I would recommend THE PERFECT GUESTS for fans of suspense, especially those who appreciate a vivid gothic setting - after all, there's a mansion with turrets! However, it's a bit uneven. I really enjoyed the story until the final section, at which point it went a bit off the rails. The suspenseful mystery turned into a series of clumsy reveals and twisty developments that felt forced and rushed. The characters lost credibility and the narrative sort of fizzled out in terms of suspending disbelief.

I really enjoyed this thriller by Emma Rous. It had a gothic feel to me with an isolated English manor called Raven Hall and a spooky murder mystery party. In present day several people are invited to Raven Hall for a murder mystery weekend. They find themselves with no phone service and no transportation except on foot. Someone goes missing and other strange things begin to happen. The other timeline is set in 1988 and also in Raven Hall. The family that lives there takes in a young teenage girl named Beth from the local Children's home to be a companion for their daughter Nina. Beth wonders why Nina can never leave the grounds of Raven Hall.
I love that this book is told in dual timelines. It is very twisty and mysterious and at the end it all ties together the people at the murder mystery party and the family from 1988.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for review.

THE PERFECT GUESTS by Emma Rous is an evenly paced mystery, a unique plot with a murder mystery weekend and a three generational love story set in a creepy isolated estate named Raven Hall. Dual storylines and POVs set in 1988 and 2019. Lots of twists, mysterious guests, fires, poisonings, hidden agendas and more. First half flows along nicely, the second part of the book seemed to be rushed. All in all and entertaining read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I really enjoyed this book until the final portion, at which point it went completely off the rails for me. The first 3/4 of this book was an intriguing mystery with well developed characters, a believable storyline, and pacing that really kept my attention. I was so excited to find out just what the hell was going on with this family!
The last part though.....wow. And not in a good way. It was like it was written by a completely different person! Everything was rushed, the dialogue was incredibly stilted, and reveal after reveal was clumsily dumped out on the table to little to no fanfare from the characters. No one would act the way any of these characters were acting.
This was the most disappointing ending to a book that I can remember. I’m a huge fan of the author’s last book, so I’m hoping this was just a fluke.

This was an excellent thriller. The plot was unique and the characters were layered and sympathetic. I loved the alternating narrations and timelines which ratcheted up the tension. There were so many twists and they were all surprising. I read this in one sitting because I didn’t want to stop reading. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for further novels by Emma Rous.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC. I think multiple timelines, POVs are all the rage now. Two out of three timelines were interesting, but only one was really good. I liked the 'game'part, but the other two were kind of meh. The writing was good, the characters were good, but the story was not great. Maybe I expected more death/terror.

This book was captivating from the beginning and I devoured it quickly. I love that the setting plays the part of a character (I'm a sucker for gorgeous and mysterious mansions with turrets), and this book was Knives Out-like in that regard. I enjoyed the alternating POV's and how things started to unfurl throughout the beginning of the book, but I did find the ending a bit rushed. Still satisfying for sure, but a little off in its pacing. This is the perfect story for lovers of Clue/Knives Out type mysteries to read on a cloudy day with a cozy blanket and a cup of tea!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC!

I’ve actually been waiting for this book to come out all year and I really really really really liked it. Emma Rous is great at writing at atmospheric psychological thriller and this one doesn’t disappoint.

I was so excited to get a chance to read this book because I LOVED, The Au Pair. I love this book as well. It has so many twists and turns and secrets, it was hard for me to put it down! I’m buying a physical copy once it’s out. Thank you!!!

The first half of this book was great--I was completely invested in the premise and curious as to how the twists would unfold. It was also a quick and light read--there's very little in the way of violence or language. Neither of which I mind in my books, but this was a nice palate cleanser.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book--or most notably once Sadie makes in to Raven Hall for her part in the "game" was a slight let down. I liked the dual narrative of Beth's past and Sadie's present. Being left on each woman's cliffhanger made you need to discover more. But as a consequence, you never really got deeply into the characters, especially the other guests who arrived with Sadie (and Sadie herself). It's hard to care about any of them as they're all rather flat, even though we're forced to accept the twists that connect them to the plot line. I also found the dialogue among everyone a bit awkward--they all seem to be pretty blase about their attempted murders and speak to one another as though reading from a middle school drama class script. And though I do love closure, everything was just a bit too perfectly tied up with a bow.

To recommend or not? It was a decent read, sure, but don't go into it thinking you're going to get an edge-of-your-seat thriller. It's just not terribly exciting.

Thank you to Shelf Awareness and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to review this advance copy.

When a Woman Loves a House. Wuthering Heights, But Cathy Is a House. Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Obsessed with Real Estate. These are all possible alternate titles for this book. This is a serviceable thriller for anyone who loves a story where a piece of property is the central MacGuffin. Towards the middle, I was hoping for some more narrative meat or at least more details in the past timeline of what life was like for Beth. We see the moments of crisis described clearly, but some more detail of what her time was like in Raven Hall when things were “normal” would have been interesting to explore. Overall, the conclusion was very satisfactory.

“The Perfect Guests” by Emma Rous
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Publisher: Berkley
Pub. Date: Jan. 21, 2020

Mysteries are not usually a genre that I am a fan of, but I did enjoy this one. I found “The Perfect Guests” to be a fun read. Though, I am not sure if the author would appreciate why I enjoyed her tale. (Will get to that later). The premise of the novel is an updated version of Agatha Christies’, “And Then There Were None,” which is the story of ten strangers, each lured to a party by a mysterious host. As with “None,” each character in “Guests” receives a deliciously suspicious invitation, because the invite is tailored to their personal circumstances and needs, such as an offer of employment. Once the guests have arrived, the host accuses each person of murder, and one by one, the guests, now suspects, go missing and are found murdered. A difference in the novels is that in “Guests” alone the dinner invitation is clear that this will be a murder/mystery-themed game party. (Always wanted to be invited to such a party). So, the reader will find themselves smack in the middle of the board game, Clue, right down to the silly character names. Instead of Mr. Mustard and Professor Plum, in this novel, we meet Professor Owl and a Lord Nightingale. In reality, the popular strategy board game was a mediocre game at its best, but how can you not have fun when you are supposed to be someone named Mr. Mustard. Get my point?

In “Guests” there are two storylines, one in the present and the other takes place during the 1980s. In the present day, Sadie is an unemployed actress who doesn’t have the money for this month’s rent. Then, lo and behold, she is offered a gig to play the character Miss Lamb (my favorite name in the book is Miss Mouse) in a murder mystery-themed game/dinner party. The party takes place at the newly restored gothic-like old mansion—tick-tock—named Raven Hall. In the past, we meet Markus, Lenora, and their teenage daughter Nina. They are living in Raven Hall during the house’s glory days. For reasons that truly do not make sense to the reader, they invite fifteen-year-old Beth, who they found in a home for orphans, to live with them as a companion for Nina. Even Beth wonders why fourteen-year-old Nina needs a “playmate.” But, that is one of the author’s many twists. It does seem that Rous throws in just about every far-fetch murder-mystery twist that has ever been written into her novel.

During the present-day game/dinner party, all questions from the past are pieced together. The writing during the party scenes has a campy vibe. I do not think that this was the author’s intention; nevertheless, it worked. If you are as old as I am, you may remember the Carol Brunette Show where they spoofed soap operas and films. These sketches were notorious for overusing loud organ music when something sinister was about to happen in whatever production they were recreating. Well, that is how I read this novel, as a parody. I could almost hear the creepy organ pipes. In hindsight, I probably enjoyed this novel because I went in not expecting an Agatha Christie superior style of writing. Still, Rous’ style is entertaining. And to be fair, I did not guess every single twist. So, if you are in the mood for a light murder mystery, I suggest you give this one a try. And, if you are in a party mood, read it with a friend while dressed up in Clue board game character costumes, and see who can figure out the murderer first.

Thank you for the copy of this book.

I really enjoyed the story - very descriptive. It kept me is suspense - nothing was as it seems!
The house seemed scary and intriguing!
I would recommend this book!

I was really excited about this one, because I liked The Au Pair, and I'm super thankful I was approved for an eARC! That said, this one was not quite as good, although still enjoyable. I really wanted to understand more about WHY Leonore was obsessed with Raven House, I kept trying to figure it out and it just wasn't there for me. Beyond that, the rest of the story was twisty and engaging, I'm definitely glad I read it!

This was a captivating read that I finished in one sitting. The chapters alternate between Beth, a 14 year old orphan living with a foster family at a mansion named Raven Hill in the 1980's, and Sadie, a struggling actress invited to play a part in a murder mystery game at the same mansion in current times. There is also a 3rd POV scattered between the other chapters, initially an unknown character, but eventually telling some of the backstory.

I am a sucker for a creepy mansion story and I got that but also so much more. The author weaved the story together magnificently, with the Beth/Sadie story lines converging in a way that I didn't expect. There were a lot of secrets between a lot of characters but at no point was I confused, nor could I find a part where the author didn't tie up the loose ends.

The story was fast-paced and even the unlikable characters (of which there were many) were believable- I felt like there was some character development even in the most tertiary of characters. Beth foster mother, Leonora's, obsession with Raven Hill was fascinating to me and tied the whole story together. I did think that the part around the set-up of the murder mystery (the intros and drinks into the dinner) was a little drawn-out compared to the pace of the rest of the book but that is a minor nit and the overall pacing was good.

All in all, I thought this was a great book and I am looking forward to what else rous comes up with next. If you like a twisty family mystery in an creepy atmosphere, you will not be disappointed. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am delighted to have received an ARC from Netgalley. I am leaving my honest review.

Emma Rous creates a complex and captivating mystery surrounding a mansion, Raven Hall, located in the fens of England..

The book unfolds through different perspectives and eras but creates a cogent and entertaining whole..

The Perfect Guests is told from the perspective of two different characters in two different time frames. Beth , a 14 year old orphan, shares her story of being a guest at Raven Hall in the 1980’s and becoming best friends with Nina, the 14 year old girl that lives there. Sadie, a hopefully actress is invited to play a role in a murder mystery dinner at Raven Hall in 2019. At first it’s hard to see where the storylines will intertwine but I think this happens in an unsuspected way which opens the door for many more surprises!

I really enjoyed this book. I think the first half was more exciting to read but only because there was a lot of suspense built up! The second half is when questions were starting to be answered. I loved the inclusion of a murder-mystery party and I liked that there were two stories happening simultaneously, each with their own twists and turns! I can usually figure out the ending of a book early on, but this read left me clueless in some areas up until the very end!

Emma Rous' The Perfect Guests is a perfect book! If you love books that feature big old houses, eccentric characters, and a bit of gothic sloppiness you'll love this book. Beware. Nothing is quite what it seems.

This is a strange and mysterious novel that will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. Nothing is as it seems, that’s for sure.

This book is one sit, captivating, twisty reading. You may see some twists beforehand and but some of them were still surprising that you won’t see them coming. Especially when I try to solve the complex relationships between characters I got a little lost. Several times I asked myself who was related with whom.

I have to say especially first half of the book was delightful. We’re going back and forth between the past: Beth’s arrival to Raven Hall as a companion of Averell family’s daughter Nina and the present time: a young, jobless actress Sadie Langton who suffers to make ends meet, getting a job offer she cannot refuse: role playing at a murder mystery party which will take place at the very same Raven Hall.

Beth is ready to do anything to continue living at Raven Hall because she lost her family recently. Her aunt doesn’t want to take care of her. And she starts liking Nina as her sister, also having a crush on Averell’s old friends’ son Jonah.

And in the present time: Sadie feels lucky to this well paid job but when she starts to read her character’s role play card, she realizes things written about the character exactly reflects her own life which gives her suspicions about the way she’s been invited into this murder play.
Eight chosen guests’ suspicious manners who are specifically invited to the special manor and mysterious high tension, gothic world building reminded me of Agatha Christie books. So I actually devoured the first half and witness how Beth finds herself to play a intriguing game with Averell family, replacing Nina to meet with estranged grandfather who wants to take her back to live in the US.

And in the meantime, strange things start to happen at murder mystery play. One of guests is missing and the rest of them feel nauseous, disoriented. Did somebody try to hurt them?

So it started so well but when I reach the second part just like a play’s second act, the pace went repetitive. Everybody starts making confessions abruptly without any resistance.

Twists were creative but the way of revealing of them were a little haphazard, unplanned and awkward. All those villains of the story acted like they drank truth serums and they start to confess everything without hesitation.
So thriller parts are overshadowed by unnecessary drama. Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians vibes at the gothic mansion lost its charm. There was so much potential about that part of the story. But unfortunately it failed for me.

I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 even though I didn’t like the second half. Some of surprising revelations and promising, hooking start and being a loyal fan of the author made me do that! It’s still easy, fast, soft, gripping reading. But I honestly think there is still some wasted potential.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this unputdownable ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.