A Book A Week

When I read Hidden Pictures around this time last year, Jason Rekulak's fresh spin on classic horror tropes had me hooked. That page-turner left me eager for more of his thrilling stories, and his latest, The Last One at the Wedding, just arrived this week. I was lucky enough to get an audiobook copy from the publisher and dove right in. While this story is quite different from his previous novel, I quickly became just as captivated by it.

Frank and his daughter Maggie hadn’t spoken much since their bitter falling out three years ago. In fact, Frank had resigned himself to the idea that he might never hear from her again, especially considering the circumstances that led to their estrangement. So, when his phone rang unexpectedly one day, and Maggie was on the other end with news of her engagement, Frank was floored. Even more surprising than the call was the invitation that followed—Maggie wanted him to attend her wedding in New Hampshire. Though flooded with questions and emotions, Frank kept his cool, careful not to jeopardize their fragile connection. Could this be the chance to mend their broken relationship?

The surprises don’t stop with Maggie’s phone call. Frank soon discovers that her fiancé is none other than Aiden Gardiner, the son of a tech billionaire. Arriving at the remote, lavish estate where the wedding festivities will unfold, Frank immediately feels out of place. He’s determined to reconnect with his daughter and get to know the family she’s marrying into, but things quickly take a strange turn. Aiden is distant and evasive, Maggie seems too busy to spend time with him, and the locals are unusually hostile toward the Gardiners. Something feels off, and Frank is desperate to figure out what’s really going on. But if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie all over again. 

In The Last One at the Wedding, Jason Rekulak shifts gears from supernatural horror to a family drama that brings its own kind of fear. Right from the start, it’s clear that no one is what they seem, and trust is in short supply. What remains hidden, though, is just how deep those secrets go. The suspense and momentum of the novel come from gradually uncovering these hidden truths. John Pirhalla’s narration gently guides the listener through that discovery. 

While I was drawn in by the eerie atmosphere and mysterious circumstances, I found myself conjuring up more intense and thrilling possibilities than what the novel ultimately delivered. It reminded me of watching Jaws. The tension of not seeing the shark was far scarier than when we actually saw it and realized, "Oh, that's just a fake shark!" Similarly, with this novel, the build-up and sense of "what could be" had me on edge, but the final reveal left me feeling like the real threat wasn’t as thrilling as I’d hoped. The suspense kept me going, but in the end, the reality didn’t match the height of my expectations.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 75)