Panther Reads

“The Guest List” by Lucy Foley

History+teacher+Diane+Ruane+recently+read+%E2%80%9CThe+Guest+List%E2%80%9D+by+Lucy+Foley.+The+story+is+about+a+wedding+that+ends+in+tragedy+when+some+is+found+dead.

Katie Johnson

History teacher Diane Ruane recently read “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley. The story is about a wedding that ends in tragedy when some is found dead.

Katie Johnson, Staff Writer

History Teacher Diane Ruane spent her Labor day break at the beach reading. One of the books she read included “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley. 

“I liked the character development. I also liked that I had to keep thinking about the book and guessing,” Ruane said. ”There were a couple of developments that caught me by surprise.”

The novel is set on an Irish island, where a wedding is to take place. It turns dark and deadly when someone is killed. As the story progresses, it becomes a game of keep-away with the victim’s identity until the novel’s end. 

This thriller is reminiscent of a novel written by Agatha Christie called “And Then There Were None,” which is about a murder at a wedding as well. 

“The focus of the novel is about the bride’s wedding, but it is like the Agatha Christie novels when there are seven characters who tell parts of the story each chapter,” Ruane said. 

Foley is a British author of historical fiction and mystery novels. She recently wrote “The Paris Apartment” this year, which became a New York Times bestseller. She also wrote “The Hunting Party” in 2018, followed by “Last Letter from Istanbul.”

“I would recommend the book especially if you love the Agatha Christie type of mysteries,” Ruane said.

The overall theme of the novel is the power of deception because it starts with a joyous occasion. Then it pulls readers in when tragedy happens and will not let the reader go until the novel is finished. 

Ruane would recommend this book to anyone who loves good, suspenseful mystery novels that are told from different points of view.