A very solid sophomore novel that gave off similar vibes to The Au Pair. I think fans will delight in this story. I enjoy dual timelines but have to admit I wasn’t fully invested in the previous timeline until it started coming together. I appreciated that the story wasn’t outlandish or include triggers. Well done.

Game night in a gothic manor? Sign me up!! This is a twisty mystery set in two different timelines that will keep you guessing. Family, secrets, betrayal...the perfect recipe.

Wow! This really did a number on my brain!

Told in three point of views during three different timelines this story had the tendency to get a little confusing at times as there was so much going on, especially at the end, but it was a great read!

In the late 80’s Beth, an orphan, goes to live with a family in an estate called Raven Hall. The daughter, Nina, and Beth become friends, but Beth is asked to play a little game that soon has her suspecting the motives and actions of this family. When a tragedy occurs Raven Hall is abandoned until the present day when Sadie, an actress, is summoned to the estate under the guise of a murder mystery dinner party. Along with the others who were invited to play this game, Sadie begins to question why they are really here. There’s also a third timeline and point of view that is a mystery at first, but once the narrator is revealed pieces start falling into place.

Full of twisty lies, secrets, and betrayal, this is a story about what can happen when someone will stop at nothing to have what they think is rightfully theirs.

Thank you to Berkely and Penguin Random House for my copy and inviting me on this blog tour!

4.5/5

I absolutely loved The Au Pair by Emma Rous, so I was extremely excited to see she had The Perfect Guests coming out. It is everything I hoped it would be PLUS more, and I loved this one too! It reminded me a lot of a game of Clue, and switches between timelines and viewpoints which were all aspects I loved. It hooked me immediately from the very first page and I didn't want to put it down, so I read it in just two sittings. I started being especially intrigued by the 2019 timeline, but I quickly became equally as invested in the 1988 timeline with Beth as well. I loved the slower burn and the way Rous slowly unravels all of the secrets, and I can tell you I was NOT expecting that ending.

The Perfect Guests is getting a high rating from me for a few different reasons and let me tell you why. The biggest reason is that I loved the overall feel of the book and how it grabbed me right away and kept my attention the entire time. Another reason is that the end took me by complete surprise and the whole book kept me guessing. There was some suspense here, but overall, it is just a great, twisty tale. I couldn't believe how well Rous weaved this story and made all of the things tie together in a way that makes your mouth drop open. And last but not least, I loved the isolated setting and how Raven Hall was basically a character in itself.

I would have loved to be IN this book despite what happens, and it really made me itch to play a game of Clue. It has both some young adult and gothic vibes and makes for a great crossover novel. I thought everything was very distinctive so there is no getting confused, and there aren't any ambiguous endings which is something I am a fan of. If you want a fun book that will hold your attention this year, I recommend checking out The Perfect Guests and Rous' previous novel if you haven't already!

Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Emma Rous writes books that I cannot put down. I read The Au Pair in a day, and I read The Perfect Guests in a day too. The only problem with this is.....they're over in a day!! Both books are in the Gothic Fiction genre which is one of my favorite genres to read. It has that twisty plot and dark, mysterious feeling that I love.

The Perfect Guests is a time-slip novel in which the story "slips" between 1988 and 2019. Though we know the characters are connected, it's not clear how until much later in the story. In 1988 we meet Beth who is 14 years old. She is an orphan who is also, apparently, "abandoned" by her aunt who's Beth's only relative. Beth's aunt "somehow" makes an arrangement with The Averells who oddly welcome Beth into their home as one of the family. They've got a daughter, Nina, and the two girls become inseparable very quickly. And then things happen, of course! It is a crazy, twisty, mysterious book after all. No, you don't get to know what things happen. Read it!

In 2019, we meet Sadie, a sometimes actress who jumps from job to job much to the chagrin of her mother. So when Sadie gets an invitation to act in a murder mystery weekend, a well-paying job at that, she doesn't hesitate to accept. And, of course, things happen in 2019 too, and I won't tell you what!

I absolutely love the descriptive setting, the way that the timelines weave together, and the depth of the characters in The Perfect Guests. I'm looking forward to seeing what Emma Rous has in store for us next!

If you love mysterious stories and are drawn to the Gothic genre, you'll love Emma Rous and The Perfect Guests.

The Perfect Guests is a twisty read stacked in history. I took me a bit to settle into the story and meet all the players but once I did, I was intrigued. The pace is on the slower side, but in this case that works well, allowing the story to build in the many layers. This read like a challenging puzzle. You know you have all the pieces, but you haven’t yet uncovered how they all fit together. I found the storyline unique and well fleshed out. I especially liked how everything came together in the end. I will be looking for more to read by Emma Rous.

3.5 stars
Not one, not two, but three storylines tie together in this intriguing book centered around Raven Hall.

Ms Rous does an excellent job of starting with two seeming straight forward stories of Beth and Sadie set roughly 30 years apart. As both stories begin to have odd occurrences pop up, a third older story is woven in to paint an even stranger picture of events surrounding this old estate.

The craft around The Perfect Guests is solid. There are bread crumbs that hint to connections and oddities that up the tension level, but answers don’t appear until the author is ready to pull the various strings together.
One key issue kept this from being a full 4 star read for me. While most questions are answered, there was one big issue not fully addressed. This unanswered question doesn’t derail enjoyment of the overall story, it just creates a lingering “why?” that is a bit unsettling.

Overall, this is a solid somewhat twisting read. I look forward to seeing what the author has coming next.

If you like tense thrillers set in an old manor house that is practically a character on its own, then this is the book for you. The story is told in dual timelines and is primarily from 2 points of view with a third thrown in to spice up the suspense. Most of the twists are pretty easy to anticipate, especially if you're an avid thriller reader, but they're still well done and they work perfectly with the story. The only drawback for me was the ending. That's not to say it's a bad ending, but the last part of the book just doesn't have the same feel as the rest. It's like that Gothic vibe was missing and it's a bit lighter, I suppose. Nevertheless, the story did hold my interest from start to finish, and I certainly enjoyed Emma Rous' writing style. I'd easily recommend this one, and I look forward to seeing what she does next.

The Perfect Guests has 3 POVs which keeps you intrigued and guessing how the stories will eventually intersect. It is a very easy read that pulls you in and you end up finishing it in one sitting. There are a few twists at the end that were easy to figure out (especially if you’re a thriller fan) but the last twist I honestly didn’t see coming. To be honest I even freaked myself out while reading this because I was home alone at night (it wasn’t even that creepy but I’m a baby sometimes). Overall this is a slow building mystery with a rewarding finish.

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕:
* perfect book setting, i.e beautiful house wifi a lake, murder mystery party gone wrong
* slow building tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat
* multiple twists (one was truly a wild surprise)


𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖:
* the biggest twist was kind of predictable if you read a lot of thrillers/mysteries

*Thank you to Emma Rous, Netgalley, and Berkeley publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. The Perfect Guests is out now!*

2.5 stars!
In 1988, Beth Soames is an orphan after parents and brother were killed in a tragic car accident. She is now a ward of the state and living in a group home because her aunt refuses to take her on. When a seemingly wealthy family called The Averells reach out and ask if Beth can live with them and keep their daughter company, Beth’s aunt leaps at the opportunity. Beth moves into Raven Hall where she discovers a sinister truth about the Averells. In 2019, Sadie is a struggling actress who is trying to make ends meet. When she is invited to play the role of a dinner guest at a murder mystery party, she can’t turn it down. It just so happens that the event is taking place at the newly renovated Raven Hall. Sadie soon finds out after her arrival that she is in for more than just a job.

I don’t have a lot to say about this one. It was written in a strange style. To me, the vocabulary and sentence structure were very simple. I had myself convinced it was a YA for that reason, only to find out that it is indeed adult fiction. A lot of the characters needed more fleshing out and some of the twists just didn’t make a lot of sense. Particularly near the end with Leonora raising Nina’s baby?? That was just a wild thing to throw in there. In my opinion, the plot line was also confusing as there is a lot of familial and relationship drama that create tangled webs. I didn’t really care for this one, but the setting was neat. It gave me vibes like the board game Clue with an underdeveloped cast. Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleypublishing for this ARC.

Rous in a British author and former veterinarian and this is her second novel. Her first book was "The Au Pair". This new release is a psychological thriller set in a large home in rural England. In 1988 Beth, who has been living in a children's home, is taken by her aunt and guardian to live with another family with a daughter (Nina) almost the same age. She is welcomed there and becomes good friends with Nina, but then she is asked to do the family a favour and becomes aware at how strange things are in her new environment. Meanwhile in present day Sadie is an out of work actress and gets a job playing a character at a mystery weekend set in the same large rural home. As the game gets underway Sadie realizes all is not as it seems and beings to worry about her safety. This is a darkly atmospheric story with the twists coming right until the last page. It is a good recommendation for fans of the genre. I quite enjoyed it.

I couldn’t put this book down! A twisty book that truly kept me guessing and surprised until the very end.

Told through two different timelines, in the present we meet Sadie an aspiring actress who has been hired for a murder mystery party. Beth, who in the past lives in the home where this party is taking place, is a guest of the family living there, having been taken in as an orphan.

I was guessing all along how the timelines might be connected, and while it wasn’t the most shocking twist when revealed it made sense and still had me engaged and wanting to know more. But it was all the other mysteries along the way that really had me guessing and left surprised.

The pacing throughout was nearly perfect, slowly revealing more and giving you just enough to want to read just one more chapter. The only time the pacing fell for me was in the ending where I felt things were wrapped up a little too quickly and I could’ve done with a bit more.

Alternating between the past, and the present with unrelated viewpoints helped make the Perfect Guests the perfect twisty, tourney novel. It definitely kept me guessing and kept me on my toes. It is one of those very well thought out books that is an absolute pleasure to read!

"The USA Today bestselling author of The Au Pair returns with another delicious, twisty novel - about a grand estate with many secrets, an orphan caught in a web of lies, and a young woman playing a sinister game.

1988. Beth Soames is fourteen years old when her aunt takes her to stay at Raven Hall, a rambling manor in the isolated East Anglian fens. The Averells, the family who lives there, are warm and welcoming, and Beth becomes fast friends with their daughter, Nina. At times, Beth even feels like she's truly part of the family...until they ask her to help them with a harmless game - and nothing is ever the same.

2019. Sadie Langton is an actress struggling to make ends meet when she lands a well-paying gig to pretend to be a guest at a weekend party. She is sent a suitcase of clothing, a dossier outlining the role she is to play, and instructions. It's strange, but she needs the money, and when she sees the stunning manor she'll be staying at, she figures she’s got nothing to lose.

In person, Raven Hall is even grander than she'd imagined - even with damage from a fire decades before - but the walls seem to have eyes. As day turns to night, Sadie starts to feel that there’s something off about the glamorous guests who arrive, and as the party begins, it becomes chillingly apparent their unseen host is playing games with everyone...including her."

Can you tell I love me a grand estate?

This story is a quick read, as the twisted turns will keep you hooked....I don’t want to give anything away, but you think you have it figured out and you don’t!

Emma Rous’ The Perfect Guests satisfied my need for a good, twisted mystery. It had all the fixings: Gothic old house, mysterious circumstances, unforthcoming family, and an unwanted, orphaned girl.

The story is told in two time periods and by multiple narrators. I enjoyed both, but I was stymied by one unnamed narrator. The addition of the unnamed narrator threw me off completely so that I was completely surprised at a big reveal and twist. I was anticipating a twist or big event, but I didn’t see this one coming. What do Beth Soames and Sadie Langton have in common besides Raven Hall? You’ll have to read the book to find out {insert sinister laugh here}.

The plot is well thought out and the pace is not fast, but good; I found Sadie’s present day plot a bit slower than Beth’s 1988 plot, however, that changes dramatically as the story’s zenith approaches. There is moderate tension within the story. The number of secrets and lies is so astounding that I began to question the reliability of each narrator.

I loved to hate one particular character whose obsession is the basis for all the wrong doings. I loved the idea of the murder mystery weekend in an old gothic house; it’s a great setting for real mystery. The mystery is wrapped up a bit conveniently, but cleverly, and the best is the very creepy end! Ms. Rous out did herself with that Hitchcock-esque touch.

I was hooked from the start and so completely engrossed in the book that I finished it in one sitting.

4.5 stars

This twisted story follows three narrators - Sadie, Beth, and an unnamed character - as they experience life at Raven Hall, a sprawling countryside estate set atop a hill above town. Beth, recently orphaned after a tragic car accident, is taken in by Leonora and Marcus in an effort to provide their daughter, Nina, with a companion. Nina and Beth take to each other right away and become as close as sisters, traversing the large estate and nearby lake with their townie friend, Jonas. But Leonora has strict rules for Nina, keeping her sequestered at Raven Hall. As much as Beth enjoys her life with her new “family”, she can’t help but feel like something’s off. Decades later, Sadie has been invited to Raven Hall as an actress in a company’s trial run at a murder mystery weekend experience. But as it becomes clear this ecclectic group of guests were each specifically chosen to attend, albeit for seemingly unknown reasons, the night turns dark and threatening. And a third narrator’s point-of-view will become the key to all of Raven Hall’s mysteries…

Perfect for fans of drama, intrigue, and suspense! Looking for an alternative to daytime soap opera shows??? This is it! And I mean that as a compliment. This story had me captivated and the suspense never let up. I was constantly looking for clues to solve the numerous mysteries playing out in each narrator’s settings. Even though I began to put the pieces together around the last third of the book, author Emma Rous weaves unforeseeable twists into the last few chapters that will make readers’ eyes pop. This book gave me total Days of Their Lives feels, and I will most definitely pick up future books by this author!

**Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for an eARC in exchange for this honest review.**

The Perfect Guests follows two main characters: Beth, whose storyline mainly takes place in 1989, and Sadie, whose storyline takes place in 2019.

Beth is an orphan after losing her parents and brother in an accident and is sent to live at Raven Hall, with a family. Beth quickly becomes friends with the only child of the family, Nina, but realizes there is something off about the house and family she is now stuck with. Fast forward to Sadie, she is a struggling actress working dead end jobs just trying to make ends meet. She takes a position as an actress for a murder mystery party, that just happens to take place at the one and only Ravel Hall. How do their stories intertwine? This is one you will have to read to find out.

This book is definitely a slow burn that is very character and setting driven. This was not a bad book by any means, and I really did like the author's writing style, however, it just ended up being TOO slow for me. I wouldn't really consider this book a thriller, nor was it all that suspenseful. There were A LOT of twists at the very end of the book, but unfortunately they didn't wow me and felt pretty anticlimactic. I do feel some of this comes down to personal preference, as I very much enjoy fast paced thrillers that tend to be more plot driven. That being said, I did enjoy the dual time lines and change of POVs. I am still inclined to check out Emma Rous's debut novel. However, know that if you are fans of thrillers from authors like Lisa Jewell, Riley Sager, and Jennifer Hillier, this book is probably not thrilling enough for you.

Thank you @Berkley for including me in the book tour for The Perfect Guests, providing me with a digital copy to review and give my honest opinion. I'm still not sure where to begin writing my review, but I'll do my best.

Emma Rous wrote a fabulous thriller, one where the end was very unpredictable. Told in various view points and timelines, Emma still made it quite clear which character and which story was being told.

In the 80's, Beth moves to Raven Hall to live with the family there, always unsure of her place and whether she'll be turned out or not. In modern day, Sadie, an struggling actress, is invited to Raven Hall to perform in a murder mystery weekend.

First, I felt rather old that the 80's was the "historical" time period. I don't want to admit that I'm as old as I actually am. Second, I was absolutely unsure how these two narratives fit together.

Without giving anything away, the "crash" of the timelines was beautifully executed. For anyone looking to dive into thrillers, this is a great read as it's not scary as much as creepy and it definitely gives the reader some great thrills.

I really wasn't sure I would like this book, but I was intrigued by the story early on and kept going. The modern day "murder mystery party" was a unique way to weave together the events from the past, and the twists were unexpected. The description of the property was vivid- I wanted to visit and see it for myself. The ending ties up the loose ends in a satisfying way.