This wasn’t the plan. Sure, Ellery had known the trip was coming up, the date etched in her mind for the past twenty years, a constant reminder of the life she had envisioned. A reminder of promises made and broken. But the deposit was non-refundable. This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and Ellery wouldn’t miss out. She couldn’t have planned for Luke to decide he didn’t want to be married anymore. Despite her protests and promises to do whatever it took to move forward together, he was done. It was that simple.
Instead of celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary with this special trip to the secluded, luxurious Resort at Broken Point, Big Sur, she was utterly alone for the first time in her life. She had gone back and forth about coming, but here she was. Alone.
In a cruel twist of fate, the resort is hosting a wedding this weekend. Isn’t that nice? The young couple is so full of promise, with a bright future ahead. Ellery longs to warn them of the perils of love, but that isn’t her place. She wouldn’t have listened to herself back then, not when the promise of the future was all she could see. The resort is beautiful, just like that young love. But just as love can turn sour, so too will this trip.
The Unwedding marks Ally Condie’s first foray into adult fiction, and she quickly proves she’s more than capable of settling into the genre. From the first pages, we meet Ellery, a character I instantly connected with. She’s navigating the uncertainty of fresh grief while grappling with the scars of hinted past experiences. The resort was supposed to offer her a catharsis, but it quickly turns into a nightmare when she stumbles upon the groom’s body floating in the pool as a storm barrels into the area. By the following day, another body is discovered, and a landslide has trapped the guests in place. This setup has the makings of a classic locked-room mystery, but Condie’s deft handling of the characters elevates it into something more profound.
The Unwedding is, at times, a page-turning murder mystery and, at others, a deep exploration of life’s uncertainties and how we cope with grief. It culminates in a twisty ending that left me reeling with the revelations while appreciating the rich character development. If this is any indication of the care and skill Condie brings to thriller writing, I eagerly anticipate her next work.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2024, 45)
I've enjoyed several of her YA novels. I look forward to giving this one a try.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in reading more from her, so I may work my way through her backlog.
DeleteI really enjoyed quite a few of her YA books, so I'm looking forward to this one! Great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI have not explored this author, but this sounds a captivating tale.
ReplyDeleteIt sucked me in from the very start!
DeleteWow, I love how authors can really stretch their writing muscles across genres. I remember her YA dystopians and now a 'locked room' style thriller with added character-driven plotting.
ReplyDeleteThe setting is a big draw for me since my dad grew up around Carmel and Big Sur.
Sophia Rose
I love that area too! I have so many great memories at Point Lobos
DeleteI have read several books by Condie, and I love that she has branched out into adult books. Sounds like it was successful.
ReplyDeleteA good deal of YA authors seem to be making the switch, and they've all been so great!
DeleteMy daughter enjoyed her YA books but I never read them. This one sounds really good, would you consider it a "clean" read? Any cursing or adult scenes?
ReplyDeleteThere's no adult scenes, beyond murder of course, and I can't recal in overt cursing, so I think you'd be in the clear with this one.
DeleteI love a good murder mystery as long as it's not too gory. I think I'll enjoy this one. Adding to my mountain-high list!
ReplyDeleteThis one isn't too gory at all, so I think you'd be okay to give it a go!
DeleteA murder mystery with depth! Keeping this one on my radar.
ReplyDeleteIt makes for a fun read!
DeleteThere's a few YA authors delving into the adult arena. This sounds exactly like my kind of story! I love Big Sur, been there several times, so the setting appeals to me. Being trapped by a landside is realistic, too, since parts of the highway has been destroyed by landside many times. I'm adding this one to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteThe setting, characters, and mystery make this a really fun read!
DeleteWhat a great mix of mystery/thriller and character development! I haven't seen anything from Ally Condie in a long time so it's nice to see her delve into adult fiction.
ReplyDeleteAfter enjoying this one, I'm eager to read more from her!
DeleteThat name, i just can´t place it, and I know when I take a look I will go all duh
ReplyDeleteIts a pretty iconic place here in the US haha
DeleteI will have to be on the look-out for this one.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!
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