The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous would make the perfect movie. Rous writes in such a way that you can see the action happening in your mind. And I’m not always a fan of shifting timelines, but Rous was able to pull it off very well.

Her characterization was excellent. You could feel the longing that Beth had for a family and the intense feelings that come with teenage love. Rous was able to write Nina very believably as a child who was just starting to come into adulthood but was so sheltered that she was having a hard time. Even the unknown narrator had a deep personality, even though it was manic and twisted. And Sadie, although she was my least favorite, she was still written well as a person who was raised… well, no spoilers.

What really drew me to this book to begin with was the murder mystery game that seemed so much like Clue. And although it was a part of the story, it was just a bit part and didn’t really come into play until more towards the end of the story. But when the secrets and suspects started flowing, they did not stop. It was one twist and turn after another. Were they all believable, not necessarily, but were they all fun and each more disturbing than the next, yes, yes they were! It also had a vibe like The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, which is a young adult book I absolutely love.

You will need to suspend your belief, but that’s what makes this gothic mystery such an entertaining read.

The Perfect Guests is a story within a story. Told in the past and the present, it is filled with twists, turns and surprises. Fourteen year old Beth Soames wants two things; to fit in and and to have a secure home. She is taken in by Markus and Leonora to live at Raven Hall along with their daughter Sadie.

Sadie and Beth became constant companions. But life has a way of happening. Situations and circumstances make things difficult and drama filled. As their story progresses between the past and the present, the truth unravels, wrapped in mystery and intrigue. Emma Rous paints a beautiful picture of Raven Hall. The story comes full circle and the end will have you saying 'wow'!

Emma Rous is a new-to-me author. I enjoyed The Perfect Guest and look forward to reading more by this author!

Who doesn’t like a good mystery, a good “who-dunnit?” Was it the butler? The hostess? Enter Raven Hall and let the games begin, but are you sure what game is being played? THE PERFECT GUEST by Emma Rous starts out innocently enough, an orphaned girl taken in by a wealthy family, but graduates to something more, something darker and something definitely more twisted.

What promised to be a fabulously delightful tale went off the rails as the second half progressed, and all of that building tension seemed to gain an overwhelming sense of emotional baggage spewed onto the tracks of an oncoming train.

I was entertained, especially during the buildup to the tie-ins of past and present, I was five-starring this one all the way…and then something ran out of gas for me. Emma Rous can write, no doubt about that, but this one just got too soap opera-ish for me through the second half and I wanted to push it along.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley! This is my honest and voluntary review.

What a fun, twisty story! It ended up being a binge read for me.....I couldn't put it down. Wickedly fun read!

1988: A young girl comes to stay at Raven Hall as a companion to the Averell's daughter, Nina. She loves it there and wants to stay. She's willing to do just about anything they ask...but it gets out of hand.

2019: An out of work actress is invited to Raven Hall. A murder mystery weekend. Eight guests. Isolated at the out of the way estate. Turns out there is more going on than a simple weekend of play acting a murder story.....much, much more.

I don't normally care for stories that use time jumps, but for this story it works. The story jumps back and forth from Beth's time to Sadie's, twisting the two timelines together to reveal what happened at Raven Hall. It had a bit of a "And Then There Were None'' feel to it.

Portions of the plot were a bit melodramatic....but this was a very entertaining, engrossing read. Sometimes we all need a bit of a murder-y soap opera! And this definitely fit the bill for me. I needed something suspenseful and sordid....check and check! The entire time I kept thinking to myself how much fun it would be to join in a murder mystery weekend at an isolated country house....until things got a bit too real of course.

This is the first book by Emma Rous that I've read. I'm definitely going to check out her other book, the Au Pair!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

I liked this thriller. I didn’t love it. But it was still a good read. I love how Emma Rous writes, she pulled me in immediately with The Au Pair, so I was really excited to read something else from her.

I read this after I watched The Haunting of Bly Manor and I got a similar vibe. I think this book would have been better if I hadn’t watched Bly Manor first.

All in all, it was solid. I’d recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and author for allowing me the chance to read this book. I will be posting my full review on my goodreads account and on my IG page @readingmama_reviews a little closer to its pub date!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC of The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous. I loved The Au Pair and was eager to read her latest thriller.

Sadie acquires an acting job that is too good to be true. She is paid to attend a big fancy party in a mansion called Raven Hall, with hired actors playing roles similar to those in the move Clue (which happens to be my all-time favorite movie)! The attendees must act their part and one will receive a prize by solving the murder mystery by the following morning. Next we meet Beth, who is orphaned when her parents and brother are killed in a car crash. Her neglectful aunt has agreed to let her live with a rich family in order to become a companion for their own daughter, Nina. These two stories eventually overlap and the reader learns the connection. There is also a mystery narrator who makes many appearances throughout.

This book started out with so much promise. I love the murder mystery Clue-like premise. However, I cannot fathom one of the characters’ obsession with Raven Hall. This seems to be the guiding premise to this thriller and it just doesn’t make sense, even in a gothic sensibility, as no other gothic elements seem to exist. I easily predicted the twists and the plot turned a ridiculous corner towards the end. I really enjoyed the Au Pair because even though it had a soap opera feel, it felt more authentic than this book. The plot was just downright goofy towards the end with absurd reveals. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed.

2.5/5 stars

The Perfect Guests is a complicated story with three timelines that all converge around Raven Hall, a sprawling family home set in the center of the Fens, in England. In the late 1980’s, a young orphan finds herself in the home after her guardian aunt takes her there to live with the family. She quickly befriends the quirky Nina, who lives a very sheltered life. In present day, a group of actors have been invited to Raven Hall for a murder mystery party that quickly goes south. There is an unnamed 3rd narrator whose perspective seeps in, with a curious and unhealthy obsession with the house. It sounds confusing but it slowly starts to make sense. Typically I don’t do well with too many characters, but it’s a testament to the author’s writing that it all works out. I was equally invested in the two main storylines, something which doesn’t always happen, and the plot felt perfectly paced. I’d categorize this as a literary mystery- one where you get a payoff if you to pay attention to the clues set before you. There was very little violence or triggers in this, which was a nice reprise from some of the thrillers I have been reading. Overall, I’d recommend to readers who appreciate a slow burn, English setting, and gothic stories about obsession, family, and inheritance.

If you enjoy a novel with multiple narrators and timelines, a strong sense of foreboding, and lots of twists, this one is definitely for you!!

1988: Beth, a young orphan, is surprised when her aunt brings her to stay with the Averells at their sprawling estate, Raven Hall. The Averells have a daughter, Nina, who is in need of a companion and it is decided Beth would be a perfect fit. At first, staying with the Averells is a dream come true. Beth and Nina get along great and have a lake and endless land to occupy their days. But when Nina repeatedly gets ill and Beth is put in morally compromising positions time and time again by the Averells, she begins to suspect something is amiss at Raven Hall.

2019: Sadie is a twenty-something, struggling actress hoping for a break and scrambling to make her next monthly rent payment. When a great paying job comes her way and doesn't even require an audition, it feels almost too good to be true. Sadie is whisked away to Raven Hall for a weekend where she will be expected to play Miss Lamb in a murder mystery for a new company trying to get the program off the ground. Once at Raven Hall, Sadie begins to fear for her safety when it becomes apparent that everyone is getting ill and the small group of participants are apparently trapped at the estate without access to a car, cell service, or any landlines.

The novel also follows a third, unidentified narrator on an unspecified timeline. This mystery narrator had previously resided at Raven Hall when tragedy struck and she was forced to move. Now, she spends her weekends circling the property, waiting to get a glimpse at the new owners and to reclaim what she feels is rightfully hers.

This novel kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved the alternating narrators and timelines. I was particularly drawn to Beth's story and the writing transported me to lazy summer days on the lake with friends. I really liked that the foreboding feeling wasn't overdone but offered a darkness to the otherwise idyllic setting.

I didn't connect with Sadie's character or storyline as much, but I did love the murder mystery premise. I also liked that her storyline didn't play out the way I would have expected as it made it a more exciting read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, though the many twists felt a bit over the top and theatrical. I would have preferred one or two strong "WOW" moments, rather than the many unrealistic twists. Having so many big moments took away some of the shock value and just felt like too much for me by the end. That being said, the twists did work well for the storyline, many of them were entirely unpredictable, and everything tied together and was wrapped up nicely.

Thank you to Berkley and to NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

As I read this book I felt like I was playing the game Clue. Who done it, why, and how? Some of the clues in the story are easy to figure out but a few things towards the end I didn't see coming. Many characters and dual timelines made it a little confusing in the beginning, but they end up working at the end. Overall an entertaining read.

An actress gets a seemingly easy part playing a woman in a murder mystery dinner and the encounter becomes very complicated. In an alternate time period, another girl is invited into a very wealthy family and asked to do something very strange for them. What do they have in common? The setting of the English country mansion Raven Hall.

I enjoyed the murder mystery setting. It had a very gothic feel to it and the descriptions drew me in to the English countryside. I unsuccessfully tried to figure out how the two time periods were related, so I was surprised by the ending and wasn’t able to see the multiple twists coming. I did feel like there was an awful lot going on at the end and I was confused by the very last sentence. I think I must’ve missed something. I’ve read both of Rous’ books and am definitely a fan. I will continue reading her books and recommending them to others.

Everyone seemed to like games. One game was for a murder mystery party and another was to trick Nina's grandfather into thinking Beth actually was Nina.​

We meet Beth and Nina in 1988 and Sadie in 2019.​​

Beth is a foster child that came to live with Nina and her odd family in Raven Hall. ​​

Sadie is an actress who is invited to play a part in a murder mystery game.​​

We also meet an unnamed character who has come back to Raven Hall and is angry about the new owners. ​​

As we move from one time to the next, we get detailed information about what is going on, but then there is always something missing and always a new character to meet.​​

The murder mystery game got out of hand with guests becoming sick, one disappearing, and the game seeming to turn into an actual attempted murder mystery with secrets that get revealed.​​

THE PERFECT GUESTS has more than one story line going on, and I enjoyed all of them. You will think you have it figured out, and then something else happens.​​

The ending is a surprise as things are wrapped up and you find out who's who in these games.

If you enjoy mysteries, an old house that the story was built on, and characters that are an odd sort, you will like THE PERFECT GUESTS. 5/5​​

This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good dual-era historical fiction novel. And The Perfect Guests didn't disappoint. It's a little reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel, and I'm here for it. In 1988, Beth Soames is dropped off to stay with the Averell family at Raven Hall by her aunt who doesn't have the time to care for her orphaned niece. Beth becomes fast friends with Nina, and the two become like sisters. But what seemed like a picture-perfect life comes with a strange string attached. When Nina's grandfather visits, Beth is required to pretend to be Nina. Beth can't figure out why she's required to play the role of his doting granddaughter, and when a tragic accident drives her from the home, it seems she'll never find out. 

In 2019, struggling actress Sadie Langton books a gig at Raven Hall that seems too good to be true. She's given posh clothing and a persona to play for a weekend getaway. But as guests arrive... and disappear... it becomes clear that something sinister is afoot. If you like whodunnits and tidy endings, you'll love this mystery!

The Perfect Guests is a creepy read. Something awry is going on at Raven Hall. The feeling of the whole story is very sinister. It flips from 1989 to modern day. Beth can’t quite figure out why Nina is so reserved and often ill. Until she observes strange behavior and puts the pieces together and realizes horrifying realities. Raven Hall is similar to Hotel California. You can check in but you can never really leave. It’s a decent read for creepiness and chills.

Raven Hall. At the heart of the story sits a character without awareness but as important as the narrators telling the story. Told in dual timelines, The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous is a mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, whom I adore! The two narrators are Beth, set in 1988, an orphaned teen taken in by the wealthy Averell’s as a companion to their daughter, Nina. Beth is comfortable there …. For a while, anyways. She is building a sisterhood with Nina and likes being part of a family again. Then something odd occurs and the life she thought she was building with the Averell’s loses its shine. This brings us to our present time narrator, Sadie. Sadie is an actress, down on her luck and struggling when she’s gets a job at Raven Hall pretending to be a guest at a murder mystery event. Things begin to sour and the lines between timelines blur.

I loved the first two thirds of The Perfect Guests and had a hard time putting it down but towards the end it took a bit of a dramatic turn. Mind you, I still found it enjoyable but a little forced and some of the revelations came just a bit too easily; I was hoping for a bit more of the torturous reveal scenario. Another thing I loved was the twists and know that when I say twists, I mean TA-WISTY! I mean this in the best way possible! Ms. Rous pulled some reveals that I really didn’t see coming.

This is the first book I’ve read from Ms. Rous and as soon as I finished, I ordered her first novel, The Au Pair. This is a solid 4 stars or a book that I’d recommend to any friend that’s a fan of the genre. My thanks to Berkley Publishing for the DRC for review.

A decent thriller, somewhat reminiscent of Agatha Christie. And, who doesn’t like a mysterious story in which an old mansion in somewhat the middle of nowhere is a focal point? With that said, although I really enjoyed the first three-fourths of this novel, the last portion was disappointing.

Told from different points of view, the novel tells the story of 13-year-old Beth in 1988, when she is essentially sent to Raven Hall by her aunt to be raised by foster parents who just happen to have a daughter, Nina, her own age. It is also the story of Sadie in 2019, a struggling actress who is offered a job at a murder mystery dinner at Raven Hall. All of the story lines that develop in these two time periods knit well together at the end, but there are so many “reveals” in the last portion of the novel that the ending seemed rushed and very contrived to me.

Although I thought that the ending was somewhat subpar, I still found this book to be a good pick for a chilly night by the fire.

Okay, so what genre to assign to this book? Mystery plus domestic drama, maybe? Whatever genre it is, it was entertaining, particularly because of how different the style is. The story is told by two narrators and two time periods, Beth in 1988 and Sadie in 2019. The story twists all around until at last the two come together, in what I thought was very contrived, but it did work. I thought that the plot was well-developed with a lot of revelations in the middle and then it was kind of downhill all the way to the end. The conclusion was a surprise that I was not able to guess, but I also thought that it defied belief. The book reminded me a lot of the game “Clue” and the book by Agatha Christie with a similar plot of house guests being picked off one by one. The connections are the real meat of this story and the author did a fantastic job of laying false trails of clues, interspersed with the real ones, so that kept me interested. Fans of mystery will enjoy this book, but I was looking for more suspense that was never really there.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This book was very interesting and surprising. It took a bit to understand the characters, as the book goes back and forth from present time to past time. I did not expect what happened, so it's entertaining. I recommend this as an easy and fun read that will definitely keep your attention.

This book was had the perfect gothic setting with a mystery theme and I loved every second. From a group of strangers gathered in a house to play a murder mystery game to a young girl being used for mysterious reasons, this book truly kept me guessing until the last page. Beth is an orphan whose parents and brother passed away in a car accident. Her aunt has never seemed to want her so she is sent to live at Raven Hall with the Averalls to be a companion for Nina. Raven Hall is grand and her and Nina become the best of friends and she truly feels like a part of the family until she becomes involved in a task she is not sure she wants to play. We also follow Sadie who was hired to play a murder mystery game at Raven Hall for a newly formed company. It is beautiful and grand even with damage from the fire that occurred many years before. As the night goes on, it appears that she is involved in more than just a game.

First of all, the setting was so amazing to read about. There were many descriptions of the beautiful grounds and the elaborate rooms and it truly seemed like such a fun place to grow up. I really liked the dynamic and friendship that developed between Nina and Beth. I loved the mystery at the center of both POVs. They were so gripping and I just couldn’t put the book down until I figured out how they were connected.

If you loved the movie Knives Out, you will definitely love this!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This novel is told in dual timelines. Beth in 1988 & Sadie in 2019. The novel centers around Raven Hall a mysterious mansion where games turn deadly.
The authors descriptions of Raven Hall was superb it’s as though the mansion is alive.
The read was enjoyable, especially part 1 of the novel. Part 2 seemed to drag slightly and become repetitive. At parts it was confusing because there were 7 at the murder mystery and then those in the past. And I found myself conflicted when it came to connecting the pieces. Overall twisty and an enjoyable quick read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC