Explore thought-provoking The Guest List book club questions here. This bestselling atmospheric thriller from Reese’s book club has readers talking about all the shocking twists.
You’ll foster meaningful discussion and get free printable book club questions to prepare for your in-person book club. Get started below.
The Guest List Book Club Questions
Were you able to guess who the victim was?
Were you able to guess who the murderer was?
Did your guesses as to who the victim and/or murderer were change at all while reading the book?
Discuss the importance of the Irish coastal setting of The Guest List.
Discuss the importance of the story occurring at a wedding.
How would you describe the mood of The Guest List?
Did your opinions on any of the characters change throughout the course of The Guest List?
Did the multiple points of view work for you?
Did the dual timelines of past and present work for you?
Did The Guest List remind you of any other books?
Would you describe The Guest List as a mystery book, a thriller novel, or both?
Did The Guest List feel more like a slow burn or page-turner to you?
Discuss the good and bad characteristics of each character.
Did the secrets revealed make you feel any strong emotions?
Were there clues to the secrets revealed throughout the book?
Should the characters have picked up on any clues about the secrets revealed?
Did the secrets make the characters feel more multi-dimensional to you?
Did any characters feel one-dimensional to you?
Assuming you liked “the murderer” the least, which character did you like the best?
Why do you think this book was named The Guest List?
How do you think you would have reacted at the wedding as each of the characters in The Guest List?
Would any other title work better?
Did you find the ending to be satisfying?
Did anything crazy ever happen at a wedding you attended (hopefully not a murder!)?
Do you think secrets lie beneath the picturesque surface of all weddings?
Printable Discussion Questions
Download printable book club discussion questions to prepare for your in-person book club below.
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Why The Guest List Is a Good Book Club Book
My Review: ★★★★☆
The Guest List by New York Times bestselling author Lucy Foley (author of The Hunting Party and The Paris Apartment) is a psychological thriller book set at a wedding, and it will remind you of all your favorite locked room mystery Agatha Christie books, but with modern drama and twists straight from a Dateline episode and/or Big Little Lies.
(See more books like The Guest List.)
Your book club will compulsively open the book cover and turn the pages of this one until the dark and disturbing ending is revealed.
Quick Plot Summary
The start of The Guest List is a moody scene: a wedding on a remote, secluded island off the coast of Ireland, where the powerful and ambitious magazine founder Jules is marrying her golden boy, reality television star Will.
As the guests arrive, tensions rise. The groomsmen get drunk. The bridesmaid ruins her dress. And, you just know something bigger is about to happen.
When the party of the year has officially started, the ominous storm that threatened finally erupts, both literally and figuratively. The power goes out, and a body is discovered.
What follows is a classic “whodunit.” The novel is told from the perspectives of five characters, each of whom has a secret and a motive, and it alternates between present and past before ultimately unveiling the killer.
Frequently Asked Questions
In The Guest List by Lucy Foley, the killer of Will Slater is Aoife, the wedding planner. Her motive was revenge for the suicide of her younger brother after she discovered that Will had played a cruel prank on him that led to severe psychological consequences.
In The Guest List by Lucy Foley, Peter, the best man, remains unharmed. However, his involvement in the groom’s troubled past and a school-day incident plays a significant role in the novel’s tension, contributing to the climax.
In The Guest List by Lucy Foley, Olivia’s secret is her battle with depression and a past suicide attempt.
Conclusion
These The Guest List book club questions help you dissect the intricacies of this thrilling novel’s characters, their secrets, and their relationships. It’s an especially fun book to discuss “whodunnit” and whether you guessed correctly as you read.
If your club loved this book and is looking for similar book club books to read next, check out:
- Verity Discussion Questions
- None of This Is True Discussion Questions
- First Lie Wins Discussion Questions
- The Last Thing He Told Me Discussion Questions
Keep the discussion going! Share your thoughts on The Guest List or any remaining questions you have in the comments below.
