The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

My wife loves Target, and since I love spending time with her, we end up there a lot. I’ve discovered that Target is a great place to find trending thrillers. That’s where I stumbled upon The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak. After reading the back cover, I immediately put the Kindle version on hold in my Libby app.

What drew me in was the unusual protagonist: a father reconnecting with his estranged daughter at her wedding, held at the exclusive estate of her fiancé’s wealthy family. As a father of three young daughters, I connected with Frank’s situation. The setting, with its evasive rich family, sounded perfect for a compelling mystery. Plus, I tend to read thrillers in winter, and the weather really enhances those types of stories.

The book is divided into five sections—The Invitation, The Arrival, The Rehearsal, The Wedding, and Parting Gifts—following Frank’s journey as he tries to reconcile with his daughter and come to terms with who she’s become.

Warning: potential spoilers ahead

A major theme of the book is the blindness parents can have toward their children. I’ve had to remind myself multiple times that my 10-year-old isn’t the 5-year-old who used to run into my arms. So, I understood Frank’s struggle to see his daughter outside of the little girl he still imagines her to be. He is quick to rationalize her behavior, see her as a naive child, and take all the blame for their estrangement. It is believable for me to see how a father can have rose-colored glasses for his only daughter, especially after her mother died when she was so young.

On the flip side, I struggled with Frank’s apparent ignorance of how the ultra-wealthy live. For example, he’s bewildered that a hired chef would serve drinks at a private dinner party. In this age of social media, his naivety seemed out of place, as if he were stuck in the 1960s.

Frank’s character really develops depth around the 65% mark, when he starts having agency and actively investigating the unsettling atmosphere of the wedding.

To recap the plot: Frank’s daughter, Maggie, unexpectedly invites him to her wedding. Desperate to reconnect, Frank ignores his gut feeling that something is wrong. Constant clues hint at underlying problems, even a dead body being dismissed as if nothing happened, and the wedding proceeds. Adding to Frank’s suspicions is the disappearance of a woman connected to the groom around the time he met his daughter. Ultimately, the wedding falls apart, revealing secrets that expose Maggie’s true nature and forcing Frank to accept reality. However, the ending is not all bad for Frank; he forms new, meaningful connections and finds a new sense of family.

I like the recurring daddy long legs imagery, effectively symbolizing the rottenness within Frank’s new in-laws. And the character of Abigail, whom Frank initially mistreats but eventually comes to see as a daughter, adds a heartwarming element. I enjoyed the dark twist and the human connections Frank makes. Despite the radical honesty he has to face about Maggie, he never truly gives up on her. I hope I have that strength for my own daughters.

I recommend this book to thriller fans looking for a quick, engaging read. The twist caught me off guard, because of the fact that I am a father, but even if you guess it, you’ll have a fun time. What are your favorite settings for thrillers? Have you read any other “family secrets” thrillers you’d recommend? Share your thoughts in the comments below!