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A Reunion to Die For
They all wanted their bully dead. Now someone's granted the wish. From the author of Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests comes the twisted tale of a school reunion turned murderous—and the suspects must catch the real killer before they're framed. Perfect for fans of Benjamin Stevenson and We Solve Murders.
In a dingy pub, a high school reunion brings five old friends back together. As they catch up after twenty years, painful memories surface, all centered around the disastrous prom night that broke them all apart and the school bully at the heart of it all. King of the class turned handsome sport superstar, Eric Stewart poses as a charming local celebrity, but his old friends know of his hidden cruel streak that made each of them miserable. The more they drink, the more a morbid plan takes shape, with everyone tossing in ideas for how they could get the ultimate form of revenge.
The next morning, heads-pounding and hearts racing, they discover Eric has been found dead, exactly the way they drunkenly planned it.
When a cryptic, anonymous message containing a recording of their conversation from the night before starts to circulate, the group knows they need to act, and fast. Who was listening to them? Who arranged the reunion? And, most importantly, who carried out their murderous plans? Soon, they find themselves dragged into a series of sinister games devised to reveal the truth about prom night and Eric's death. Before they become the main suspects, the group will need to share their secrets from all those years ago, or risk going down for murder.
In a dingy pub, a high school reunion brings five old friends back together. As they catch up after twenty years, painful memories surface, all centered around the disastrous prom night that broke them all apart and the school bully at the heart of it all. King of the class turned handsome sport superstar, Eric Stewart poses as a charming local celebrity, but his old friends know of his hidden cruel streak that made each of them miserable. The more they drink, the more a morbid plan takes shape, with everyone tossing in ideas for how they could get the ultimate form of revenge.
The next morning, heads-pounding and hearts racing, they discover Eric has been found dead, exactly the way they drunkenly planned it.
When a cryptic, anonymous message containing a recording of their conversation from the night before starts to circulate, the group knows they need to act, and fast. Who was listening to them? Who arranged the reunion? And, most importantly, who carried out their murderous plans? Soon, they find themselves dragged into a series of sinister games devised to reveal the truth about prom night and Eric's death. Before they become the main suspects, the group will need to share their secrets from all those years ago, or risk going down for murder.
443 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2026
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September 10, 2026ARC provided by Sourcebooks Landmark.
A Reunion to Die For had a really promising start, but somewhere along the way it completely lost me. The pacing became far too slow for my taste, and the constant back-and-forth between timelines made the story feel much longer than it needed to be.
There was an interesting story underneath it, but by the time the twists came around, I just wasn’t invested.
I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy slow-burn mysteries, multiple timelines, and stories that take their time unfolding.
A Reunion to Die For had a really promising start, but somewhere along the way it completely lost me. The pacing became far too slow for my taste, and the constant back-and-forth between timelines made the story feel much longer than it needed to be.
There was an interesting story underneath it, but by the time the twists came around, I just wasn’t invested.
I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy slow-burn mysteries, multiple timelines, and stories that take their time unfolding.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A good robust thriller told in the now and in the past and from multiple points of view as 6 old friends (against their better judgement ) meet up after many years at their school reunion
There are many secrets and axes to grind but the next day on waking they find out one of them is dead
They then all become embroiled in a ‘Saw’ type set of games that will lead eventually to uncovering the past and maybe to the killer
But there is more to it than they think and all roads lead back to the Prom night 20 years previous and the terrible events of that night
A fast paced read,lots of characters to meet and lots of past situations to learn about but it is worth it to see how these 6 were linked then and are still now and how events that they thought were buried were waiting to be uncovered
Clever ending that didn’t see coming
There are many secrets and axes to grind but the next day on waking they find out one of them is dead
They then all become embroiled in a ‘Saw’ type set of games that will lead eventually to uncovering the past and maybe to the killer
But there is more to it than they think and all roads lead back to the Prom night 20 years previous and the terrible events of that night
A fast paced read,lots of characters to meet and lots of past situations to learn about but it is worth it to see how these 6 were linked then and are still now and how events that they thought were buried were waiting to be uncovered
Clever ending that didn’t see coming
Want to Read
April 23, 2026I really liked a previous title from this author - I can't wait to read this one!!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
October 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really liked the start of this one and the concept with the dueling timelines. However, the storyline felt drawn out — things were moving way too slow for me and felt kind of redundant, at times making me not want to even pick it up. I found parts to be predictable and some of the “twists” were totally unrealistic. Overall I just don’t think this book was for me.
I really liked the start of this one and the concept with the dueling timelines. However, the storyline felt drawn out — things were moving way too slow for me and felt kind of redundant, at times making me not want to even pick it up. I found parts to be predictable and some of the “twists” were totally unrealistic. Overall I just don’t think this book was for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Thank you to Sourcebooks for a complimentary arc of A Reunion to Die For. All opinions expressed are my own.*
The synopsis for A Reunion to Die For was an immediate attention grabber. A former friend group forced to team up to clear their names from a murder they planned but didn’t actually commit? Remind me to never go to a school reunion.
This twisty and addictive story is told through both past and present timelines and multiple POVs, and the more puzzle pieces I uncovered, the harder it became to put the book down. The fast pace, suspenseful plot, and dark secrets hiding within this complex group of characters had me hooked from the beginning.
And if you grew up watching Pretty Little Liars, there’s an adjacent thrill feeling to the games this friend group finds themselves forced to play under the instructions of an anonymous blackmailer. The secrets, the manipulation, the constant questioning of who knows what, and who is messing with them - it all made for exactly the kind of suspense I love sinking my teeth into.
The two-for-one murder mysteries were another delightful surprise. Both were complex and cleverly written, and I had so much fun watching the pieces slowly come together. Despite the gradual unveiling of information, the story never lost its pace, and each new piece only made me more eager to see how everything would connect.
The ending felt incredibly satisfying, too. All those carefully scattered puzzle pieces finally coming together made the buildup feel worth it, without ever making the journey feel unnecessarily drawn out. You essentially forget that it’s over 400 pages, because every page is just as engaging and fun.
If you enjoy twisty suspense mysteries filled with secrets, complicated characters, multiple timelines, and enough unanswered questions to keep you guessing, grab a copy of A Reunion to Die For as soon as it comes out.
The synopsis for A Reunion to Die For was an immediate attention grabber. A former friend group forced to team up to clear their names from a murder they planned but didn’t actually commit? Remind me to never go to a school reunion.
This twisty and addictive story is told through both past and present timelines and multiple POVs, and the more puzzle pieces I uncovered, the harder it became to put the book down. The fast pace, suspenseful plot, and dark secrets hiding within this complex group of characters had me hooked from the beginning.
And if you grew up watching Pretty Little Liars, there’s an adjacent thrill feeling to the games this friend group finds themselves forced to play under the instructions of an anonymous blackmailer. The secrets, the manipulation, the constant questioning of who knows what, and who is messing with them - it all made for exactly the kind of suspense I love sinking my teeth into.
The two-for-one murder mysteries were another delightful surprise. Both were complex and cleverly written, and I had so much fun watching the pieces slowly come together. Despite the gradual unveiling of information, the story never lost its pace, and each new piece only made me more eager to see how everything would connect.
The ending felt incredibly satisfying, too. All those carefully scattered puzzle pieces finally coming together made the buildup feel worth it, without ever making the journey feel unnecessarily drawn out. You essentially forget that it’s over 400 pages, because every page is just as engaging and fun.
If you enjoy twisty suspense mysteries filled with secrets, complicated characters, multiple timelines, and enough unanswered questions to keep you guessing, grab a copy of A Reunion to Die For as soon as it comes out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 3/5 ⭐️
A Reunion to Die For by KJ Whittle
The beginning of this one really hooked me. I was definitely intrigued . This did have multiple POV and dual timeline. We get a lot of various perspectives in this which was both nice but could also feel drawn out.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC of this book vie NetGalley.
I really enjoyed the secrets and the murder mystery in both timelines. It felt like I was trying to solve two separate and yet related crimes. I will say some of this moved a little too slowly while other parts seemed rushed. Some of the twists were a little predictable but were still enjoyable. The ending felt a little anticlimactic for such a build up with all the different payers.
Overall I would say this was still a tension filled murder mystery and was an enjoyable read for me.
A Reunion to Die For by KJ Whittle
The beginning of this one really hooked me. I was definitely intrigued . This did have multiple POV and dual timeline. We get a lot of various perspectives in this which was both nice but could also feel drawn out.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC of this book vie NetGalley.
I really enjoyed the secrets and the murder mystery in both timelines. It felt like I was trying to solve two separate and yet related crimes. I will say some of this moved a little too slowly while other parts seemed rushed. Some of the twists were a little predictable but were still enjoyable. The ending felt a little anticlimactic for such a build up with all the different payers.
Overall I would say this was still a tension filled murder mystery and was an enjoyable read for me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A group of estranged friends must prove their innocence after they become the prime suspects when a hated high school bully is murdered exactly according to a joke plan they came up with at their reunion after-party.
This is multi-POV and dual timeline, and is a primarily character driven mystery with a fair amount of psychological dread. The setup, of the murder being committed exactly like the drunken joke, is intriguing, but then things get worse as the group is blackmailed into a series of sinister games to uncover the real killer before they all take the fall.
The characters almost all have something to hide, so the reader isn't sure who can be trusted. They are a morally gray group with messy interpersonal dynamics. As the situation makes them all a bit paranoid, the dialogue takes a sharp, biting tone that's witty and well done.
The beginning really hooked me, but by the middle, the pacing faltered, and I felt it was a little too long at almost 450 pages. A couple of the twists and reveals are predictable, but I still enjoyed seeing how other pieces of the puzzle came together. Despite those quibbles, this was still a pretty good read for me, and I would read more by this author.
This is multi-POV and dual timeline, and is a primarily character driven mystery with a fair amount of psychological dread. The setup, of the murder being committed exactly like the drunken joke, is intriguing, but then things get worse as the group is blackmailed into a series of sinister games to uncover the real killer before they all take the fall.
The characters almost all have something to hide, so the reader isn't sure who can be trusted. They are a morally gray group with messy interpersonal dynamics. As the situation makes them all a bit paranoid, the dialogue takes a sharp, biting tone that's witty and well done.
The beginning really hooked me, but by the middle, the pacing faltered, and I felt it was a little too long at almost 450 pages. A couple of the twists and reveals are predictable, but I still enjoyed seeing how other pieces of the puzzle came together. Despite those quibbles, this was still a pretty good read for me, and I would read more by this author.
October 20, 2026
I love the thriller premise in which old friends reunite after a tragedy years before, so this book sounded perfect for me. A group of friends get together at a school reunion being held to raise money to prevent their old school from being demolished. Most of them haven't seen each other for 20 years - since the night of their prom in 2006. The story has two timelines, multiple points-of-view, and lots of untrustworthy characters.
The book is engaging even though some things were predictable. There are some horrible characters in the story and even a couple that seem likable do horrible things. A little of that helps make the plot more complex, but at times it's just too much. Although I was able to guess some of the things that were revealed, I enjoyed the twists near the end that I hadn't predicted. The news story clippings in the epilogue are a nice touch.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Sourcebooks Landmark. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
The book is engaging even though some things were predictable. There are some horrible characters in the story and even a couple that seem likable do horrible things. A little of that helps make the plot more complex, but at times it's just too much. Although I was able to guess some of the things that were revealed, I enjoyed the twists near the end that I hadn't predicted. The news story clippings in the epilogue are a nice touch.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Sourcebooks Landmark. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A twisty psychological thriller where friends gather and muse on “what ifs” only to find them fulfilled. Be careful what you wish for.
A group of high school friends come together for their twentieth high school reunion meeting up in a dingy pub reminiscing and remembering the high school bully, Eric Stewart, who is now a local darling and sports star. The group muses on “what ifs” fueled by lingering resentments and alcohol only to learn the next day that Eric has been murdered exactly as the group had planned. A recording emerges of the friends talking about Eric the previous night forcing the group to decide to investigate and solve the murder.
The book is told from alternating POVs and time - past and present. The prom is the featured component of the mystery. In order to solve the murder, the friends need to go to the night of the prom. Long hidden truths emerge. The characters all have an axe to grind so you are kept guessing as the story alternates. I wasn’t surprised by the ending - which for me is a rarity. But I enjoyed the read.
This is a book for those who enjoy hidden secrets mystery along the vein of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty.
A group of high school friends come together for their twentieth high school reunion meeting up in a dingy pub reminiscing and remembering the high school bully, Eric Stewart, who is now a local darling and sports star. The group muses on “what ifs” fueled by lingering resentments and alcohol only to learn the next day that Eric has been murdered exactly as the group had planned. A recording emerges of the friends talking about Eric the previous night forcing the group to decide to investigate and solve the murder.
The book is told from alternating POVs and time - past and present. The prom is the featured component of the mystery. In order to solve the murder, the friends need to go to the night of the prom. Long hidden truths emerge. The characters all have an axe to grind so you are kept guessing as the story alternates. I wasn’t surprised by the ending - which for me is a rarity. But I enjoyed the read.
This is a book for those who enjoy hidden secrets mystery along the vein of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty.
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October 17, 2026I LOVE a good Friends with Secrets/I Know What You Did Last Summer premise. And A Reunion to Die for got off to a strong start. A group of former friends return to their high school for their 20 year high school reunion. They're shocked that the school is to be torn down, which of course got me suspicious. What are they hiding?
It's a complicated story, with a past/present narrative and 5 different narrators, each who tell small pieces of the story from both 2006 (an ill-fated prom night) and the present in 2026.
The part I liked best was seeing the high school kids and what their lives had turned out like 20 years later. The book's narrative structure was really complicated, the book was maybe 75 pages too long, and the plot was so convoluted that it required a lot of explaining by the characters.
In the end the solution was clever, but I was a bit exhausted once I got there.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
It's a complicated story, with a past/present narrative and 5 different narrators, each who tell small pieces of the story from both 2006 (an ill-fated prom night) and the present in 2026.
The part I liked best was seeing the high school kids and what their lives had turned out like 20 years later. The book's narrative structure was really complicated, the book was maybe 75 pages too long, and the plot was so convoluted that it required a lot of explaining by the characters.
In the end the solution was clever, but I was a bit exhausted once I got there.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
October 17, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for my Advaced copy!
I enjoyed the story line and the fact that I’m very close in age with the characters brought a different type of feeling to the story.
It was predictable but once it hooked you there’s no way you’re going to let go.
I don’t think the book had to be so long though, it was well written and very detailed but it did make it drag a bit. I do understand why the author did make it so long, it allowed us to get each characters backstory I couldn’t put this book down, it was a great story line, a little predictable past and present.
Still a good read and I’d recommend it if a semi slow burn doesn’t bother you.
I enjoyed the story line and the fact that I’m very close in age with the characters brought a different type of feeling to the story.
It was predictable but once it hooked you there’s no way you’re going to let go.
I don’t think the book had to be so long though, it was well written and very detailed but it did make it drag a bit. I do understand why the author did make it so long, it allowed us to get each characters backstory I couldn’t put this book down, it was a great story line, a little predictable past and present.
Still a good read and I’d recommend it if a semi slow burn doesn’t bother you.
August 6, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC!
I thought this was such a fun mystery! I love books with dual timelines and I thought the author did a great job of slowly revealing pieces of information and tying it together across the different timelines and POVs. It was also very fast paced and didn’t feel like 400+ pages, and it kept me fully engaged the entire time. I did figure out a few things early, but I would rather have a twist be well plotted out than happen out of absolutely nowhere for the sake of shock value. I’d definitely pick up another book by this author!
I thought this was such a fun mystery! I love books with dual timelines and I thought the author did a great job of slowly revealing pieces of information and tying it together across the different timelines and POVs. It was also very fast paced and didn’t feel like 400+ pages, and it kept me fully engaged the entire time. I did figure out a few things early, but I would rather have a twist be well plotted out than happen out of absolutely nowhere for the sake of shock value. I’d definitely pick up another book by this author!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I really wanted to love this one. Concept? Sooooo good. Start of the book? Great. Pacing? Abysmal. The middle of the book was so slow with the back and forth, I started to not care about any of the characters sadly. The ending picked back up but it just was not as exciting as I was hoping for from a thriller. Start to finish should be suspenseful and intense and I was missing that here.
I liked half of the characters pretty well and like I said, the premise was promising, it just didn't deliver the bang I was looking for!
I liked half of the characters pretty well and like I said, the premise was promising, it just didn't deliver the bang I was looking for!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Reunion to Die For is yet another novel with an intriguing premise that stumbles and catches its footing repeatedly throughout the book. It was a true emotional rollercoaster, because I seesawed between engaging with this book and wanting to throw my Kindle across the room in frustration. I wish I could be a fly on the wall between the conversations with beta readers and editors on this book because there’s too many inconsistencies that fall through the cracks.
-Conversations go in circles with no resolutions, or they stretch out for pages when it could be answered in 2 lines.
-Weird terms and grammar are used (WC instead of toilet, new-born being hyphenated, the overuse of “best mate” and “sob”, the constant misuse of the word “cried.”)
-The catalyst for this entire story is borderline unrealistic if you know anything about construction.
-One character gets mud on their shoes and they don’t know why. The book literally has them asking themself, “Where did the mud come from?” but it’s never answered
-One side character reveals something that would break the logic in the story, but it’s never addressed after that moment.
-The characters all played a part in the catastrophic prom night, but half get off scott free.
Those are just the nitpicks I noticed. Pretty early on I clocked the two major twists, namely who killed Eric and what happened on prom night. That knowledge made me kind of antsy to just get to the reveals, which were done in the last 10% of the book. There was one additional twist that I did not see coming, which I appreciated, but it also left me with more questions that again, kind of breaks the logic of the whole book’s premise.
Overall it was a decent read, but I won’t remember it by this time next year. Thanks so much to Landmark for the free book! This review is from an e-ARC I reviewed via NetGalley. All opinions are my own without any incentives.
-Conversations go in circles with no resolutions, or they stretch out for pages when it could be answered in 2 lines.
-Weird terms and grammar are used (WC instead of toilet, new-born being hyphenated, the overuse of “best mate” and “sob”, the constant misuse of the word “cried.”)
-The catalyst for this entire story is borderline unrealistic if you know anything about construction.
-One character gets mud on their shoes and they don’t know why. The book literally has them asking themself, “Where did the mud come from?” but it’s never answered
-One side character reveals something that would break the logic in the story, but it’s never addressed after that moment.
-The characters all played a part in the catastrophic prom night, but half get off scott free.
Those are just the nitpicks I noticed. Pretty early on I clocked the two major twists, namely who killed Eric and what happened on prom night. That knowledge made me kind of antsy to just get to the reveals, which were done in the last 10% of the book. There was one additional twist that I did not see coming, which I appreciated, but it also left me with more questions that again, kind of breaks the logic of the whole book’s premise.
Overall it was a decent read, but I won’t remember it by this time next year. Thanks so much to Landmark for the free book! This review is from an e-ARC I reviewed via NetGalley. All opinions are my own without any incentives.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ok y'all this is the last book i read today!!!! i swear!!!! advanced copy so no spoilers. this was a great compelling mystery that made it impossible to put down, and i found the resolution supremely disappointing. it was hinted at throughout but it was kind of anticlimactic if i'm being honest. ALAS there'd still a lot that's fun here!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There are way to many POV's and too much going back and forth for me. The twist was just ok. Not the book for me unfortunately.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.
October 20, 2026
This is a dual-timeline, multiple-POV mystery thriller that gradually reveals its secrets through the perspectives of former classmates reunited twenty years after their school days. What initially appears to be a simple murder mystery develops into a layered exploration of past trauma, unresolved grievances, and the lasting consequences of events that occurred two decades earlier.
Rather than immediately focusing on the mystery itself, the narrative spends time establishing its characters, their shared history, and the circumstances surrounding an incident(s) from twenty years ago. As the story alternates between past and present, readers begin to recognize parallels between who these characters were as teenagers and who they have become as adults. Their experiences, relationships, and individual perspectives gradually provide context for their present-day actions, with each revelation adding another piece to the larger mystery.
The writing incorporates familiar thriller conventions, particularly the use of unreliable perspectives, withheld information, and carefully placed revelations that encourage readers to question each character's motives and potential involvement. While I was able to anticipate several twists and uncover certain truths surrounding the interconnected mysteries, my interest remained in seeing how the various details would ultimately converge. For me, the satisfaction came less from the element of surprise and more from watching the pieces fall into place and understanding how each revelation contributed to the overall narrative.
That said, the deliberate withholding of information occasionally felt more like a narrative device than an organic extension of the characters' perspectives. Although this technique is common in mystery thrillers and serves a clear purpose in maintaining suspense, there were moments when I found myself questioning the characters' decisions and reactions. I had to remind myself to consider the differences between how my teenage self and my present-day self might respond to similar circumstances, particularly given the experiences and unresolved issues these characters carried into adulthood.
One aspect that resonated with me most was the significance of a particular character whose perspective we never directly experience. Despite the narrative providing access to multiple characters' thoughts and experiences, it was this absent perspective that ultimately left the strongest impression on me. In many ways, I felt that this character was at the emotional center of the story. The impact of his experiences, and the way they shaped the lives and actions of those around him, gave the narrative an additional layer of meaning. I thought this was one of the more effective elements of the author's storytelling, demonstrating how a character can profoundly influence a narrative without ever being given a direct voice.
While I appreciated the gradual exploration of the characters' shared past, I would have liked greater depth in their individual development, particularly during the years between their school prom and the present-day reunion. Much of that intervening period is only briefly touched upon, and I felt that a more substantial exploration of how their experiences shaped their adult lives could have strengthened both their relatability and the emotional weight of their decisions. Whether this was an intentional narrative choice or simply a matter of pacing, I think additional context would have made their personal journeys even more compelling.
On a personal note, I also found the setting and circumstances particularly interesting because I know someone who attended a St. Joseph school and graduated around the same time and at the same age as these characters. That connection added a fun element of familiarity to the reading experience.
Rather than immediately focusing on the mystery itself, the narrative spends time establishing its characters, their shared history, and the circumstances surrounding an incident(s) from twenty years ago. As the story alternates between past and present, readers begin to recognize parallels between who these characters were as teenagers and who they have become as adults. Their experiences, relationships, and individual perspectives gradually provide context for their present-day actions, with each revelation adding another piece to the larger mystery.
The writing incorporates familiar thriller conventions, particularly the use of unreliable perspectives, withheld information, and carefully placed revelations that encourage readers to question each character's motives and potential involvement. While I was able to anticipate several twists and uncover certain truths surrounding the interconnected mysteries, my interest remained in seeing how the various details would ultimately converge. For me, the satisfaction came less from the element of surprise and more from watching the pieces fall into place and understanding how each revelation contributed to the overall narrative.
That said, the deliberate withholding of information occasionally felt more like a narrative device than an organic extension of the characters' perspectives. Although this technique is common in mystery thrillers and serves a clear purpose in maintaining suspense, there were moments when I found myself questioning the characters' decisions and reactions. I had to remind myself to consider the differences between how my teenage self and my present-day self might respond to similar circumstances, particularly given the experiences and unresolved issues these characters carried into adulthood.
One aspect that resonated with me most was the significance of a particular character whose perspective we never directly experience. Despite the narrative providing access to multiple characters' thoughts and experiences, it was this absent perspective that ultimately left the strongest impression on me. In many ways, I felt that this character was at the emotional center of the story. The impact of his experiences, and the way they shaped the lives and actions of those around him, gave the narrative an additional layer of meaning. I thought this was one of the more effective elements of the author's storytelling, demonstrating how a character can profoundly influence a narrative without ever being given a direct voice.
While I appreciated the gradual exploration of the characters' shared past, I would have liked greater depth in their individual development, particularly during the years between their school prom and the present-day reunion. Much of that intervening period is only briefly touched upon, and I felt that a more substantial exploration of how their experiences shaped their adult lives could have strengthened both their relatability and the emotional weight of their decisions. Whether this was an intentional narrative choice or simply a matter of pacing, I think additional context would have made their personal journeys even more compelling.
On a personal note, I also found the setting and circumstances particularly interesting because I know someone who attended a St. Joseph school and graduated around the same time and at the same age as these characters. That connection added a fun element of familiarity to the reading experience.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Pretty decent of a mystery, this book really thrives with reuniting a group of friends from school whose lives don't exactly look the way they wanted to because of an event at prom that kept on devouring them long after.
What I think this book did well:
1. The ending. Really satisfying. That is all I will say about it. While the actual mystery aspect isn't that hard ot guess, it still delivers a satisfying end.
2. Most of the characters. I really did feel like Eric was a very believable asshole. Like I hated him to no end, but it in a way that made me think of people I know who would do similar things. I really like Yvette and Anne Marie the best.
What I think this book didn't do the best with:
1. I do feel like the pacing was a bit off. Now, I am a bit bias because this follows a split timeline so there are chapters both in modern day and prom night interspersed with each other. I don't love that and honestly, I don't think it was done evry well here. It felt very disjointed at times and if I had to read one more time about the secret they could never share, I was going to throw the book across the room in rage. Like, I get it, ti is a way to connect chapters but it felt lazy and uninspired after the first section of the book was over and it kept going. If you don't like this type of split timeline and repetition, you will not like this book.
The pacing also then hit with bouncing between characters a lot. It felt like the story was super good and interesting but took forever to move forward. While I love a good mystery to sink into for hours, this felt like it should have been shorter (maybe not even in length but FEEL).
2. The other characters relationship with each other. I think with the feeling of how long the book was, I had hoped that some of the personal issues would be more addressed. While this does mimic real life where you run back into people you haven't seen forever and don't get closure, I wanted at least some sort of closure for someone by the end. We get introduced to so many side issues for all of them which make them all feel very real and we care, but then really nothing but the main plot get resolved. For me, that really took a lot away from my enjoyment as a reader. I get wanting to leave feeling sad and bitter and mimicking how life isn't fair, but to give such a satisfying end to the main plot without it being neat and tidy just shows that this author has the capabilities, so it just was a disappointment.
I think this is absolutely worth reading if neither of the negatives are deal breakers for you (I try to focus more n the negatives in my reviews because when I am looking for a book, I want to see more what people didn't like more.) I don't regret reading by any means and honestly it's well written enough that one of my complaints boils down to I wanted more.
What I think this book did well:
1. The ending. Really satisfying. That is all I will say about it. While the actual mystery aspect isn't that hard ot guess, it still delivers a satisfying end.
2. Most of the characters. I really did feel like Eric was a very believable asshole. Like I hated him to no end, but it in a way that made me think of people I know who would do similar things. I really like Yvette and Anne Marie the best.
What I think this book didn't do the best with:
1. I do feel like the pacing was a bit off. Now, I am a bit bias because this follows a split timeline so there are chapters both in modern day and prom night interspersed with each other. I don't love that and honestly, I don't think it was done evry well here. It felt very disjointed at times and if I had to read one more time about the secret they could never share, I was going to throw the book across the room in rage. Like, I get it, ti is a way to connect chapters but it felt lazy and uninspired after the first section of the book was over and it kept going. If you don't like this type of split timeline and repetition, you will not like this book.
The pacing also then hit with bouncing between characters a lot. It felt like the story was super good and interesting but took forever to move forward. While I love a good mystery to sink into for hours, this felt like it should have been shorter (maybe not even in length but FEEL).
2. The other characters relationship with each other. I think with the feeling of how long the book was, I had hoped that some of the personal issues would be more addressed. While this does mimic real life where you run back into people you haven't seen forever and don't get closure, I wanted at least some sort of closure for someone by the end. We get introduced to so many side issues for all of them which make them all feel very real and we care, but then really nothing but the main plot get resolved. For me, that really took a lot away from my enjoyment as a reader. I get wanting to leave feeling sad and bitter and mimicking how life isn't fair, but to give such a satisfying end to the main plot without it being neat and tidy just shows that this author has the capabilities, so it just was a disappointment.
I think this is absolutely worth reading if neither of the negatives are deal breakers for you (I try to focus more n the negatives in my reviews because when I am looking for a book, I want to see more what people didn't like more.) I don't regret reading by any means and honestly it's well written enough that one of my complaints boils down to I wanted more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge Thank You to the Publisher and to NetGalley for gifting me with an advanced digital copy of this book! This didn't affect my review or opinion.
I really liked this concept and the structure. We follow a group of friends the night of their 20 year reunion and flash back often to the night of their prom all those years ago. This kind of mystery had me invested immediately. We also switch POVs between the characters through both timelines while we maintain an emotional throughline which I found really impressive.
I enjoyed K.J. Whittle’s last foray into this kind of group dynamic thriller and was really excited to get into this book. Ultimately, this story fell flat for me, though. (There will be some light spoilers ahead)
This story involves some pretty heavy topics including homelessness, childhood SA, and Domestic Violence but they are kind of carelessly tossed throughout the characters and the story. I suppose that may be a reflection of how people in reality can disregard these heavy topics but I think incorporating it into fiction in this way was careless at best. Especially when literally every main character ends up dealing with homelessness at some point. It feels like a cheap plot device to demonstrate each character’s lowest moment.
I do want to talk about the antagonist and the ending. Dean is a truly pitiful person - we are made to feel levels of disgust and pity for him I haven’t seen since I don’t know when. Not all of his misfortune can be directly tied to his own mistakes and personality flaws, either. He grows up in poverty and seems to be pretty taken advantage of by the other antagonist, Eric. He pines for the peak he hit in high school, even still yearning for the girl whose heart he broke years ago. When the ending is revealed, it is tepid and mild. A whimper and not a bang…..at all. This plays into the ultimate problem I have with the novel: I cannot tell what this book is trying to say. I was not hit with an emotional truth like with Whittle’s last work.
These are the reasons I couldn’t give A Reunion to Die For more than 3 stars despite enjoying the read.
I really liked this concept and the structure. We follow a group of friends the night of their 20 year reunion and flash back often to the night of their prom all those years ago. This kind of mystery had me invested immediately. We also switch POVs between the characters through both timelines while we maintain an emotional throughline which I found really impressive.
I enjoyed K.J. Whittle’s last foray into this kind of group dynamic thriller and was really excited to get into this book. Ultimately, this story fell flat for me, though. (There will be some light spoilers ahead)
This story involves some pretty heavy topics including homelessness, childhood SA, and Domestic Violence but they are kind of carelessly tossed throughout the characters and the story. I suppose that may be a reflection of how people in reality can disregard these heavy topics but I think incorporating it into fiction in this way was careless at best. Especially when literally every main character ends up dealing with homelessness at some point. It feels like a cheap plot device to demonstrate each character’s lowest moment.
I do want to talk about the antagonist and the ending. Dean is a truly pitiful person - we are made to feel levels of disgust and pity for him I haven’t seen since I don’t know when. Not all of his misfortune can be directly tied to his own mistakes and personality flaws, either. He grows up in poverty and seems to be pretty taken advantage of by the other antagonist, Eric. He pines for the peak he hit in high school, even still yearning for the girl whose heart he broke years ago. When the ending is revealed, it is tepid and mild. A whimper and not a bang…..at all. This plays into the ultimate problem I have with the novel: I cannot tell what this book is trying to say. I was not hit with an emotional truth like with Whittle’s last work.
These are the reasons I couldn’t give A Reunion to Die For more than 3 stars despite enjoying the read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
thank you to the publisher, netgalley and the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
this was such a fun, messy little thriller and honestly the premise alone had me hooked. a group of old friends reuniting years after high school only for old secrets, resentment and guilt to crawl back to the surface? yeah inject that straight into my veins. the whole “everyone has a reason to hate the victim” trope always works on me and this book definitely leaned into that chaotic energy well.
the writing style was very easy to get through and bingeable. the dual timelines and multiple povs slowly piecing together what actually happened on prom night kept me engaged throughout most of the book. i also really liked how every character felt morally grey in some way. nobody was completely innocent and the tension between the friend group felt believable and layered. eric especially worked well as this looming presence even before everything spiralled.
theme-wise, this book really explores jealousy, bullying, revenge, buried trauma and the way one person can continue to haunt an entire group years later. there’s also a lot about perception and how memory changes depending on who’s telling the story. i loved the dramatic atmosphere of it all. it genuinely felt like one long uncomfortable dinner conversation waiting to explode.
for me, the strongest part was definitely the character dynamics and the slow unraveling of past events. i do think the beginning took me a little while to fully settle into because of all the povs, and while some twists didn’t completely shock me, the overall ride was entertaining enough that i didn’t mind. the pacing stayed strong and i kept wanting “just one more chapter.”
if you enjoy character driven thrillers with reunion settings, messy friendships, revenge plots, anonymous messages and secrets from the past slowly resurfacing, this would be such a good pick. especially for readers who love fast paced mysteries that are more focused on drama and tension than super dark horror elements.
thank you to the publisher, netgalley and the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
this was such a fun, messy little thriller and honestly the premise alone had me hooked. a group of old friends reuniting years after high school only for old secrets, resentment and guilt to crawl back to the surface? yeah inject that straight into my veins. the whole “everyone has a reason to hate the victim” trope always works on me and this book definitely leaned into that chaotic energy well.
the writing style was very easy to get through and bingeable. the dual timelines and multiple povs slowly piecing together what actually happened on prom night kept me engaged throughout most of the book. i also really liked how every character felt morally grey in some way. nobody was completely innocent and the tension between the friend group felt believable and layered. eric especially worked well as this looming presence even before everything spiralled.
theme-wise, this book really explores jealousy, bullying, revenge, buried trauma and the way one person can continue to haunt an entire group years later. there’s also a lot about perception and how memory changes depending on who’s telling the story. i loved the dramatic atmosphere of it all. it genuinely felt like one long uncomfortable dinner conversation waiting to explode.
for me, the strongest part was definitely the character dynamics and the slow unraveling of past events. i do think the beginning took me a little while to fully settle into because of all the povs, and while some twists didn’t completely shock me, the overall ride was entertaining enough that i didn’t mind. the pacing stayed strong and i kept wanting “just one more chapter.”
if you enjoy character driven thrillers with reunion settings, messy friendships, revenge plots, anonymous messages and secrets from the past slowly resurfacing, this would be such a good pick. especially for readers who love fast paced mysteries that are more focused on drama and tension than super dark horror elements.
Read
September 30, 2026After reading the book's details I was excited to have the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of A Reunion To Die For by KJ Whittle from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark.
I believe A Reunion To Die For by KJ Whittle would have been much better if the crime was laid out in the beginning so that we can attempt to identify the murderer and/or other criminals involved instead of waiting until the ending chapters to put the clues together. This particular strategy to withhold details concerning what crime has been committed until the ending chapters doesn't work for me. Honestly it seems counterproductive to the purpose for reading books in the mystery genre. Even real world cops know what crime has been committed needing investigation. A Reunion To Die For in my opinion was written ass backwards which I found truly annoying.
The characters were annoying. I didn't find any worth my investing time into getting to know which was good because the author seemed to write sporadically about each character calling those brief narratives chapters. The usage of childish games such as spin the bottle to build the characters background was clever but ill timed. I suppose the author was hoping to encourage a sympathetic reaction with our 5 suspects however it was a failed attempt in my eyes.
A Reunion To Die For came across as a published outline rather than a completed book. The chronology of events seemed off kilter. I still am struggling with the author's choice to hide the criminal event from the reader until the ending pages. Yes this decision really bugged me.
The saving grace for A Reunion To Die For was the underlying story. The story was good but the presentation was a different story all together. Yuck about sums up the grade for presentation. For this reason and others noted above I gave A Reunion To Die For a generous 3 stars.
I believe A Reunion To Die For by KJ Whittle would have been much better if the crime was laid out in the beginning so that we can attempt to identify the murderer and/or other criminals involved instead of waiting until the ending chapters to put the clues together. This particular strategy to withhold details concerning what crime has been committed until the ending chapters doesn't work for me. Honestly it seems counterproductive to the purpose for reading books in the mystery genre. Even real world cops know what crime has been committed needing investigation. A Reunion To Die For in my opinion was written ass backwards which I found truly annoying.
The characters were annoying. I didn't find any worth my investing time into getting to know which was good because the author seemed to write sporadically about each character calling those brief narratives chapters. The usage of childish games such as spin the bottle to build the characters background was clever but ill timed. I suppose the author was hoping to encourage a sympathetic reaction with our 5 suspects however it was a failed attempt in my eyes.
A Reunion To Die For came across as a published outline rather than a completed book. The chronology of events seemed off kilter. I still am struggling with the author's choice to hide the criminal event from the reader until the ending pages. Yes this decision really bugged me.
The saving grace for A Reunion To Die For was the underlying story. The story was good but the presentation was a different story all together. Yuck about sums up the grade for presentation. For this reason and others noted above I gave A Reunion To Die For a generous 3 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Basically a long, kinda tedious whodunit that is relentlessly hyper-focused in one night in high school for these protagonists.
Someone died prom night 2006. 20 years later, on their reunion, another person dies, most likely tied to the 2006 death. There is a group of friends, each with a reason to kill the victim, and each with secrets to keep. Which one of them did it?
And the answer is: who cares. At some point midway in, I stopped caring. It had a great hook and it started intriguing enough--each character concealing secrets, keeping a facade, desperate to hide the embarrassing lives they've lead since they graduated. And then......it just went on, and on, and on. Some mysterious entity forces them to play childhood games to reveal their secrets, a tiny secret revealed, everyone gasps, rinse, repeat.
A majority of these secrets won't amount to anything, aren't connected to the murder, and felt to me like it was just there to pad the length of the book. Storytelling tics get relentlessly repeated, like a character about to confess to something, and then something else interrupting them before they could get it out. The prominent incident in the book--prom night--gets rehashed at almost every other chapter.
And despite this, you cannot solve the mystery yourself, because major clues are revealed out of thin air rather than subtly being woven piece by piece in to the chapters.
This could've been a book where we're hanging on for that next piece of evidence or secret being revealed until it builds up to the story as a whole. But the revelations feel hollow, the mystery isn't earned, and the narrative drags. By the time we find out what actually happened, you've probably already stopped caring.
Someone died prom night 2006. 20 years later, on their reunion, another person dies, most likely tied to the 2006 death. There is a group of friends, each with a reason to kill the victim, and each with secrets to keep. Which one of them did it?
And the answer is: who cares. At some point midway in, I stopped caring. It had a great hook and it started intriguing enough--each character concealing secrets, keeping a facade, desperate to hide the embarrassing lives they've lead since they graduated. And then......it just went on, and on, and on. Some mysterious entity forces them to play childhood games to reveal their secrets, a tiny secret revealed, everyone gasps, rinse, repeat.
A majority of these secrets won't amount to anything, aren't connected to the murder, and felt to me like it was just there to pad the length of the book. Storytelling tics get relentlessly repeated, like a character about to confess to something, and then something else interrupting them before they could get it out. The prominent incident in the book--prom night--gets rehashed at almost every other chapter.
And despite this, you cannot solve the mystery yourself, because major clues are revealed out of thin air rather than subtly being woven piece by piece in to the chapters.
This could've been a book where we're hanging on for that next piece of evidence or secret being revealed until it builds up to the story as a whole. But the revelations feel hollow, the mystery isn't earned, and the narrative drags. By the time we find out what actually happened, you've probably already stopped caring.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Reunion to Die For~ K.J. Whittle
One sentence: Living in the past.
Hmm.. I read a previous book by this author and kinda felt the same way. It's a good read if you're looking for something with whodunit vibes, but it's not a book I'd personally go to the library and pick up. I think an audiobook of this one might have caught my attention more, but it has a lot of different points of view and a dual timeline, so it definitely gets interesting. I figured out a lot of the major plot twists before they happened, so that also kinda killed the surprise factor for me
In this novel, we follow a group of high school friends at their 20-year high school reunion, but something horrible happened at their prom twenty years ago, and they haven't spoken since. This is a mystery whodunit where we are trying to figure out what happened at prom and also solve a murder that takes place on the night on the reunion, could one of these innocent frineds be responsible for both what happened at prom and whats currently occuring? You'll have to turn the page and find out.
Again, I am not quite sure how I feel about this one. I think it was good enough to rate it highly just because there is a lot of depth in the characters and a lot of interesting moments throughout. I also think the author did a really good job with the dual POV; I didn't feel lost, and it slowly released important details that made the book interesting and made me wonder what would happen next.
Tropes
🔪 whodunit
🔪 Multiple points of view
🔪 Dual timeline
🔪High school tragedy
Read this if you like a whodunit novel, anything with dual timelines that keep you guessing, or if you just want something to read.
One sentence: Living in the past.
Hmm.. I read a previous book by this author and kinda felt the same way. It's a good read if you're looking for something with whodunit vibes, but it's not a book I'd personally go to the library and pick up. I think an audiobook of this one might have caught my attention more, but it has a lot of different points of view and a dual timeline, so it definitely gets interesting. I figured out a lot of the major plot twists before they happened, so that also kinda killed the surprise factor for me
In this novel, we follow a group of high school friends at their 20-year high school reunion, but something horrible happened at their prom twenty years ago, and they haven't spoken since. This is a mystery whodunit where we are trying to figure out what happened at prom and also solve a murder that takes place on the night on the reunion, could one of these innocent frineds be responsible for both what happened at prom and whats currently occuring? You'll have to turn the page and find out.
Again, I am not quite sure how I feel about this one. I think it was good enough to rate it highly just because there is a lot of depth in the characters and a lot of interesting moments throughout. I also think the author did a really good job with the dual POV; I didn't feel lost, and it slowly released important details that made the book interesting and made me wonder what would happen next.
Tropes
🔪 whodunit
🔪 Multiple points of view
🔪 Dual timeline
🔪High school tragedy
Read this if you like a whodunit novel, anything with dual timelines that keep you guessing, or if you just want something to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In A Reunion to Die For, five former high school friends go to their reunion and a conversation about their old friend/bully takes a very dark turn at a private party after some drinks. They are recorded talking about how they would kill him and the next day, they discover that he has actually been murdered in a way that mirrors their drunken conversation. Now they have to figure out who made the recording, who brought them together, and who actually committed the murder before they end up taking the blame themselves. At the same time, they have to determine how this is related to what happened 20 years ago at their prom - but only one of them knows the whole truth of what happened that night.
The book is broken into sections based on where the characters are or what they are doing. Then each chapter is told from one of five character's POV alternating timelines between the current year and the year of their prom. The chapters from the prom timeline slowly reveal what lead to the first murder. The setup of a group of former classmates accidentally planning a murder and then having the bully actually turn up dead made for a really entertaining mystery in the current timeline. I had a hard time differentiating the characters at first, especially because I was trying to match up the people in the prologue with the characters as we learned their names. Once I had everyone straight in my head, I really got into the mystery and started trying to figure out what was actually going on. While I figured out a big chunk of it, there was still a surprise for me at the end. I really enjoyed the first book by this author but I found this one even better!
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and K.J. Whittle for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The book is broken into sections based on where the characters are or what they are doing. Then each chapter is told from one of five character's POV alternating timelines between the current year and the year of their prom. The chapters from the prom timeline slowly reveal what lead to the first murder. The setup of a group of former classmates accidentally planning a murder and then having the bully actually turn up dead made for a really entertaining mystery in the current timeline. I had a hard time differentiating the characters at first, especially because I was trying to match up the people in the prologue with the characters as we learned their names. Once I had everyone straight in my head, I really got into the mystery and started trying to figure out what was actually going on. While I figured out a big chunk of it, there was still a surprise for me at the end. I really enjoyed the first book by this author but I found this one even better!
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and K.J. Whittle for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A twenty-year high school reunion, a missing classmate, and enough buried secrets to make everyone suspicious? Sounds like the perfect October read to me. 🍂🔪
I'm not going to lie, this one took a little while to get going. For the first third of the book, I kept wondering... okay, but what mystery are we actually trying to solve here? 😂 Between the multiple POVs and all the complicated relationships, I was also trying to keep everyone straight.
BUT I really enjoyed the dual timelines! The flashbacks to prom night in 2006 were short enough that they didn't pull me out of the present-day story, and each one gave us another little piece of the puzzle.
And then things started coming together. The best way I can describe it is like a funnel. All these separate stories, secrets, and questionable decisions slowly narrowed until we finally started seeing the bigger picture. Once we got there? I definitely wanted answers. 👀
I also found myself unexpectedly sympathetic toward one character whose story really stuck with me.
Now, I have mixed feelings about the games everyone was forced to play. I understood their purpose by the end and appreciated how they helped uncover the truth, but I can't say I loved that particular plot device.
The twists, though? I actually called one thing pretty early, but the full reveal still managed to surprise me! And I was pretty satisfied with how everything ultimately played out.
Overall, this was an entertaining, slow-building mystery with a satisfying payoff. It wasn't a book that completely hooked me from page one, but I enjoyed putting the pieces together. If you like dual timelines, messy characters, and secrets that refuse to stay buried, this might be one to add to your fall TBR!
I'm not going to lie, this one took a little while to get going. For the first third of the book, I kept wondering... okay, but what mystery are we actually trying to solve here? 😂 Between the multiple POVs and all the complicated relationships, I was also trying to keep everyone straight.
BUT I really enjoyed the dual timelines! The flashbacks to prom night in 2006 were short enough that they didn't pull me out of the present-day story, and each one gave us another little piece of the puzzle.
And then things started coming together. The best way I can describe it is like a funnel. All these separate stories, secrets, and questionable decisions slowly narrowed until we finally started seeing the bigger picture. Once we got there? I definitely wanted answers. 👀
I also found myself unexpectedly sympathetic toward one character whose story really stuck with me.
Now, I have mixed feelings about the games everyone was forced to play. I understood their purpose by the end and appreciated how they helped uncover the truth, but I can't say I loved that particular plot device.
The twists, though? I actually called one thing pretty early, but the full reveal still managed to surprise me! And I was pretty satisfied with how everything ultimately played out.
Overall, this was an entertaining, slow-building mystery with a satisfying payoff. It wasn't a book that completely hooked me from page one, but I enjoyed putting the pieces together. If you like dual timelines, messy characters, and secrets that refuse to stay buried, this might be one to add to your fall TBR!
October 21, 2026
The only thing worse than having to attend your high school reunion, is being suspected of murdering your former classmate while you're back home for the reunion.
This is the story of five former friends, who drunkenly discuss how they would kill a former classmate they don't like after attending their high school reunion. When they wake up the next day, they find out their classmate really has been murdered, and in a manner similar to the way they discussed doing it.
This story is told with dual timelines, flashing back and forth between 2006 and 2026 in every other chapter. We find out that this classmate wasn't just murdered in 2026, but something also happened back in 2006 at their prom, and they're all hiding information and secrets from each other, and they have been for 20 years. This felt a bit like a mash up of One of Us Is Lying and The Breakfast Club, but for adults.
Overall, this was an interesting mystery to solve. I didn't guess the full twist by the end, I was surprised to learn who was helping to taunt the group. I just think some of the explanations for how that was all accomplished were really, really far fetched and hard to believe. I can suspend my disbelief, but at some point, what the blackmailer was able to accomplish was nonsensical.
Also, I think the pacing suffered a little bit with this one. We have a really slow start, a slow middle, and then the ending wraps up very quickly. I think this is also a tad longer than it needed to be to get the full story across.
If you like a murder mystery, with a cast full of untrustworthy liars for suspects, you'd probably enjoy this book.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark / NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback.
This is the story of five former friends, who drunkenly discuss how they would kill a former classmate they don't like after attending their high school reunion. When they wake up the next day, they find out their classmate really has been murdered, and in a manner similar to the way they discussed doing it.
This story is told with dual timelines, flashing back and forth between 2006 and 2026 in every other chapter. We find out that this classmate wasn't just murdered in 2026, but something also happened back in 2006 at their prom, and they're all hiding information and secrets from each other, and they have been for 20 years. This felt a bit like a mash up of One of Us Is Lying and The Breakfast Club, but for adults.
Overall, this was an interesting mystery to solve. I didn't guess the full twist by the end, I was surprised to learn who was helping to taunt the group. I just think some of the explanations for how that was all accomplished were really, really far fetched and hard to believe. I can suspend my disbelief, but at some point, what the blackmailer was able to accomplish was nonsensical.
Also, I think the pacing suffered a little bit with this one. We have a really slow start, a slow middle, and then the ending wraps up very quickly. I think this is also a tad longer than it needed to be to get the full story across.
If you like a murder mystery, with a cast full of untrustworthy liars for suspects, you'd probably enjoy this book.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark / NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one falls right into that twisty, character-driven thriller / mystery category with a strong “everyone’s hiding something” vibe—and that’s exactly what kept me reading.
The story centers around a group of old friends reconnecting at a high school reunion, but it’s not your typical catch-up situation. Everything circles back to prom night twenty years ago and the one person they all have complicated (and mostly negative) history with—Eric. As the night goes on, secrets start surfacing, and what starts as drunk talk about revenge turns into something very real by morning.
From there, it turns into more of a whodunnit with psychological elements. There’s an anonymous message, recordings, and this constant feeling that someone is watching and pulling strings. You’re not just trying to figure out who killed Eric—you’re also piecing together what really happened back then, and how far each person might’ve been willing to go.
I liked how the dual timelines slowly filled in the gaps. Each character adds a different layer, and you start to see how jealousy, rumors, and past decisions shaped everything. It’s definitely more plot-driven than deeply emotional, but it keeps things moving and makes it an easy read.
It did take me a minute to settle into all the POVs at the beginning, and while the twist didn’t completely shock me, I still enjoyed how everything played out.
Overall, it’s a fast-paced, drama-filled thriller with messy friendships, buried secrets, and just enough suspense to keep you hooked.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
A solid, bingeable mystery if you’re in the mood for secrets, twists, and a little revenge storyline.
The story centers around a group of old friends reconnecting at a high school reunion, but it’s not your typical catch-up situation. Everything circles back to prom night twenty years ago and the one person they all have complicated (and mostly negative) history with—Eric. As the night goes on, secrets start surfacing, and what starts as drunk talk about revenge turns into something very real by morning.
From there, it turns into more of a whodunnit with psychological elements. There’s an anonymous message, recordings, and this constant feeling that someone is watching and pulling strings. You’re not just trying to figure out who killed Eric—you’re also piecing together what really happened back then, and how far each person might’ve been willing to go.
I liked how the dual timelines slowly filled in the gaps. Each character adds a different layer, and you start to see how jealousy, rumors, and past decisions shaped everything. It’s definitely more plot-driven than deeply emotional, but it keeps things moving and makes it an easy read.
It did take me a minute to settle into all the POVs at the beginning, and while the twist didn’t completely shock me, I still enjoyed how everything played out.
Overall, it’s a fast-paced, drama-filled thriller with messy friendships, buried secrets, and just enough suspense to keep you hooked.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
A solid, bingeable mystery if you’re in the mood for secrets, twists, and a little revenge storyline.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Reunion to Die For is a unique, twisty, creatively written thriller with an interesting cast of characters. Five former friends are brought together in the back room of a local pub following their 20-year high school reunion. As beverages are consumed and nostalgia takes hold, the group not only relives some of their best memories but also rehashes some of their most devastating moments, including the disastrous prom night that ended their friendships. As past emotions begin to resurface and more alcohol is drunk, the group begins fantasizing what they'd do to their high school bully - the person responsible for most of the prom night drama. The next day, when the group awakes, their high school bully is found dead, and they each receive a text with a recording of their conversation in the pub the night before - the one detailing how they all wanted to kill the bully.
First, I absolutely love this author! I thoroughly enjoyed Seven Reasons to Murder your Dinner Guests and was hoping this would be just as good - and it was!!! A Reunion to Die for is an absolute great follow-up book. The story is told through multiple POVs over dual timelines. It's a diverse cast of characters- some likable, some despicable, and some relatable - all extremely convincing and well-developed. There are two mysteries/deaths that need solving (one in the present and one in the past). This book definitely made me NOT want to go to any reunion. This book is well-written and full of secrets, betrayals, and drama. It was honestly a super fun read. I will be recommending A Reunion to Die For to any mystery/thriller fan. Easy 5 stars!
First, I absolutely love this author! I thoroughly enjoyed Seven Reasons to Murder your Dinner Guests and was hoping this would be just as good - and it was!!! A Reunion to Die for is an absolute great follow-up book. The story is told through multiple POVs over dual timelines. It's a diverse cast of characters- some likable, some despicable, and some relatable - all extremely convincing and well-developed. There are two mysteries/deaths that need solving (one in the present and one in the past). This book definitely made me NOT want to go to any reunion. This book is well-written and full of secrets, betrayals, and drama. It was honestly a super fun read. I will be recommending A Reunion to Die For to any mystery/thriller fan. Easy 5 stars!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Reunion to Die For by KJ Whittle
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Reunion to Die For is a fast-paced and twisty mystery/thriller featuring dual timelines and multiple POVs. A cleverly written story, A Reunion to Die For features plenty of suspects, secrets, and a chaotic friend group dynamic that further increases the tension. An entertaining read from beginning to end!
At a high school reunion, five old friends reunite. As they reconnect after twenty years, difficult memories resurface, all due to the prom night that destroyed their dynamic and the school bully who caused it. Eric Stewart was the star of the school and now acts like a charming celebrity. His old classmates know what he’s really like though. As they drink more and more, they come up with a plan on how they could get revenge. The next morning, they discover Eric has been found dead in the exact same way they drunkenly planned it. When a recording of their conversation from the night before is revealed, they need to act fast. They quickly find themselves involved in a series of games designed to reveal the truth about prom night and Eric's death. Before they become the main suspects, they need to reveal their secrets or risk being framed.
A Reunion to Die For is an engrossing and entertaining story! The messy friendships, abundance of secrets, lots of grudges, and the fact that everyone has something to hide make this an unputdownable read. The dual timelines really keep a reader guessing who did it until the very end. A clever, character-driven mystery that is perfect for fans of whodunits!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Reunion to Die For is a fast-paced and twisty mystery/thriller featuring dual timelines and multiple POVs. A cleverly written story, A Reunion to Die For features plenty of suspects, secrets, and a chaotic friend group dynamic that further increases the tension. An entertaining read from beginning to end!
At a high school reunion, five old friends reunite. As they reconnect after twenty years, difficult memories resurface, all due to the prom night that destroyed their dynamic and the school bully who caused it. Eric Stewart was the star of the school and now acts like a charming celebrity. His old classmates know what he’s really like though. As they drink more and more, they come up with a plan on how they could get revenge. The next morning, they discover Eric has been found dead in the exact same way they drunkenly planned it. When a recording of their conversation from the night before is revealed, they need to act fast. They quickly find themselves involved in a series of games designed to reveal the truth about prom night and Eric's death. Before they become the main suspects, they need to reveal their secrets or risk being framed.
A Reunion to Die For is an engrossing and entertaining story! The messy friendships, abundance of secrets, lots of grudges, and the fact that everyone has something to hide make this an unputdownable read. The dual timelines really keep a reader guessing who did it until the very end. A clever, character-driven mystery that is perfect for fans of whodunits!
May 16, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
2.5 Stars
I love a twisty read that keeps me guessing, especially when all the characters seem to have a secret. I enjoyed the fact that many of the characters were unlikeable as this made me keep coming back to find out exactly what everyone was hiding. As a person who loves to try and guess the twist (and prefers to be wrong), I very happy that I didn't see this one coming!
However, the writing style felt very repetitive in places and I felt the book was slow to hook me in. The dialogue between characters felt stunted at times and I would've liked to see dialogue that felt more organic. Despite this, the author provides solid sense of who the characters are - I just would have liked more depth to each character. I would've liked the pacing of the book to be a bit faster as some parts did seem a bit slow, and some of the references to show the time period of each chapter felt slightly shoe-horned in. That being said, the pacing in the last 30% of the book was perfect and I could not put the book down from this point onwards.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the book and felt it was a good, twisty mystery that kept me guessing and wanting to find out what happens next. I'd recommend to anyone who is intrigued by secrets, unreliable characters and a shocking twist. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
2.5 Stars
I love a twisty read that keeps me guessing, especially when all the characters seem to have a secret. I enjoyed the fact that many of the characters were unlikeable as this made me keep coming back to find out exactly what everyone was hiding. As a person who loves to try and guess the twist (and prefers to be wrong), I very happy that I didn't see this one coming!
However, the writing style felt very repetitive in places and I felt the book was slow to hook me in. The dialogue between characters felt stunted at times and I would've liked to see dialogue that felt more organic. Despite this, the author provides solid sense of who the characters are - I just would have liked more depth to each character. I would've liked the pacing of the book to be a bit faster as some parts did seem a bit slow, and some of the references to show the time period of each chapter felt slightly shoe-horned in. That being said, the pacing in the last 30% of the book was perfect and I could not put the book down from this point onwards.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the book and felt it was a good, twisty mystery that kept me guessing and wanting to find out what happens next. I'd recommend to anyone who is intrigued by secrets, unreliable characters and a shocking twist. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
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