Member Reviews
It took a while for me to get into this book, it didn’t hook me from the first few pages but once the story developed and it was revealed why the house guest was there I was completely hooked! A great storyline with lots of twists and turns.
Another great read from the wonderful Mark Edwards. Once again a simple premise turns into a page turning read that you just can’t put down.. The characters are all believable and the location of New York springs into life, This is another one of Marks book’s that I’ll be highly recommending,
All I can say is I didn’t see this plot coming.⠀
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Ruth and Adam are housesitting in NYC when Eden shows up on their doorstep. I longtime friend of the homeowners, Eden is welcomed and offered a place to stay. After a night of partying, Eden and Ruth disappear and Adam can’t remember what happened. ⠀
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Obviously Eden isn’t who she said she was. But whatever exactly does she want with Ruth? And can Adam figure it out in time to save her?⠀
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I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. ⠀
The House Guest is a thrilling tale of being swept up in a world you never knew existed, and certainly didn't bargain for. When Eden shows up on Ruth and Adam's doorstep saying she knows the owners of the house they are watching, why would they turn her away? Eden knew details of Jack and Mona's life, so she must know who they are - and they are set to get back from their vacation in a few days. But when Adam wakes up one morning with a head full of regrets and a hangover he'll never forget, he finds that Ruth and Eden are missing - and all evidence of Eden's existence is gone. Adam must work hard to find out where Ruth is, before it's too late.
Holy wow this book didn't turn out the way I expected it to. Every time I wrote off the story line assuming I "knew" the ending and "whodunnit", I was wrong. Or at least, not *completely* right. Edwards has a way of making important information seem innocuous, at least until the very end when you realize it isn't. His writing really kept the plot line moving forward, and captured the feelings of Adam and Ruth while they go through this journey.
None of the characters are completely "likable". Ruth and Adam aren't bad people, but they each have their own insecurities and doubts that make them human, but certainly not super likable. Adam turns on the hero persona to find Ruth, but he let her down in ways he couldn't even imagine. Ruth seems like a normal woman, an actress about to get her big break. But inside, she has abandonment issues and has been searching for a group to belong to. It's the perfect storm for what happens.
HOWEVER. That ending though! I honestly can't get over it. I can't really say more than that, without it being spoiler-y. But the ending is not at all what you would expect, and I believe I will be thinking about it for a long time trying to puzzle it out.
First of all, thank you to NetGalley UK for the chance to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.
Well this book was one hell of a ride. Adam and Ruth are just two ordinary people, house sitting for some friends they met on a cruise, when one night a friendly stranger knocks on their door claiming to be a friend of the people who live there. They invite her in, she stays with them for almost a week, and then things get really wild.
I'm not sure if it's my introverted nature or if I've read too many thrillers, but I would not invite someone in, or invite them to stay while I'm house sitting. Actually, I probably wouldn't even house sit for someone I met ONCE on a cruise. Maybe that's just me? This aside, I was hooked pretty quickly. Eden was mysterious, and when everything goes wrong (as you know it will) it's a pretty insane journey.
This was my first Mark Edwards book and it won't be my last. I was thrilled to see in the acknowledgements that he lives in Wolverhampton (where I'm originally from) and that his books tend to venture into the topic of new religious movements. Having studied World Religions at uni, this is definitely an area of interest for me.
Great book, well written, definitely recommend.
I found this a good weekend read.
Plenty of shockers but the plot evolves pretty much as you'd expect it to.
Strong characters and clever writing combined to bring a satisfying conclusion.
Well this is one creepy book! I like Mark’s books they reach the parts others don’t!
I have to say though I did think Ruth and Adam were a little naive in letting Eden into the house, and letting her stay, albeit that she purported to know the owners. I don’t think I would have, as the owners were coming back in a couple of days, and they didn’t know her from Adam (excuse the pun)! I would have asked her to leave, rain or no rain!!
As the story progresses, it takes some amazing turns, and I don’t think in all honesty I can really say any more without giving the game away. It is one brilliant book, and even at the end, I was left guessing. We know these sort of things go on especially in the States, and how deep rooted they are.
You just have to read it, because I can’t elaborate any more without spoiling it for other readers. Brilliant, thank you to Mark, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
Adam, a writer, and Ruth, an up and coming actor, are housesitting in New York while Ruth is in a play with a well-known director. Adam and Ruth met the apartment's owners, Mona and Jack while on a cruise.
One evening, during a storm, there is a knock on the door, and Eden, who claims to be a friend of Mona and Jack's, needs a place to stay so Adam and Ruth invite her in. Without giving anything away, Eden opens up a world that turns everything upside down for Adam and Ruth but in different ways for each of them.
Highly readable, this will have you turning the pages through all the twists and turns this mystery/psychological thriller takes you. A good, light, escapist read.
Adam and Ruth were housesitting for friends they had met on a. Russell.
Ruth was an actress and Adam was a writer.
Everything was going great for Ruth, but Adam was struggling with his writing.
All was ok until Eden knocked on their door during a heavy rain storm, and she bought trouble into their home.
Thanks netgalley for letting me read this great book, I am in lock down at home and really appreciate being given the opportunity to review the amazing books I am reading.
Mark Edwards.books are always great, and this one is no exception, cannot wait for the next one.
Wow!!! What can I say? Except Mark Edwards has done it again with another fantastic book. Absolutely loved this book from beginning to end and did not want it to finish.
Loved Adam and Ruth as characters and their passion for each other, but I did not like Callum, found him creepy. Wasn't sure how it was going to end or where it was leading me to, but I wasn't disappointed.
Would highly recommend!!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Mark Edwards and Amazon Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was the first book I’ve read by this author, and what an amazing story line! I didn’t expect any of it, full of surprises which kept me guessing through to the end.
What a fantastic book!
Mark Edwards is one of my favourite authors and by far one of the best psychological thriller writers around. His books are all fantastic and unique but never disappoint. This one kept me gripped and on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Loved it and would highly recommend it.
**Coming June 3, 2020**
This was the first book I've read by author Mark Edwards, but it will not be the last.
The House Guest tells the story of a British couple, Adam and Ruth, who are housesitting for friends in NYC while Ruth prepares for her Broadway debut as an actress and Adam, a writer, seeks his big break too.
One rainy evening, a woman named Eden shows up at their door. She claims to be a friend of the homeowners of and has traveled for a surprise visit, only to learn that her friends are out of town for the month. Wanting to be friendly, Adam and Ruth invite Eden in from the rain and then decide to offer to let Eden stay with them until the owners return - a decision that will have consequences that will upend their lives.
This psychological thriller had a very good pace and was a quick, fun read. I enjoyed the story and was eager to figure out what was happening through the twists and turns.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon UK and Mark Edwards for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This is an outstandingly tense and exciting psychological thriller. I've read every book by this author and he just gets better and better. Brilliant plot. Roller coaster action combined with great characters. A great antidote to my recent reading slump.
WHAT DID I JUST READ? I won’t spoil this book but let’s just say that you think you’ve got this book figured out and you don’t. I thought this was a book about two idiots that let someone into a house but there’s more to the story. This book is over-the-top at times but it’s entertaining and I couldn’t put it down.
In my opinion you cannot go wrong with books from Mark Edwards I have read them all and never been disappointed, always brilliantly addictive.
This book was well written as always, got me into the story line straight away and it was a chilling read full of unexpected twists and turns.
I can thoroughly recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Well done Mark, I look forward to your next masterpiece.
This book is bonkers! Going by the description, I was anticipating a book about a creepy houseguest. What I got instead was a book that veers wildly off-track into craziness that I never could’ve predicted but thoroughly enjoyed. I loved Here to Stay, a previous book by Mark Edwards, about crazy (literally) in-laws who come to stay with a young couple and then refuse to leave. Through his writing, Mark Edwards seems to be warning us to be careful who we allow into our homes...and I cannot wait for the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my advanced copy.
The house guest by Mark Edwards
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book to review.
When British twenty-somethings Ruth and Adam are offered the chance to spend the summer housesitting in New York, they can’t say no. Young, in love and on the cusp of professional success, they feel as if luck is finally on their side.
So the moment that Eden turns up on the doorstep, drenched from a summer storm, it seems only right to share a bit of that good fortune. Beautiful and charismatic, Eden claims to be a friend of the homeowners, who told her she could stay whenever she was in New York.
They know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers—let alone invite them into your home—but after all, Eden’s only a stranger until they get to know her.
As suspicions creep in that Eden may not be who she claims to be, they begin to wonder if they’ve made a terrible mistake…
I’m a massive fan of all Mark Edwards books. They have that thing where the story gets right inside my head and my heart is pumping while reading. This book was no different and as soon as I started reading I was straight in there living the story. I find the writing and descriptions so good that I can easily picture the characters and surroundings.
This was fast paced and easy to read. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to others !
Adam and Ruth are house sitting in America where Ruth is hoping to become an actress and Adam a writer. One stormy evening a young girl, Eden arrives to visit the home owners. With no way to contact them and no where else to go they invite her to stay..
What could go wrong?
Whilst I enjoyed this book and found myself trying to work thing out I felt at times it was a tad predictable and the ending felt rushed and wanting more
I’ve enjoyed all Marks books but felt this wasn’t his best but still a fairly good read
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review
Another great psychological thriller from Mark Edwards about an unexpected house guest who turns out to be not quite she at first seems. Tense, absorbing and full of unexpected twists and turns. I was gripped from the very beginning and finished this book in a couple of sittings.
This author never fails to thrill with his books and I look forward to his next one.