The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards

Set in a large house in Notting Hill, London, six former colleagues and one-time friends gather to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of their working together. It's an awkward gathering: a hint of past romantic links, a missing daughter, some envy, an interloper and some heavy secrets. But the biggest secret of all is unknown by everyone - but someone must know, surely.

This odd premise is what drives the story. The tale is split into two timelines (the present and 1999) that chug along with minor suspicions and insecurities until about half way through the book. Then something finally happens. The task is for the guests to guess who holds the secret and what it is. Obviously it is something really important and life changing.

​It is a slow process working up to this obscure mystery but there is a subplot - who is a psychopath? Everyone took a test in the past and the results may not reflect the truth. Something to think about before the thriller aspect kicks in. This is not a fast-paced tale but it really speeds up towards the end, with the mysteries and new secrets being disclosed. None of the characters is likeable or particularly interesting, until the end when there is something deeply riveting and unexpected about a couple of them. This surprising ending makes the book worth reading. 

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Published by Michael Joseph on 31 July 2025.
​Advance review copy supplied by the publisher.

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