My only gripe with The Christmas Guest is that I found myself wanting more. I wish it was longer. I didn't want it to end. This has everything you'd want and expect from Peter Swanson but with a Christmas flair. I found myself curled up with a blanket in the midst of this summer heat, and it was a fantastic escape. Thank you to Peter Swanson, Netgalley, and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest and nonbiased review.

What a fun and twisty thriller- holiday themed! I read this SO fast and it did not disappoint- only wish it was longer! Everything we've grown to expect from Swanson, just with a little Christmas flair!

I was hesitant about reading a novella because I’m reading for consideration of school library purchases, and many of my faithful readers want longer books. However, the author’s note explanation about wanting it to be a piece that can be read in one sitting as quintessential Christmas reading is spot-on. This novella is a perfect Christmas Eve/Jolabokaflod gift for someone who loves mystery!

Twisty, dark, and well-written even though the short length leaves less time than a typical novel spends on character development — I will definitely be buying this for the school library.

This is a cool Christmas murder mystery novella that can be read in one sitting. American Ashley is visiting British Emma at her country home over Christmas break. Emma's twin brother Adam seems attracted to Ashley, who hopes to have a fling, although she hesitates when she learns that Adam is a suspect in a recent death of a woman killed in the nearby woods. Most of the story is told through Ashley's diary, which adds to this clever, brief mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an ARC.

This book is all the best things about the holidays and mysteries packed into a short novella. We are transported to England in 1989, during the week leading up to Christmas. Ashley is visiting her friend Emma at her family's countryside manor. The majority of the story is told through Ashely's diary. I really enjoyed this style as it really let the reader get into Ashley's head. The setting was also delightful. I really felt like I was treated to a little slice of Christmas with the snow, the emphasis on all the decorations, and the inclusion of several Christmas carols. The mystery was so much more than I originally thought and I GASPED at several of the reveals. If you are looking for some Christmas magic mixed with a quaint murder mystery, this is the novella for you. Swanson has really delivered Christmas in July with this delightful novella that can easily be read in one sitting.

I didn’t even realize this was a novella at first, but it’s the perfect length and pacing for the story. I really liked the gothic vibes and the diary entries made it easy to get invested in the story.

I read this in one sitting and I’d recommend to anyone looking for a quick, solid read with some Christmas-y murder vibes!

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Oh man this was short but man did Peter Swanson pack a lot of story in such a short novella. This very much gave vibes of Christmas Carol in that the main character ends up haunted by the ghost of the person she murdered on the day of her death every year. The story opens Christmas day and Ashley is cleaning her apt since she never goes out for the holiday and ends up finding her old journal which chronicles the week before a tragedy. It was a really interesting read and the twist in the end I didn’t see coming.
Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

A little homicide for the holidays .. or Christmas in July 🙃

A really good quick read . I got through this in a couple hours & was completely into the story the whole time .
Def a "Christmas" book worth reading. 🖤

Thank u #Netgalley 🤘

A great novella that is a dark, gothic, and chilling tale told brilliantly with a twist I didn’t see coming and a good ending to boot. I enjoyed this read in one afternoon. I thank Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love Christmas-themed stories, even at the end of July! The Christmas Guest was a simple yet uniquely written, good old fun-fashioned murder mystery. It was a fast read, a little over one hundred pages. Finished it in just over two hours. While I was engrossed in the story, I wavered on my rating, going back and forth between three and four stars. This is a novella, so decent character development isn't always established in such short length, but the ending cleared this up for me right away. There were a few surprises that made me smile and slap my head. Very clever, Peter Swanson!

Thank you to the author, William Morrow and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

This mystery set during the Christmas holidays could be just the thing for fans of the author and readers looking for a quick mystery that can be read while tucked in on a cold winter day. No spoilers but I'll say it's a novella and I liked it!

Short novella thriller from one of my favorite authors. This was an average read for me—I did enjoy it and finished it quickly but didn’t feel a deep connection with the characters and some plot points including the ending felt rushed.

Perfect Christmas thriller which would be great to read with a glass of eggnog in front of a roaring fire. Swanson is one of my favorite writers and this gothic story is a bit different than his usual fare but equally as exciting as his typical mystery stories. A 50 year old woman who is alone at Christmas in New York, goes through her belongings and finds an old diary, a diary which tells of a very special Christmas many years earlier.

Ashley Smith was an American student studying in England. Ashely has no family and is delighted to be invited to spend Christmas with a friend named Emma Chapman. Ashley is delighted to be in the Chapman home which is very traditional and decorated for the holiday. She starts a diary in which she describes all of the fun things she and Emma do together and she is especially interested in Emma's twin brother Adam. All is not perfect this Christmas though; Emma's parents are not friendly at all and Ashely finds out a young woman who looked a lot like her was recently murdered and Adam was a suspect.

This book went in a different way than I suspected and I found the twists delightful. This is a clever novella which perfectly describes the feelings of being alone at Christmas and also serves up some traditional, gothic creepiness. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

4.5 stars

In Peter Swanson's upcoming novella THE CHRISTMAS GUEST, American Ashely reflects on her unforgettable Christmas in the Cotswolds at her friend Emma's family home 30 years prior when she finds her diary from that time. Then she opens up her diary from that week for the reader to be immersed in.

I was immediately taken by this novella. It has all the cozy gothic Christmas vibes that makes you yearn for a fireplace and a favorite warm beverage. I have read numerous Christmas novels that have more Christmas vibes on the cover than in the entire book, but this one does not disappoint in that area.

There are two parts to this story. The first part is almost entirely diary entries from 30 years ago, and the second part is a more typical narration. And that really worked for me! I am a fan of diary entries, but when it switched to a more typical voice, I was ready for it.

This is a thriller because, after all, it is the great Peter Swanson! The story itself is very interesting - although I struggled a bit with the reasoning given for what happened. And then how something that occurred 30 years later would create such a quick switchback. (Trying not to spoil) Other than that quibble, I had a rollicking good time with this novella.

If you're looking for a Christmas themed thriller, this one will likely fit the bill!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ashley Smith was planning to spend a quiet Christmas alone. She is a California native studying art in London with no family ties after the death of her mother. She receives an invitation from a classmate, Emma Chapman, to join her and her family for Christmas at their county manor, Starvewood Hall. Ashley does not consider herself to be close friends with Emma and is surprised by the invitation but finds herself intrigued by spending Christmas at the cozy manor outside the village of Clevemoor. Upon her arrival, Ashley soon becomes enamored with Emma’s brother, Adam, who she learns is a suspect in the recent murder of a girl from Clevemoor. When Ashley spies a mysterious stranger on her walk back to Starvewood Hall from the pub, she begins to wonder if she has stepped into a gothic mystery, although she would much prefer to be in a Christmas romance.

The story is told in alternating perspectives and timelines that allow you to get to know each character. I love that this novella was written so it could be enjoyed on Christmas or Christmas Eve! If I hadn’t gotten an advanced copy, I would have loved to dive into this to get into the Christmas spirit. The story was very atmospheric, and I loved the gothic feeling portrayed by the house. I could really picture what it would have been like to spend Christmas at Starvewood Hall. I really enjoy Peter Swanson’s work and I will continue to be a lifelong reader :)

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not usually a fan of novella, but I’m a fan of Peter Swanson so I had to check this out! It’s a typical Peter Swanson story, with darkness. We hear from Ashley as she travels to an English countryside home from Christmas with a peer. Enjoyable read!

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley, but all thoughts are my own.

I was given The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. This is the perfect Christmas mystery. It has all the trimmings: manor house filled with a dysfunctional family, roast dinner, and murder. I really enjoyed that this is a novella, and you can read it in one setting.

The story follows American student, Ashley Smith, as she is spending her first Christmas in London alone. But fortunately, she is asked to spend Christmas break with a charming classmate, Emma Chapman. Emma's attractive twin brother, Adam, leads a romantic spin on the holiday festivities. What could possibly go wrong?

An excellent read for Christmas or whenever you are craving a surprising mystery.

The Christmas Guest is a captivating novella. Definitely worth the couple of hours it takes to read and definitely a page-turner. The payoff in Part Two is a WOW moment. Highly recommend this novella.
Thank you for an ARC of The Christmas Guest.
#TheChristmasGuest#NetGalley#PeterSwanson#WilliamMorrowPublishing

Ashley Smith is an American student studying art history in London. She’s invited by her friend Emma to spend Christmas with her family. She meets Emma’s brother Adam and instantly falls for him. But Adam us under suspicion for the murder if a local girl. Did he actually kill her?

This was a really good novella by Peter Swanson. He’s done a great job at really making the reader feel like it’s Christmas (despite the fact that currently it’s July and I’m reading on the beach). Overall, the mystery/thriller aspect is there even without it being a full length novel. I definitely did not expect the twists in Part 2. This is a nice read in one sitting.

Thank you to the author, William Morrow Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I’m leaving my honest review voluntarily. 4⭐️. Publication date Oct 17, 2023.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson is a very twisty mystery set in a manor house in the countryside of England. The American student guest, the school friend and her handsome brother all combine to make an engaging story.