Mixed thoughts on this one. On one hand the storyline was interesting, on the other, it was slow and I struggled to keep going with it. Middle ground!

Horrible characters, secrets, cheating… I hated pretty much every character in this novel, but I’m pretty sure that was what the author intended… and I have to admit, it was a fun and rather addictive read!

The Dinner Guest follows main character Charles, married to Matthew, as he meets – seemingly by coincidence – a woman, Rachel, in a bookshop one day who manages to firmly plant herself in their lives. Things are not quite as they seem, and plenty of dark secrets and hidden history is revealed as we quickly discover (and this isn’t a spoiler, it happens right at the start of the novel) that Matthew has been murdered – and Rachel takes the blame.

The story is set into two timeframes – one ‘before’ Matthew’s murder, where we find out more about the lead up to that fateful day and relationship between Charles and Matthew, which has always seemed to harmonious but which seems to go downhill when Charles discovers something awful…

The other narrative is based in the present day, ‘after’ the murder, when Charles and their son Titus deal with the aftermath. We read the story from various perspectives, but mostly Charles’ and Rachel’s.

As I mentioned previously, the characters in this novel are unlikable – in fact, many are insufferable! They’re rich, entitled, snobby, exclusive and seemingly have no awareness of how their actions affect others. This creates a really intense atmosphere where you wonder who is being authentic and who knows more than they let on…

There’s plenty of mystery in this novel and I whizzed through it in no time! I’d recommend it for anyone who fancies an easy read, that’s entertaining but not too taxing – a good, fun thriller with lots of twists!

Such a fun premise and unexpected story. I loved the cover of this one and was so intrigued. Finished it in just two days! Love!

Enjoyed this one.
It's not my usual read but it is an excellent thriller and one where I was trying to guess the ending all the way through to no avail.
Drip fed clues along the way make this an intriguing plot and the writing style is extremely engaging.

There are four guests at the dinner table – Titus, Charlie, Matthew and Rachel – and one murder. But who done it?

Wow! I feel like this is the perfect adjective to start the review. I am rendered quite speechless at this absolutely incredible thriller. Walter writes the most unpredictable and unexpected story that I am still thinking about after completing the book. This book provides another burning wish – that I’m sure many of you will relate to – of longing to go back in time just to relive the story again with the unknown. There is no greater feeling than being truly gripped to a book but also devastation that the same feeling can’t be replicated again. However, I would hazard a guess that a second reading would closely match the first. Walter’s stunning plot quickly hooks the reader and combined with suspense and thrill asserts full engagement. I read this so quickly, I just had to know who it was and I can confirm that I was wrong. I had my theories racing in my mind as I tried to read through every page to find the answer. I was convinced I cracked it but was delightfully wrong which further fuelled the absolute unpredictability of The Dinner Guest. Even though all the times I have watched/read Sherlock didn’t help.

I am going to write this into existence now, we need a film adaptation! I can clearly see this being translated so well on screen. All the characters are intriguing and with the flashbacks the author displays helps the reader connect more and solve the crime with important backstories. The narrative switches perspectives between Charlie and Rachel, before and after the murder. This helps in offering more insight to their lives and the situation that unfolds at the dinner table. The context was imperative and is presented in such a captivating way. Charlie and Matthew live a seemingly perfect life with their son Titus and I enjoyed reading these segments. Walter conveys their way of life in a brilliant way that clearly depicts the authors intentions. Along with the juxtaposing Rachel. At times you will be rooting for her and questioning her. I found myself to have a love hate relationship with the devious character. I have a lot I want to say but fear the risk of spoilers but all I can say is that you do not want to miss out on this page turner.

This book is packed full of twists and turns that takes the story in some remarkable directions. Throughout reading this novel I constantly had questions swirling in my mind begging for answers. Some answers were revealed yet Walter leaves impressionable marks throughout. The themes are rooted in blackmail, deception, crime, mystery and suspense. The author captures the essence of all these themes in an outstanding way.

Overall, this highly addictive and engrossing thriller that will compel all readers. I strongly recommend this book to all, especially fans of thriller and mystery. The suspense will constantly keep you on the edge of your seat desperate for the reveal. Once you start I can guarantee you will not put this masterpiece down.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for this gifted e-ARC of The Dinner Guest by B P Walter, in exchange for an honest review.

This review was posted on my blog 20/4/21: https://fortheliterature.wordpress.com/2021/04/20/book-review-the-dinner-guest-by-b-p-walter/

The Dinner Guest is told via different character chapters, each one explaining a bit more at a time and connecting the pieces of the mystery. Who killed Matthew at the dinner party? Rachel, the relatively unknown friend, confesses. But why would she have motive to kill him? Could another character be behind this, such as the victim’s husband or son??
I didn’t have the big reveal or even a lot of the twists & turns figured out with this story! I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters, though, either. That disconnect led me to not love the book as much as other thrillers I have enjoyed.

This was such a good book, and one I highly recommend going in blind. This book is such a wild and mind blowing ride. Get ready to expect the unexpected in this book. Once you start, you won’t want to put this book down. I highly recommend checking this one out!

This thriller is different than others that I’ve read. It STARTS with Matthew’s murder. Then we’re given everyone’s backstories.

The story is really well-written, with plenty of twists and suspense. BP Walter does a great job of developing each character, and building up the suspense, while managing to keep the story fast-paced. That can be difficult to do, but BP executes it beautifully.

I definitely was NOT expecting the ending. You’ll think you have it figured out, and then you realize how wrong you were!

This is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and BP Walter for the opportunity to review this ARC. This review and all opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️

<b>Pros</b>
-- relatively quick read
-- Intriguing plot
-- well written
-- full of twists and turns
-- interesting characters

<b>Cons</b>
-- a little slow and convoluted, at times
-- disappointing ending

Four people are in a room, one turns out dead and one immediately calls the police to confess. Well, you have my undivided attention !

Matthew and Charlie are living the privileged Instagram-like life in the center of London, together with their sweet and adorable preteen Titus. Edited pics go on social media every night and there isn't a cloud in the sky to hinder the perfect future that is set for all three of them. Enters Rachel, a chance encounter who seems to stalk them and infiltrates into their protective shell and pokes little holes wherever she can. Slowly but surely, their whole facade starts to unravel and reveals the murky truth about their most intimate moments, their snobbery and hypocrisy and lies lies lies.

To be completely honest, I didn't anticipate to enjoy this book so much. None of the characters are likable, the rhythm is fast paced, the London setting is not very well detailed and there are a lot of twist and turns - all of which is usually not my cup of tea. But boy, I couldn't refrain to turn the pages to know what was next, get the next little nugget of information that would finally make some sense to the whole plot. I was utterly hooked from start to finish ! At the end, everything ties nicely together and I felt truly satisfied, indulging in a guilty pleasure. Nice !

This story begins at the end - or does it? The Prologue gives us the dead body and the perpetrator - or the person who takes responsibility for the murder.
From that point the book continues from a year before the murder from the point of view of Charlie, the husband, and Rachel, the stranger who has entered their lives.
This is a very character-driven domestic noir full of secrets that are drip fed to the reader. The story is a slow starter that gains speed as the story progresses and moves on beyond the day of the murder.
The characters portrayed are very different from the people they turn out to be!!
Many thanks to Netgalley/B.P. Walter/Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow, wow, wow! This is my favorite type of thrillers, the locked room/location type, where usually only one is left, although done a tad different! Lots of twist and turns, thrilling thrills, chilling chills, and shocks throughout this well written, fast paced, unputdownable book! Quite captivating! Highly, highly recommend!

I read this book in one delicious, all day, Sunday in the garden, sitting! It was well constructed, pacy, and the twists just kept on coming.

When Charlie and Matthew, two upper class Londoners, meet Rachel, in their local Waterstones, little do they imagine that their life is about to be turned upside down. But as Rachel slowly weaves her way more firmly into their lives Charlie begins to suspect that her motives are not as innocent as they seem. But everyone here has their own secrets and who can really be trusted?

Charlie and Rachel narrate most of the story and they are so well written that you can't help but be dragged into their narratives. The supporting cast are also well written and despite one of the main characters dying on the first page he never feels like a side note.

But what I liked most about this book was it's ability to raise deeper questions than your typical whodunnit. Instead probing right into the heart of the assumptions we make and turning them on their heads at every turn. Who's innocent and who isn't? When does the bad guy become the good guy and vice versa.

All in all this was a really cleverly constructed dark mystery. A quick read but don't let that fool you - this book will definitely leave you thinking!

Oh what a read! This book took me on a journey. When I thought I had it all figured out, it was soon clear I was wrong. The characters were well defined and the plot was pacy. Without giving spoilers away, this gives the reader much to think about beyond the 'murder' itself - lots of issues were explored
Recommended.

Thank you for this ARC!

I really enjoyed the book, the characters in it and it was a different way for a story to be written which I really enjoyed. I liked how the chapters were set out and why the characters acted the way they did and what made them do that.

I highly rated this book and would recommend it to everyone.

“But love changes over time, and in those final moments when I knew he was dying, well, I must confess that through the horror and the blood and the shock, the love I felt for him wasn’t quite as profound as I would have expected. Even after everything that had happened.” Charlie

The above-captioned quote is found in the Prologue. I mean, is there any doubt that this is going to be an intriguing read? I loved how the synopsis for this book was very brief – and that is exactly how you should go into this book – knowing next to nothing. The book opens with Matthew, husband to Charlie and father to Titus, dead at the dinner table, stabbed with a knife and Rachel, a newly found friend, holding that knife. As Rachel confesses to the murder, it is obvious that that she is not the one who yielded the knife, but finding out who really was the murderer is a roller coaster of a journey.

The book alternates between Charlie and Rachel’s voices – the chapters are specifically designated as either the time period before the murder, or the time period after the murder, giving your brain time to acclimate. I thought the character development was extremely strong. I could see how each character arrived at where they were emotionally and how their varied backgrounds affected their actions. I didn’t love or hate any characters, but I was fully vested and interested in finding out more about every single one of them!

I find it difficult to talk about the plot when reviewing thrillers without spoiling the thrill for others, so I try to stick to discussing how I felt. I had a strong suspicion throughout the book and in true good thriller fashion, it was partly true, but there was much more than what I assumed. The author wove in some delicious twists and kept my fingers turning those pages into late in the night. The first part of the book may feel like a slow burn – but it was so important to the character and relationship development. It felt like the perfect amount of anticipation was built up for the action and revelations that started multiplying quickly in the second half. My thoughts while reading the end: yup…ah, sure…okay…oh I forgot about that…uh oh…crap…yikes…good luck. Highly recommend!

“It was divine, in the true sense of the word, with vengeance and justice coming together to stabilize an imbalance in the world. It was something greater than anything the day-to-day human life encountered, and therefore required such language to even come close to describing it. Those who claim there is no beauty in violence really have no clue.” Charlie

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. This book is now available everywhere.

The Dinner Guest was a late-night read that was impossible to put down. Compelled to keep turning the pages with every delicious and unexpected twist and turn to find out what happened next and see how it all ended. An utterly satisfying read.

The Dinner Guest by BP Walter

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is told from the perspectives of 2 people, Charlie and Rachel. Both perspectives offer valuable insight along timeframes both before and after a murder that occurs at the beginning of the book and we find ourselves deep in a mystery of murder and intrigue.

I enjoyed the different perspectives and the suspense that was built up throughout the book but I felt it was lacking in some areas. In my view, whilst the explanations were reasonable to justify some of the twists and turns, I found some parts quite unrealistic and I didn’t love it. I also found it difficult to reconcile the class ‘privilege’ that was explored quite painful and I didn’t enjoy that element.

All in all, it’s worth a read, but it’s definitely a cards on the table thriller and for me, wasn’t as compelling or nail biting as I would have liked it to be.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this.

Thank you so much for this ARC.

This book was good. Lots of mystery, great twists and turns, and you don't have to suspend your disbelief to get invested in the plot.

For me, personally, some of the characters felt a little flat, but overall I'd recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers with great twists.

I read this book as part of the Readalong organised by One More Chapter. What I enjoy most about participating in a readalong is that you dissect the story more than usual.

I absolutely loved this book, I was completely, well and truly lost in the pages. It’s definitely different to anything that I have read before.

The Chapters are from the perspective of both Charlie and Rachel with each of them explaining the story in their own world. The book says it itself, you are taken in and it’s a corrupted sense on reality.

I personally feel that the ending is a cliffhanger, the question remains will there be a follow up book?

It is 100% a 5 star read, and I recommend it to everyone!