Audiobook Review: The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak
The Last One at the Wedding
Author: Jason Rekulak
Narrator: John Pirhalla
Published: October 8, 2024
Audiobook: 11 hours 14 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: October 1-10, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Audiobook Description:
Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right.
He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate—very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.
An edge-of-your-seat thriller that delves deep into the heart of one family, The Last One at the Wedding is a work of brilliant suspense from a true modern master.
Jessica’s Review:
I discovered Jason Rekulak with Hidden Pictures in 2022 and loved it, so I was eager to read his newest novel, The Last One at the Wedding. You can not go in expecting another Hidden Pictures, the books are extremely different from each other. First, there are no pictures in Wedding, and it’s more of a family drama with suspense added in. For some readers it could be considered a slow burner but I really enjoyed it. It helped that I really liked Frank and he really pulled me into his story and the mystery of just what is going to happen.
I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed John Pirhalla’s narration. His voice was perfect for Frank! I will definitely be on the lookout for more if his narrations.
After enjoying both Hidden Pictures and now Last One at the Wedding I am very interested in reading his debut novel The Impossible Fortress which is yet another different genre!
Many thanks to the publisher Macmillan Audio for granting me a copy to listen to and review. I enjoyed it!
Short Story Sunday: Audiobook Review: Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix
Ankle Snatcher
Series: Creature Feature short stories 2 of 6
Author: Grady Hendrix
Narrator: Michael Crouch
Published: September 26, 2023
Audiobook: 45 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Listened To: December 27, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Short Story Description:
Obey the rules. It’s the only way to survive the night in a short story about what hides in the dark by the New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.
Marcus grew up believing his father killed his mother—then blamed it on the boogeyman under the bed. Always leave the lights on, his father warned, or the boogeyman will get you. Marcus still heeds the superstition, especially when he invites his new girlfriend over. Is Marcus haunted by a creature or has he just inherited his father’s murderous delusions? The night will tell.
Grady Hendrix’s Ankle Snatcher is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.
Jessica’s Review:
This was a creepy short story by Grady Hendrix and I actually enjoyed it! I wasn’t sure what to expect because he has been an author who has mainly been a miss for me, but I decided to give this short story a try and I am glad I did!
Hendrix does a really great job helping the reader/listener go back to when they were a child and they had fears that there were monsters in their closet, or in the case of this story, monsters under the bed. It is 100% creepy and you wonder the entire story: Is it monsters under Marcus’ bed or is the monster actually Marcus?
The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is that the ending did not totally work for me.
The narrator is Michael Crouch and I was so excited about that! He is one of my favorite narrators, so when I saw he narrated it, I definitely decided to give it a shot.
Maybe I will be able to bring myself to listen to How to Sell a Haunted House. His books just grab my attention based on what they are about, but almost every time they have fallen short for me. Maybe this short story is a change for me!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Blog Tour: An Extract from The Aftermath by Paul Gitsham
Today as a part of the blog tour, I am sharing an extract from The Aftermath by Paul Gitsham. And TODAY is release day for it! Happy release day! And I do like this cover!
Book Description:
The Fire. The Fallout. The Aftermath.
Seamus Monaghan is still haunted by the unexplained fire that killed his vibrant but troubled wife, Carole, three years ago. Why was she taken from him in such a horrific way?
Dominic has protected his brother, Seamus, since they were orphaned as young boys. But is that bond strong enough to survive the fallout from the fire?
Andrea loves her fiancé Seamus, but will the fire’s aftermath destroy their future together?
Time moves on, but can the embers of the past ever be truly extinguished?
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Author’s Note:
This is from the opener of the novel. It’s three years before the main setting of the book, and Seamus Monaghan’s life is about to come crashing down.
~~~
Primary Fire. Serious risk to life and property.
The shed was fully ablaze as Crew Manager Matt Brown burst through the kitchen doors and out into the garden. He caught the familiar odours as he pulled his breathing mask across his face. Wood smoke, burning roof felt, and something no firefighter ever wanted to smell.
To the left of the shed, a man in a shirt and trousers was on his hands and knees retching. Beside him a garden hose pumped water ineffectually onto the path. The water pressure this far from town was crap; they’d have to pull their hoses through the house and use the appliance’s water pumps to douse the inferno.
“I can’t get the door open,” the man wheezed. “I can’t get in.” A series of coughs wracked his body, and he threw up on the lawn.
Behind him, Brown heard the thud of boots as his colleagues followed him.
Pausing to size up the challenge ahead, he hefted the crowbar in his hand, then approached the conflagration.
The wooden outbuilding was completely alight, flames licking its roof.
Deliberate, he thought. Treated wooden sheds didn’t just spontaneously catch fire.
The shed door was reinforced with a high-security lock and two padlocks, one at the top and one at the bottom. They were both hanging from their hasps.
He reached for the handle with his insulated gloves and gave it a firm twist. Nothing, it was locked.
“I can’t find the keys,” the man gasped, before coughing again.
“Come with me mate, it’s not safe.” Brown heard his crewmate’s soothing voice behind him. Even through his protective suit, the heat was fearsome.
He inserted the crowbar between the lock and the door jamb and levered it back. With a splintering crunch, the door opened.
Behind him he heard scuffling and a surprised grunt from his colleague. “Woah mate, stay with me.”
Turning, Brown blocked the entrance to the burning shed and grabbed the flailing homeowner.
“No mate, no mate, you don’t want to see in there,” he said, struggling to stop the man from going any further.
One glance and years of experience had told him that once seen, the inside of the shed could never be unseen.
The man let out a shrieking scream. “Carole!”
About the Author:
Paul Gitsham started his career as a biologist, working in such exotic locales as Manchester and Toronto. After stints as the world’s most over-qualified receptionist and a spell making sure that international terrorists and other ne’er do wells hadn’t opened a Junior Savings Account at a major UK bank (a job even less exciting than being a receptionist) he retrained as a Science Teacher. He now spends his time passing on his bad habits and sloppy lab-skills to the next generation of enquiring minds.
Paul has always wanted to be a writer and his final report on leaving primary school predicted he’d be the next Roald Dahl! For the sake of balance it should be pointed out that it also said “he’ll never get anywhere in life if his handwriting doesn’t improve”. Twenty five years later and his handwriting is worse than ever but millions of children around the world love him.*
*This is a lie, just ask any of the pupils he has taught.
Contact Paul:
Website
Facebook @DCIJones
Instagram @paulgitsham
Twitter/X @dcijoneswriter
