3.7 Stars

One Liner: Needs suspended belief but fun

 

The mysterious and legendary author, J. R. Alastor, invites selected authors to a writing workshop at his retreat on a private island. He hired Mila del Angel as the coordinator and his face during the week. Mila has her own plans to make the event more ‘fun’ with extra twists to Alastor’s puzzles and mysteries. However, things start to go out of hand as the guests die one by one. Mila wonders if Alastor had another plan he hid from her and what it would mean for her future. Will anyone get out alive from the retreat at the end of the week? 

The story comes in the first-person POVs of Rodrigo, Mila, Cassandra, Olivia, Violet, Fletcher, and a few others. 

So, this is like a locked-room mystery on an island. Yeah, a lot of Christie’s vibes but I won’t compare it with And Then There Were None (I do love that book). 

The execution is ambitious for a debut work but manages to pull it off to an extent. Of course, the book is best enjoyed with suspended belief. Don’t ask too many questions or think too much about the hows and whys. 

The setting is atmospheric. The mansion and the island have dark vibes and enhance the narration. I couldn’t zoom in on the blueprint at the beginning but I understood the layout and could picturize the rooms. 

Though we get the story from many first-person POVs, not all of them have the same number of chapters. Many come from Mila’s POV while the rest are scattered across the other writers. While this is helpful, the voices blend at times. 

Not all characters are well developed but that’s okay. I got a rough idea of who they are. That’s enough for the plot. Given that the pacing is already slow, detailed backstories wouldn’t have helped. 

Since many details at withheld until later, we have to make a few guesses and connections. Half of my guesses ended up correct. The author surprised me with a few twists. These make sense, so no complaints. 

The reveal is a bit weak compared to the hype until then. It could have been a bit more dramatic. The conclusion is good though. It may not appeal to some readers (especially if they want hardcore thriller stuff). I like it. 

To summarize, You Are Fatally Invited is an enjoyable debut. Though it has a few issues and is slow-paced, I cannot deny that I was entertained by the book. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers (Bantam), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley