Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests
- Judith D Collins
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
Narrator: Jacqueline King
Recorded Books
ISBN: 9781464242403
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 09/09/2025
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
"Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None gets a wicked update." ―Publishers Weekly
Three courses. Seven guests. One card.
It's a deadly evening they'll never forget.
Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On the card is a number – the age at which they will die. Thinking it an elaborate prank, the guests disperse into the night, hoping to forget the morbid evening forever.
Two weeks later, one of them is dead at exactly the age the card predicted.
It must be a coincidence. But as more guests die, each one dead at the same age as their card, it soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is afoot. Now, it's up to the quickly dwindling group to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party, before their numbers catch up with them.
Told from the perspectives of each of the seven guests, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a spellbinding and mysterious exploration of mortality, begging the question: how would you live your life if you knew your number was up?
Praise
"Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None gets a wicked update in Whittle’s assured debut...crafty twists and voicey narration culminate in an impressive payoff. Whodunit fans will look forward to the author’s next effort. "
― Publishers Weekly
"Readers with a penchant for colorful characters, twisty plots, and surprise reveals will find this novel of suspense especially satisfying."
―Kirkus Reviews
"Christie fans will be delighted with Whittle’s new twist on an old classic."
―Library Journal
"A terrific addition to the current trend of If you knew you were going to die, how would you live your life? novels."
― firstCLUE
"Seven guests, one mysterious dinner party, and a chilling prediction with deadly implications. Twisty, surprising, and impossible to put down, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a deliciously sinister tale of fate, fear, and the price of knowing too much." ― Tom Ryan , USA Today bestselling author of The Treasure Hunters Club
"K.J. Whittle's pacy mystery is a gourmet dish that crime aficionados will devour with relish. Hugely entertaining."
― Martin Edwards, author of the Rachel Savernake Mysteries and Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife
"Deviously plotted and utterly entertaining―KJ Whittle proves you can’t trust anyone at the table. A genuine delight to read."
― L.C. North, author of Clickbait
"I loved this book! Brilliant characters, wry humour and a mystery to die for. Christie would be proud of this perfectly constructed whodunnit."
― L.M. Chilton, author of Swiped
"Bold, biting, and blood-soaked in wit, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a masterclass of tension and twisted humor. K.J. Whittle transforms the dinner table into a stage for secrets, manipulation, and an extra serving of malice. It's an all-you-can-eat feast for readers, and no doubt I'll be coming back for seconds."
― Mallory Arnold, author of How to Survive a Horror Story
"Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests ladles out nightmarish fun, as seven sinful dinner guests are served a terrifying nightcap. When the plot, as tightly constructed and Christie-inspired as a mousetrap, sets into motion, destiny comes to them one by one as they are faced with their own crimes in a literal race against time. Join the guests at Serendipity's as the tablecloth is yanked from beneath their lives and learn whether they're all doomed by their very natures or whether any of them has what it takes to survive a heaping helping of karma."
― Mary Anna Evans, author of The Dark Library
"Every guest has a secret, and every secret is deadly―it’s a murder-coaster of a mystery with twists and turns galore! Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is clever, engaging, and enjoyable―a delightful homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None."
― Stacy Johns, author of What Remains of Teague House
"While many recent books mimic Agatha Christie’s classic And Then There Were None, this one stands out with its fresh take."
―Booklist
My Review
Debut author KJ Whittie delights readers with a captivating tale of intrigue and suspense in SEVEN REASONS TO MURDER YOUR DINNER GUEST. Set against the backdrop of a seemingly elegant dinner party, the story takes a dark turn when each guest discovers a chilling party favor revealing the precise age at which they are destined to die.
Is this an ominous premonition of fate, or is there a more sinister plot lurking beneath the surface? As the evening unfolds, the tension escalates, leaving guests questioning not only their mortality but the true intentions of their host. Prepare for a thrilling ride filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
About...
Three courses. Seven guests. One deadly party favor.
In a luxurious yet eerily atmospheric mansion, seven unsuspecting strangers receive an invitation to an extravagant dinner party, shrouded in secrecy and opulence.
As they settle into the lavishly adorned dining room, seven elegantly crafted envelopes are placed before each guest, their ornate designs hinting at the gravity of their contents. When they bravely unveil the envelopes, chilling revelations await within: the exact age at which each will meet their end.
Just two weeks later, the somber atmosphere turns palpable as six of the guests gather for the funeral of their seventh companion, whose life was tragically cut short, precisely at the age foretold in her envelope. The air is thick with disbelief and a sense of foreboding.
A month passes, shrouded in uncertainty, when one more guest falls victim to the cruel twist of fate, departing the world exactly according to the ominous prediction.
Now, the surviving guests are faced with a haunting choice: do they resign themselves to the inevitability of their fate, or embark on a desperate quest to outsmart the cruel timekeeper? With each tick of the clock echoing loudly in their minds, they must unravel the identity of the enigmatic host of the fateful dinner party, or risk enjoying their fleeting moments in a world that grows ever darker. Tick Tock!
My thoughts...
Agatha Christie enthusiasts are in for a thrilling treat with a captivating reimagining of the timeless classic, "Then There Were None." This intricately woven murder mystery promises to keep you on the edge of your seat, shrouded in suspense and intrigue.
We meet the guests from multiple POVs and timelines:
Tristan, Stella, Matthew, Vivienne, Janet, Gordon, and Melvin.
Prepare for an experience that is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating, imbued with a wickedly dark sense of humor.
As the plot unfolds, you will find yourself questioning the motives of every character, unsure who can be trusted in a web of secrets, manipulation, and malice that lurks around every corner. Each revelation adds layers to the tension, ensuring that you remain deeply engrossed until the very last page.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an advanced reading paperback copy for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Sept 9, 2025
About the Author
Kerry Whittle grew up in Cumbria and studied English Language and Literature in London. She is an experienced journalist, having written for national newspapers and magazines for the last 20 years, specialising in real life stories. In 2020, she attended Curtis Brown Creative’s novel writing course. She lives in Manchester with her husband and two sons.
