Hello fellow readers and merry Christmas to all who celebrate! The seventh best book of 2025 goes to a family story, one filled with love, marriage, and murder. It is The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak.

What is it about? Middle class father Frank is ecstatic when his estranged daughter, Maggie, calls him unexpectantly. She not only wants to forget the pains of the past but she is also calling Frank to tell him she is getting married. Frank is surprised but happy for his daughter and dutifully heads to the wedding with his sister, Tammy, and Tammy’s foster daughter in tow. As it turns out, Maggie isn’t just marrying anybody. She is marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of an insanely wealthy tech giant. The Gardners put on a happy facade but it doesn’t take long for Frank to notice some of the cracks in the perfect image as well as one or two buried bodies.

Why did I love it? While there is definitely a mystery/thriller aspect to this story, as I noted in my full review, The Last One at the Wedding is more of a family drama and that’s why I loved it so much. The relationship Frank has with Maggie and the exploration of how far a father’s love will go was a fascinating theme to uncover in this story and I couldn’t get enough of it. I also enjoyed the relationship Frank has with his siter and how he grows to care for the foster child Tammy is taking care of, providing a stark contrast to his relationship with Maggie. Despite its heavy themes, this was a welcome surprise to me this year and I could not recommend this book enough.