You Are Fatally Invited
Ande Pliego
384 pages
Transworld Digital
published February 13, 2025
About the book
Six thriller authors. One writing retreat.
You’d die to be on the guest list..
The Host
Legendary mystery author J. R.
Alastor’s books are sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years hiding in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery retreat on his private island.
The Assistant
Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week runs smoothly.
She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years – and this could be her chance to get it.
The Players
The six bestselling thriller writers accept their invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.
The Game
What should have been a week of trope-filled games takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination.
They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one…
My Review
I am a mystery reader because of And Then There Were None. I love that this one pays tribute to Ms. Christie. If you haven’t read the original, let me point out that it is a slow burn that focuses on the characters, and this is the same. It has a modern update, but is still the slow burn mystery.
There are a lot of characters with a complex plot, but I didn’t have any issues keeping it straight. Six authors at a thriller writing retreat and it doesn’t end up being what they bargained for. The story is told from multiple POVs and I kept wondering if everyone was reliable or the absent host was a little nefarious.
So in addition to the locked room, so to speak, there was also a little bit of cat and mouse (and cat?) antics going on. A chess game of the minds where not everyone is exactly as they want others to think. And of course, a storm. I know that seems like a lot of tropes, but it wasn’t until I was thinking about it afterwards that I noticed. The author does a good job of cleverly crafting this one. The slow flow of information and twists kept me guessing. What would I learn next?
I am not normally a fan of the slow burn, but from the start my mind was cranking along in the background seeing what I could work out. And also wondering how true it would stay to my favorite. Sorry, no spoilers, you’ll have to read for yourself.
I’d pick this up if you like a complex who dunnit.
About the author
Ande 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, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest with her craftsman husband and little son.
Zoé
Thank you so much for being a part of the tour x