21.09.25 Sunday

A very pompous wedding on the island that is detached from the Irish mainland. I expect the vibe of “The Menu” movie and Agatha Christie’s novels.

I’m trying to catch little details, though I’m not sure if that will help to solve the crime. Are those kinds of books about the crime itself, though, or about the build-up of the suspense and misleading clues?

So far, this sentence from Charlie’s wife looks intriguing to me; there is some background story there. If he’s a teacher and she is the owner of the magazine, what could he and Jules have in common?

“We couldn’t be more different, Jules and I. The two most important women in my husband’s life.”

Unless Jules is his mom, which I doubt. If Mom were successful and rich, wouldn’t she pay for a holiday for her son? And Hannah is saying it’s the closest thing to a holiday they’ve had for a long time, because they can’t afford it.

25.09.25 Thursday

Halfway through the book. By now, I know that all the guests who stayed the night before the wedding on the island each have their own problems and cockroaches. Unhappy or insecure with themself. They all have weird stories in the past, like this Olivia’s break-up with some random guy, or was it Will or somebody from his circle? Then Hannah is not fully herself, not living the life that she would live without the kids. Charlie. Does he regret not being with Jules? And this list goes on and on…

Or what about this bunch of schoolboys that never grew up, and Johnno feeling guilty for some boy’s death?! It’s crazy. I’m sure the bride’s parents are also not angels, with their hidden secrets.

Even the couple that owns Folly. Aiofe and Freddy. Whose grave does Aiofe keep visiting? Was it her sibling, mother, or child? We learned that she used to spend her summer holidays here. If it’s such a traumatic place, why would you buy it and start living here? Is she also feeling guilty for someone’s death?

And Jules, with this mysterious note she received. Who would write something like this? Maybe a jealous fan of her husband-to-be, or maybe a friend he screwed-up? So many skeletons in their wardrobes. Now there is also the possibility of a dead body somewhere, who might be dead here?

I’m not sure we’ve learned all 13 guests yet. Are the hosts included?

1. Aiofe
2. Freddy
3. Hannah
4. Charlie
5. Jules
6. Will
7. Johnno
8. Jules’ Mom
9. Jules’ Dad
10. Girlfriend of Jules’ Dad
11. Olivia (Jules’ half-sister)
12. Duncan
13. Angus
14. Femi
15. Peter
16. Georgina (Duncan’s wife)

So the hosts are not included? Or who are the 13 guests we are talking about then?

On top of all the terrible stories from their youth, some of them have problems with self-control:

• Jules smashed a vase against the wall, and it seemed that this kind of rage used to be a thing for her before.
• Charlie is losing himself when drunk, as he hissed at Hannah after the photo session.
• Johnno – trying to escape his normal state with weed and drinks, because he can’t handle himself.
• Olivia – cutting her legs with the razor blade.

What a group!

26.09.25 Friday

Before I continue reading even a row further. It looks like my wild guess is true. When Olivia was telling her story to Hannah, she was staying at Jules’ place, pretending that everything around was her life. She brought her Steven to this party, organized by Jules for her magazine. Now, when Will (or should I better call him Will-Steven?) was telling the story of how they met with Jules, he said that he was a plus one at that party, and his friend had to leave. It all clicked together. So Olivia was pregnant with Will’s child. Jules didn’t know, her mom didn’t know. Would Hannah be smart enough to connect the pieces together, since she just heard the story?

At the moment, I’m reading the chapter from Olivia, and she’s listening to Will’s speech. And just started to tell how careful Jules was not to bring her husband-to-be home before they got engaged. Which seems to be very quick, I’d think Will rushed it all…

Especially now, when we know what he did to Johnno and his TV career. Well, I’d say he’d be the best candidate for being killed. And like in Orient Express, everyone who has something against him would just add extra wounds to the dead body. I’d guess he was the one who did something to Charlie, too, or at least initiated it at his pre-wedding party. Hannah’s chapter is next, so I’m curious if she’d connect the dots, or if she would be occupied by her own shaky situation with her husband?

Let’s see what else this bastard Will “achieved” in his life.

Btw, exactly on the next page, Olivia explains how Will and Jules met after he put her in the taxi.

Yeah, if Olivia had been brave enough to tell her half-sister about Will-Steven, we probably wouldn’t have been at this wedding, and it would be great. But how come Olivia didn’t recognize a TV star in him?

Hmm…Johnno could be another dead-body candidate if he stands against Will. Who knows what they will do to each other in this drunk state?

I also think that the note that Jules received is from Olivia. She couldn’t speak up, but she at least could have written a note. She knows where Jules lives, so she could drop it directly into the letterbox.

Yes! Nailed it about the note! Ha!

Ugh… that’s too small a world. So… Will slept with Jules, before that with Olivia, and now he was the uni boyfriend of Hannah’s sister, who killed herself. I mean, I know that you need to twist things as much as you can to confuse the reader, to have more options for who can be the murderer or murdered. But I was hoping that Hannah was more of a side observer like Miss Marple, there just to connect all the pieces.

Or maybe it will be like the Orient Express, after all. Because why not? If this asshole screwed up so much in his life, ruined so many lives. I’d expect him to be found dead. And probably all those offended are involved somehow, united by their hate for him. Including Jules, Olivia, Charlie, Hannah, and Johnno.

The bride asked for the cake knife to be sharp enough to cut through the meat?! Did she know something? When did she ask that? Can she be stronger than a huge man to even reach him? Btw, all the parents are out of the picture, where are they?

Wait, Will could not have known that sooner or later he would meet with Olivia (or as she named herself in the app – Bella). If Jules brought him to her house, he must have recognized it.

And we are listing all enraged people. And my list of who could have done it is right so far.

Finished. Yeah, ok. It was there, it was hinted, it was mentioned, but I didn’t connect it well enough. I questioned Aiofe’s visit to the grave, but I linked it more to sentimentality, to the reason why they bought this place, not as a reason of hate. But it was a good one, nice ending.