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Murder mystery themed weekend at a remote gothic mansion? Sign me up (to read it that is)!
BUT wait, I didn't know I was going to have to be in Becca's head for so long. She is an emotional wreck. She doesn't trust her hubby Blake, since his betrayal. She can't get over it and suspects he is cheating again.
A fabulous premise, an intriguing setting and format with "in and out of character" segments, the rules, and red herrings by the dozen. I wish the author hadn't bogged it down with all
2.5 STARSMurder mystery themed weekend at a remote gothic mansion? Sign me up (to read it that is)!
BUT wait, I didn't know I was going to have to be in Becca's head for so long. She is an emotional wreck. She doesn't trust her hubby Blake, since his betrayal. She can't get over it and suspects he is cheating again.
A fabulous premise, an intriguing setting and format with "in and out of character" segments, the rules, and red herrings by the dozen. I wish the author hadn't bogged it down with all the side drama.
After the halfway point, I lost interest and became even more frustrated with Becca and her marriage woes. Spare me the angst. I'm here for the mystery and I ultimately lost interest in that too. Who cares? I didn't. This one had potential, but lost focus.
Thanks to Netgalley for my arc. OUT Sept 6, 2022
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Becca and her husband Blake travel to a remote mansion in the Catskills for a murder mystery weekend. Blake's affair with a colleague has added to the problems in their marriage and they have been seeking counseling. Given Becca's love for mysteries and fondness for books and tv shows in the genre, the "Roaring Twenties" getaway where they get to dress up for a three-day Gatsby-themed weekend, is a thoughtful peace offering on Blake's part. The weekend starts with an embarrassing moment for
2.5⭐Becca and her husband Blake travel to a remote mansion in the Catskills for a murder mystery weekend. Blake's affair with a colleague has added to the problems in their marriage and they have been seeking counseling. Given Becca's love for mysteries and fondness for books and tv shows in the genre, the "Roaring Twenties" getaway where they get to dress up for a three-day Gatsby-themed weekend, is a thoughtful peace offering on Blake's part. The weekend starts with an embarrassing moment for Becca, having not been provided with all relevant information before the commencement of the evening. With a total of four couples one of whom are friends of Blake and Becca and a full cast of staff dressed for the occasion, notes and schedules and amusing names and roles assigned to each of the participants, this weekend has a lot to offer. However, when one of the staff/actors , Bethany, disappears and Becca overhears a strange conversation between a few of the members of the cast, she begins to suspect that there is more to Bethany's disappearance than meets the eye. She also notes the suspicious behavior of a few of her fellow participants. In addition to following the clues for the staged mystery, Becca does some investigating on her own leading to an interesting sequence of events .
All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon is built around an interesting premise and has all the makings of a classic whodunit. The unique setting of a murder mystery weekend- an actual mystery within a staged mystery, multiple clues and red herrings, and the intricate plot should have made this a page-turner. But the slow movement of the plot and an unlikeable main character (equally unlikable other characters as well) made this difficult to get through. While I loved the murder mystery plot structure and the roles assigned to the participants as well as the atmospheric setting, we spend way too much time in Becca's head as she ponders over the state of her marriage and compares her marriage to that of others, is constantly reminded of her husband's infidelity (in turn so are we) and in her more enlightened moments waxes philosophical on the very institution of marriage. Repetitive and annoying to say the least and it distracts from the main plot. After a point, I simply lost interest in the story. I wish there had been more emphasis on the mystery instead.
In short, this novel started with much promise but failed to deliver. I really wanted to love this one much more than I did.
Many thanks to Yewon Son , Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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Becca's husband is surprising her with a weekend away. He's looking for forgiveness and she's trying to move beyond his betrayal. What he hasn't told her is that it's a murder mystery themed weekend. As the story unfolds it becomes a mystery within a mystery as one of the actresses goes missing.
But Becca was not a likable main character. She came across as whiny and overly self conscious. Her jealousy All Dressed Up tackles the murder mystery at an isolated manor theme but doesn't pull it off.
Becca's husband is surprising her with a weekend away. He's looking for forgiveness and she's trying to move beyond his betrayal. What he hasn't told her is that it's a murder mystery themed weekend. As the story unfolds it becomes a mystery within a mystery as one of the actresses goes missing.
But Becca was not a likable main character. She came across as whiny and overly self conscious. Her jealousy was like fingernails on a blackboard for me.
The writing style is cute as the instructions for the murder mystery and dossiers for each of the characters are revealed to the reader at the beginning of most chapters. But the actual plot is simple and too reliant on coincidences (Becca always seems to be at the right place even when it's improbable.).
This was a little too silly for me. But then I'm also not a good candidate for one of those Murder mystery weekends. It might work better for folks that like cozy mysteries.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House- Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book. ...more
- A marvelous estate with 1920's murder theme that gives you opportunity to dress and act like characters from Great Gatsby for three days!
- The murder game idea and detailed instructions that left on guests' rooms are fun! A famous speakeasy songstress Ida Crooner throws a party at her estate and she's found death now 8 guests whose characters are written on the texts they've given have to sniff around
- A marvelous estate with 1920's murder theme that gives you opportunity to dress and act like characters from Great Gatsby for three days!
- The murder game idea and detailed instructions that left on guests' rooms are fun! A famous speakeasy songstress Ida Crooner throws a party at her estate and she's found death now 8 guests whose characters are written on the texts they've given have to sniff around the clues and solve the mystery.
- But when a real murder occurs those guests will have hard time to differentiate which is part of the game and what is real!
One location, 48 hours to solve the mystery, game into game plot were the reasons I wanted to read this book!
But…
Here comes what made me so exhausted, confused and frustrated;
All these characters have their own names and game names. Even the main character Rebecca plays a character called Debbie Taunte. And of course the characters in the game created a little different from their main characteristics. I honestly took notes and wrote who was who and turned back several times and read again to remember the names! It distracted me a lot.
And let's not forget Rebecca and Blake's marriage and cheating drama. We learn so much of their history and their families which provide us enough material as if we're reading a second chance love story which also distracted me because I only wanted to focus the main murder mystery!
Some descriptions in the book had too long and too elaborated which also bored me a little.
And the conclusion was a little dramatic for me. I'm not sure I'd like it!
The plot and Christie- esque presentation were promising! But I didn't enjoy the execution a lot. So I'm giving my three solid, it's okay but not addictive reading stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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All Dressed Up is Available September 6,2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballentine for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Synopsis:
Becca and Blake are having marital issues. A recent revelation has left Becca doubting their relationship an
Synopsis:
Becca and Blake are having marital issues. A recent revelation has left Becca doubting their relationship and she is struggling to forgive. Blake offers Becca a fun-filled and rejuvenating weekend away. This seems like the ideal solution. What could possibly go wrong?
All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon has many cute and intriguing scenes. The concept is strong and full of promise. Sadly, it fell a bit short for me due to the overwhelming amount of marital issues. Even though I understand why betrayal causes this type of reaction, reading about it repeatedly was a bit difficult.
Target audience:
Fans of a double murder mystery will be challenged by All Dressed Up. The book will excite Agatha Christie followers.
Final thoughts:
My opinions are my own. Each of us has a different taste in reading material. It's worth reading if it's of interest to you. It may be your favorite book of the year.
All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon is available on September 6th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for allowing me to review this book. Your kindness is appreciated.
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Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam, for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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After recently cheating on his wife, Blake invites her to attend a 1920's Murder Mystery theme weekend at an old estate in hopes of making up for his infidelity and rekindling their tenuous relationship.
Becca is excited about the theme weekend, but isn't sure that she can forgive Blake for his betrayal and infidelity and move on with their relationship.
However, when an actress goes missing,
Jilly Gagnon explores the impact that various types of infidelity have on relationships in All Dressed Up.After recently cheating on his wife, Blake invites her to attend a 1920's Murder Mystery theme weekend at an old estate in hopes of making up for his infidelity and rekindling their tenuous relationship.
Becca is excited about the theme weekend, but isn't sure that she can forgive Blake for his betrayal and infidelity and move on with their relationship.
However, when an actress goes missing, Becca is determined to figure out if it is all part of the game or whether it is something more sinister.
With nods to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and reminiscent of the movie Clue, I had high hopes that I would really connect with this book.
Unfortunately, the writing feels very amateur and I had a difficult time keeping the characters straight while also connecting them to their roles in the murder mystery. I also did not sympathize with Becca, since I would never continue with a relationship where my partner cheated. She is very whiny and her constant bickering with Blake is annoying.
Then this plot went absolutely off the rails….and I just wanted it to end.
This book had all of the promise to be a five star read, but really fell short for me.
2.5/3 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 9/6/22
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the ARC of All Dressed Up in exchange for an honest review.
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Becca and Blake are traveling to the Catskills for a weekend getaway at a luxurious estate that has a 1920's murder mystery theme. Becca is still reeling from Blake's affair and this trip is an apology from Blake. Hoping to get her marital issues off of her m
As a lifelong fan of murder mysteries(both cozy and dark ones), any new release in the genre is an automatic want-to-read for me. After reading the synopsis, All Dressed Up immediately piqued my interest and reminded me of the game of Clue.Becca and Blake are traveling to the Catskills for a weekend getaway at a luxurious estate that has a 1920's murder mystery theme. Becca is still reeling from Blake's affair and this trip is an apology from Blake. Hoping to get her marital issues off of her mind, Becca takes part in the theatrical murder mystery. But the next morning, one of the actresses disappears Becca begins to wonder if the actress left of her own free will or if something more sinister is going on.
The locked-room mystery trope is truly my favorite. I've always enjoyed mysteries that I can solve while reading. As far as the mystery aspect in All Dressed Up, I truly did enjoy it. I enjoyed reading about both the staged mystery as well as the mystery of the actress's disappearance. The author planted several red herrings so I had a lot of fun trying to figure out the crime(both real and the game).
However, I did feel like too much of the story focused on Becca and Blake's drama which had nothing to do with the overall plot. I don't mind an unlikeable main character but Becca came off as way too annoying. I also found several loose plot holes that left me wondering at the end.
After reading this one, I am dying to go to a real-life 'murder mystery' game. I think All Dressed Up will be a hit with cozy mystery readers. All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon will be available on September 6. Many thanks to Bantam Books and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
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Although it will probably confuse some people, I also loved the audiobook and that there was one narrator for Becca (Christine Lakin), plus a narrator for the other things like the unknown narrator, cast of characters, and background character information for the game (David DeSantos). Thanks to Lakin I didn't hate Becca as much as I probably could have, and DeSantos was THE perfect narrator for the other parts. He gave it that old-timey feel that was perfect for the story and he was just pleasant to listen to in general. I had 0 idea what was going on, and I did not see the whodunit coming at all. I think All Dressed Up would make a really fun movie or mini-series, and I loved getting lost in the characters and all aspects of the game. You spend a lot of time in Becca's head since she is the main narrator, but I really didn't mind it and just wish I could have gotten to know her better.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Relationships hurt, take work, and are not so black and white as they can seem from an outsider's perspective. As soon as inner, deep emotions get involved, there's no going back to your same original state. Becca recognizes this as, in hopes of winning her back, Blake signs them up for a murder mystery themed weekend at a gothic mansion more to salvage their crumbling marriage than anything.
However, as the weekend progresses, strange occurrences start swirling around the participants of the game, which Becca especially picks up on, as she struggles to distinguish reality and the game apart. What is true and what is all nothing but an act? Is anything as it seems? She has to grapple with her own relationship to Blake as she remains entangled in surreptitiously eavesdropping on hushed whispers and exchanges between others at the mansion that increasingly seem to feel dramatically more and more incriminating. I was drawn into every bit of the drama and acts of pretend that led me to question the authenticity of the person and their performance.
Becca speaks to how it can feel to wade through the mess and uncertainty of love, which I thought was important in terms of being able to recognize when to hold on and fight and when to let go and find a new sense of self-created, meaningful fullness elsewhere.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
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A jarring combo of cozy murder mystery and bitter infidelity drama, while I applaud author Jilly Gagnon's attempt at merging these disparate sentiments into a single narrative, the disjointed result proves certain things are simply not meant to go together.
All Dressed Up suffers from identity crisis; it is in parts a meta game of whodunit (a weekend long murder mystery getaway), but also a hard-hitting psychological study of a woman's attempt at salvaging her marriage after her husband'
2.5 starsA jarring combo of cozy murder mystery and bitter infidelity drama, while I applaud author Jilly Gagnon's attempt at merging these disparate sentiments into a single narrative, the disjointed result proves certain things are simply not meant to go together.
All Dressed Up suffers from identity crisis; it is in parts a meta game of whodunit (a weekend long murder mystery getaway), but also a hard-hitting psychological study of a woman's attempt at salvaging her marriage after her husband's affair. The absence of an united tone makes the reading experience a constant whiplash; in one chapter we'll be knee-deep in the cheeky classic Christie mystery mode, picking up clues and narrowing down suspects, then follows up with an intensely bitter monologue from the female protagonist, her behavior filled with animosity and belittlement. Even though her traumatized mental state and the sense of betrayal from her husband is fully justified and convincingly presented, it is simply not what I want to experience when I read a 'fun' murder mystery — I would've picked up a serious fiction instead. Even though there's a definite thematic convergence at the end, the payoff feels negligent in comparison to the rocky journey that is the rest of the novel.
The whole is way less than the sum of its parts — the two aspects of All Dressed Up are more than competent, but they are also split so evenly down the middle, they end up overshadowing each other's strength, result in an unpleasant reading experience that's neither here or there. A daring experiment that doesn't pan out as planned.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
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Firstly, the mystery was sound. There were many believable red herrings with both the real and fake murders and I found myself regularly changi
This was a great mystery that got tied up a little too much in the protagonist's personal drama. The story centers on Becca, who attends a murder mystery themed weekend at a remote resort with her husband and 3 other couples. While there, one of the actors disappears and Becca suspects there is something more sinister going on than the fake murder story.Firstly, the mystery was sound. There were many believable red herrings with both the real and fake murders and I found myself regularly changing my mind about who was guilty. The book described the murder mystery well and absolutely made me want to go find one of these to do myself.
The problem for me was Becca herself, who spent an inordinate amount of time whining about her husband's affair and reminding us that she was not a jealous person while continually acting super jealous about every little thing. I didn't warm to her even a little bit throughout the entire book. There were also some loose ends that didn't get resolved; I prefer a cleaner ending.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the subject matter but didn't enjoy the ending or the characterization. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Becca and her husband, Blake, are going through a difficult time in their marriage and this mystery weekend is Blake's surprise to his wife in an effort to mend the breach between them. As the story unfolds, I found myself side eyeing every character that was introduced. I
I love a mystery within a mystery and All Dressed Up had my mind spinning a time or two. The feel I found while diving into the story of a murder in an old manor home set during the roaring twenties had me anxious and excited.
Becca and her husband, Blake, are going through a difficult time in their marriage and this mystery weekend is Blake's surprise to his wife in an effort to mend the breach between them. As the story unfolds, I found myself side eyeing every character that was introduced. I love twisted suspense filled mysteries and hoped this one was going to deliver it all.
While it could have gone in a direction that would have made this all the more mind shattering, I still enjoyed the story. My suspect ended up being the villain which is how I measure the quality of the mystery. Keep me from guessing who it is while laying everything out in front of me and I'm a complete goner. Unfortunately, that did not happen but I liked the atmosphere the author created as she shined a light on all the sins of the guest at this murder mystery party.
Single POV
Safe (view spoiler)[while it deals with a marriage recovering after the husband has cheated, it isn't really what I consider a romance even though they do find some resolution in the end; the wife does continue to distrust him throughout the story until the end (hide spoiler)]
Triggers (view spoiler)[cheating spouses (hide spoiler)]
Steam (view spoiler)[ 0 / 5 (hide spoiler)]
I loved the setting of this and the whole murder mystery game aspect was so much fun.
As for our actual murderer, I wasn't completely surprised by the *who* of everything, and still enjoyed the ride.
I did have a wee problem with the relationship issue in the book. Our couple was something. The eventual solution to their relationship issues was…really something. I mean, to each his/her own, I g
So, after reading this, I absolutely want to do a murder weekend at a hotel. I think it would be a blast.I loved the setting of this and the whole murder mystery game aspect was so much fun.
As for our actual murderer, I wasn't completely surprised by the *who* of everything, and still enjoyed the ride.
I did have a wee problem with the relationship issue in the book. Our couple was something. The eventual solution to their relationship issues was…really something. I mean, to each his/her own, I guess, but that whole thing ended up a little out of left field for me.
Overall, I really liked the book and would definitely read the author again!
*ARC via Net Galley
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PHENOMENAL! I'm stingy with my stars. I don't give them out freely - but this one completely earned them! It was easy to fall right in to the story and not find my way out until the end.
It's a 1920's theme weekend getaway. Becca and Blake have arrived to try to salvage their marraige. To clarify, I don't read cheating 'oh how can I ever forgive him' stories. I don't like them and always skip. But this one spoke to me. I inhaled the story, laughing along with Jessica and Becca and
Happy Pub Day!PHENOMENAL! I'm stingy with my stars. I don't give them out freely - but this one completely earned them! It was easy to fall right in to the story and not find my way out until the end.
It's a 1920's theme weekend getaway. Becca and Blake have arrived to try to salvage their marraige. To clarify, I don't read cheating 'oh how can I ever forgive him' stories. I don't like them and always skip. But this one spoke to me. I inhaled the story, laughing along with Jessica and Becca and glaring at Blake the whole time. I rode the frightning, confusing clue trail with Becca as she tried to understand what was real and what was part of the weekend. I shook my head when she was stumped and laughed so much when she joked with Jessica and the bartenders. And I held my breath as Becca struggled with communicating and working with Blake again, attempting to forgive him for breaking her heart.
This was everything I needed it to be. The mystery had me hooked, the realistic and easy characters had me loving every word. The ending still has me shaking my head. SO so good, I loved it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
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I love participating in murder mystery parties, so I really enjoyed this book. The author weaves in the character's information a
I really enjoyed the concept of this book, a mystery within a mystery. It is a murder mystery weekend for Becca and Blake. Bonus that it is set during the 1920s. Blake knows how much Becca enjoys mysteries, so he books an interactive mystery weekend. However, neither expected there to be an actual murder or the intricacies of those involved. Or maybe that was just me!I love participating in murder mystery parties, so I really enjoyed this book. The author weaves in the character's information at the start of each round, including what they are supposed to reveal, what they should keep secret, and other tidbits.
Becca is one hot mess. She and Blake have had some issues recently, and this is his way of trying to get them back on track. However, Becca can't seem to get past her insecurities which throw a monkey wrench into most of the weekend. While I understood her reactions most of the time, I thought she should have tried to move past it a little bit more and not see deception in everything that Blake did that weekend.
There are quite a few characters to juggle and determine their level of involvement in the murder and the mystery weekend. There are a couple of characters that lead you down a possible path, only to learn the truth later.
When the truth is revealed, I admit I didn't suspect this character. I possibly should have had an inkling based on some information presented, but I seemed to not connect the dots.
I was disappointed that the murder mystery game was not completed, and we don't know who was the killer in the game. There is some supposition by Becca, but was she right? We'll never know.
Overall, an enjoyable book, and we give it 4 paws up.
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This book sounded really fun, but it fell flat for me. I give it 2.5 stars. Rebecca and Blake have been seeing a therapist because their marriage is struggling. Blake decides that he wants to surprise Rebecca with a murder mystery weekend getaway. Is it a game or is it real?
I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution. There was way too much internal dialogue which I felt slowed the whole book down. I thought the ending was a bit unrealistic and rushed. Not my cup of tea, but I feel like fans of Clue and Christie no
All Dressed Up is like a modern day Clue novel. A group of couples gather in a gothic mansion for a murder mystery weekend. Everything seems to be going according to plan, but one of the actresses goes missing. Is there something more sinister going on?I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution. There was way too much internal dialogue which I felt slowed the whole book down. I thought the ending was a bit unrealistic and rushed. Not my cup of tea, but I feel like fans of Clue and Christie novels may enjoy this one.
Thank you to Random House Publishinf Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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The merry event is sprung on the book's protagonist by her loving but cheating husband as a sort of I'm-sorry-I-slept-around-on-you-for-six-months-but-I'm-back-now-and-see-I-notied-you-like-tv mysteries-so-yeah-let's-do-this-together-and- All Dressed Up has places to go. In its mind, anyway. It's got a clever idea, an idea bound to set it apart from the countless similar thrillers out there. A murder mystery weekend, stylized like a golden age era mystery from 1920s, flappers, gangsters and all.
The merry event is sprung on the book's protagonist by her loving but cheating husband as a sort of I'm-sorry-I-slept-around-on-you-for-six-months-but-I'm-back-now-and-see-I-notied-you-like-tv mysteries-so-yeah-let's-do-this-together-and-get-back-on-track.
Funsies, right? Well, kinda, until art begins to imitate life too closely or no, actually, life begins to imitate art too closely. And a pretend murder might just be a real one.
Lots of potential here but ultimately the book gets dragged down by all its freaking estrogen. It's like yeah, we get it, Blake cheated, boo-hoo, but can we get back to murder, please? This is a mystery thriller not a marriage counseling session. Can we talk less about marriage in general, maybe? Sheesh.
They can't, though. It's a ladies for ladies and about ladies affair through and through. And as such, it ends up way slower and less exciting that it ought to be. With a predictable killer to boot.
Decent enough, overall, but nothing special. At all. When it might have been, easily. The book just never quite lives up to the cleverness of its concept. Or it's cover - and it is a great cover. Something like a beach read, maybe. Nothing to get dressed up for. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
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Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC! ...more
How do you spoil an otherwise clever, creative plot? Make a main character so insufferable that it's hard to focus on anything else.
At issue is Rebecca, who is beside herself because her husband Blake cheated on her a while back (they've been in therapy, but that seems only to have turned Becca into even more of a hot mess). So as a surprise intended to bring them closer together, Blake arranged for a role-playing mystery theater weekend at Millingham House, a posh hotel. Tha
3.5 stars, actually.How do you spoil an otherwise clever, creative plot? Make a main character so insufferable that it's hard to focus on anything else.
At issue is Rebecca, who is beside herself because her husband Blake cheated on her a while back (they've been in therapy, but that seems only to have turned Becca into even more of a hot mess). So as a surprise intended to bring them closer together, Blake arranged for a role-playing mystery theater weekend at Millingham House, a posh hotel. That, too, arouses Becca's suspicions, especially when a couple of the other women in the mystery party are a little too beautiful to suit her and he dares not only to look, but (gasp!) speak to them.
It's the mystery theater angle that makes up the clever and creative part of the equation; dressed for the 1920s and assigned character roles and funky names like "Miss Ann Thrope" to stick with throughout the weekend, the plan is for the guests to figure out who the murderer is at the conclusion of their stay. Chapters that outline what each is to reveal (or not) to the others and provide background for their fake identities are interspersed with real-time situations - many of which are hard to separate from the role-play scenarios the guests are expected to follow.
At the outset, a "murder" happens right before their eyes - a fun part of the experience, until Becca freaks out because her clueless, cheating husband didn't tell her what the weekend entailed before they arrived and she thought it was real - a horror she just can't get past because, she insists, it made her look foolish in the eyes of the other guests. Then when one of the staff members - all of whom are role-playing as well - turns up missing, Becca doesn't believe the explanation the guests are given. Instead, she chooses to concoct her own morbid version (and, predictably, takes it as a personal affront when Blake and some of the others don't readily buy into her theory).
I did have one thing in common with Becca, though; it was a little hard for me to separate pretend from reality most of the way through (giving me insight as to how she must have felt while building momentum for the ending). But although I've attended a couple of real-life events similar to this, I failed miserably both times when it came time to picking the whodunit - giving Becca a decided edge over me in that department. The ending brought some closure to the marriage travails, although the advice I had for Becca early on stands: Yep, Blake done you wrong; now either kick him to the curb or stand by your man and get on with it.
Overall, though, the entire adventure made for a fun and unique reading experience - one I'm sure many others will enjoy. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review.
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Becca and her husband Blake have been having serious marital problems. Blake has decided to take Becca away on a surprise 1920's themed weekend. But unfortunately for Becca, Blake has neglected to tell her it's a murder/mystery game. And thus lies a part of the reason they are ha
In this wonderfully twisted mystery, get ready to play along with a group of guests who are staying at a grand hotel preparing to participate in a delightful murder mystery game. But one murder may unfortunately be real!Becca and her husband Blake have been having serious marital problems. Blake has decided to take Becca away on a surprise 1920's themed weekend. But unfortunately for Becca, Blake has neglected to tell her it's a murder/mystery game. And thus lies a part of the reason they are having issues!
To make this adventure even worse for Becca, her husband's business partner and wife are there playing the game as well! Just what Becca needs! Trying to pretend their marriage is as perfect as theirs. But Becca knows this weekend is important to Blake so she must just play along with it all for the sake of saving her marriage.
As the game begins, they are given their identities and their history of their characters and soon someone is found "dead". As Becca begins to look for clues as to which guest could be the "murderer", she accidentally stumbles on the fact that one of the actresses portraying a character has gone missing. She finds this mystery even more interesting than the actual game itself. So, she begins to look for clues as to why this girl could have disappeared.
Unfortunately for Becca someone might be on to her interest in the disappearance and exactly what she knows. Becoming a bit paranoid, she tries to decipher the clues of the game versus the clues of the disappearance without getting her facts mixed up.
On top of all this, she and Blake cannot get past their troubled relationship and Becca hesitates to explain what else is going on figuring he will just think she is jumping to crazy conclusions. And maybe she is?
But when she stumbles upon a scene which is not from the game being played, she becomes the target of a true killer. A killer nobody even knows exists! Can Becca survive this murder mystery weekend without getting herself actually killed?
All Dressed Up is an amazingly executed mystery within a mystery with many clues and suspects and characters. But the ending is totally worth the wait!
Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse/Bantam #JillyGagnon #AllDressedUp for the advanced copy.
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All Dressed Up was a really fun murder mystery to jump into. Definitely gave me clue vibes and I've always wanted to know what a murder mystery party game felt like. Not sure how they kept in character for as long as they did. It was all pretty impressive. Especially when the alcohol was involved. I feel like I would make so many mistakes because I would give something away that was supposed to be hidden.
In this, you will m
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.All Dressed Up was a really fun murder mystery to jump into. Definitely gave me clue vibes and I've always wanted to know what a murder mystery party game felt like. Not sure how they kept in character for as long as they did. It was all pretty impressive. Especially when the alcohol was involved. I feel like I would make so many mistakes because I would give something away that was supposed to be hidden.
In this, you will meet a bunch of characters throughout the game. Some of them are married and some aren't. Either way, each person has their own set of deep dark secrets waiting to come out. Or maybe that's me being suspicious of everyone. Which, yes, at one point someone was acting weird or suspicious and I didn't know who I could or couldn't trust.
Without spoiling anything, the reveals were actually so freaking good. I was surprised with them all and a little relieved at one of them. I'm definitely happy that I got the chance to jump into this and can't wait for the next book Jilly writes. I'm also hopeful that one couple either ends up working out through things or moving on.
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The book's narrator is Becca Wilson, who is struggling to figure out the state of her marriage after discovering her husband Blake's infidelity. Blake hopes that a 1920's themed weekend getaway to a Catskills mansion will draw her out of her despondency. Blake's colleague Phil and his wife Heather are there to celebrate their anniversary. Becca's upset to see them because she doesn't want them to see even the slightest crack in the Wilson marriage and reaches for alcohol to numb her pain. Becca stumbles over what she thinks is a dead body, only to discover that Blake surprised her with a murder mystery game. She's livid and embarrassed, adding further tension to their relationship.
As the game unfolds, the guests end up divulging secrets about the state of their own marriages and how they respond to these outside forces. Becca is distracted when she learns the actress playing the maid has vanished. Becca had a conversation with the actress the night before and is concerned about her safety, while the others dismiss her as flighty and unreliable. By the end of the book, the major storylines have been tied up, including Becca's decision about what's next for Blake and her.
Since I've played one of those murder games before, I could easily follow and appreciate the game. Readers who have never played one can easily get swept up into the game because it is so clearly defined and presented. Having a potential missing person's case tangled up in the game offers a fun twist, since it's not easy to figure out which conversations and evidence are about the game, the actor's disappearance, or are just red herrings.
The marriage issues and different standards of each person keep the book from dissolving into insignificance. Those issues push the game itself in a less prominent position, which gives the plotline and characterizations needed weight. The book includes plenty of locked-room mystery tropes, such as red herrings and the criminal's arrogant monologue. Hindsight is 20/20, because the evidence was strewn throughout the book that pointed to the criminal. The evidence was subtle enough to make the criminal's unmasking and reasons made sense while leading to facepalms for the number of clues missed while reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed All Dressed Up for its story and for provoking thoughtful questions about marriage that lingered after the book. It did not overshadow the lightness of a solid cozy mystery but added questions that a reader would ponder after reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a review copy of the book. Opinions expressed here are my own.
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I fell in love with this thriller's premises. A dress-up murder mystery weekend at a remote manor! I would love to do it myself. But, I was disappointed. None of characters were interesting enough for me to care. The murder mysteries (both fake and real) were uninteresting. The main character's marriage problem is so all over the place and I lost interest. It's an okay mystery/thriller but not mind-blowing.
I received eARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley.I fell in love with this thriller's premises. A dress-up murder mystery weekend at a remote manor! I would love to do it myself. But, I was disappointed. None of characters were interesting enough for me to care. The murder mysteries (both fake and real) were uninteresting. The main character's marriage problem is so all over the place and I lost interest. It's an okay mystery/thriller but not mind-blowing.
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Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
...moreJilly Gagnon is the author of the young adult novel #famous and the suspense novel All Dressed Up. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, The Toast, The Hairpin, The Huffington Post, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others.
She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her two cats. She
**Please note I rarely check messages here -- find me on instagram, @jillygagnon, for contact!**Jilly Gagnon is the author of the young adult novel #famous and the suspense novel All Dressed Up. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, The Toast, The Hairpin, The Huffington Post, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others.
She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her two cats. She loves terrible television and well-crafted Manhattans.
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