I loved this gothic and slightly murder-y take on Christmas in a cozy English village! We start in present day before going back to 1989 when Ashley Smith is attending school in England and gets invited to a classmate's house for the holidays. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but this was a very twisty story and a fun way to start my holiday mystery reading! What an ending!

DNF @15% - You know, I’m not one to DNF this quickly, especially not with a novella but I just couldn’t do it anymore. The first part of this book is written in diary entries, and they are absolutely insufferable. I get that it’s a realistic portrayal of an early-twenties woman’s diary and all, but it does not make for an enjoyable read. I immediately “noped” at the first diary entry, but tried to push trough as so many seemed to like this book a lot. However, I just can’t do it anymore. The writing is so bad (I know that’s the point but I just can’t handle it).

For a short book, The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson has a pretty long synopsis, and I am impressed it manages not to give anything away. I think it is still best to go into this novella as blind as possible, and as long as you are a fan of novellas and Swanson you should expect to like it just fine! I liked that this was a mystery/thriller set around Christmastime, and if you want to read something that isn't a romance for the holidays, this is a great choice. I loved that it didn't leave me needing more from it, and it really was the perfect length with just the right amount of action and creativity.

This probably has one of my new favorite audiobooks as well, and since a lot of it is told in diary format, I loved getting the sounds of pages turning and writing! Esther Wane narrates the entire book but somehow manages to sound like 2 different people which was amazing. I would highly recommend the audiobook simply because it has the added sound effects, and it was just plain fun to listen to. Read/listen to this if you are looking for a short and engaging read!

This was a compelling read, that I found I did not want to put down! Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. Suspenseful and thrilling. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

I absolutely loved The Kind Worth Killing and The King Worth Saving, so when I was gifted an ARC of his short story, The Christmas Guest, I couldn’t wait to read it. This story did not disappoint. I read it in a few hours. The story is setup mostly in diary form and then fast forwards 30 thirty years towards the end. A great mystery story!

I enjoyed this short story! It read super fast. I didn’t know where the story was going to go! It was interesting to hear the first chapter through the diary of Ashley, and then the second chapter through current day Emma. i was glad she finally came to her senses and gave a tip about her brother. I would’ve loved to hear more about Emma and Adam’s childhood and family.

Ashley Smith always spends Christmas alone in her New York apartment where she fled after college. 30 years ago Ashely spent Christmas very differently, at a manor home of fellow classmate, Emma Chapman's family home. Not intending to head back to the States for the holidays, Ashely is invited to spend the holidays with Chapman's. What starts out as a picturesque holiday though quickly turns into anything but idyllic when strange occurrences around the manor start taking place.

The majority of this book is told through Ashely's journal entries which date back to 1989, when she spends the holidays with the Chapman's. The narrative then switches over to present day, where we get a second look at the events that transpired and the aftermath that ensured. Personally, I find the differences in perspectives adds an extra layer of mystery to the story, and really enjoyed the way this one flowed.

I'm not a huge fan of short stories and novellas. I either think they're pointless or leave me wanting more. The Christmas Guest definitely fell into the second camp and was so good. I wish Peter Swanson would have made this a full-fledged mystery though, because I could have easily read another 200 pages on this mystery.

This is such a well written, atmospheric, and quick mystery. If you're looking for something twisty to read in one sitting by the Christmas tree or curled up by the fireplace, this book is for you!



The Christmas Guest is out now. Thank you to William Morrow for my advanced copies in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

Loved the way this story was written. Very twisty! However, I didn't like part of the ending (can't say more without spoilers) - otherwise, it was a solid Christmas thriller.

A chilling Christmas whodunit that is a quick and compelling read. There were some twists along the way in this charming village.
Many thanks to William Morrow and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. I should’ve read this in October because it was giving more goth vibes than anything. I went in loving the cover of the book; it’s what drew me in. I liked it a lot, I just wish there would’ve been a little more character development. It was such a fast read though so it’s understandable that not a ton can be added to 100 pages.

Add this dark Christmas novella to your TBR if you're needing a quick break from the typical Hallmark movie holiday romances! I really liked the diary entry aspect, as it allowed a more intimate look into Ashley's thoughts and feelings. I loved the gothic atmosphere of the English countryside and manor. The characters themselves were a little flat for me but the mystery was good so overall I still recommend.

The first half-ish of the story is told via diary entries of Ashley Smith, an American girl studying in London. Ashley is invited to spend Christmas with her friend Emma at her family's manor. Having no family of her own, it's obvious she's excited about her English holiday. Everything is as grand as she thought it would be, and she even starts to fall for Emma's older brother Adam. But Adam is a suspect in the recent murder of a young girl, and Ashley starts to question his intentions.

The other part of the story is an older Emma's point of view, as she revisits memories from that fateful holiday. Christmas always brings ghosts from the past and this season is no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Peter Swanson's wrote "The Christmas Guest" with the intention that readers would be able to finish this novella in one sitting. The story that Swanson was able to squeeze into less than 100 pages was the perfect blend of Christmas, mystery, thriller, and a little romance. I was fully invested in the twisted, chilling story from the beginning and before I knew it, I finished the book! Highly recommend you pick one up if you're into holiday reads with a twist! As a matter of fact, any of Peter Swanson's books are a hit!

Thank you to Peter Swanson, William Morrow and #NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to leave an honest review!

I just couldn't get into this book and it was almost a DNF. Which, for a novella, is saying something. I can't quite pinpoint what it is exactly. I was bored, the weird brother/sister relationship, characters that felt like unnecessary filler. I was just meh about the whole thing.

This was a really fun, short, christmas-y murder mystery! I thought the dual perspectives were really fun and done quite well. The only reason I didn’t rate it higher than 3.5 stars is because I was able to guess the plot twist way before it happened and that usually doesn’t happen for me. Other than that, I really enjoyed it!

A great dark book perfect for reading on a cold day in December. Ties to The Christmas Carol but wholly original, will be recommending to others.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher, William Morrow, for a free digital copy of The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson for an honest review. I always enjoy Peter Swanson's books. He's a very talented and creative author. In this novella, American, Ashley Smith, is invited by her classmate, Emma Chapman, to spend Christmas with her family in Cotswold. Ashley is excited for the opportunity to spend Christmas in a real English manor and to not be alone for Christmas. At Cotswold, a mystery ensues when Ashley finds out that she looks exactly like a girl that had been brutally murdered the previous year. I really enjoyed this short story. The twist was surprising, and the mystery kept me turning pages. This was a fast, dark, intriguing read. It was not my favorite Peter Swanson story, but still a very enjoyable read!

quick thoughts:
🤓 perfect to read when you’re in a slump
👀 given the length, go in with lower expectations
📖 a very unique read
🔪 christmas vibes with a side of murder 😬

🎄 THE CHRISTMAS GUEST—my man Swanson never fails!!! if you’ve been here awhile, you know he’s my fave thriller author and writes my fave thriller book (THE KIND WORTH KILLING). this novella follows a girl that goes home with her friend for the holidays, but the friend’s brother that she has a huge crush on is being investigated for murder and she gets all wrapped up in the drama 👀 this twist did catch me by surprise. i was hoping for a biiiit more sinister-ness overall given his past work, but it really did give me THE KIND WORTH KILLING vibes—especially the ending 👀 iykyk. it’s definitely one you want to talk about with others.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Peter Swanson is the master at making me enjoy books about horrible people I don't care about. It is all about the mystery and the journey, not cheering for any of the characters to come out as winners in the end. Because they usually don't deserve it. I was at first nervous that the narritive was a series of diary entries (at least for the first third of the story), but my fears were unfounded. I quickly became engrossed and enjoyed deciphering the subtext behind the journals. I loved this book and found it a nice change from the usual fluffy Christmas stories that are released this time of year. I give The Christmas Guest a solid 4.5/5 stars.

Wow! This was a great Christmas thriller!! This was my first time reading this author but hopefully not the last. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The first half of this seemed a little harder for me to get into because of the instant information. There wasn’t a lot of build-up, but the second half was great. It kept me wanting to read faster. I really enjoyed this novella and would recommend it to others.