The Guest List

Lucy Foley

HarperCollins

Sunday Times bestselling author Lucy Foley does not disappoint with this enthralling murder mystery set on a remote island off the Irish Coast. Guests have been invited to the island to celebrate the wedding of Will Slater, a flourishing television star and Jules Keegan, a successful magazine publisher.

But as the weather changes, so too does the atmosphere – a wild storm of lies, deception and betrayal descends upon the celebrations as dark secrets are slowly unravelled, and someone is found dead.

I relished every opportunity for a quiet moment where I could escape to the island and immerse myself in the plot, where I attempted to figure out who the murderer was.

Each chapter revealed a little more about the guests and as I neared the end, I was certain I knew who the culprit was, only to be thrown violently off course in the next chapter. A brilliantly riveting novel.

Hachette

The story is set in North Carolina in a beautiful leafy suburb of modest homes where the neighbours get along and life is good. Valerie Alston-Holt is African American and raising her mixed-race son Xavier alone. He is an excellent classical guitarist and is soon off to college on a musical scholarship.

Over the last few months the neighbours have watched the construction of a modern mansion complete with pool next to Valerie’s house. New money has come to town and people are a little anxious as to how this will change the neighbourhood.

The Whitmans seem like a traditional family – mum, dad and two daughters. The two neighbouring families couldn’t have less in common and they’re soon at odds over the damage to an historic oak tree on Valerie’s property, and a quietly blossoming romance between Xavier and eldest daughter Juniper.

We’re warned by the narrator there is some sort of crisis ahead and we are led down a rocky path of racism, sexism and class divisions which leads you to believe there’s no easy way ahead for these families.

You could read this book in one sitting – it holds your attention from beginning to end.