The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones

An FBI agent invited to a wedding party finds herself leading the investigation into the murder of the groom.

Author

Diego Dunne
February 23, 2025

Hey, it’s Diego.

My wife and kids were battling the flu this week, so I literally just finished reading The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones.

And I’m here to tell you what it’s all about.

Let me give you my spoiler-free unbiased review.

First time reading? Sign up here.

Have you read The Wedding Party?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones — Review

The Wedding Party sets up a juicy premise: a joint bachelor/bachelorette party at the famously haunted Stanley Hotel ends in murder. FBI agent Andi Castle, attending as a guest, is forced to step into the role of investigator. With secrets, lies, and shifting alliances among the wedding party, the stage is set for a thrilling psychological drama.

Trigger Warnings: body dysmorphia, weight obsession, stigmatization of mental health and addiction.

The Wedding Party is a classic Whodunit.

Whodunit: a group of people get together in one setting only to discover the death of one of them. A detective or member of the police, normally present during the incident, then has to piece the clues to find the murderer.

The Wedding Party’s writing style is fast-paced and engaging, although there is repetitiveness, (there are even some jokes that get a bit old). However, I love stories where we discover details as we go along with the investigation. Trying to figure out who did it was fun.

The story is set in the atmospheric Stanley Hotel in Colorado, where Stephen King famously wrote The Shinning after a stay, so you would expect this location to play a major role in the story. Unfortunately, it is not utilized properly. We do get a murder investigation, but no real thrills or suspense, the story revolves around discovering the murderer. I would have expected all the talk about ghosts and being haunted to at least get some creepy vibes to help with the suspense, but not even that.

The book has a slow start. The “event” doesn’t even happen until chapter 21. So you know you’ll be getting a lot of exposition and introduction to the two main characters we follow through their points of view. Andi Castle’s professional and analytical lens balanced against bride-to-be Carrie’s emotionally charged point of view.

Relationships play a key role in the story, but there is no romance. And while the book doesn’t dive into explicit content, heavy swearing, or graphic violence, I felt stigmatization of mental health might be tough for some readers.

Ultimately, the puzzle of trying to piece all the clues together to find the killer carried The Wedding Party throughout. It’s a light, popcorn-read thriller that might not stick with you long after finishing but delivers some fun along the way.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers obviously)

I love my stories to wrap up nicely, with a neat little bow at the end. I like to read a cathartic scene where everything our characters have been through finally pays off physically and emotionally. Then a denouement in another chapter (or chapters) following the characters decompress where things are resolved and I’m left delighted at how well things played out at the end, every plot thread resolved.

The ending, although it works, felt cheap. I wasn’t fully satisfied with how everything wrapped up. There was no denouement.

If you’re in the mood for a light, fun, popcorn murder mystery, this could be your next week's binge.

Similar Books to The Wedding Party

  • The Guest List by Lucy Foley

  • Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

  • Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

That’s all for this week.

See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

P.S. Let me know how I did today by replying to this email or by tapping on the poll below:

How did you like today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Reply

or to participate.