The days have been gray and cold and this book was the perfect thing to wrap myself up in.

The story is told in two simultaneous parts but they both revolve around Raven Hall. In the 80s, a young girl named Beth is brought to Raven Hall to live there and be a companion to Nina, the owners' daughter. Things are strange in this house. They have Beth pretend to be Nina when her grandfather comes to visit, the one who owns the house and has all the money. Beth, who lost her parents and brother, is torn between loving her life there and wondering just what is going on.

In the present, Sadie, an out of work actress, is asked to come to Raven Hall for a murder mystery party. She will be paid handsomely so she jumps at the chance. Things are just as strange today as they were back then. The cast of characters assembled at the party are locals and some others who are acting very strangely.

There are many a twist and turn. There are many times I was sitting there saying out loud to myself , "I bet that is so and so" or "That has to be her!" I loved the way it intertwined the stories together and you do realize that there is a connection early on but then another red herring is thrown your way . The ending was perfection.

I really enjoyed The Au Pair by Ms. Rous. She had a way of making you think the story was one way only to be surprised by what it really was. The Perfect Guests has that same twinge and I have to say I enjoyed this one even more.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for a copy of this book.

This book was absolutely fantastic!! It hooked you right from the beginning and didn't let go!!!! A definite must read!!!!!

4.5 stars
When Beth arrives at Raven Hall in 1988, she's not sure if she wants to stay... or run. She's in a bit of a tenuous place, having lost her family in an accident and with an aunt who travels, Raven Hall and her new family is better than living in the group home. So she gives it a chance. Markus and Leonora's daughter Nina is nice most of the time, but there are some odd goings on at Raven Hall that concern her.

Fast forward to 2019. Actress Sadie Langton is invited to play a part at a weekend murder mystery party set at... Raven Hall. Turns out it has just been renovated from a mysterious incident. The money is good and Sadie is all-in until things start getting weird starting with thinking she may be poisoned and the faint smell of smoke and the strange participants in the weekend game.

Told in alternating story lines, Nina and Beth's story is gradually revealed. At first, it doesn't seem too complicated and I was wondering what I was missing. Most of the good stuff happens in the final chapters of the book, and the rest is a meandering visit through time. My head is still reeling from the reveals in this book, and I may need to make a chart to figure it all out!

I liked this story and the strange characters and like good mystery and suspense tale, I want to go back and re-read so I can find all the clues that I missed along the way. I did think the pace of the first half was a bit slow for me and all the great reveals came at the end as the group unravels the story for themselves. That part I did like -- I felt I was right along side the characters figuring out what was going on.

If you like a good family-oriented mystery/thriller with lots of secrets set in a spooky old gothic location, you might just like this story. I did!

The Perfect Guests started out as a slow burn and picked up momentum as you read further. I really enjoyed it, from the back and forth time and points of view. It was well done and I was literally 95% finished and still guessing who and what. Very enjoyable book.

I really enjoyed this page turner. This novel has a bit of a gothic feel to it even though the parallel time lines are set in 1988 and current day respectively. Beth, a young teenage girl living in a group home, is suddenly invited to live in Raven Hall, a large isolated manor house. She is to become the friend and companion of Nina Averell, the daughter of the owners of the estate.
Beth loves living there but begins to feel uncomfortable when the Averell's ask her to participate in a harmless charade that isn't as harmless as it seems.
Raven Hall is featured in the 2019 storyline as well, when actress Sadie gets a job at the house portraying a character in a murder mystery weekend.
The author does a great job of keeping things mysterious and suspenseful throughout.

This is the second book from the author of The Au Pair which I loved, but this one was a bit of a struggle for me to finish.

After reading the description of two timelines, a grand estate and a sinister game with guests, I couldn't wait to dive in. While I did enjoy the concept of the book, it just didn't grab me like I was hoping it would.

I was interested enough in the game that was playing out in the two timelines, that I wanted to see how it would wrap up.

She is an author that I will definitely give another chance too.

Thanks to NG and publisher for my advanced copy!

3.5/5 stars - rounded up for rating

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the free ebook copy in exchange for my honest review

What I loved about THE AU PAIR, the debut from Emma Rous, was the overall atmosphere, the pacing was great, and there didn’t seem to be any kind of filled or lull. Rous brings us something unique and just as fun to read in her second book THE PERFECT GUESTS. I don’t know about you other readers that frequent the thriller and suspense genres, but it was so refreshing to have a new story that is set outside of the typical suburban neighborhood.

Raven Hall is a beautiful and sprawling manor, even after all the renovations needed after the fire decades ago. So when Sadie, a struggling actress, is offered a job at Raven Hall she accepts. Being hired to be a guest at a weekend party at the estate seems like a nice gig, right? Well, nothing is ever as it seems and Sadie is learning quickly there could be sinister consequences to this party. We also get to meet Beth, in 1988, she’s a young girl staying with the family at Raven Hall. She truly feels like she belongs and becomes fast friends with the daughter her age – so what happened to her?

We get multiple points of view, dual timelines, and plenty to keep you guessing and asking questions as the puzzle comes together. I loved trying to piece together how their timelines would or might intertwine. I wasn’t completely shocked by the twists but this was 100% a binge read as I had gone through the first half without even realizing it. If you’re a fan of her first book, THE AU PAIR, then I highly recommend picking this one up!

A summer day away helping for a wealthy family when she is dragged into a game she would want no part of. A mysterious and thrilling story of survival in a place you are unfamiliar with.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't have a lot to say about this one, for while it was fun, it won't prove a memorable read for me. I did quite enjoy the sinister classic Clue and The Westing Game vibe (with a nod to Agatha Christie) combined with twisted coming-of-age 'girly' tale. I definitely wanted to see where things were going and I was pretty engrossed until about 3/4 in. The final quarter, however, felt rushed and a tad hokey, so I felt let down by that. It was a fun, fast little ride while it lasted and it would make a good beach (or long airplane ride) read.

Happy Publication Day! A HUGE thank you to @emmarousauthor and the @berkleypub team for the ARC of The Perfect Guests. I immediately jumped at this opportunity because I loved the slow burn masterpiece The Au Pair!

Two time lines following Beth in 1988, who is an orphaned teen, goes to stay with the Averells family at Raven Hall. The Averells are looking for a friend for their daughter Nina, and immediately the two become like sisters... then Beth is asked to do a very strange and odd favor.

In 2019, Sadie is a struggling actress who can't afford her rent, and she finally receives a well paid opportunity. Participate in a murder mystery show at Raven Hall Manor.

Que the unreliable narrator... who throws in the wrench to the mystery and left me devouring this book, wondering what the hell to expect!

Three worlds connect as dark flashbacks draw you in, as strange and twisty occurances take place in the present that left me wanting more, turning page after page. A voice that wants to claim what is rightfully hers. Well plotted, with characters I loved and of course, characters I hated, #theperfectguests is a great thriller, that fans of Christie will enjoy!

The different POVS are perfectly executed and well done. Which is a huge plus for me!

After reading (and loving!) Rous’ previous novel, The Au Pair, I was thrilled to find out about her latest book The Perfect Guests!

This book! OMG! I loved the back-stabbing, the secrets, the lies, the betrayals, the romance, the background history, the multiple POV’s… ok I loved EVERYTHING about this book! With characters that you will love, or love to hate or simply hate from the start, there is so much drama and interesting things going on that you will be hooked from the very first page.

I enjoyed the many different characters in the book and learning about their various personalities and also getting a glimpse into their life and understanding their past and what makes them who they are now in the present. I enjoyed the main character, Beth, and reading the book through her POV and learning about her life, especially once she moves into the Averell’s home. The mystery around the Averell’s and why they sometimes would act strangely, especially Nina. Why didn’t she go to school; why was she not allowed into the village; why did she end up sick each time her grandfather came for a visit, who she has yet to meet? So may questions and mysterious happenings to keep you hooked and entertained.

I loved when the “guests” are invited to take part of a murder mystery and invited to stay in the Averell’s home all those years later. I loved how it felt like the game Clue (which I love) and the dynamics of each of the guests. With many shocking revelations and twists, especially the shocking ending that I didn’t see coming, this is definitely one that you need to read, right now!

This book is on sale now so be sure to grab your copy today.

Beth tragically loses both her parents and her brother in an accident when she's 14 years old. Despite having a close family member who could adopt her, her aunt Caroline instead has her live at Raven Hall with a couple and their 14 year old daughter, Nina. Beth was essentially brought into their family to be a companion for Nina, but as Beth's time in Raven Hall continues, she realizes there may be more reasons that she's there than they initially led on... The Perfect Guests has two timelines: present day from Sadie's point of view, and the past from Beth's point of view. These timelines weave together to make some really great twists and turns throughout the book. I can't believe I didn't read this book until now! Definitely recommend.

Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it. – W. W. Jacobs, English author (1863-1943).

Both Beth Soames and Sadie Langton have their wishes come true but afterward, life is never the same. Note to readers: The Perfect Guests pays meticulous attention to seemingly extraneous details—consider this a major spoiler alert.

July 1988. When she was thirteen-years-old, Beth lost her parents and brother in a tragic car accident. Her frosty aunt Caroline didn’t invite the newly orphaned teenager to live with her, so she ended up in a children’s home. One day Caroline drives Beth to Raven Hall, a stunning house in the country. Raven Hall is set in the Fens, a coastal plain in eastern England. It’s a geographical and historical area that will be familiar to readers of Dorothy L. Sayers The Nine Tailors.

Geographically the Fens are situated mostly in the English county of Cambridgeshire. The region is known for its tranquil beauty, but with moody weather and sometimes peculiar inhabitants, it can be a treacherous environment where a watery end is always a possibility. A great setting for a crime novel…

Beth is to be a summer companion to Nina, a young girl her age. When they arrive at Raven Hall, she is so nervous:

Caroline, for once, offered no spiky words of advice. I squeezed the door handle with clammy fingers, holding my breath and gazing back at Nina. She wasn’t smiling. Did she hate this idea of her parents’? Would Caroline end up driving me—her jaw tight, her knuckles a furious white on the steering wheel—straight back to the children’s home before today was over?

But the girls do become friends and Beth’s fears of being summarily returned to the children’s home recede. Nina’s parents, Leonora and Markus, are somewhat over-protective: although the girls are permitted to swim and boat on the estate’s lake, they are forbidden to walk to the little village a few miles away. Beth is troubled by that but she’s so relieved to be part of a family, she tamps down her anxieties. One day Leonora and Markus ask Beth to do them a little favor. Nina is sick, just when her grandfather has arrived from the United States to visit her. Will Beth pretend to be Nina?

Leonora and Markus has done so much for me; of course I’d do what they asked, even though it sounded bizarre.



“Okay,” I said. “I’ll try my best.”



“You’re an angel.” Leonora placed her hand over mine. “Thank you. And don’t look so worried. Just think of it as—a little game.”

Over the next few years, the scenario repeats itself, making Beth not only uncomfortable but suspicious—why does Nina fall ill every time her grandfather is scheduled to visit? Isn’t that rather sinister? Mostly Beth feels like a member of the family but one day everything falls apart. There’s a fire at Raven Hall and Markus dies in a tragic accident.

January 2019. Struggling actress Sadie Langton is going through a bad patch. Her agent Wendy can’t seem to get her a commercial gig (even to play a mermaid!) and things are looking rather dire. Then Wendy suggests an alternative.

“But listen. I’ve got much better news—a fabulous job offer for you. It’s a murder mystery company, just starting up, and they want to act out a trial run of the game so they can take photos for their website—glamorous costumes at a posh dinner party, that sort of thing. It’s out in a big old mansion in the Fens—gorgeous-looking place, full of dark history . . .”



Sadie straightens, the mermaid commercial already forgotten. “Sounds interesting. When’s the audition?”



“That’s the best bit, Sadie. There’s no audition. The job’s yours if you want it, and the money is excellent.”

Wendy reads Sadie the words of the actual invitation card: “‘You are cordially invited to play a Game at Raven Hall’ . . .” It’s an echo of what Leonora said to Beth so many years ago: “Just think of it as—a little game.” Neither Beth nor Sadie is moored to a stable family, they only have peripheral relationships. Financial and emotional insecurity are facts of life until they are “rescued”, although their rescue brings worries and danger in its wake.

A terrific follow-up to The Au Pair, The Perfect Guests is a perfect puzzle involving a house, a family, and the people who come into their orbit. Prepare to be surprised at the twists and turns. Emma Rous writes about generational family secrets like nobody’s business.

I was so excited to see a new book coming out by Emma Rous because I really enjoyed and sped through reading The Au Pair and this one seemed like it might have a similar vibe.

Told in Beth's perspective in 1988 when she moves in with the Averells and befriends their daughter, Nina and Sadie's in 2019 who is invited to act as a guest for a weekend party. The thing that brings both storylines together is the grand and spooky place that is Raven Hall and the secrets that lie inside.

It was definitely a creepy and entertaining read and it pulled you in to see how these two stories end up connecting together. Some of the twists felt thrown at you all at once near the end, but I didn't see them coming so I did like that it kept you guessing. 3.5 stars for this solid read, but I think I prefer her first novel over this one.

Thank you Netgalley & Berkley Publishing for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfect Guests is told in two different timelines. The first follows Beth in 1988 who is 14 and goes to live with a couple and their daughter at Raven Hall when her family dies in a tragic car accident. Beth feels like she doesn’t belong, but she does everything she can to fit in. Beth soon discovers that the family is hiding secrets. The second timeline follows Sadie in 2019 who is a struggling actress. One day she gets a job offer to be an actress in a murder mystery party held at Raven Hall. When she arrives, nothing is as it seems and by the end the past and the future comes together and it’s not pretty.
I thought that this book was an interesting read that started out really well. There were a few moments that dragged and sometimes all the POVs and changing timelines was a little much, but overall not a bad read. The ending was very explosive and kept you guessing.

A twisted tale of family and the power of home.

Emma Rous has done it again with The Perfect Guests. Just as she had done with The Au Pair she breathes life into her settings, invoking emotions, and picture-perfect scenery you can easily imagine as you flip through the pages of her books. Similar to the Au Pair, she draws connections between the owner of a house and the strong connection they have to it, their will to protect it at all costs. This time she focuses on Raven Hall, a beautiful home, with a perfect family that resides within.

In the 1980s, Beth Soames finds herself taken in by the Averells, she can't believe her luck. She's finally found a family once again after the death of her parents. As she grows accustomed to the Averells way of life, she soon discovers not all is as it seems and even the most perfect of families even have secrets. Weaving between Beth's time at the Raven Hall we meet Sadie Langton, a town on her luck actress looking for anything to keep her afloat. She's invited to Raven Hall to take part in a murder mystery like-game with an assortment of guests, tasked to find the fake murderer by the following morning. As the game plays on, the guests realize something sinister brews beneath the surface of Raven Hall.

I really enjoyed this book. Emma Rous knows her way around a good thriller without being predictable as many books are these days. You get lost in the pages describing Raven Hall wishing you could visit it yourself. Thank you Emma Rous, Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC, truly it was great.

3 Wanted More Stars
This had all the makings of a seriously twisty tale. It did draw you in from the start laying out all of the needed interests to make you want to know more.
It became more difficult to follow and be as interested once the middle started. Still interesting but the beginning was more captivating.

No matter how much you think you know I promise you will not know everything that is happening in The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous until the very end. This psychological thriller does not let you off the roller coaster until it has exhausted every reveal and there are plenty.

The book has a few timelines and as we go back and forth the picture gets less murky but for me the full clear picture was not seen until the end which I appreciated as a thriller fan.

In 1988 Beth is a 14 year old orphan when she comes to stay with a wealthy family at Raven Hall manor and instantly falls in love with them and their daughter Nina. Just as she settles in she is asked to do a very special favor; one with dire consequences.

In 2019 out of work actress Sadie considers herself lucky to get a well paying gig to be a pretend party guest at Raven Hall. The job comes at the perfect time and seems like an easy fun way to get her bills paid but are there ever really lucky coincidences?!

What do these timelines have in common? You have to read the book because, trust me, it is an intricate detailed explanation. My one piece of advise is everything from the beginning leads to the end so pay attention.

There a lot of characters and I had to go back and forth a few times to remember how people were connected but it was worth it in the end. If you enjoy a build up to an explosive conclusion this book is a must read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

It was good!

A huge thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

What I liked-

The Premise- Multiple Timelines, Multiple POV's, Multiple Mysteries. What more can you ask for? Oh yeah, a sprawling estate at the center of it all called Raven Hall.

The Writing- The author kept me intrigued the entire time. This book is easily readable in one sitting. If I had the time to do it maybe my star rating would be a tad higher.

The Mysteries and Secrets- I feel like the author did a good job at answering all the questions I had while reading.

Why This Book Lost Stars-

Did This Book Need a Third Timeline? It was a little confusing at first but all of the timelines fit together nicely at the end. I would have liked if the extra timeline was dated.

The End- I just don't get the deep obsession with this house. I don't get it.

Overall- I still recommend this to other readers and I really loved Emma Rous' previous novel The Au Pair. I will definitely be picking up her next book.

Quick entertaining book. While there is the feel of the gothic mystery it’s a modern setting with a dysfunctional family, deception, poisoning and a little romancer. A little too many twists for me to fully enjoy.