The premise for this book sounded very exciting to me. A 14 year old Beth gets taken in by a family that is going to foster her while her aunt gets her life settled to take her in after the death of Beth’s parents. She is instantly drawn to Nina, their daughter and they quickly become best friends. Told between 1988-1989 and 2019, the perspective alternates between Beth and Sadie. Both storylines take place at Raven Hall where the girls are playing a game.

This sounded so thrilling and exciting, but once I made it to the end, the shock and thrill factor just wasn’t there. I felt like it fell flat in regards to the climax. The “game” did not feel very dramatic or shocking at all. I would say it was suspenseful but the resolution just did not meet my expectations for flair. The very very end left a good bit of surprise but it seemed to come out of nowhere. I really did like that little surprise though and was happy how the story did end.

The characters each had unique personalities and I wish there was more into the life of Leonora and her attachment to Raven Hall. Why was Hendrik so against the house as well besides the idea of it cursing the family? I would have liked some more expansion on that.

After enjoying Rous's debut novel The Au Pair last year I was eager to read more from the author.
The Perfect Guests is a gothic thriller full of suspense, family drama, and multiple timelines. I love the "Clue" and Agatha Christie vibes, as the guests are summoned to a dinner party at Raven Hall, an long abanonded mansion, for a game. Sadie is desperate, so she accepts the job acting as a guest in a murder mystery . But could it be too good to be true?
She soon learns of a tragedy that occured there years ago, when the previous owners lived there. But is something sinister still inhabiting Raven Hall?
I had some suspicions that ended up being correct, but there were so many twists that therer were still a ton of surprises in store. I love how everything connected, albiet in a very tangled way.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advance copy.

A very twisted story about it all not being what it seems.

1988
Beth is 14 when she's taken to Raven Hall to live with the Averells by her Aunt who can't take care of her. She soon feels like she becomes a part of the family. Nina (the daughter) becomes her best friend and besides a few things (like not being able to go to the village and being homeschooled), live is good.
Until Beth is asked to play a game when Nina's grandfather comes to visit.

2019
Sadie is invited to be a part of a murder mystery at Raven Hall. The guests/actors are an ecclectic bunch all invited to play. Until one guest goes missing.

There was so many twisted revelations at the end that it sort of made my head spin. I liked the characters of Beth and Sadie but not many of the others. I think it's worth reading but I liked The Au Pair a bit more

When orphan Beth is fostered by the family who owns Raven Hall as a companion for their daughter Nina, it seems like a dream come true until they ask her to participate in a strange game of deception. 30 years later after tragedy has befallen the family, struggling actress Sadie is invited to play a part in a murder mystery weekend at the very same mansion.

This one was TWISTY. Dual timelines, three POVs, and no clue how it all tied together. The beginning sucked me in with the creepy atmosphere and I loved the murder mystery dinner setup that brought our present day main character to Raven Hall. The ending got a bit convoluted and I think I’d need a reread or an outline to really visualize how all the threads came together but as twist after twist delivered, I definitely appreciated how carefully the story was crafted.

Overall, a solid, entertaining read that slowly ratchets up to a wonderfully messed up conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emma Rous and Berkley Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel drew me in right from the start, I loved the back and forth nature between the past and present and two different characters. I wasn't sure how these characters were connected, but I was waiting with baited breath to find it out. I love mystery novels that happen at creepy old houses and the families are so full of lies it's actually hard to untangle it all. There are so many characters, but luckily most of them are minor and I love how in the ending, they are connected in one way or another that ties it all together. There were so many twists right up until the last page and I just loved the obsession with the manor.

"You are cordially invited to play a Game at Raven Hall."

As soon as I read those opening words, I got a chill down my spine, and I knew I was ready to settle in for a thrilling read!

In the multiple timelines the book reveals, Raven Hall has the gothic quality that immediately draws you in because you just know there will be secrets. And there is more than one game being played!

Rous intricately weaves the lives of the 1988 occupants of Raven Hall with the lives of the guests who have been invited to the mansion in 2019 - although each of the guests is unaware of their role in the game. Sadie is an actress hired to play a part in a theater company's new role play murder mystery, and she believes all of the guests have been hired to do the same...until their masks slip and she sees that not everyone is there for the same reason. There are neighbors, there are caterers, and there is the woman who disappears. Stuck in the mysterious house in the dead of winter with no transportation and no cell signal, Sadie is starting to have second thoughts about the job she's signed on for.

I was impressed with how well the author managed to tie in all of the characters as she revealed their secrets one by one, with lots of twists and turns along the way.

Bonus - the end material contains a great history of the Fens, the setting for the book, and includes a book club study guide.

Five huge stars and thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advance reader's copy for review.

Four surprising twisty turny stars to this new novel from Emma Rous. That Raven Hall must be some house. There are multiple POVs and two timelines to juggle. The only piece I found a bit confusing was the group assembled for the mystery game. If you haven't read the book yet, my advice is not to try to hard to sort that all out immediately. As pieces of the mystery are revealed one by one, the reader gets to examine each guest in turn and discover how they fit into the overall picture. Overall, I like this one better than 'The Au Pair.' If you enjoy books where a house casts a shadow over all involved, you will like this one. Includes a Reader's Guide with additional info on the Fens and discussion questions. Should appeal to readers who enjoy Kate Morton and Laura McHugh.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this twisty take on a modern gothic mystery. The twists and turns were constantly happening and kept me engaged in the story. My only gripe is the switching back and forth between time lines was confusing until about a third of the way into the second half of the book. I thank #netgalley and the publisher for this ebook copy of #theperfectguests to read and honestly review.

OMG. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours it was that good. Set at an old mansion from multiple perspectives, I was entranced from the beginning. All of the timelines were engaging and I genuinely wanted to know what would happen to the characters. I also loved the "present day" murder mystery setting, I thought that was really fun. You'd definitely enjoy this if you liked HOME BEFORE DARK or THE SAFE PLACE. Also a really satisfying read because the end wraps up all of the loose ends (it's not super realistic but I finished the book and wasn't left reeling).

The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous has dual timelines that take place in an atmospheric old manor called Raven Hall. The present day timeline features a mystery dinner party at Raven Hall attended by Sadie, a down on her luck actress. The timeline set in the 80’s focuses on Beth, an orphan, who seems to finally have some luck when she is invited to live at Raven Hall. However, everything is not as innocent as it initially seems. With likable characters, a unique setting, and a delightfully twisty plot, The Perfect Guests will be the perfect book to curl up with this winter.

I had a hard time putting this book down once I started, and I was constantly sneaking in a chapter every chance I got. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the twists and turns throughout the novel, and it kept me guessing throughout. This is the second book I’ve read by Emma Rous, and she is quickly becoming one of my favorites. With likable characters, a unique setting, and a delightfully twisty plot, The Perfect Guests will be the perfect book to curl up with this winter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and provide by honest feedback!

The Perfect Guests is told in three narratives, Beth, Sadie and an unknown voice. Set in 1988 and 2019. Beth as a young teenager goes to live at Raven Hall to be a companion to Nina. Everything may not be as glamorous as it seems in that house. Many years later Sadie is sent an invitation to be in a murder mystery event at Raven Hall. Many twists and turns and questions to be answered in this one. The characters from major to minor were all interesting and engaging. I enjoyed this one immensely!

Thank you to netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the arc.

Wow this book is genius!!!!!!!!! The plot details go round & round so much you're unsure of some things but in the end it all comes to light. I loved Emma Rous's second book!!!!!!!!! This author is the new Gothic mystery author to look for!!!!!!!!!

We have 3 character players in this book. Beth, Nina, & Lenora. Beth is an orphan who is taken in by the Averill family at a young age as a playmate for their daughter Nina. Little does Beth know the game she has been brought into to play. Lenora is a young married mother who feels she was robbed of her family home & will stop at nothing to get it back. Nina, Lenora's unsuspecting daughter who also has no idea of the game her mother has unwittingly put her into. It all surrounds Raven Hall. A beautiful home or an albatross???? Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for my honest review of this amazing novel.

This book has more twists than Lombard Street in San Francisco or Highway 1 along the coast. That twisty! And by telling it through multiple points of view and multi timelines, the author keeps the reader on their toes and slightly in the dark throughout the book. Part of that annoyed me. I was getting a little confused. More than I felt I should! But the atmospheric setting in the well loved castle, the various females and their relationships and secrets all provided a thoroughly engaging read. Oddly enough, I ended the book with a good chuckle. Can't say that about all the thrillers you read! As a side note, I don't think the cover does this book justice. It feels too carefree. An image of a dark foreboding castle with someone peeking out of a window would impart the book's essence much better!

The Perfect Guests is an intricately woven and compelling novel. I found it very hard to put down!

The story unfolds in two alternating time frames, the late 1980's and current day, and is told from the points of view of Beth and Sadie.

In 1988, Beth Soames, 14, is taken by her aunt Caroline to be a companion to Nina, daughter of Markus & Leonora Averell at Raven Hall, a large manor. Beth, who has been living in a children's home since the death of her parents and older brother (aunt Caroline travels all the time for her job and can't care for her), is amazed at her good fortune and tries her best not to rock the boat, lest she be sent back to the home. Fortunately, she and Nina hit it off and become best friends. Though the family is very welcoming, it doesn't take long for Beth to become uneasy about some of the strange things going on.

In 2019, Sadie Langton, 28, an out-of-work actress, is offered the chance to play one of six guests at a fancy vintage murder-mystery weekend at Raven Hall. The manor is gorgeous, but as the game begins and night descends, it becomes apparent that there is more to this than meets the eye. So much more!!!

Rous connects the two stories layer by layer until all is finally revealed. So many twists! The characters are well painted, none more so than Raven Hall itself. (A recommendation to other readers, I found it helpful to jot down the names of characters with a brief description of who they are so that as the story unfolds I could easily make the connections.)

This is a very entertaining read and I recommend it without reservation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advance review copy of this novel which is scheduled to be published 1/12/2021. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved this book! I would call it a mystery with a smattering of thriller. There are two stories going; 1988 and 2019, Beth and Sadie. This story is filled with deception, intrigue and twists here and there. Most of this story takes place at Raven Hall and both Beth and Sadie have their stories about Raven Hall. I could not put it down, and don't want to spoil anything, but I do want to say ~ amazing ending! Thank you #NetGalley#BerkeleyBooks#ThePerfectGuests

This book had me hooked from the first page and I just settled in and read it straight through - couldn't put it down. The two main story lines seemed to have nothing to do with each other - then there was the mysterious extra voice that went unnamed. How on earth did all this fit together?! Add to that a spooky, gothic-type house and you have a perfect old-fashioned thriller/mystery. And slowly, slowly, all is revealed!!

I thought the author did a wonderful job of keeping the reader guessing right up to the end - - and tying all the clues together!

Looking forward to the next book by Emma Rous!!

The Perfect Guests (Emma Rous) takes the reader back and forth in time, mostly between two of the main characters. This is a story where a home, "Raven Hall" is almost a main character, as it is a huge part of the story. Ms Rous keeps the reader guessing what everyone's motives are, meanwhile keeping twists and turns coming. I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy to review.

Shortest Summary Ever: Sadie is a wanna-be professional actress struggling to pay rent when a plum job lands in her mailbox - a murder mystery at a secluded home called Raven Hall. What could go wrong? Flashback to Beth who lived in Raven Hall as a foster child of the Averells. Beth reveals strange incidents...Sadie encounters peculiarities... are they somehow linked? What darkness lurks in the dark of Raven Hall?

Thoughts: Well... it’s twisty. It turns. But it also meanders. I loved that it was Christie-Esque in setting and plot, but where Christy weaves her tales like a fine hand knit sweater, this one contained some grays that frayed. The characters were likable and not likable, where appropriate. The story itself most certainly unique, but I felt underwhelmed, putting this into the “I liked it, but it was just ok” rating of 3 stars. It was enjoyable but nothing wowed me. Adept, but not incredible.

All my reviews available at scrappymags.com around time of publication.

Genre: Mystery.

Recommend to: it’s a “middle” mystery - not too gritty but not cozy.

Not recommended to: those who don’t want to think too much over the details

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review.

This story vacillates between 1988 and 2019. In 1988, Beth, 14 years old, orphaned when her parents and brother are killed in a car crash, is taken by her Aunt Caroline to stay with the Averell family at Raven Hall, a manor home in the English fens (for those of you who don’t know what the fens are, like I didn’t, they are flat, low-lying areas in eastern England that used to be marshland). Purportedly, Beth has come to Raven Hall to keep the Averell’s daughter, Nina, company, and the two become fast friends. But all is not what it seems to be when Mrs. Averell asks Beth to fill in for an ill Nina when grandfather Hendrik, who is the owner of the estate, comes to visit.

The 2019 story features Sadie Langdon, a struggling actress, estranged from her mother, and in dire need of money. The well-paying weekend job requires her to participate in a “party” at Raven Hall, which is still magnificent despite the damage sustained in a fire many years earlier. She is given a suitcase with the clothes she is to wear as well as a description of what role is supposed to play. And when the other guests arrive and the party begins, Sadie begins to suspect that something else is going on.

As the story bounced back and forth, I sometimes found myself wondering who was who. There are plenty of twists and turns in this novel, particularly in the first 2/3rds of the book, while the wrap-up in the last 1/3 seems too neat at times. Not my favorite book of 2020, but a halfway decent read if you like this type of novel. My thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel

The Perfect Guests from Emma Rous was a deliberately designed yarn, unraveling with such perfection. I enjoyed it more and more the deeper I got into the story.

This is told by two different women in two different time lines. Beth tells us of her arrival and subsequent stay at Raven Hall in 1988 and Sadie is telling us of the invitation to a whodunit murder mystery type event at Raven Hall in 2019. And we go back and forth between these time lines filling in puzzle pieces as we go. Along with their narration, we get a third unknown voice here and there dropping breadcrumbs to the bigger picture.

Orphaned Beth gets the opportunity to be fostered at Raven Hall by Markus and Leonora. She is instantly drawn to their daughter Nina and the two become fast friends. Life at Raven Hall is wonderful for Beth until things start getting weird. Like a seemingly simple game that Beth is asked to play, which turns into something bigger...

Sadie is a struggling actress. When she gets the part, complete with wardrobe and instructions to play a guest at a party, she jumps at the opportunity. While the house is grand and inviting at first, it isn't long before it becomes clear that she may be in danger.

The way this story was told was really interesting. It lulled a little in the middle, but I loved all of the twists and turns it took to get to the end. The unearthing of secrets in this book was so satisfying. I enjoyed making the connections between the time lines and the different narrations. This was my first dip into Emma Rous's writing, but it will not be the last!