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Chloe (778 KP) rated The Guest List in Books

Feb 8, 2021  
The Guest List
The Guest List
Lucy Foley | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
7
7.5 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Solid whodunit (2 more)
Interesting characters
Great setting
Obvious (0 more)
New take on Agatha Christie
I loved the setting and feel it was described well, I had a clear perspective of the perils. The writing illicits feelings for all the characters which made the story very readable, I red it over 24 hours. This would make an excellent movie particularly with the lights going out.

I guessed the big plot twists other than the final killer. I think the killers parts could have been better written and/or more prominent. Overall, a good fast paced read that would be great to dip in and out of whilst travelling or whilst on holiday (if we are ever allowed again).
  
Show all 3 comments.
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Chloe (778 KP) Feb 13, 2021

It does I'll have to have a watch, thank you for the recommendatio

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Dean (6927 KP) Feb 15, 2021

Cool should be available on BBC iplayer

12 Angry Men (1957)
12 Angry Men (1957)
1957 | Classics, Drama

"My five favorite films change all the time. Well, no — the top three never change, but the last two are kind of up for grabs constantly. 12 Angry Men is, I think, a feat of writing. It’s brilliant. The fact that it all takes place in one room — I think there’s maybe two minutes, three minutes of screen time that is not in the one room in that film — and yet it is one of the most compelling things I’ve ever seen. I mean, you can’t look away. You’re gripped by the dynamics between the people, by what’s gonna happen, and by the fact that it’s a whodunit, based in one room, which is brilliant."

Source
  
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
2017 | Drama, Mystery
All star cast (1 more)
Picturesque views
Not as good as the Albert Finney, or David Suchet versions (0 more)
Pretty remake but lacking charm
I'm a bit Agatha Christie fan and love a Whodunit. I've seen the original Albert Finney version a few times and the David Suchet made for TV one. This is behind both of those. Although it has a great cast and some nice scenery it lacks any charm, suspense or tension. Maybe because I know the story so well but the flash backs, clues and final summing up weren't as good as the other versions. Might be more fun for those who haven't seen the other versions. I wasn't keen on Branagh's portrayal of Poirot either... But it's still a good story.
  
TB
The Body at the Tower (The Agency, #2)
Y.S. Lee | 2010
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b>3.5 stars</b>

Good, but not quite as good as the first book, [b:A Spy in the House|6698199|A Spy in the House (The Agency, #1)|Y.S. Lee|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IGDM-I3oL._SL75_.jpg|6502621]. The plot and its mystery didn't interest me that much and could be boring. I kept hoping for a big twist, but it never came, so the mystery wasn't very mysterious at all. The secondary characters were okay but nothing special, so I didn't care what happened to who or whodunit. Still, it's a fun series and I like Mary, James, their exchanges with each other, and the idea of the Agency. I look forward to the third (and final?) installment.
  
Happy Death Day 2U (2019)
Happy Death Day 2U (2019)
2019 | Horror, Mystery
The same cast are back (0 more)
More of a SciFi element (0 more)
Deja Vu
I really enjoyed the first @Happy Death Day (2017) film which was a refreshing mix of Slasher meets Groundhog Day with a comic twist. This sequel is very similar, looks like it was filmed at the same time? This time round we have more of a SciFi theme to explain the time loop in both films. It's still fun but obviously not quite as original as the first offering. The whodunit element takes more of a back seat in this film.
Overall an enjoyable film but you really do need to see the first one before this. If you liked that then you won't mind the Deja Vu watching this.
  
The Hunting Party
The Hunting Party
Lucy Foley | 2019 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
7
7.3 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
Who dunnit, mystery .
Even though the whole murder mystery taking place at a lodge in the middle of nowhere has been done countless times before, I honestly never get sick of it. The combination of that feeling of isolation, the freezing cold weather, and a cast of characters in which everyone is a suspect, just works for me. I really enjoyed this one and I was left guessing until the very end.

A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.

In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.

If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.