You know that feeling when you’re at a fancy party and everyone else seems to know the rules, but you’re just trying not to spill wine on the carpet? Now imagine that party is your estranged daughter’s wedding to the son of a tech billionaire, and oh yeah, there might be a murderer or two in attendance. Welcome to Frank Szatowski’s world in Jason Rekulak’s gripping new thriller, “The Last One at the Wedding.”
Rekulak, known for his Edgar Award-nominated “The Impossible Fortress” and the bestselling “Hidden Pictures,” has crafted a suspense novel that will make you squirm in your seat and question just how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. It’s like if “Meet the Parents” had a baby with “Gone Girl,” and that baby grew up to have some serious daddy issues.
A Blue-Collar Dad in a Billionaire’s Playground
Frank Szatowski is your average Joe—a UPS driver from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, who’s been estranged from his daughter Maggie for three years. When she suddenly invites him to her wedding at a swanky New Hampshire estate, Frank’s over the moon. But as soon as he arrives at Osprey Cove, he realizes he’s stepped into a world where he doesn’t belong.
Rekulak brilliantly captures Frank’s fish-out-of-water perspective. The descriptions of Osprey Cove’s luxury and the casual displays of wealth had me feeling as out of place as Frank:
“I’d never entered an apartment through an elevator so I needed a minute to orient myself and get my bearings. The ‘living room’ was just one part of a sprawling open floor plan that wrapped the corner of the tower. The exterior walls were all glass and offered a panoramic view of the city skyline.”
It’s not just the setting that’s unsettling. Frank quickly realizes that something’s off about his future in-laws, the Gardners. Aidan, the groom, is withdrawn and evasive. Errol Gardner, the tech mogul patriarch, oozes charisma and menace in equal measure. And Catherine Gardner? Well, she’s locked away in her room with a supposed migraine that never seems to end.
A Web of Secrets Unravels
As Frank desperately tries to reconnect with Maggie, he stumbles upon dark rumors about the Gardners. A local man insists that Aidan is responsible for the disappearance of a young woman named Dawn Taggart. Then there’s Gwendolyn, Aidan’s art school friend who seems to know more than she’s letting on.
Rekulak expertly ratchets up the tension, dropping breadcrumbs of information that had me frantically turning pages. The pacing is relentless, with each revelation more shocking than the last. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, Rekulak pulls the rug out from under you.
Highlights That’ll Give You Chills:
- The creepy atmosphere of Osprey Cove, where wealth and power create a bubble of moral ambiguity
- Frank’s growing paranoia as he realizes the depth of the Gardners’ influence
- The clever use of “Gardner Standard Time” – where all the clocks are set 15 minutes ahead – as a metaphor for how the family bends reality to their will
- A genuinely surprising twist that reframes everything you thought you knew about Maggie
Characters That’ll Haunt You
Rekulak’s character work is top-notch. Frank is a deeply sympathetic protagonist, a good man trying to do right by his daughter in an increasingly nightmarish situation. His internal struggle feels painfully real:
“I knew I’d pushed her away through a series of errors large and small—and now I needed to tread carefully if I wanted our relationship to survive. So I tried to relax and told myself everything would work out okay.”
Maggie is a complex figure, her motivations murky until the shocking finale. The Gardners are deliciously villainous, with Errol in particular emerging as a charismatic monster who believes his wealth puts him above the law.
But it’s the supporting characters who really flesh out this world. Frank’s sister Tammy provides both comic relief and a moral sounding board. Hugo, the Gardners’ menacing security chief, looms in the background like a ticking time bomb. And poor Dawn Taggart, though never seen “on screen,” haunts every page of the novel.
Themes That’ll Make You Think
“The Last One at the Wedding” is more than just a page-turner. Rekulak deftly explores some weighty themes:
- The corrosive nature of extreme wealth
- How far we’ll go to protect our children
- The tension between truth and willful ignorance
- The power of family ties, both good and bad
The novel asks uncomfortable questions about what we’re willing to overlook for the sake of loved ones. Frank’s moral dilemma becomes our own, forcing us to wonder if we’d make the same choices in his shoes.
A Style That Grabs You and Won’t Let Go
Rekulak’s prose is lean and propulsive, with a conversational tone that makes Frank feel like an old friend telling you a story over beers. He has a knack for vivid, unsettling imagery:
“I watched from a distance, standing in the shade of the trees and observing their work. Apart from taking lots of photographs, no one seemed to be doing all that much. There was a stretcher in the sand, lying parallel to Gwendolyn’s body, and the EMTs appeared to be deliberating the best way to get her on it.”
The dialogue crackles with tension, especially in the scenes between Frank and the Gardners. Rekulak captures the way wealth and power can twist language, turning even casual conversations into minefields of subtext and threat.
A Few Minor Quibbles
While “The Last One at the Wedding” is a gripping read, it’s not without flaws:
- Some readers might find the pacing in the middle section a bit slow, as Frank’s investigation hits several dead ends
- A few of the supporting characters, particularly among the wedding guests, feel underdeveloped
- The final reveal, while shocking, requires a bit of suspension of disbelief
These are minor complaints, however, in what is overall a masterfully crafted thriller.
The Verdict: A Must-Read for Thriller Fans
“The Last One at the Wedding” is a tour-de-force of suspense that will keep you up way past your bedtime. Rekulak has crafted a novel that works on multiple levels—as a pulse-pounding thriller, a critique of wealth and power, and a poignant exploration of the bonds between parents and children.
If you enjoyed Rekulak’s previous work, particularly “Hidden Pictures,” you’ll find much to love here. Fans of authors like Gillian Flynn, Ruth Ware, or Liane Moriarty should also add this to their must-read list.
Who Should Read This Book:
- Thriller aficionados looking for their next fix
- Readers who enjoy stories about family secrets and moral dilemmas
- Anyone who’s ever felt out of place at a fancy event (so, everyone?)
- Fans of twisty, unpredictable plots that keep you guessing until the end
Who Should Skip It:
- Those looking for a light, breezy read (this one’s gonna stick with you)
- Readers who prefer their thrillers with less family drama and more action
- Anyone triggered by themes of parental manipulation or abuse of power
Final Thoughts: A Wedding You Won’t Forget
“The Last One at the Wedding” is like that one guest at a party who corners you with a story so wild, so unsettling, that you can’t look away. Rekulak has delivered a novel that’s both a scathing indictment of wealth and privilege and a heart-wrenching exploration of a father’s love.
As I turned the final page, I found myself both satisfied and disturbed. This is a book that lingers, forcing you to examine your own moral compass and the lengths you’d go to for family. It’s a testament to Rekulak’s skill that he can weave such weighty themes into a propulsive, entertaining read.
So grab a copy, cancel your plans for the day, and dive into the twisted world of Osprey Cove. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself side-eyeing the next wedding invitation that lands in your mailbox.
