White Lotus meets The Guest List in international bestselling author S. C. Lalli’s next thrilling novel, where two business moguls were set to be married in the biggest event of the year—until they’re both found murdered the day before the wedding—and a social outsider must unravel the mystery before her own hidden agenda is revealed.

The wedding of influencer Radhika Singh and hotel developer Raj Joshi, a week-long affair at a luxury resort in Cabos, won’t just be the event of the season—it will also mark the union of two powerful and wealthy Indian-American families. Everyone who matters will be there. The outfits will be couture. World-renowned chefs and decorators will be flown in. No expense will be spared for what Radhika and Raj have coined “R&R,” a week of rest, relaxation and celebration of their love.

Shaylee “Shay” Kapoor is an outsider with an agenda of her own, but she just so happens to be dating Raj’s best friend, Caleb Prescott III, and is the unwelcome plus one at the wedding.

Then, on the day before the ceremony, Raj and Radhika are found dead in their luxury villa, both with gunshots to the head.

Chaos descends on the hotel. Shay, the apparently devoted girlfriend, stays by Caleb’s side as the investigation unfolds, while family and close friends grieve and accusations run wild.

The police believe the murders are a drug cartel hit, but the doors to the couple’s villa have state-of-the-art locks. There was no way for the murderer to slip in. The only ones who had a key were the bride’s sister, the best men and the wedding coordinator.

Shay may be an outsider—and she definitely has secrets of her own—but she seems to be the only person with enough perspective to untangle everyone’s lies and discover why anyone would want the bride and groom dead.

S. C. Lalli is the internationally bestselling author of Are You Sara?, one of NPR and Apple’s Best Books of the Year. She is also the acclaimed author of five romance and women’s fiction novels, which she published under her full name Sonya Lalli. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and their mini goldendoodle, Joey.

S.C. Lalli's profile page

"High tension, high stakes, and multi-million-dollar deceptions! This taut and page-turning thriller, set in the dangerously opulent world of a luxurious resort and spotlighting an influential mega-marriage, brilliantly juggles the lure of fame and power with the passion for truth. Calling Hollywood: the cinematic murder mystery is perfect for the big screen—but it's equally dazzling on the page. And fans of White Lotus rejoice—this is your next obsession. S.C. Lalli is a star!" — Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of One Wrong Word

"The Plus One is a smart and entertaining who- and why-dunnit. The characters pop, the setting sparkles, and the twists keep coming."
— Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of Dark Ride

"The Plus One is a fun, suspenseful whodunit set in the wild world of desi weddings. From S.C. Lalli’s characters to the setting to the non-stop thrills, this book is an absolute must read. It had me guessing until the end—and I guessed wrong! Read this before you attend your next wedding." — Amina Akhtar, bestselling author of Almost Surely Dead