Carrie and Oliver. A couple completely in love and the hosts of a wedding to remember at Colorado’s legendary Stanley Hotel. This is Carrie’s fairy tale come true. Her fiancé, Oliver, is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome; successful; and utterly devoted to her. Now family and friends have gathered to celebrate. It’s sure to be a wild night as the drinks flow freely and the fun begins.

But the morning after is murder.

FBI agent Andi Castle was just supposed to be a plus-one. This should have been a calming weekend getaway from what she does best: catch killers. Instead, Andi’s on the hunt again. The hotel is on lockdown. Secrets are being unearthed. And no one is above Andi’s suspicions. But which secrets are worth killing for? Andi’s forced to find the answers fast…before someone else dies.

L.R. Jones recently sat down with The Big Thrill to discuss her latest contemporary thriller, THE WEDDING PARTY.

Can you pinpoint a moment or incident that sparked the idea for this book?

It began with a trip to the Stanley Hotel and an idea I had about a mysterious box that I ended up combining.

Were there any particular books, movies, or songs that were knocking around in your head while you were writing this one?

I’m a huge mystery TV watcher so I for sure feel that White Lotus and the whole cast of characters influenced me. Also I love the preview of what is to come and then leading the reader through the nuances of a mystery not yet revealed but you know it’s about to be.

When you first created your protagonist for this book, did you see an empty space in crime lit that you wanted to fill? What can you share about the inspiration for that character?

For me it’s more about a character you can relate to therefore that makes you not want them to be guilty. I don’t usually write to a market trend but rather something relatable as a human being.

A novel is such a major undertaking; there’s the writing of it, of course, then you’re spending months and months revising, polishing, and then promoting it. How did you know this was the book you wanted to spend the next couple of years on?

I wish I had the luxury of years. It’s more like months. But I just loved the dynamic of the mystery of the box and the father/daughter dynamic of one of the characters. You have to find a story that talks to you and that you’re excited about to have it become something special.

In addition to a great read, what do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I hope every book is an escape that takes readers away from the craziness of the world we live in now.

What can you share about what you’re working on next?

I’m actually working on a top secret fantasy project right now, but right after that my next thriller, which is always my favorite!