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For me, The Perfect Guests was just ok. I really enjoyed Emma Rous’s writing style and she writes in a way that keeps you engaged the whole time. I thought the one point of view was pretty confusing until closer to the end which makes sense but still wasn’t my favorite way to add to the story. There was a lot of characters as well and at times I had to go back and make sure I knew who I was reading about. I would still recommend this because I can see a lot of people enjoying it, it just wasn’t my favorite.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It’s a domestic thriller with many twists and turns. The mystery was good, but it was hard, for me, to follow because of the multiple narrators and switching back and forth in time. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review

would help, so you go. The weekend party is not all that it cracks up to be. It is a who-dun-it and the only clues you get are sealed envelopes and stories the hostess tells.

I loved that there were two timelines. The present timeline of Sadie arriving to attend the party, meet the guests, and enjoy her time at Raven Hall was interesting. The murder/mystery parties have been happening for a while around here and I have always thought they sounded fun. This party starts out fun but quickly Sadie realizes that something is off, something is not right, and something bad is going to happen. The 1988 timeline of Beth being invited to come stay at Raven Hall as the best friend for Nina had me wondering what else was going on. Why was Beth truly invited? I also wondered how the two timelines would come together when only the location of Raven Hall seems to be the same.

Emma Rous did a wonderful job of pulling the entire story together. She kept the timelines easy to follow, easy to tell which time you were reading about, and when the story came together it was seamless. There are no gaps in the story, no wondering what happen, and (for me) no wishes that it would have gone differently. The Perfect Guests is the perfect mystery, thriller, who-dun-it story.

This is my first time reading this author and I was lucky to read an early copy of this story, it did not disappoint. I love when an author takes me on a twisty ride. With this dual timeline and multiple POV's it is definitely an interesting read. I am definitely going to be checking out more from this author. Definitely a must read!

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and to Berkley Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This past year has been so hard on all of us and I have to admit that there have been times when I have had a hard time concentrating on reading physical books (Audio books have been easier for me for some reason!) but this book completely held my attention. It seems that I have been coming across a lot of Agatha Christie style of books and this fits right in with that. The Perfect Guests also had a very gothic feel to me. It almost felt like a gothic book that I loved to read when I was a teenager and I mean that as a compliment.

In 1988 orphaned teen Beth gets a chance to live with the wealthy Averells family at the beautiful Raven Hall. The Mano is beautiful and grand but also kind of creepy and then there is the Averells daughter Nina who needs a friend. Beth seems like the perfect choice. Beth has been lonely for so long and she wants to be part of a family and to have a friend but things are not as they first seem.

In 2019 Sadie is a struggling actress who can't seem to scrape together enough money to pay this month’s rent. When she lands a gig that pays more than she could have hoped for she jumps at the chance to take it.. The gig seems easy, pretend to be a guest at a murder mystery party at Raven Hall.

As we jump back and for from 1988 to 2019 the story interconnects and unfolds slowly. I was excited to find out what would happen. Though there are a few weak parts this was a really good book. It is most certainly a really fun read.

The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous was a captivating read full of surprises, twists and turns. We read about a young, orphaned girl in the 80s and a grown woman who is a struggling actress asked to fit a role for a party. Lies, secrets and so much more are intertwined between the past and present. What is it about this estate? This story was mesmerizing and kept me turning the pages until the very end!

Happy reading!

It's 1988 and Beth has been all but orphaned after the death of her family in a car accident. Fortunately, she's been invited to live at Raven Hall as the companion to another girl her age. They become friends, roaming the estate together over the months that follow her arrival. But one day, the family makes a strange request. A game they'd like her to be part of...

Cut to 2019 and Sadie, a struggling actress receives an offer that's almost too good to be true. Excellent pay to play a role in a murder mystery dinner at a country estate. But as the game progresses, things take a very strange turn, including clues that strike a little too close to her own personal life...

I adore this latest from Emma Rous! This is the kind of suspense novel that hooks you completely from the very start. And while it's tempting to gobble it up as quick as you can, because honestly, the wheels are turning from the first page in terms of trying to figure out where the story is going, I really found myself savoring each and every page!

There are actually three POVs in the book. We begin with Beth, cut to Sadie, and then meet a third narrator whose identity and timeline aren't initially very clear. The voice of each narrator is completely different as is their piece of the story. And figuring out how Rous is going to weave them all together into one tale is just half the fun of the reading!

I'll admit that when I read a book with multiple timelines and narrators, there's always a fear that one of them won't stack up to the others, or that one will shine above the rest, making it feel as though I'm muddling through the less interesting bits while really just wanting to get back to my favorite character or characters. That isn't the case at all here! Each narrator and their part in the story is equally engaging—hence the temptation to make this book last as long as possible!

I love, love, loved this book and am so glad that it's got me sticking to my trend in excellent reads so far this year! The Perfect Guests is great fun and one I highly recommend!

The year is 1988. Beth doesn’t know what to expect when her aunt drives her out to Raven Hall. Her parents and brother were killed in a car accident, and since her aunt has a job that takes her away for long stretches, fourteen-year-old Beth can’t live with her. She’d been living at a children’s home, until her aunt told her that she could stay at Raven Hall for a while. The couple who lives there have a daughter about her age, Nina, and Nina could use the company.

When they get to Raven Hall, and Beth meets Nina and her parents Leonora and Markus, she is overwhelmed at the size of the house. The family seems nice, but Beth is on edge, knowing that at any moment she could get sent back to the children’s home. She decides to be on her best behavior so she can stay there as long as possible. As the days go by, that gets easier and easier. Leonora and Markus are kind to her, and she genuinely likes Nina. But there are some things about living there that she has trouble understanding.

Nina isn’t allowed to go to the nearby town or to the local school. Leonora puts both girls into a private school instead. And when Nina’s grandfather comes to visit from America for the first time in her life, she becomes ill and can’t meet with him. Instead, Leonora asks Beth to pretend to be Nina for the visit, and she dresses her up in a dress and braids her hair. The visit goes well, and Nina’s grandfather goes back to the States, but Beth is unsettled by the experience. She is torn between her loyalty to Beth and her desire to stay at Raven Hall and needing to do what Leonora says. But she can’t help but wonder what exactly is going on at Raven Hall?

The year is 2019. Sadie is a smart, beautiful woman in her 20s wanting to be an actress. She has spent years bouncing from audition to audition, trying to find her way in. Meanwhile, she bounces from job to job to keep a roof over her head until her big break. And then she gets the call from her agent. She’s been asked to take part in a murder mystery weekend, acting one of the roles of the story. There is no audition for this one. The role is hers if she wants it. All she has to do is learn her lines and then show up at Raven Hall for the weekend. The salary will more than cover her upcoming rent payment. Why would she even consider saying no?

Before her trip to Raven Hall, Sadie is provided with a suitcase full of clothes for her character and some information. More information about her role and about the mystery itself will be provided throughout the weekend. That way no will be able to give anything away.

The clothes are beautiful, and a chauffeur shows up to drive her to Raven Hall in style. Once there, she meets the hostess (another actress, like her) and finds her room. As they gather for drinks, more of the participants show up. A lavish dinner follows, with more clues for them to ponder between courses. But as the evening wears on, Sadie starts to wonder if something besides a murder mystery is going on. Several people feel ill after the meal, and then one guest disappears. Sadie was excited to be offered this job, but what if Raven Hall has secrets it doesn’t want to share?

Emma Rous, author of The Au Pair, is back with another domestic slow burn thriller that will leave you on edge until the very end. There is a lot going on in this story, but the characters hold onto their secrets until the very last pages, so you are left trying to find the answers before you can completely wrap your head around what the questions are.

The Perfect Guests is one of those books that gets under your skin and won’t let go. Unraveling all the connections at he end takes a few moments of silent meditation to understand and process, but it’s a twisted ride that is worth your time. I enjoyed this story and found myself not wanting to let it go, but I had to set it aside from time to catch up with the chilling revelations. Fans of a slow chiller will want to add this one to their library.

Egalleys for The Perfect Guests were provided by Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.

As a huge fan of 'The Au Pair', I could not wait to dive into this book. This story begins in 1988 as young orphaned Beth meets the Avereall family at the grand Raven Hall. They have a daughter named Nina and it is intended that Beth might become her companion. Beth has an aunt but she is not ready to raise her young niece. Raven Hall is set in the beautiful fens, and is worlds away from the group home that Beth lived in.

Nina and Beth grow closer even as things seem a little off with the family. Beth becomes suspicious of Nina's mother Leonora, and things really take a turn when the family patriarch comes to visit from America. Leonora and her husband Marcus ask Beth to take part in a "harmless" little game, but Beth realizes that something is not right. Beth is so desperate to fit in and have a family and a home, so she goes along with the couple's scheme.

The book alternatives with Sadie's point of view in 2019. She is a struggling actress and is invited to participate in a mystery weekend and she jumps at the chance. The play is set at Raven Hall and soon Sadie learns of the home's dark past. How is this weekend connected to the events from the 1980's? How are all the characters tied together? 

I enjoyed this book and was very much surprised by the twists and turns which seemed to occur right up until the very end. The setting was stunning, and the author obviously loves the East Anglican fens. Each character was obsessed in their own way with Raven Hall, and that drove many of their actions. This is a wonderful read for any fan of moody, British thrillers!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Beth was fourteen, she was invited into Raven Hall, a rambling, isolated manor house in the English countryside. The family who lived there were warm and welcoming, and Beth soon became firm friends with their daughter, Nina. At times, Beth even felt like she was truly part of the family . . . But then they asked her to play a very strange game - and nothing was the same again.
Now, after years of abandonment, Raven Hall has been restored to its former glory and is playing host to an evening of murder mystery . . . But why does the tragic past of this imposing house seem to have such a hold on everyone? Is this really just a game, or a murder mystery for real?
The guests are about to find out - with devastating consequences . . .

I loved The Au Pair so when I saw this book I new I had to read it and it didn’t disappoint.
Following two timelines this book was twisty, intriguin and atmospheric. I read it in one sitting.

http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeepleasemx

This book pulled me in right from the beginning.
I couldn't stop reading . I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and Berkley and was glad I got to preview. I am going to read Emma Rous' other book The Au Pair now. This is one of my favorite genres.

Although I've been wanting to read Rous' debut novel, this is my actual first experience with her writing - and I definitely enjoyed it! The book hooks the reader right in with dual timelines and three narrators all revolving around a beloved house, Raven Hall, located on the Fens. Present day narrator, Sadie, struggles to not only live up to her mother's expectations but also to pay her monthly bills. When a mystery-dinner-theater role offer lands her way, she can hardly say no. In the historical (late 1980s) storyline, Beth arrives from a children's home at Raven Hall to be the companion of Nina - but it's soon apparent that parents Leonora and Markus have an agenda for Beth all their own.

The book's pacing. makes it easy to keep turning pages. And the book itself feels like a blend of a cozy and locked-room mystery, with some modern additions. Plus, I loved the murder mystery dinner game plot (though I do wish that this storyline was brought a little further to fruition as it reminded me so much of my own fun 16th birthday party!). The family dramas here are a mix of twisting surprises and some more predictable turns. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! The characters really all sprang to life and I am definitely looking forward to finally getting around to reading more from Rous!

QUICK TAKE: I'm a growing fan of Emma Rous. I enjoyed her previous book, THE AU PAIR, and found a lot of similarities to that book in THE PERFECT GUESTS, but also thought it did a nice job charting its own path as a mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. If I had any issues, I felt like there was more attention spent building the mystery set in the 1980s and would have appreciated a little more focus on character and story in the present day murder mystery party. I'm also all for a good twist ending, but it felt like there were way too many twists crammed into the end and would have preferred they were spread out a little more. That being said, I did really enjoy this one and am looking forward to whatever is next from Rous.

Happy Publishing Day to this one! So many good books coming out today! Thanks to @berkleypub for a copy to read and review. 🙂🙂🙂
In 1988, Beth is dropped off at Raven Hall by her Aunt after her parents die to be a companion for the Averells daughter Nina. Beth finally feels like she is part of a family again until some odd things start happening. In 2019, Sadie is a struggling actress when she lands a gig pretending to be a guest at a party at Raven Hall. The job isn’t all it seems.
I love a story with two timelines. I was definitely more invested in Beth and what was happening to her. There is also a third point of view woven in where you don’t find out whose point of view it is until about halfway through. I loved how the stories wove together. If you enjoyed this authors last book, The Au Pair, check this one out too!

The Perfect Guests
By Emma Rous

Since reading THE AU PAIR, a twisty thriller, I knew I needed to read another Emma Rous book!

THE PERFECT GUESST is a great triple timeline narrative that had all the thrill and twists you will want in a suspenseful and atmospheric read. I just adore a true one sitting type of a read where there is truly no putting the book down except for some really urgent bathroom breaks. I love the complex relationships and how these characters were written were superb. You really get to know the characters and become invested in the story where the timelines were beautifully crafted into such an incredibly amazing read I really enjoyed.

I enjoy a wonderfully gothic mystery and Raven Hall was the prefect setting for this fantastic read I loved.

I highly recommend this cleverly plotted and twisty thriller.

This was the first book I've read from this author and I enjoyed it! The way in which this story was told was very interesting and I wasn't sure how things would turn. I was sucked into Beth's and Sadie's journeys and while they were happening at different times, they were in the same place and I wondered how things would intersect. I liked how the journeys were told and how they flipped back and forth. Always left on the edge, waiting to see what was to come. When things came to a head, I wasn't expecting this story to take the turn it did. It was unexpected and I couldn't put it down. If you like a good thriller, then this is an interesting one to pick up!

The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous is a captivating thriller told across three timelines. You know they will intersect but are not quite sure how until the very end

It's a gothic novel with a modern twist made for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Agatha Christie.

I know I'll be looking forward to what's next from this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The book has a slow burn to it. I really enjoyed the different points of view as well as different timelines. I feel like it adds so much depth to the story. There were a few times I had to stop and remind myself of what character it was. It does sort of remind me of The Sun Down Motel. I feel like this is a good, solid mystery/gothic type book.
I love the twists. I did see most of them coming but that didn’t take away from my enjoying the book.
I think this will make a wonderful book club read! There is so much to discuss and it’s one of those stories that I feel I do need to discuss when I’m done, so that I can fully process it.
Thank you to Berkeley Publishing for offering me this ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Also thanks to NetGalley for providing the platform to read it.

Would you take a paying gig where you had to pretend to be a guest at a weekend party? I mean, if the money's right... I probably, most definitely, would. But man, they'd be mad.. I'm a TERRIBLE actress. Sadie, is stoked for this job as she really needs the money.. and who would say no to going to Raven Hall?

Ok, so I'm a bit torn with this one. Rous gives us amazing atmosphere, like she did with her debut, The Au Pair, that I read back in 2018. Which I loved, though I had a couple issues with that one that I'm finding again in The Perfect Guests. For it's moderate pacing, it does tend to run a little slower towards the end as there are quite a few characters to sort, not a ton, but enough that overlapped that I, at one point, closed one eye in concentration trying to remember who was who to whom and what the what. Got me? PHEW. I also didn't find the reveals all that surprising or jaw dropping. HOWEVER, I do loooove how Rous brings us these crazy people, in these big mansions and gives us this closeted feel that kept me on edge to WANT to know what was going to happen... even if I already had an inkling.

I also think I wanted to get more of the weekend of those who went to Raven Hall and their acting... I don't think I ever got a sense of what that actually *could* have been because it all blew up shortly after dinner the first night. Don't think I didn't catch the irony of that and a statement one of the characters made in how they should learn more in the morning because what fun would it be to solve it all before breakfast. 😉

This is a fun and fairly fast read if you want a little crazy, dual timelines and a lot of *whothefuckareyou. It may have been missing that little bit of oomph I needed to really love this one, but I'm happy I read it and I will, again, be looking out for this author's next release.

The Perfect Guests is told in dual timelines, and I enjoyed the past timeline a lot more. After her family dies in an accident, Beth is dropped off at a country manor to live with a family who she is not quite sure about. Since she has nowhere else to go, she feels she has to stay in the good graces of the family. They have a daughter who they keep very isolated and expect Beth to be her playmate, but Beth starts to suspect that there are other reasons they want her there.
In the present, Sadie, a young actress, is invited to that very mansion, Raven Hall, which is now in a dilapidated state, to play a part in a murder mystery. Soon after arrival, Sadie notices that the other guests don't really seem to be having fun, and is not sure if she should continue to play along. Will the past of Raven Hall finally come to light?
This was a fun read, but I didn't love the ending because so much unraveled and was explained at once, which is why I rated it 3 stars.