The Last One at the Wedding definitely packs a punch, but it didn’t quite hit me like Hidden Pictures. It’s solid, for sure—3.5 stars from me—but it’s missing that extra spark that made Rekulak’s debut such a gripping read.

What I loved: The character dynamics here are complex and incredibly human. Rekulak does this thing where he gets under your skin, not with paranormal twists like in Hidden Pictures, but with emotional tension and understated suspense. His portrayal of relationships—particularly the strain of marriage and the isolation that can creep into the happiest of unions—was raw and real. There’s this constant sense of unease simmering just beneath the surface that kept me on edge. You’re never sure if something actually sinister is going to happen or if it’s all psychological.

Now, the downside: The pacing is a little uneven. The first half of the book had me flipping pages like crazy, but by the middle, it lost a bit of that momentum. It felt like it was trying to juggle too many threads, and I wasn’t always convinced by the direction some of the subplots took. A few twists landed, but others? Kind of predictable. It didn’t have that same "wait, WHAT?!" factor that Hidden Pictures pulled off so well.

And while the book does build a subtle eerie atmosphere, it doesn’t have the physical elements that made Hidden Pictures unforgettable. There’s no creepy art to elevate the tension here—it’s all about Rekulak’s prose, which is good, but I found myself wishing for a little more oomph in the horror department.

TLDR; a solid follow-up to Rejulak’s Hidden Pictures. If you’re into psychological tension and stories about messy, imperfect relationships, this will definitely hook you. Just don’t go into it expecting the same supernatural chills as Hidden Pictures. It’s a much slower burn, but there’s still plenty to chew on, especially when it comes to how we cope with love, loss, and the weight of our decisions.