5 Must-Read Novels If You're Into Weddings, Secrets, and Mystery

Weddings are often sold to us as joyful, photo-op soirees, with roses, champagne, lace dresses, and joyful tears. But let's be real: beneath all the satin and sparkle, there's sometimes drama, secrets, and a scandal or two. And that's precisely why wedding-themed mystery books are such terrific page-turners. Their contents centre on the glamour of "I do" alongside the intrigue of "but what's really going on here?

If you're the kind of reader who loves romance but likes your love stories with a little secret, family drama, or an unexpected plot twist, this list is for you. We've rounded up five captivating novels where weddings, marriages, and mysteries collide. Some are chilling whodunits, others are biting social commentaries, but all of them promise to keep you turning pages until the very end.

Liane Moriarty has built a career on taking ordinary families and making them explosive mysteries, and Apples Never Fall is no exception. There isn't a wedding at its centre, but marriage and family are the backdrop on which secrets come undone.

Stan and Joy Delaney, well-liked in their community after forty years of running a tennis academy, should be living their golden years. But their marriage is strained, and their home is suffocatingly silent. When a stranger, Savannah, shows up at their doorstep bruised and in need of help, the Delaneys welcome her in. Then Joy vanishes without a word, and so does Savannah.

What follows is a riveting family drama as the Delaneys' four adult children navigate suspicion, loyalty, and the possibility that their father is not as innocent as he claims. Apples Never Fall is perfect if you like mysteries that are family-centric, where the very people you trust could be hiding the darkest of secrets.

You can download an e-copy here. 

Imagine being invited to your former best friend’s extravagant wedding, only to discover she’s marrying your ex-boyfriend. That’s the deliciously scandalous setup for Amanda Jayatissa’s You’re Invited.

Amaya, still reeling from past heartbreak and estrangement, arrives in Sri Lanka determined to stop the wedding. But the opulent week-long celebration quickly turns sinister. Rumours spread, tensions rise, and when the bride-to-be goes missing, Amaya becomes the prime suspect.

The brilliance of Jayatissa's prose is in the shifting suspicions, because every single person at this wedding has something to hide. Grudges, secrets, and agendas are brought along by the guests in this salacious blend of drama and suspense. If you like the setup of a wedding that's Instagram-perfect but festering underneath, You're Invited will keep you on the edge of your seat.

You can download an e-copy here. 

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What happens when weddings aren’t just social milestones but a societal mandate? Celia Laskey explores that chilling idea in So Happy for You, a darkly funny yet unsettling take on marriage culture.

It's about Robin, a queer Brooklyn scholar who is sceptical of marriage. But when she is asked by her childhood best friend, Ellie, to serve as the maid of honour, Robin agrees begrudgingly. The wedding planning unfolds in a twist where governments are promoting marriages and single women are harshly called "leftovers" or "rotten.".

Things turn dark when Ellie and Robin's strained friendship begins to splinter under the weight of secrets, jealousy, and manipulation. The book starts with the ominous line: "If you want to know the story of how my best friend and I ended up trying to kill each other, I should probably start with the night she asked me to be her maid of honour." That line alone makes you want to flip the page.

You can download an e-copy here. 

If The White Lotus and Agatha Christie were to have a literary offspring, it would look like Ally Condie's The Unwedding. This novel is a whirlwind mix of wealth, deception, and a locked-room whodunit.

Ellery, recently divorced, travels alone to a luxury resort in Big Sur to mark what would have been her 20th wedding anniversary. Despite being amidst champagne and wedding preparations, her solitude is disrupted by something far more sinister: the groom's corpse floating in the pool.

As if one death would not be surprising enough, another one follows it. To make matters worse, a raging storm traps the guests in the resort, cutting off communication with the outside world. Nerves are on edge, and secrets appear to be everywhere. 

Condie skillfully keeps you guessing along, crafting a tale of underground schemes, red herrings, and the frightening idea: when you are trapped with a group of people, can you trust anyone?

You can download an e-copy here. 

READ MORE: Here’s Why Your Tiara Deserves Just As Much Hype As Your Wedding Gown

Lucy Foley has established herself as the queen of modern locked-room mysteries, and The Guest List is proof of why her books are so irresistible.

Set on a private island off the coast of Ireland, the story brings together a glittering wedding party: the beautiful bride, the handsome groom, and a guest list that includes people with plenty of dark secrets. The atmosphere is idyllic until a body is discovered. Now the idyllic celebrations are revealed for what they really are: a tinderbox of jealousy, ambition, and hidden agendas.

Foley’s strength is her ability to make every guest a plausible suspect. The narrative shifts between perspectives, each chapter peeling back layers of carefully hidden secrets until the shocking reveal. 

If you’re a fan of fast-paced thrillers with atmospheric settings and a cinematic feel, The Guest List is a must-read.

You can also download an e-copy here. 

Weddings are supposed to be the ultimate happily-ever-after, but in books, they have a way of exposing the cracks in relationships, friendships, and even entire families. These five books show that when you mix vows, champagne, and secrets, you get more than drama; you get a page-turner you won't be able to put down.

Whether you’re drawn to family mysteries (Apples Never Fall), destination dramas (You’re Invited), dystopian takes on marriage (So Happy for You), storm-trapped thrillers (The Unwedding), or island whodunits (The Guest List), these novels remind us that love stories are rarely as simple as they seem.

So, grab your copy, pour yourself a glass of something bubbly, and get in, because nothing shouts "soft living" like being able to enjoy the perfect blend of romance and mystery from your couch.