Publishers Weekly
10/31/2022
This gripping thriller from Kane (Pretty Little Wife) focuses on the Sophie Foundation in Chevy Chase, Md., a charitable organization set up by a group of influential women to fund special projects relating to women’s health and welfare. Some members, though, take a hands-on approach to dealing with men they consider risks to the community. Gabby Fielding, who’s in a contentious child custody battle with her ex-husband, Baines, arrives at his house one day to find him dead, blood oozing from a gunshot wound to his head. The police rule it a suicide, but Gabby is unconvinced. She begins to suspect that Baines’s demise is part of a string of suspicious deaths of prominent men. Meanwhile, divorce lawyer Jessa Hall, a law school classmate of Gabby’s, is at a low point when she receives an invitation to join the Sophie Foundation. Jessa jumps at the chance to be part of this powerful and well-connected band of sisters, but she soon has regrets. Skillfully intertwined chapters told from the viewpoints of Gabby, Jessa, and others keep the suspense level high. Only a too neat ending disappoints. Readers will be curious to see what Kane does next. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
"Yet another gripping mystery filled with more twists than a bag of licorice.” — E! News Online
The Last Invitation is packed with all the must-haves for a relentless, intricately woven thriller—a secret society, the past coming to haunt the present, and a surprise villain. A tale of old friendships, secrets, and revenge, Kane reminds you once again to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. — Jaime Lynn Hendricks, bestselling author of Finding Tessa and It Could Be Anyone
"Darby Kane deserves credit for dispensing with anything resembling a slow burn in The Replacement Wife. There is a rollicking, almost absurdist tone to Kane’s writing that kept me engaged…Finally, after several doses of sociopathy, more than a little gaslighting and arguments galore, nearly all of Elisa’s suspicions are confirmed in the worst possible way. 'Nearly' saves room for a final surprise I didn’t foresee." — New York Times Book Review
"Kane delivers another fast-paced domestic thriller that’s sure to please fans of psychological suspense and family drama." — Library Journal on The Replacement Wife
"Debut mystery author Kane blends tense domestic suspense with procedural details and legal thriller–like verbal sparring. A page-turner built on skillfully layered plotting and an intriguing protagonist." — Booklist (starred review) on Pretty Little Wife
“This twisted thriller’s got serious Gone Girl vibes. As in, the main character is deeply flawed, you won’t always know what’s real, and you won’t be able to put it down.” — The Skimm on Pretty Little Wife
“I love it when I find a thriller so fun I can’t put it down, like this one from Darby Kane.” — Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author on Pretty Little Wife
Pretty Little Wife is domestic suspense at its best, with a chilling premise that keeps you guessing to the last page. Add Darby Kane to your must-read list! — New York Times bestselling author, Wendy Corsi Staub on Pretty Little Wife
“I devoured it in two days. This is the type of thriller I love the most: A taut domestic suspense with just a shade of police procedural woven in.” — Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author on Pretty Little Wife
"Intriguing...Kane is off to a promising start." — Publishers Weekly on Pretty Little Wife
“Pretty Little Wife explores the consequences of unacknowledged trauma and dares to ask whether murder is ever justified. It’s an exciting departure for HelenKay Dimon, the bestselling romance author for whom Darby Kane is a pseudonym. There’s certainly no guarantee of a happily ever after, though there is hope for hard-won redemption.” — BookPage on Pretty Little Wife
“Even after we’ve read the last page, Kane leaves us with some lingering questions about how much Lila knew and when she knew it. Good writing and a plot that drives the action and builds the suspense make Pretty Little Wife an excellent choice for fans of murder mysteries.” — Book Reporter on Pretty Little Wife
“Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane delights in subverting the expectations of readers” — Popsugar on Pretty Little Wife
"I devoured The Replacement Wife. I absolutely loved every minute of this wild ride. I’m left in awe of Kane’s ability to suck readers in from page one. I could not stop turning the pages. Every reveal rocketed up the tension…so well-done and gave me that precious can’t-wait-until-I-can-go-back-to-my-book feeling. Fast-paced and super addictive!" — Ashley Winstead, author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife on The Replacement Wife
“[An] engrossing psychological thriller. Kane (Pretty Little Wife) doubles up the action with two unreliable characters caught up in gaslighting, family secrets and betrayal.” — Shelf Awareness on The Replacement Wife
"Darby Kane’s THE LAST INVITATION is not only a thriller that will keep you up late, turning pages and questioning every character, it’s also timely in a way the world needs right now, addressing domestic violence and womens rights. We already knew Kane could write a twisty thriller—now we know she can do so while confronting injustices in the world. If you want a thriller that will keep your toes and makes you think, The Last Invitation is what you’ve been waiting for." — Jessica Payne, author of Make Me Disappear and The Lucky One
“ [A] gripping thriller…Skillfully intertwined chapters told from the viewpoints of Gabby, Jessa, and others keep the suspense level high…Readers will be curious to see what Kane does next.” — Publishers Weekly
When former friends Jessa Hall and Gabby Fielding find themselves unwittingly connected to a group of high-powered professionals who dole out their own brand of justice to wrongdoing men, they discover that revenge can be deadly. Darby Kane has established herself as a leader in the domestic suspense genre, penning one chilling page-turner after another, and THE LAST INVITATION is no exception. A thought-provoking, high-stakes thriller for fans of THE FIRM, this is a must-read story about sacrifice, survival, and the perilous nature of trust — Tessa Wegert, author of the Shana Merchant novels
New York Times bestselling author on Pretty Little Taylor Jenkins Reid
I love it when I find a thriller so fun I can’t put it down, like this one from Darby Kane.”
New York Times Book Review
"Darby Kane deserves credit for dispensing with anything resembling a slow burn in The Replacement Wife. There is a rollicking, almost absurdist tone to Kane’s writing that kept me engaged…Finally, after several doses of sociopathy, more than a little gaslighting and arguments galore, nearly all of Elisa’s suspicions are confirmed in the worst possible way. 'Nearly' saves room for a final surprise I didn’t foresee."
BookPage on Pretty Little Wife
“Pretty Little Wife explores the consequences of unacknowledged trauma and dares to ask whether murder is ever justified. It’s an exciting departure for HelenKay Dimon, the bestselling romance author for whom Darby Kane is a pseudonym. There’s certainly no guarantee of a happily ever after, though there is hope for hard-won redemption.
Booklist (starred review) on Pretty Little Wife
"Debut mystery author Kane blends tense domestic suspense with procedural details and legal thriller–like verbal sparring. A page-turner built on skillfully layered plotting and an intriguing protagonist."
Taylor Jenkins Reid
I love it when I find a thriller so fun I can’t put it down, like this one from Darby Kane.
The Skimm on Pretty Little Wife
This twisted thriller’s got serious Gone Girl vibes. As in, the main character is deeply flawed, you won’t always know what’s real, and you won’t be able to put it down.”
Julie Clark
I devoured it in two days. This is the type of thriller I love the most: A taut domestic suspense with just a shade of police procedural woven in.
The Parkerburg News and Sentinel on Pretty Little Wife
This is a crazy ride of a book that will leave readers speechless as they wonder if Lila will get away with it and just where Aaron went. Bravo to Kane!
New York Times bestselling author
Pretty Little Wife is domestic suspense at its best, with a chilling premise that keeps you guessing to the last page. Add Darby Kane to your must-read list!
Library Journal
07/01/2022
What has Jessa gotten into when she grabs that invitation to join the Sophie Foundation? Once a month, its members meet over a civilized spread of wine and cheese, consider the outré behavior of a few men, and decide which one will die. Following the film-optioned Pretty Little Wife and The Replacement; with a 100,000-copy paperback and 30,000-copy hardcover first printing.
