The Last One at the Wedding

In the beginning, Frank reminded me of my dad in the best possible way. But as the story continued on, I realized that Frank was the type of person who would rather live in ignorance about his daughter being a decent human being than face the truth. The ending provided a little bit of justice, but I was left wanting more. Listening to the audiobook was a challenge because the narrator's voice was so deep that his 'feminine voices' were super hard to listen to. Also, I have never heard someone pronounce the name Hugo as Who-Ho and that annoyed me the entire time! Overall, I enjoyed the characters but was hoping for more of a change in Frank's arc.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak follows Frank Szatowski, a UPS driver who attends his estranged daughter Maggie’s wedding at a secluded New Hampshire estate. She’s marrying Aidan Gardner, heir to a tech fortune, but something about the wealthy family—and the remote setting—feels off. As secrets surface and tensions rise, Frank uncovers a dark past tied to the estate and must act fast to protect his daughter. What begins as a chance at reconnection quickly turns into a chilling fight for the truth. This book made my jaw drop—which automatically makes it a five-star read for me. It took me a while to actually pick it up, but once I did, I was completely locked in. I was so invested in figuring out what happened, and honestly, I adored Frank. He’s just the sweetest dad, doing his best to reconnect and protect his daughter, and I loved that dynamic so much. I especially appreciated how full circle everything felt by the end—and while that might not make sense if you haven’t read it, trust me, once you do, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. It was such a well-executed, gripping read that really stuck with me. This book is perfect for readers who love emotionally grounded thrillers with big twists, especially fans of Lucy Foley, Riley Sager, or Megan Miranda.

This book is in my top 5 best thrillers this year! The plot is gripping and will have you on the edge of your seat. We follow Frank Szatowski who is a UPS driver and lost his wife a few years ago. He has a daughter named Maggie that he is estranged from for the past three years. So Frank is very surprised when Maggie calls him out of the blue to invited him to her wedding in a few months. All he can think about is how he wants to spend time with Maggie and catch up from the time that they were not speaking. Frank is unaware that Maggie is marrying Aiden Gardner, the son of Errol Gardner the Tech Billionaire. That is until he arrives in New Hampshire and pulls to the guard gate and sees this massive estate. He knows that he is way out of his league. But his main focus is to spend time with Maggie on her special week end. Frank tries to get to know his new in-laws, but everyone seems tight lipped. Frank had a run in with some locals and they did not seem to keen on the Gardners. They told Frank about a missing local woman, and they seem to think that the Gardner family is covering something up. Now Frank is determined to find out what kind of family Maggie is marrying into. I had a great time reading this book. So much suspense and twisty turns that I made quick work of it. There were so many “WHAT!!” moments that I did not see coming. I was questioning where this book is headed, whether in a good or bad way, because it was so unpredictable and turned you in many different directions. I feel that this is a must read this year! I love Hidden Pictures and now The Last One at the Wedding is right up there as well.

This book is in my top 5 best thrillers this year! The plot is gripping and will have you on the edge of your seat.

We follow Frank Szatowski who is a UPS driver and lost his wife a few years ago. He has a daughter named Maggie that he is estranged from for the past three years. So Frank is very surprised when Maggie calls him out of the blue to invited him to her wedding in a few months. All he can think about is how he wants to spend time with Maggie and catch up from the time that they were not speaking.

Frank is unaware that Maggie is marrying Aiden Gardner, the son of Errol Gardner the Tech Billionaire. That is until he arrives in New Hampshire and pulls to the guard gate and sees this massive estate. He knows that he is way out of his league. But his main focus is to spend time with Maggie on her special week end. Frank tries to get to know his new in-laws, but everyone seems tight lipped. Frank had a run in with some locals and they did not seem to keen on the Gardners. They told Frank about a missing local woman, and they seem to think that the Gardner family is covering something up. Now Frank is determined to find out what kind of family Maggie is marrying into.

I had a great time reading this book. So much suspense and twisty turns that I made quick work of it. There were so many “WHAT!!” moments that I did not see coming. I was questioning where this book is headed, whether in a good or bad way, because it was so unpredictable and turned you in many different directions. I feel that this is a must read this year! I love Hidden Pictures and now The Last One at the Wedding is right up there as well.

This book pulls off the "wedding thriller" vibe in a way that somehow made family drama feel life-threatening.

Frank Szatowski—just your average dad, showing up to his daughter’s wedding with hopes of a Hallmark-movie reunion—gets blindsided by a lot more than an awkward family photo. Maggie, his daughter who went radio silent for three years, suddenly calls him up and invites him to her big day, but she’s left out some tiny details. Like how the groom is a tech billionaire’s son, or how the entire event is hosted at the kind of estate that probably has hidden passageways and definitely has “dark secrets” written all over it.

Cue Frank, our fish-out-of-water dad, just trying to get to know his daughter's sketchy future in-laws without turning it into a full-blown interrogation. But with Maggie’s fiancé, Aidan, acting shadier than a low-budget soap opera villain, and the locals treating the Gardners like they’re hiding Area 51-level secrets, Frank finds himself wondering if he’s the only sane one in the room.

This book is suspenseful with a capital “S.” There’s just enough mystery to keep you guessing without completely hijacking the wedding vibes, although let’s be real—the aisle might as well have been littered with red flags. If you’re looking for a book that mixes father-daughter feels with a touch of “Get out!” intensity, this one’s for you. 

Only downside? I was so invested in Frank’s awkward father-in-law detective act that I wish we got a bit more clarity by the end. But hey, I’ll take the suspense hangover.