I received this novella as an ARC from NetGalley.

Alone at Christmas in London, Ashley Smith is invited to Emma Chapman's house for the holidays. Emma insists that she come and save her from her family. Being from California, Ashley has images in her head how an English countryside holiday will be and Emma's family does not disappoint. All is going well until Ashley finds out that Emma's brother is being investigated for the murder of young lady on their property. Emma swears her brother is innocent and Ashley, falling in love with the brother, waves aside the thought.

Now, thirty years later, that week is being looked back upon and what happened that holiday week.

Not a happy Christmas story but a dark and twisty tale that spans several decades and keeps the reader turning the pages. Not what I ecpected but a nice break from holiday romance stories.

It seems like there is a plethora of Christmas romances, and not nearly enough Christmas mystery titles. I was absolutely delighted to get to read this one. First of all, being at a big country manor house during the holidays when maybe there has been some murder is like catnip for me. I will always pick up a book that promises me that. Often though, I'm disappointed by the writing. This slim book did not disappoint! The mystery is smartly written and the characters are well-developed.

I really like the idea of this. The execution was interesting--being told through diary entries through most of the first half was cool. But this one wasn't for me. I'm not sure if it's because we find out who the killer was maybe halfway through the book, but I wanted more suspense, I think. There is definitely an audience who is going to love this, but that just may not be me.

A quick little Christmas mystery. The 2nd half, after the murder, fell a bit flat for me. I pretty much figured out where this novella was going but, it was still an enjoyable read. 3 stars.

I loved this Christmas novella by Peter Swanson. It's hard to find a book for the holidays that isn't a romance, so this was a fun step outside of the norm.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

The Christmas Guest is an unexpected and slightly diabolical (in the best ways) murderous holiday novella by Peter Swanson. When American college student Ashley is invited to spend Christmas at the Cotswold's with glamourous Emma she enthusiastically accepts. She has very little family left and was planning to spend Christmas in London alone. However, Emma's family is not the lovely English family she expected and Emma's brother, charming and attractive, is seemingly under investigation for a local girl's murder. Will this be the holiday of her dreams or a nightmare?

30 years later, we meet a woman who is also celebrating Christmas alone while going through a memory box and reading a diary that depicts that Christmas in Emma's manor 30 years earlier. What ensues, which readers will easily consume in one sitting, is a dark Christmas novella that will leave readers shivering.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book is a perfect one-sitting read, especially by the fire during the Christmas season. Although I don't typically read mysteries, this particular story truly grabbed me from start to finish.

The narrative follows Ashley, a college art student, who is invited by her friend Emma to spend Christmas at her family home in Cotswold. A recent murder in Cotswold has placed Emma’s brother under suspicion, adding a layer of suspense to the holiday visit. The first half of the book is written in the form of Ashley's diary, recounting her experiences during the holiday. In the second half, we get to hear Emma’s point of view, which adds depth and complexity to the story.

For such a short book, the characters are incredibly well-developed, making it easy to get attached to them. Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"The Christmas Guest" by Peter Swanson is a deliciously dark holiday novella perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with a twist. Ashley Smith, with no family to spend the holidays with, eagerly accepts an invitation from her classmate Emma Chapman to spend Christmas at Starvewood Hall, an English manor brimming with holiday charm. However, the festive cheer soon gives way to sinister undertones as Ashley uncovers unsettling secrets—a figure lurking in the woods and an unsolved murder that haunts the Chapman family.

What I loved about this novella is how it packs so much suspense and atmosphere into just under a hundred pages. The story unfolds through a mix of past journal entries and present-day events, creating a layered mystery that keeps you guessing. Swanson’s ability to craft nasty characters and eyebrow-raising plots is on full display, making this a fun, one-sit read that’s perfect for curling up with after the Christmas festivities.

If you enjoy a good, quick mystery with holiday vibes and plenty of twists, "The Christmas Guest" is a great pick. It’s the kind of book you can easily devour in one sitting, leaving you both entertained and a little spooked by the end.

A short, atmospheric novella that was actually a lot of fun and a nice break from all the holiday romances I've been reading! Everything is unraveled through the entries of a diary that was written more than 30 years ago about a student who spent the holiday break with an interesting family which led to her disappearance.

If Saltburn had taken a much different turn!! This was a fun, fast and furious read!! I read this in one sitting and had a grand time. I would recommend this to anyone searching for a cozy yet violent mystery to read by the fire or maybe even on the beach!! Loved it. The perfect little morsel.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!
The Christmas Guest" by Peter Swanson is a captivating novella that blends elements of suspense and mystery with the warmth of the holiday season. Swanson masterfully weaves a tale centered around a seemingly ordinary Christmas gathering that takes unexpected and suspenseful turns. The characters are well-developed, and the plot unfolds with twists that keep the reader engaged until the satisfying conclusion. Swanson's writing style is crisp and atmospheric, effectively setting the scene for both festive cheer and underlying tension.

I just loved this! Such an effective novella - I would have gladly read 300 more pages of this, though I am a Swanson fan. Great!

This novella was an excellent Christmas read! I loved this ghost story and the fact I could read it in one sitting. It's the perfect book for the holiday season. Swanson never ceases to amaze me in the way he can spin a story with such great characters. I highly recommend it!

The author set out to write a short story set during Christmas that could easily be read in one sitting, and he succeeded at every level. An English manor house, a murder, a ghost, dark figures, and guilty conscience, it all comes together for a satisfying story that cannot be put down.

Ashley accepts an invitation from her friend Emma to come home with her for the holidays. What starts out as a great decision turns wuickly. This is a page turning novella. THe story is awesome and is a fast read. IT keeps you guessing as well. I loved this story.

Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I enjoy Peter Swanson but this was just OK. I didn't think the writing quality was up to his usual standard and I'm really not a huge fan of thriller novellas. A quick and easy Christmas read.

Alright so never go with a 'friend' to their manor house on vacation, got it. This was a pretty decent little short story surrounding Christmastime and a mystery. The ARC I read was in two parts and I much preferred the diary writing as opposed to the 2nd part of the book.

I am behind in my reading since I'm just now getting to a Christmas tale. Or, perhaps, I am way ahead for Christmas 2024. Either way, getting to this story was a major win.

This tale is short; it's technically considered a novella and is only three hours long as an audiobook. For this story, Esther Wane does the narration and immediately became a favorite for me. Her narration brought this story into the room with me and made it feel like I was hearing this from Ashley herself.

The story follows a woman at Christmas; she doesn't travel for the holiday and instead spends the day digging through a spare bedroom to find items to toss out or donate. But she instead reads an old journal, and this is where we meet Ashley Smith.

The story is told primarily through Ashley's diary entries from Christmas 1989. This was especially clever because it allowed only fragments to be told, but still feel complete. Ashley comes to life with her diary entries; we see an enthusiastic young woman who is ecstatic over being invited to go home with another student for the Christmas holiday. Ashley has no family as her mother passed away a few years back, and she had originally planned to spend time alone in London. Throughout, Ashley is expecting a grand adventure. In her diary, she ponders if she'll have a holiday romance, or maybe a ghost story, or a gothic mystery.

It starts leaning towards romance when Ashley meets Adam, the brother of her friend, Emma. Ashley seems immediately smitten with Adam, and it appears he feels the same way. He even purchases her an expensive scarf when he realizes she doesn't have one. But as the romance is going on, other haunting events are happening. A strange man in the woods motioning at Ashley, and the murder of a girl months prior seem to haunt the town. Even more disturbing, several people think Ashley looks identical to the dead girl.

The ending of this story is insane. I was listening at work and as the rest of the story came out, my jaw was dropped wide open. The twists were completely unexpected and the truth that came out continued to become more and more horrifying. The author did an exceptional job of giving the reader a complete thriller, with only the length of a novella. I would highly recommend listening to/reading this one. So incredibly good!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book was short but PACKED with intrigue and mystery. This is my first book by Peter Swanson and definitely wont be my last. This book had me hooked from the beginning and had a twist I didn't see coming.