Jason Rekulak THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING

 4* Had twists I didn't see coming. Not a likeable story or female character, but still an engrossing read.


This is my first tale by this author, and I found it well written and engrossing, though I was clueless about what it'd entail. The mention of bruising on Aiden's face and the 'mugging' that wasn't reported had me thinking 'Aha, domestic abuse role reversal' but in reality, it was so much worse. At least he showed backbone and a sense of morality, although far, far beyond a reasonable timeframe to process his trauma, making him semi complicit, but he got there in the end, tragically, trying to make amends. The author did well with Aiden's lack of on-page time to sow thoughts of cold feet and/or mystery, so the reveals - there are several - when they came, were unpalatable, if not brutally shocking. The author relied on money talking, greed and henchmen-type employees to make things sadly believable. 


As to Maggie/Margaret herself? I don't think I've read about such a mainpulative, selfish, greedy and lacking-in-moral-fibre female lead. I couldn't fathom where she'd gotten it from, with seemingly decent parents, but boy, it started from a young age. I can't spoil the tale but she got some of what she deserved, though not quite enough. I'm glad that her father saw through her in the end and did what he needed to to protect an innocent and do the right thing. I had expected his blinkers to have fallen off well before this point, but better later than never. The final scene in the penthouse had me thinking 'Uh oh, faked accidental death' scenario, but it ended up with the guy finding his buried backbone and morality and seeing Margaret for what she'd always been. I felt a bit sorry for him, but he'd aided and abetted her to a large degree, knowingly, so he wasn't an upstanding character in my book, no pun intended. 


It ends semi shockingly, but it's not a thriller. It's not even a mystery, but it's a sadly believable tale in 2024's world where money and achieving wealth seems so important and some will stop at nothing.


ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for my reading pleasure. 

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