Thank you Netgalley and Aria & Aries for the eARC.
Wow, David Mark has done it again! He has officially become my favorite male author - every standalone book (I think I've read them all now) is unique, gripping and unputdownable. His writing is just about perfect and his characters fascinating.
In this read, set in Scotland, mother of three, Ronnie, has kicked her husband out for cheating and has met a possible suitor in the enigmatic Bishop (who sports gold teeth). Whether he's good for her is yet to be determined...
My favorite character was Nicholas Roe, one of her house guests. Skeleton-like, ash colored, fetid breath with loose, bloody teeth and all, he's one of the most appealing characters I've read - marvellous!
Drugs and body parts for sale have also brought the police and a government agency to this coast of Scotland and poor Ronnie becomes a hapless
victim caught in between the warring factions. I tried to read slowly to savor this book, but that was impossible, it's superb and I can't recommend it highly enough! 5+++ stars

Although this book and author have excellent reviews I’m afraid I gave up before the end of the lengthy prologue. Unfortunately it put me off reading more, too gruesome and intense. Not at all entertaining.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

‘The Guest House” is a heart-stopping crime thriller by author David Mark. I was instantly hooked from the prologue and could not put this book down. Right away, the author paints a vivid setting by using intense descriptions that set my imagination on fire. There is an initial jaw-dropping twist that actually got me up out of my seat. I pumped my fist and shouted “What a way to start a book!” It just got better from there.

The author weaves together a cool cast of characters, that are each so unique and fleshed out. It was super exciting seeing how all their stories tied together, especially when some characters were not all they initially seemed. Something surprising about the book was how scary it actually was in some chapters, with a main plot point of the novel being a common horror theme. The author masterfully counterpoints this horror feel with humour, mostly from the protagonist as she deals with her very relatable and real-life struggles.

Overall, I fully enjoyed this novel. It is one of my favourites that I have read this year so far, and I cannot wait to check out the author’s other novels.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

Ever since reading my first David Mark book, I've been a huge fan. That is why I try and read all of his books, preferably in order.
So, after reading The Guest House, with its huge surprise at the end, and reading so many reviews where the reviewer wonders why this book has a title that doesn't seem to have to do much with what's happening: here is the solution. No, it's not a spoiler. I was looking to buy some David Mark titles that are missing from my collection, and I found that The Guest House was published under another title last year. It’s even on GR but there are only 7 reviews. I must admit that I’m surprised about that because The Guest House/Blood Money is the start of a new series with a very interesting main character, Mr Nicholas Roe.
I do not have to tell you more about the story in The Guest House, because other reviewers done that already. I can tell you that this is a ‘David Mark book for advanced readers’. I cannot recommend to read this book as your first try with his books. David Marks writing style is not an easy one and sometimes it seems as people do random things, especially when the story is told with flashbacks. If you are willing to try, however, you are rewarded with an unique experiment, because The Guest House has ties to the Aector McAvoy series in a very unexpected way. Nicholas Roe is nothing like McAvoy which is good because why would anyone write different series where the main character is exactly the same? Nicholas Roe is quite something else. And under al the running around, misunderstandings, strange conversations and violence, there is a very real and harrowing story.
I really do hope to see a second book in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the digital review copy.

This is the first book by David Mark.

I found this story to be well-written and fast-paced, but not so fast that it seems rushed. It was very easy to read and quite the page turner.

This book is described as a thriller, but has a bit of a crime fiction edge to it as well.

I really enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the Scottish Highlands – it was almost like I travelled there without ever leaving my couch.

I would highly recommend this story to anyone who loves thrillers/crime fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria & Aries and David Mark for the opportunity to review this ARC. This review and all opinions are my own.

How much would you pay to survive?
Very intriguing read! Not gonna say it was the best book I've read..... But it was decent enough to finish.
Enjoyed the writing but it feels like some if these boo!s are going in the same direction.
Not enough thrill for my.liking. wished there was more..

Unfortunately this just didn't grip me at all. I was all set for a good mystery but in the end I found myself skimming bits to get through what felt like a bit of a slog. I've read more than my fair share of crime novels in the past but I'm not a fan of when authors throw everything at it. And this one had it all – mobsters, drugs, even black market organ donors.

There's a whole lot going on and for some people that will totally be their thing. It definitely does ramp up once it gets going and you could read it in one sitting easily. So if you're a crime novel fan who's looking for their next quick page turner, it's worth a go. There's plenty to get your teeth into, but be warned that it's fairly dark. Otherwise it wouldn't be quite at the top of my recommendations pile. Nevertheless thanks to Aria & Aries for the ARC!

This was a fun, quick, fast paced read; with many sinister underlyings! Well written and unputdownable at times! Lots of twists and turns, thrills, chills, and shocks! I highly recommend to my fellow thriller lovers!

Ronnie Ashcroft. mother of three, separated from her husband, owns and runs a guest house.

One of the guests is a man, who is literally dying. He seems to be a nice man, but he does act strangely from time to time. Snooping, she finds pictures of her husband with his new girlfriend. How does this man know her husband? Why does he have pictures of him?

She's been seeing a new man, Bishop, but it's going nowhere. She's discovered that he has ties to a drug ring .. and who knows what else. When he disappears from her life, she learns that he supposedly has been murdered.

Seems like no one is who they say they are ... they all have secrets .... even the police.

This is a complex plot, mysterious from the beginning. Drugs, gun smuggling, and what is the big house on the hill hiding? Characters are deftly drawn, and I admit, I didn't like most of them .. just what the author was shooting for, I'm sure. This is pure David Mark.

Many thanks to the author / Aria & Aries Pubishers / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This was a crime thriller unlike my usual choices and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It fed the reader just enough of the story at a time to keep you guessing, and even supporting characters were fleshed out in detail creating a sense of understanding about the small coastal town and the smoking gun of a guest house.

The only criticism I can give it is that the ending seemed rushed - I feel the author may have been going for a crescendo of tension but actually I was just left wanting more.

This is the first book I have read by this author, David Mark. I can assure you it will not be my last!

This is a story about a Sibley reuniting with her mother after she experiences something tragic.

It doesn't take long for Sibley to realize not only is she not the same person she once was, neither is her mother!

This is an awesome psychological read, I highly recommend it!

I give this 5 stars.

I was given this arc from NetGalley for my honest review.

Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for approving me for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Ronni, a mother of 3 who is renting out guest houses on her property. Ronni finds out that her husband left her for another woman and kicks him out, resulting in her taking care of her children alone. However, everything is not what it seems and everyone Ronni knows has secrets.

This is the first book I've read by this author, so I didn't know what to expect. It was a very quick-paced read, which I really enjoyed. I was under the impression that this was a thriller, but it felt more like a fictional crime story to me. There is more to this story than what the synopsis covers, which is a little misleading. I think the plot was very unique and had great potential, but some of the details of the characters got a little confusing.

Overall, this book was intriguing and I found myself struggling to put it down (despite the confusion at times). I enjoyed the quick pace of this book, as some thrillers can be difficult to get into. I am planning on read some more of David Mark's work, as I did find myself enjoying this piece.

The Guest House was well written and extremely descriptive but for me it was just a little too dark and I did find it a bit confusing in places.
I'm sure if you are a fan of this type of book it will be a great hit but for me it just wasn't what I expected and I did struggle with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

This is a well written and very dark thriller, filled with so many and different characters. Set in Scotland, full of good guys and bad guys and hard to tell who is who at times. There was plenty mystery and violence, with gangsters and drug smugglers in abundance and the writing is very descriptive. Having said that, I enjoyed the read, the vivid descriptions and the exciting twist at the end. Another good read from David Mark, which I would recommend to lovers of thrillers. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Loved this one! So easy to read and lots of twists and turns along the way. Definitely a quick read and one I recommend.

)Got to say the author’s descriptions of smells and bodies and smells from bodies are legend, ( and teeth! ) for the story they are on point and very realistic
The story....well it’s got the basis for a great tale but then as it gets deeper into itself it seems to forget there is a reader alongside and although hate to admit it it all got too confusing, there are goodies who are baddies who are really goodies and vice versa, all trying to con each other and outwit one another to get to their respective goals
The ‘Guest House’ does have a role in it all, as does the owner but it’s not the bones of the story, far from it and is like a base for all that is actually ‘going on’
I was left at the end not knowing really who was good and who was bad and who won/was defeated
The opening chapter is superb and very dark and a ‘ewwwww yuk’ scary and Theresa the village gossip is wonderful in her role, the descriptions of the desolate area of Scotland the book is set in are great
Very mixed feelings on the book and if I was the author I would consider making it all a bit less complex as like said above the base of the story is there and good enough without all the added unnecessary distractions

2.5 Stars
5/10

David Mark is unstoppable, writing brilliant crime fiction again and again, at the core of which is the creation and development of wonderful offbeat characters, as can be seen in this, his latest atmospheric and gritty offering, set in Scotland on the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula. 35 year old Ronni Ashcroft, is mother to 3 children, Atticus and Poppy, screen junkies, and her youngest, the captivating Lilly, running a guest house, with a cleaner, Theresa, who refuses to be made redundant, she has thrown out her cheating husband, Callum. Despite being run ragged, she has acquired a kind of boyfriend, Bishop, although she struggles to give him the attention he wants. Ronni finds herself in a desperate battle for survival as she finds herself shockingly immersed in the brutal violence of South American drug cartels, crime lords, psychos, a sinister private local hospital, and the grim world of illegal organ transplants.

The star of this book for me is the extraordinary Nicholas Roe, a sick, broken down man, the walking dead, part devil, oozing of death, smoke and corruption. A wonderfully atmospheric and riveting crime read, underpinned with a dark sense of humour, that I think will appeal to many crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to Head of Zeus, Aria and Aries, for an ARC.

Ronni is piecing her life back together after her husband left her and their three children. She runs a successful guesthouse and has even tentatively started dating Bishop, an enigmatic and rather complex man. With secrets. But are these secrets harmful to her. Things get strained when he disappears and this escalates when the police make a discovery. Are the rumours about him and his side-lines true? It's all getting a bit strange - can it have anything to do with Ronni's one guest - the rather intriguing Nicholas Roe?
Less is more going into this book. It is important that you discover certain things in the right places for maximum impact. Even though there will be things that you'll just have to sit with for a while until they are explained. All a bit shady to be honest and with twists and turns aplenty along the way, you'll be spinning around all the way through to the finale when all the threads finally come together. Although, that said, I never thought we were going there!
It's fast paced and as there is no extra padding or waffle, the story gets on with itself very well indeed. The characters are well drawn and all act their parts well. I really loved Ronni, how she has picked herself up, how she gets on with things, how she stares life in the face with her own inimitable humour! I was quite sad to have to part with her at the end. Both cos I had really bonded with her and also as I feel she has more to give as a character.
All in all, a fast placed, well plotted story that held my attention nicely all the way through, leaving me wholly satisfied at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you Arias & Aries, Netgalley and David Mark for this🌟🌟🌟1/2 rounded up to four for this book in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this book and thought it was really good. Definitely will be looking out for more books from this author!

Ronnie, a mother of three, owns and manages three guest houses for those vacationing in or visiting Scotland. Ronnie finds a cellphone in her husband’s drawer that leads her to believe he is cheating on her with another woman. Ronnie instantly throws him out of the house and is now navigating life on her own. She even has a new mysterious boyfriend, Bishop, who comes into Ronnie’s life at just the right time.

The concept of this book is good in theory, but I felt it was executed poorly. Unfortunately, I thought this book was a tad far-fetched (drug smuggling, selling body parts on the black market, gangs).

Mark’s writing and imagery is descriptive; his writing of lands, events, and surrounding areas is beautiful. I would have personally liked a bit more character development. I believe hearing more about Ronnie and her husband’s relationship breakdown, and more about Ronnie personally.

I also thought this book was a bit confusing and hard to follow. With so many narrators and so many side characters, it was very hard to tell who was narrating at the start of a new chapter or section. Because of this, it felt as though chunks of story and background were going missing because it was hard to figure out exactly who the story pertained to at first. I was confused throughout the book, as well as even after finishing the book, as to who was “good” and who was “bad”. I found this book hard to finish and quite violent, otherwise boring.

Special thank you to David Mark, NetGalley, and Aria & Aries for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.