept MUCH too seriously. Really too bad. It could and should have been a lot more fun.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my sadly honest opinion.

[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously twisted, YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED is perfect for thriller fans hungry for a fresh spin on a locked room murder mystery. This is one writer retreat I'd be happy to miss!

[mark monday · Rating 2 out of 5]

And Then There Were None is a classic because of its system. it has clockwork precision and a gripping inevitability: 10 guilty people come to an island; one by one, they die. this is a load-bearing structure. many stories have been built upon it. its primary structural elements, its walls, are so sturdy that despite the varied quality of the many stories that have been built on this foundation, readability will usually remain intact. pages will be turned, quickly. and so it is with the clumsily written You Are Fatally Invited.

characterization is mainly thin, including for a surprising and potentially fascinating serial killer. the most venomous character is an abomination, totally toxic with no redeeming or even interesting traits, and so is an acerbic bore from beginning to his uninteresting end. the secret thief is easily spotted. the romance is nauseating. the dialogue sounds like it was written using AI and TikTok e.g. a 70-year-old woman would not say "peep that". the second-person perspective used for the protagonist's chapters was ineptly and confusingly deployed. the author's own perspective on genre fiction appears to be equally confused... this is a "mystery writers' retreat" that also includes writers of horror, legal thrillers, and a paranormal young adult romance? The Name of the Rose gets mocked... why? the ending was... cute and heartwarming? *sigh*

but still. the pages were turned quickly and I was always on the edge of my seat, continually curious as to order of death and identity of killer(s). the structure was sound. Agatha Christie built a classic model.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered in this twisty locked room mystery.✨

Let me tell you, this narrative is a whirlwind of twists and turns, but it’s so wonderfully captivating. Typically, I struggle to keep track of characters, yet surprisingly, this book excels in character development, making the journey feel much more intimate and allowing me to remember each character distinctly. Of course, those shocking twists leave you questioning everything you thought you understood, adding another layer of complexity to the reading experience. There are so many layers! I’m still definitely digesting this one, but I can, with certainty, say this may just be one of my favorite mystery books ever. It’s like a grown-up version of CLUE.

The breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout were perfect. I can’t even count how many times I was fooled. The multiple POVs really helped with the trickery, as did the little excerpts thrown in from one of the characters’ books. I honestly feel pretty proud of myself for guessing one of the more significant twists because, wow! It is hard to say more without spoilers, but one of the twists had me so happy and relieved. And the ending? Perfect.

Some people might find this plot confusing, but it will all become clear by the end if you persevere. You have to give this one a try!!! The expected publication date is February 11, 2025. Go pre-order if you haven’t yet! 🔪🩸

Thank you sooooooo much, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam, for providing me with an ARC of this upcoming mystery/thriller. As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 Stars

One Liner: Needs suspended belief but fun

The mysterious and legendary author, J. R. Alastor, invites selected authors to a writing workshop at his retreat on a private island. He hired Mila del Angel as the coordinator and his face during the week. Mila has her own plans to make the event more ‘fun’ with extra twists to Alastor’s puzzles and mysteries. However, things start to go out of hand as the guests die one by one. Mila wonders if Alastor had another plan he hid from her and what it would mean for her future. Will anyone get out alive from the retreat at the end of the week?

The story comes in the first-person POVs of Rodrigo, Mila, Cassandra, Olivia, Violet, Fletcher, and a few others.

My Thoughts:

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.

The setting is atmospheric. The mansion and the island have dark vibes and enhance the narration. I couldn’t zoom in on the blueprint at the beginning but I understood the layout and could picturize the rooms.

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

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Putting successful authors on an island together with murderous strings being pulled sets the creative bar high. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite rise to the challenge.

When an author famous for anonymity and cranking out top tier novels invites six fellow authors to a secluded island for a writers’ retreat they jump at the opportunity to attend. There’s a storm blowing in so you know what that means, everyone is about to be trapped together.

What could possibly go wrong?

The amount of threads and characters is ambitious for a debut. The chapters are narrated from alternating perspectives. The characters aren’t fleshed out enough to carry this off. Their voices aren’t distinctive, I had to double check whose perspective was being heard from. Few characters were more than cardboard cutouts. I can’t imagine the amount of notes involved in keeping the plot threads in order. This isn’t bad in theory, but the many moving pieces bogged down the momentum. Less would’ve been more. If you’ve read many thrillers you will probably clock at least some of the plentiful twists early on.

Lots of tropes are explored, which is fun for fans who love these books, but nothing stood out in particular.

The games were a fun catalyst, but as soon as it built a little steam things would inevitably slow to a crawl.

It took me getting to about 70% to feel like the novel caught a gear and ran with it.

I kept thinking this one might be that rare bird that’s better onscreen than it is on paper.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing an Advanced Reading Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published February 11, 2025.

A debut murder mystery (congratulations!) about a spooky writing retreat (I am a sucker for books about writing retreats…not because I am a writer, but I guess just because I love books so much?)

Famous anonymous author J.R. Alastar hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angel to host a writing retreat at his fancy pants mansion on an island (oh, no. An island. Prediction. Big storm. Communications cut. Something’s happens to boat/there is no boat. People, NEVER GO TO AN ISLAND IF A STORM IS COMING. I don’t care if you are going with your parents, spouse, children, dogs and cats. Someone among that group is out to kill everyone. THIS IS GUARANTEED!!!)

Six thriller writers are invited, Thomas Fletcher, a snooty, English veteran writer, young Violet Blake, Ashton Carter, who has written a YA paranormal thriller, Cassandra Hutchinson, who, in her 70s in the grand dame, and Rodrigo and Olivia Sandoval, and husband and wife team of authors. Oh, and Mila has a bone to pick with one of the invitees. Wolf Harbor Estate is set up much like the Clue house with even more secret passageways.

J.R. and Mila have planned games, riddles and scares for the group, while Mila is planning a murder (that must be quite a bone.) However, a different guest ends up dead and….wait for it…a storm cuts off the island from the mainland and Mila must stop the killer.

There was one tiny plot hole that really didn’t make much of a difference, but overall this book was very nicely done. There are plenty of writer retreat books and plenty of “stuck on an island” books out there, but for a first timer the author made these tropes work - there were surprises galore and the book was well written. Highly recommended.

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

and you know what, I could have done with maybe one more murder personally

[OutlawPoet · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I made it more than halfway through before I gave up.

While I appreciated the author trying to use thriller/horror tropes in a new way, it just…never overcame its own trope.

I got bored.

I found the pacing slow, as well. At 30%, I thought the book was almost over. At 40%, same. It just never ended.

None of the characters were particularly interesting to me and I didn’t care about our elusive author.

I’m sure that this will work for others…it’s just not for me.

• ARC via Publisher

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! The introduction was fabulous- it reminded me of The Menu film with Ralph Fiennes or an Agatha Christie novel. It sets the intrigue wonderfully and whets the readers' appetite for delving further.
The drama continues and readers are treated to a great story, with characters that made me laugh out loud.
I'd definitely read more from this author.

[Ildiko Szendrei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finalul n-a fost pe măsura așteptărilor. M-a ținut în priză 400 de pagini, m-a făcut să suspectez pe toată lumea, a ucis personajele pe care le consideram vinovate, m-a băgat de multe ori în ceață, dar acel final nu a fost tocmai pe gustul meu, mai ales că ultimele 50 de pagini au fost ca un carusel de detalii scoase din joben.

Merită să o citiți pentru parcurs și pentru călătoria palpitantă pe care o oferă.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of You Are Fatally Invited.

I liked the title but at the same time I thought, Here we go again, another locked room mystery.

Personal experience tells me this won't end well and I was right.

I love revenge stories and the premise sounded right up my alley; an anonymous author, an aspiring writer bent on revenge, a big mansion on an isolated island, creepy games and riddles to solve.

What's not to like:

A lot.

Let's start with the cast; not one character is likable though some people experience a bit of growth at the end.

But does that mean I like them? No.

Look, I don't have to like the characters to be invested in the story, and even a few unlikable people have something to like, right?

OK, maybe not in real life, but you know what I mean.

Still, the narrative was hard to get into and without a character to root for, it was difficult to keep reading.

The narrative drags, oh boy, does it drag.

Lots of exposition, lots of POVs, lots of talk about suspense and thriller tropes, which is meta since the book is exploiting those very tropes.

All the reader has to figure out is how each character knows each other and in what capacity, but the story is purposely bogged down with dull, monotonous filler about each character's backstory and the books they wrote.

The writing was good, but also too wordy, too verbose...too much.

The story was boring.

Even when people start dropping like flies, it took too long to get there and it's hard to care since I didn't like anyone.

Everything was hard to suspend disbelief for; the elaborate schemes, the devious machinations, the setup.

I guessed Mila's ulterior motive but her need for vengeance seemed lame especially after waiting a decade to enact her plan.

This is no Count of Monte Cristo; even the identity of the reclusive author was a downer, and not because I figured out who it was early on.

[Paris (parismaereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My quick takes:
- 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Genre 📚 thriller
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️‍🔥 none/kisses only
- Content 🤔 killing, murder, violence

I rarely give a thriller 5 stars so this is well deserved. This would be a great intro thriller if you like murder mystery books and want to dabble in the thriller genre!

I really loved all the moving pieces in this book. A handful of different points of view, a secluded island, thriller authors getting unalived by their anonymous host, and everyone’s a suspect. It was all so good and I didn’t guess the ending!

It made me think of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, The Glass Onion, and Clue. I can’t believe this is a debut, and can’t wait to see what else comes from Ande Pliego! 👏🏼

[Trin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got to page 11 of this book and texted my friend, "Oh okay this is going to be BAD."

This revelation was due to these two lines:

"Okay, so you can get signed books from certain stores," Olivia conceded, "but Alastor's never done any in-person events, launch parties, face-to-face interviews, nada."

I hid a smile; she'd slowly adopted some of my Spanish phrases.

Oh yes, that never-used-in-English "Spanish phrase," nada.

This character is Spanish, by the way. Did you get that he is Spanish? All of Pliego's POV work is exactly this subtle. She literally has the first chapter from the POV of her British character begin, "Bloody hell." This extreme subtlety extends to all the twists and turns, the fakeouts that would never fly in a fair-play mystery. But although this is pretending to be a locked room (or rather, island) mystery, it is the farthest thing from fair-play. What it actually is is an extremely silly slasher movie in book form.

I should have quit at page 11, but every once in a while I delusionally decide that it would be fun, or funny, or educational, to read a buzzy book that I know will be bad. It's not and I never learn anything, including not to do this.

[Justin Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

A whirlwind of twists and deceits, You Are Fatally Invited takes the conventional locked-room mystery setup (a group of seemingly unrelated people at an isolated location), and amps it up to the extreme sport version of a brain teaser. Sprinkling in tidbits about mystery fiction writing and thriller tropes, this is essentially a love letter to the genre.

As much as I appreciate its intricacy and ambition at packing as much red herring and plot twist as possible, it does start to resemble a convoluted mess rather than a calculated chaos—there are so many layers of who has hidden/twisted what information from whom, and who was where at certain moment, that by the end I was left confused regarding some major plot points (even considering if the book has in fact made factual errors in its explanation).

It is always a fine line with mysteries, making the reader feels involved by providing reliable clues that could lead to reasonable deduction (which this novel has accomplished in some instances—I was glad to getting some of my guesses confirmed), yet still have enough misdirection in the mix so there remain surprises. In an effort to be unpredictable, You Are Fatally Invited has ever so slightly breach into confusing territory, where I was starting to question perhaps even the author has lost the plot in the name of thrills. Still, overall this is a very decent debut, and an atmospheric homage to the classic murder mystery framework. Would be curious to see where Ande Pliego will write next!

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really was calling my name. If you know me at all, you will know that locked room murder mysteries are my favourites. Add to that, the remote location and the fact that this house was full of famous thriller writers. Right?! I just had to read it and I am so glad that I did. It was so fun, so addictive and so clever.

This debut novel will be a massive hit in 2025 in my opinion. Writers playing games to survive, writers being murdered in similar ways that they wrote about in their novels. A secretive host who is famous but nobody know what they look like. It just has it all…. Oh and did I mention a wild storm? There has to be one right.

This book ticked so many boxes for me and was really well done. Thanks so much to Random House Uk, Transworld Publishing for my advanced copy of this fantastic book to read. Out in the world on February 13th.

[Chelsea | thrillerbookbabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Random House and Ande Pliego for this debut. It was such a fun take on And Then There Were None with a writing twist. The book was about an exclusive writer's retreat on a private island hosted by the anonymous author J. R. Alastor. Former aspiring writer Mila is hired to host the event, and six thriller authors are invited to join the fun. Alastor and Mila created a week of games and riddles, but Mila has more than fun in mind. But then a guest turns up dead, and it’s not the murder Mila planned. As a storm cuts off access to the islands, the guests have to survive the weekend or risk being taken out one by one.

Thoughts: This was a modern And Then There Were None with a fun twists. The pros to this are many. The characters were eccentric and fun to read about. Everyone was hiding something and everyone was connected. The backstory to the weekend was duplicitous and dark and the murders were gruesome and theatrical. It felt like there were lots of plot points to be revealed and it was fun to watch them unfold.

The cons were that if you read the original, the killer was extremely obvious. The idea of the tropes were fun, but both the murderer and the thief were obvious as soon as the ideas were introduced. There were a few things that didn’t make sense within the characters, and a few things that wouldn’t make sense in reality, but it was a fun book and a great way to spend my time reading. 3.5 stars.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise was right up my alley. A writer's workshop retreat on an island in Maine with a murder mystery theme to get the creativity flowing. All the writers are established mystery novelists, and the host, AJ Alastor, thinks it would be a great idea to get everyone in on a game. The authors can't wait because Alastor is a world-renowned mystery author who, until now, has kept his identity hidden..

Alastor has a sinister idea of wanting the writers to confess to previous transgressions. The authors must eventually come clean to see the game through. Mila, the event coordinator, disagrees with one of the authors and intends to resolve the issue. Mila has a perfect murder plan unfolding, but when an unintended victim turns up dead, all knives are out.

As the game begins, people go missing, and everyone tries to solve the mystery. Is this real, or is it all part of the game? Everyone and everything is shaken up. Can the players outwit the mystery murderer who knows all the tricks in the book?

I enjoyed this story but struggled to control the characters. Multiple POVs complicated the process of figuring out who was killing and why.

There is also a book within the book that foreshadows as a preface what will happen next in a twisty way. The ending was a fun surprise.

3.5/5 stars

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ande Pliego’s debut novel, YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, has been on my TBR for monthsssssssssss, so I was ecstatic to finally read it! The story involves a group of successful mystery/thriller writers being invited to JR Alastor’s private island for a celebratory getaway. Alastor is the biggest name in the industry, but has eluded public scrutiny by keeping his identity a secret. The 6 writers joining the celebration are excited to discover who this celebrity is! When the authors arrive, they are greeted by Alastor’s event coordinator, Mila, but there’s no sign of Alastor himself. He and Mila have set a series of games during the guests’ stay, but when one of the authors winds up dead, everything quickly changes for the worst. As the body count continues to grow, everyone must try to join together to figure out what is happening. However, these invited guests are all hiding a secret of their own…

I really ended up enjoying the book a lot, but it’s very much a retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. That being said, it was an overall fun journey. The book takes a looooong time to warm up—I think around the halfway mark things started to get interesting. I broke my “50 pages or DNF” rule, and after finishing it I could’ve went either way. This book is definitely a combination of Agatha Christie’s famous novel, Clue, and Knives Out, but I did expect more. That being said, this is a favorable (yet critical) review! I would definitely read more from this author in the future.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was so confusing with all the characters, dialogue (not sure who was talking and I had to keep going back to check), POVs and intricate relationships.. it was a really hard slog for me to get through it.