The Guest List

Things are not as they seem in Lucy Foley’s The Guest List. The framing device of the novel is one that pushes the reader not only between the different perspectives of the characters, but also back and forth through time. As such, chapters are often cut short just at the brink of a revelation to prolong suspense. Foley uses this device to set the tone of the novel, weave more red herrings and feints into the narrative, and keep the ending a temporary mystery. The power of deceptive appearances is a theme that Foley deliberately employs to keep the reader in the dark. Through a series of misleading hints, Foley deceives the reader until the very last moment, when she reveals all. These literary devices are frequently used in the mystery genre to trick the reader and prevent them from guessing the ending.

One instance of such a deception occurs when Hannah comes across Darcey’s grave. She immediately assumes Darcey is a girl due to his effeminate name. Coupled with Aoife’s earlier trip to the graveyard, Foley has thus led the reader to believe that