Book Review

The Unwedding by Ally Condie

Published June 4, 2024 by Grand Central Publishing

I'm a long-time fan of Ally Condie's YA Matched trilogy, and I was thrilled to discover her foray into the adult, mystery/thriller genre with her latest novel.

Ellery and her husband of nearly 20 years divorced, devastated, she is navigating life on her own. She decides to take a pre-planned and paid for anniversary trip to Big Sur, she and her ex husband were supposed to go on together. Opting to go alone rather than letting her ex take his new girlfriend, Ellery finds herself in an unexpectedly dangerous situation.

The resort soon becomes the scene of chaos when a big wedding is interrupted by the discovery of the groom's murder. As if this weren't enough, art pieces begin mysteriously disappearing, adding another layer of intrigue. With a brewing storm causing a mudslide, all the guests, including Ellery, are trapped at the resort. 

Christine Lakin, who played Al on the '90s TV show Step By Step, delivers a wonderful narration for this audiobook. I would love to listen to more books narrated by her. I was expecting a tightly wound, edge-of-your-seat thriller, but The Unwedding didn't quite deliver. While it held potential for a classic locked-room murder mystery, it felt a bit lacking in the thrill department, and the pacing was a bit slower than I anticipated. For me it was more of a laid-back, summer mystery.

Rating: ★★★