This was my first Miranda Rijks book and it will not be my last. This story surrounds a sweet homemaker who lovingly fixes up a barn into a holiday rental and when her first visitors come calling she is completely unprepared for them.

Timid Hannah is just looking for a way to invest her time and heart and what better way then to open a portion of her lovely property to renters. She watches as her guests begin to take advantage of her kindness and is not sure what to do. Her husband is little help, he sees the idea as trivial and wants no part of it.

Hannah must curtail the vile behavior of her guests all while still getting a good review. The angst I can feel from Hannah as she sees this couple take advantage of her lovely put together barn is wonderfully stressful. I hope you enjoy this read!

4/5

Thank you Dreamscape media for the advanced listening copy!

When Hannah decides to open a holiday cottage in the estate's barn, she figures it will be a good passion project to drum up some extra money, meet some new people, and give herself renewed purpose. What she can't possibly predict, is the twisted tale that will unfold after her seconds guests have an injury, causing them to extend their stay. What comes next is a tumultuous journey of sabotage by her holiday guests... leading to a murder and Hannah's whole world falling apart.

Miranda Rijks does a great job of creating characters you can root for. Her protagonists are often strong, empowered women, albeit slightly ditsy sometimes, that you really want things to work out for, and Hannah was no different. This story was slightly predictable, but had a few twists that I wasn't expecting. Overall, I really enjoyed this story!

ARC review – Expected Release August 2, 2022

This is the story of the AirB&B guest from hell with some other twist thrown in for good measure.

TL:DR – This is fine for a beach read or just looking for something not to deep or exciting, but not among my favorites of the year.

First we have a frankly too detailed prologue for the type of story this is, and in retrospect doesn’t really make sense for the story once you read the ending; but I digress.

When Hannah decides she needs some independence and recognition from her successful doctor husband, she converts the barn on their property into a posh vacation rental and she’s eager to make sure she gets five-star reviews.

Enter Nadia and Mike, who are basically caricatures of bad house guest; They are loud, dirty, rude, and are consistently placing themselves where they do not belong. It soon becomes apparent that these renters are out for more than just a holiday and could destroy Hannah’s entire way of life.

From there “twist” ensue that vaguely make sense if you really stretch your suspension of disbelief, but honestly felt more than a little contrived.

I’m not saying it’s a bad story, I guess I was just expecting for from the concept and the glowing reviews.

Penelope Rawlins does an adequate job at delivering the story in audiobook.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book; I received this ARC in exchange for review, however this does not affect the outcome of my review in anyway.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the suspense of this novel and how it kept me on the edge of my seat. I was left guessing throughout the novel as to who the prologue was about and that was not revealed until the end. The suspense was killer! This was a greatly enjoyable listen.

This husband is not worth all this. I would have just let him suffer instead of giving up all my stuff. Screw that guy. He was such a jerk the whole time. ugh Men.

I think running an air bnb is an awful idea.

It was a fun story. Good for true crime beginners. Stressed me out. I did want to know how it was going to end. Needed to know if all my guesses were right.

Definitely will make you rethink your shared finances.

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I found myself playing this book on my way to town any time I was in the car and I don’t normally do that. This was a major Suspenseful thriller with many Ultra completing twists and turns for sure! This entire book was unpredictable In my opinion and I’ve read a lot of thrillers with twists and turns. The narration to this audiobook was superb, I highly recommend it!

The Visitors by Miranda Rijks

Hannah is a stay at home mom married to a successful heart surgeon. She is raising her two kids at a cottage that she just renovated. She turned her barn into a holiday cottage. She gets a family that rents it for a couple of weeks what could go wrong. Mike & Nadia & daughter Kayleigh Jones are the family that rents the vacation cottage in Manchester.

Hannah life goes upside down once these guests come to stay all hell breaks lose in essence. The family staying in the cottage are making life for Hannah difficult their demands are over the top at times.

Hannah finds out her perfect life isn't what she thought it was. Her marriage and her life will be questioned in this thriller.

I enjoyed this book there was somethings I wasn't expecting but some I was. Her husbands temper behavior was a bit over the top especially being a top tier heart surgeon. His anger was over the top.

Penelope Rawlins did a great job narrating the story giving the characters life. This was a solid four star thriller read for me. I will read more from this author and recommend to anyone who loves a twisty thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for a advanced audio copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

First published in December 2020 and available on audio as of August 2022.

Hannah, SAHM to Rosa and Joel, is looking for something more to occupy her time as the kids get older. Husband, Daniel, is a prominent cardio-thoracic surgeon and travels frequently. Hannah decides she wants to convert their barn into a holiday rental to keep her busy. Daniel isn't really feeling this plan, but goes along with it.

They get some interesting tenants, Mike, Nadia and daughter, Kayleigh. They make a mess of the place, throw loud parties, are always dropping off Kayleigh to play with Rosa, and they even change the locks. What nerve! When Mike trips and breaks his leg they threaten to sue if Hannah doesn't allow them to stay longer than the week they paid for. I could smell the set up from a mile away. Hannah has no choice but to agree, but soon she finds out she should've kicked them out as she learns more and more about why they're really there.
Then there's a murder that really amps up the story. How far will Hannah go to find out who the murderer is? And will what she uncovers be what she expected?

This is my 3rd book by Miranda. I do enjoy her writing style, but it seems she has a theme of writing the wives as somewhat scared of their powerful, career oriented, older husbands.
All in all, a great fast paced, psychological thriller that will make you think twice about becoming a landlord.

8 hours and 33 minutes and Penelope Rawlins was an alright narrator. I didn't enjoy all of her voices, but her main one for Hannah was spot on. I might have enjoyed this slightly better as a read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

I didn't like this book. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. This was my 2nd book by Rijks, the other was also an audio ARC, and I didn't care for that one either, though I disliked this more.

What didn't I like? The main character seems clueless beyond belief. If this was written in the 1970's or even 80's, I might go along with some of it more, but for a modern book, she's just so far from reality, I can't buy any of it. It felt rather judgmental for stay at home moms as well. Then we bring in fortune telling, and I felt like the author was also going off of clichés and being judgmental for those beliefs as well. And the frequent comments - judgments - for the characters appearance and weight. I got to about 50% and had to quit. Nothing in the latter half of the book could possibly redeem it for me.

Overall, the book just rubbed in the wrong way each chance it got.

I will be avoiding this author in the future.

1 star for 'did not like it'

A nice thriller that allows subplots to surface slowing until everything reaches the boiling point.

To say the Jones’ are the renters from hell would be an understatement. Combine that with a truly kind and thoughtful individual in Hannah and you have the right ingredients for a disaster. Then, it just keeps getting worse. Hannah is married to a doctor, who is rarely home. This means she has no one to support her in this nightmare. What results is the explosion that blasts them all, each nursing their own shrapnel as a result.

The writing is tight without a lot of extraneous information that does nothing to further the plot. The characters illicit emotion, either like or hate, which is strong either way. The narrator, Penelope Rawlins is outstanding. Miranda Rijks is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers.


I received an ARC from Dreamscape Media through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

Hannah, a music teacher and mother of two young kids, is married to Daniel, an older cardiothoracic surgeon.
Daniel is away often due to his work. Hannah, who gave up her full-time job, puts her heart and soul into renovating their barn into a luxury vacation rental.
Hannah’s pet project becomes a nightmare when vacationers (“visitors”) Mike, Nadia, & their daughter, Kayleigh, come to stay.
Hannah’s first impression of the trio is that they are a bit odd, but she figures they are harmless. As time passes, Mike and Nadia become increasingly difficult. They cause property damage, are noisy & disrespectful.
However, this is just the beginning.
The aggravation never ends and results in murder.
What follows next is interesting as the police follow their leads while Hannah does her own sleuthing leading to an unexpected revelation.
I enjoyed this story & liked the ending.
Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Audio Book Review

Narrated by: Penelope Rawlins
Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

The renters from hell have booked Hannah's newly renovated, lovingly decorated, Airbnb. It has always been her dream to run a holiday vacation place of her own. She cringes when Mike and Nadia show up for the stay.

They are loud, rude, untidy and expect to be entirely catered too! Mike especially got on my nerves with his oaf like behavior. Poor Hannah! Her cardiologist hubby, Daniel isn't much help with his snappy attitude. He likes to play the blame game.

Things spiral further when the shenanigans next door get unbearable. Hannah is forced to do some sleuthing of her own. Her detective mode is in high gear! Something is up with these sketchy guests and she needs to uncover their modus operandi.

You go Hannah!

The narration was great! Hannah had me on edge for most of the story. There are some unlikeable characters and tired tropes used, so beware. The twists were pretty predictable for me, But the journey was still a fun and lively ride that I enjoyed!

Recommend for a weekend listen, pair with a bowl of buttered popcorn and beverage of your choice.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. Well I read a lot of the reviews and I feel like I am not the only one. I think that the story would have been way better if it was about a long term renter then a Airbnb rental. It just seemed very unrealistic to me. I didn't like any other characters. The main female is absolutely so dumb I can't believe it. Just a miss for me.

#TheVisitors #MirandaRijks #DreamscapeMedia #NetGalley #PenelopeRawlins
#InkubatorBooks

This is an advance review of the audiobook "The Visitors" by Miranda Rijks.

Panelope Rawlins narrates the story convincingly.

Hannah Peters, a music teacher and mother of two young children, is married to Daniel Peters, an older cardiothoracic surgeon.

Daniel is away due to his work, much of the time. Hannah, who had to give up her full-time job, puts her heart and soul into renovating their barn into a top-of-the-line vacation rental.

The story begins with Hannah eagerly awaiting the arrival of her second set of renters who happen to be Mike, Nadia and Kayley.

Their arrival triggers the start of a nightmarish two weeks where their rude and uncouth behavior stresses Hannah out to her limits.

The aggravation never ends and it all culminates with murder.

What follows next is interesting as the police follow their leads and Hannah does her own sleuthing leading to an unexpected revelation.

The story and narration kept me enthralled till the end.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of The Visitors by Miranda Rijks.

Is Rijks underrated? Why aren't we talking about her more, I always really enjoy her stuff.

I was ALL IN on this one. Mostly because some of the things happening were what my absolute nightmares are made of. Guests that won't leave??? That's my own personal haunted house.

Hannah and Daniel are a happily married couple. Daniel is a doctor, and Hannah has just turned their barn into a beautiful and classy rental with a killer view. It's her second set of guests, and they are nothing like the quiet and polite travelers she was hoping for. They are crass, dirty, and rude. They are also very comfortable crossing boundaries into Hannah's home and life. Oh well, it's a small price to pay for new business, and thankfully, they'll be gone soon.

But after one of the guests falls and breaks their leg, and insists that they aren't fit to go home, Hannah starts to suspect that more is going on, and that these might not just be innocent guests looking for a nice view.

Ugh, like I said, I was STRESSED reading this, but in such a good way. This is a fun, impulsively readable suspense novel full of twists and surprises. I enjoyed the characters, the good, bad, and inbetween. If you need a fun read to help a long car ride go by quickly, this is it!

This was definitely better than the other book I’ve read by this author (What She Knew) primarily because Hannah is a little easier to stomach than Stephanie. An interesting, if terrifying premise that kept me guessing for most of the book. Recommended for those seeking an action-packed thriller.

It isn't always bad to have an unlikable main character. Sometimes it is important. I think I was supposed to like Hannah, but I didn't. She is very weak and not very observant. She has no idea what is going on around her. She is an antiquated female character-small, weak, subservient, accepting, shallow, and looking for something to fill her empty life. The weak, unlikable character could have been reprieved by a good thriller. This was more of an annoyance than a thriller. Sure, this is a cautionary tale about renting to stranger. Short term rentals are just plain evil anyway. Putting all of that together with a narrator whose voice I found grating and I just didn't enjoy this one. Miranda Rijks books have been a hit or miss with me and this one is a miss.

Miranda Rijks is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors as I read through her ARCs I've been granted. This was another fast paced thriller with several twists that will turn your head. I did think the ending was a tad weak and I think it could have been made a bit more dramatic, but it was still shocking and did leave me with a lot of secrets to process. The characters in this are quite fascinating and I couldn't stop listening to this audiobook because I needed to know where the relationships between these two couples would lead. I found the first half of the book to be much faster paced and more enjoyable but the second half was full of intrigue and trying to figure out exactly how all the pieces fit together. I liked that a bit of backstory was given halfway through about the development of Hannah & Daniel's relationship but I would have liked even a bit more to help make the ending make more logical sense. I think the backstory should have been explained a lot earlier on as well because it seemed a bit randomly thrown in after we'd already gotten to know them a bit. Overall, I found this to be quite enjoyable and I am really looking forward to more from author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 rounded up to 5.

ARC audiobook provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“The Visitors” is a book told from the point of view of Hannah, a full-time mom of two who is married to Daniel, a cardiothoracic surgeon. Daniel spends most of the week working out of town, leaving Hannah and the kids on their own. To fill her time, Hannah pursues a project that she always wanted to do: run a holiday rental. Hannah lovingly restores and converts their stone barn and begins hosting vacationers.

Hannah’s pet project becomes increasingly difficult when vacationers (“visitors”) Mike, Nadia, and their daughter, Kayleigh, come to stay. Hannah’s first impression of the trio is that they are a bit odd, but she figures they are harmless. As time passes, Mike and Nadia become increasingly difficult. They cause property damage and are noisy and disrespectful. However, this is just the beginning. Things spiral downward quickly, and Hannah is at a loss at how to stop it all. Soon enough, Hannah finds out that difficult visitors aren’t the worst of her worries as her world comes crashing down around her. Was there an alternative purpose for Mike and Nadia’s stay? Can Hannah unwrap the mystery in time to pick up the pieces of her life or will it be destroyed forever?

Unfortunately, I’m with the minority of reviewers who were greatly disappointed with this book. Promising to be a psychological thriller, this book just felt slow and boring. I felt that the main character, Hannah, was just plain unlikeable. At first, she seems as though she’s just a bit nervous as she launches her new holiday rental business. Then, as we are introduced to her husband, it appears that she is dominated in their relationship, beaten down, controlled, and somewhat emotionally abused. The more the reader learns about Hannah and as her character is further developed in the book, it becomes evident that Hannah is meek, weak, naïve, and, well, just plain clueless. I found myself disliking her more and more as the book progresses and she makes one ridiculous mistake after another. This renders her not only unlikeable, but also just plain frustrating and annoying as a main character. The other characters in the book were purposefully unlikeable at times, growing more and more so as the book progresses, which clearly foreshadows how the book will end.

As for the plot, the book is described as “spiraling into a nightmare,” but I just found that it just plodded along. Yes, the turning point in the book is a dark turn for Hannah, but it felt like it was almost an afterthought, thrown in there in an attempt to spice things up. As things progress from there, Hannah’s character just becomes more and more unlikeable, oblivious to what is glaring obvious. The promised “shocking secret from the past” is revealed, and, well, it isn’t the least bit shocking. I was left thinking “that’s it?” The ending is so predictable in every single way that I could have written it myself after reading the first half of the book. Yes, I stuck through the book to the very end solely because the author does have an easy way of writing. Although I was frustrated with most of the book, I was hoping for that shocking secret and thrilling ending. Regrettably, I was just plain disappointed.

My copy of the book was an audiobook, so I will also comment on the narrator. She did an okay job. Her female voices were pretty good, but her male voices were weak. That being said, I would still listen to books she narrates in the future.

Overall, I found this book to be boring, frustrating, predictable, and disappointing. I gave it two stars solely for the author’s writing style and the audiobook narrator’s decent narration. I wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone. Maybe a young adult reader new to mysteries might find it interesting, but that’s about it. I’m honestly flummoxed by the majority rave reviews of this book. Maybe I’m just too old-hat at reading thrillers and mysteries that I just expect more in my characters and storylines. As a result, this book was sadly a let down for me.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. I have enjoyed yet another Miranda Rijks book. Definitely an author to keep listening to.