The Wasp Trap
- Judith D Collins
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
By: Mark Edwards
Narrators: John Hopkins, Anna Burnett
Simon & Schuster Audio
ISBN: 9781668204771
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 09/16/2025
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
“So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end.” —Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author
A dinner party in a beautiful Notting Hill townhouse turns into a sinister game, as six old friends are forced to spill their darkest secrets…or else.
Six friends reunite in London to celebrate the life of their recently deceased ex-employer, a professor that brought them together in 1999 to help build a dating website based on psychological testing.
But what is meant to be a night of bittersweet nostalgia soon becomes a twisted and deadly game. The old friends are given an ultimatum: reveal their darkest secrets to the group or pick each other off one-by-one.
It soon becomes clear that their current predicament is related to their shared past. The love questionnaire they helped develop in 1999 for the dating site was also turned into a tool for weeding out psychopaths: The Wasp Trap. This experiment and the other tragic events of that summer long ago may help reveal the truth behind a killer hiding in plain sight.
Alternating between the past and present with a colorful ensemble of characters, The Wasp Trap is a fast-paced and twisty thrill ride that is perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Alice Feeney.
THE WASP TRAP
My Review
A stunning reunion dinner party in Notting Hill sets the stage for an atmospheric, sinister night in this locked-room thriller, THE WASP TRAP by the bestselling author Mark Edwards.
What is a wasp trap...
A wasp trap is a device designed to attract and capture wasps, hornets, and yellowjackets. These pests are lured into a chamber with bait, where a specialized design prevents them from escaping, leading to their eventual death.
How does this relate to the novel? You must read to discover.
About...
Six old friends gather in the vibrant city of London to honor the memory of their recently departed mentor, a brilliant professor, Sebastian Marlowe, hosted by Theo and Georgina Howard.
The visionary project in 1999 united them in a singular purpose: to design an innovative dating website rooted in psychological testing.
What was meant to be a heartfelt evening filled with bittersweet reminiscences soon spirals into a chilling and thrilling ordeal. As the friends revel in shared memories within the sumptuous confines of a beautifully appointed townhouse, they are suddenly thrust into a sinister game of SURVIVAL
Held under the watchful eye of a mysterious figure at gunpoint, they face a harrowing ultimatum: disclose their deepest, darkest secrets to one another, or suffer the consequences as they are systematically hunted down, one by one.
The project they had helped develop back in 1999 for the dating site becomes a twisted instrument of betrayal, morphing into a method for uncovering hidden truths and exposing a malevolent presence lurking in plain sight.
The shadows of that fateful summer long ago—ripe with tragic events—will force them to confront not only the secrets of their past but also the horrifying reality of a killer among them.
My Thoughts…
THE WASP TRAP is a brilliantly twisted, fast-paced, and intoxicating thrill ride that intricately weaves between the haunting past of 1999 and the unsettling present of 2024.
The narrative unfolds through multiple viewpoints, creating a spine-chilling and deeply alluring psychological thriller that ensnares you from the very first page.
Much like a cunningly designed wasp trap, the setting draws in the old gang with a deceptive sense of nostalgia, but lurking beneath the surface are deadly consequences that threaten to ensnare them all.
As the story unfolds, we uncover the events that led to their abrupt separation—forces that sent them home with ghosts of the past in tow. Now, twenty-five years later, they are drawn back together for a dinner party celebrating the life of their enigmatic professor, igniting old memories and buried secrets.
The narrative follows Will, a teacher grappling with the shadows of his failed writing career; Sophie, Will’s poignant love interest from 1999; Rohan, who, despite being married, finds himself struggling under the weight of financial burdens; Lily, the brilliant programmer whose intelligence is both a gift and a curse; and Finn, a recent assistant to the late Marlowe. Aside from Georgina and Theo, the rest of the group has drifted apart over the years, their lives unfurling in different directions.
Georgina and Theo seem successful and picture-perfect, but beneath the surface lies a gut-wrenching family tragedy that’s already fraying their bond.
Yet, Finn is an enigma to most of them, instantly raising suspicion in Will. Amidst the backdrop of a high-tech setting equipped with a WiFi system and a security mechanism that locks the doors and windows, a deadly game begins to unfold. Someone among them is coaxing them to reveal their darkest secrets from that fateful year of 1999—or face dire consequences.
Each character harbors their own sinister secrets, and as these truths unravel, readers will find themselves glued to the pages, perched on the edge of their seats, turning them late into the night.
The significance of the title becomes increasingly clear as the plot progresses, revealing layers of meaning that culminate in a finale that is as shocking as it is unpredictable, packed with clever clues along the way.
If you’ve been a fan of Mark Edwards as long as I have, you’ll know he masterfully crafts narratives that explore the terrifying things that can go bump in the night, turning the ordinary into something profoundly unsettling.
Recs...
If you're a devoted aficionado of gripping psychological thrillers and the author, then THE WASP TRAP is a must-read for you. This captivating novel will enthrall those who are enchanted by the intricate storytelling and masterful plots of authors such as Lisa Jewell, whose narratives blend suspense and emotion, and Alice Feeney, known for her clever twists. Fans of Gilly Macmillan's atmospheric tension, Jennifer McMahon’s eerie suspense, CJ Tudor's chilling narratives, Ruth Ware's cunning plots, and Shari Lapena's uncanny ability to weave domestic terror into everyday life will find themselves utterly absorbed. Prepare for a WILD, thrilling, locked-in literary experience that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced review copy for my honest thoughts. Mark, welcome to the US! However, I will say I prefer the richer UK front cover versus the busy yellow US cover.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars rounded to 5
Pub Date: Sep 16, 2025
Praise
“I loved this brilliant, edgy, character driven thriller with a passion. So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end.”
—Lisa Jewell
“I read this in one sitting, completely gripped. A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists and tension you could cut with a knife. Hugely enjoyable.”
—Alex Michaelides
“An absolutely thrilling, tautly plotted puzzle.”
—Shelf Awareness
“Edgy…this book is gonna ring all your bells.”
—BookPage (starred review)
“Jaw-dropping plot twists…VERDICT Superbly satisfying psychological suspense from an author who isn’t afraid to flirt with the shadowy side of human nature.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Six former colleagues reunite after the death of their mentor in this propulsive suspense novel…with big and small revelations that are almost universally unpredictable. This will keep readers turning pages well into the night.”
—Publisher’s Weekly
“I read this in one sitting, completely gripped. A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists and tension you could cut with a knife. Hugely enjoyable.”
—Alex Michaelides
“The ultimate - literal - locked room mystery, that hits you with twist after twist.”
—Ruth Ware
“Lies, betrayals, secrets and psychopaths - this thrill ride is a masterclass in page-turning, stomach churning tension. It’s not often a book takes you truly by surprise, but The Wasp Trap does it again and again. All the stars!”
—Ellery Lloyd
“Readers beware because you’ll be up all night turning those pages until you reach the end.”
—Steve Cavanagh
About the Author
Photo credit: Express & Star
Mark Edwards is the bestselling author and coauthor of over twenty books, including those he has written with Louise Voss. His latest thriller is The Wasp Trap. Originally from Hastings in East Sussex, Mark now lives in Wolverhampton, UK, with his wife, their children, three cats, and a golden retriever.
Find out more at MarkEdwardsAuthor.com.
