This is my 7th B.A. Paris book. Once again…she did not disappoint. This book has all the thrills, suspense and drama you expect.

A bit of a slow read…but not boring.

I found the guest to be riveting, twisty and an enjoyable read. It was pretty fast paced and easy to read. If you’re looking for a twisty fast paced thriller this is one for you! B.a. Paris has done it again!

The Guest by B.A. Paris started out as a 3 star read for me; the mystery was intriguing, the characters and the various tensions between them were good if not a bit underwhelming, and I could see pretty much everyone in the book having motivation to kill the victim(s). By the end though, it dropped to 1 star and I actively disliked the last half, especially the ending.

First of all, the prose in B.A. Paris’s previous books and this one is pretty dry. Her characters are also not as well developed as you’d want them to be, but the main appeal to her novels are how Paris constantly surprises with her twists and how, even if you try to connect people and events, there’s always something unexpected. The ending was definitely unexpected, but not in a good way.

We’re introduced to three different couples throughout the book. One of them, Pierre and Laure, have just split up since Pierre apparently confessed that he had an affair and wants to be a father to the child born out of it. Laure stays at Iris and Gabriel’s house, treating it as if it's her own and we see how politeness is pushed to its limits as she seems to take more and more liberty with their property and lives.

There’s also Esme, a beautiful woman married to a much older man, and the landscaper they bring with them, a gorgeous man called Joseph.

As more secrets are revealed, the puzzle pieces appear to fit together and to form a coherent picture. By this point, I didn’t really like the book since all of the characters were so bland but everything did make sense. I did think the reveal of who killed the victim(s) was pretty boring, which surprised me since the previous Paris books I’ve read had much more interesting twists. Okay, 2-3 stars then, I thought.

Then the last 10% of the book happens.

The ending is just a bunch of exposition, telling more than showing, and it infuriated me. I can’t really get into it without spoiling you but it’s definitely one of those endings that blindsides you and makes it feel like the author is saying, “Aha! Bet you never expected that!” just so they can say they got you.

Overall, The Guest was not for me. Behind Closed Doors still takes the top spot and while I do want to read more of Paris’s works, this one definitely left a bad taste in my mouth.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This review has been scheduled to be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, and my blog on January 30, 2024.

Again, B.A Paris does not let you down! Like all the other books, you get roped right in. A great read!

If you enjoy a fast paced easy read, this book is definitely for you.
Unfortunately, I tried very much to enjoy this one, but couldn't connect to the characters and just simply couldn't find a way to care for them. It's not a bad book, it just simply wasn't a story for me. A 2.5 stars, but rounded up to a 3 because I really like B.A. Paris.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy! The story follows Iris and her husband Gabriel and their friends Laurie and Pierre. Laurie separates from Pierre due to a secret he kept for 20 years and ends up staying with Iris and Gabriel. What ensues next is an unraveling of secrets and lies. This book was slow to start but kept me guessing as to how it would all end. There were some side stories and characters which I feel did not add much to the plot and the ending wasn’t original, but overall, a good thriller.

Great book! I couldn't imagine having an unwelcomed surprise guest at my house staying for so long all up in my business! It was a slow start for me but then BAM, everything happens and everything gets revealed. I had so many mixed feelings about different characters at different times. I would really dislike a character then would feel bad for them then would like them. I loved how the book started and how it ended!

This is a slow burn thriller- so slow that I question even calling it a thriller because things unwind so slowly. A friend comes to stay and slowly secrets and lies that have been kept for two decades begin to come undone. This book is about the various dynamics of friends and neighbors who may or may not always have each other's best interests at heart. Once I knew it wouldn't be a fast and furious thriller to race through, I saved it for a lazy Saturday and enjoyed the pacing and watching things slowly unravel.

I usually love B.A. Paris but this book missed the mark slightly for me. Iris and Gabriel are a couple who have troubles of their own that only get much worse when their friend Laure shows up unannounced with the bombshell her husband has a secret lovechild. The book tells a few different stories and somewhat manages to connect them all but the ending felt a little rushed and somewhat anticlimactic. It was missing that shock factor because I felt like I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, I wouldn’t call it predictable, just a bit slow for my tastes. I will continue to read B.A. Paris in the future but this particular book just wasn’t one of my favorites.

Thank you St. Martin's press and netgalley for an advanced copy of the book. B.A. Paris is one of my favorite authors, so I was very excited to read this as soon as I could. It was unpredictable and tense. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I could not put it down. However, I did feel like some parts were very slow and seemed to drag on. Altogether though, I did enjoy this book and the twist was satisfying.

B. A. Paris is an automatic buy for me so when I saw this available I dropped everything to read it.
Gabriel and Iris arrive home from a trip to help Gabriel work through some things to find their friend Laure staying in their house. She is having marital problems and came to stay with them while she tries works through it. When days turn into weeks, Iris and Gabriel start looking for excuses to get out the house and not be around her,
While the book starts off a little slow, the short chapters kept me intrigued. It wasn't my favorite from the author but it was enjoyable and entertaining. I thought I knew what was going to happen but the epilogue threw me for a loop. I am already looking forward to her next book.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, B. A. Paris and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The guest by b a Paris February 2024. Gabriel has experienced too many deaths lately. So he and his wife iris go on holiday. But when they come home. Their friend laure has left her husband and has made herself at home. She will not leave and has brought more chaos to their lives

The Guest
by B.A. Paris

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The book was OK. It seemed to drag along for me. It was not one I would re-read. I just felt it never picked up speed. As I said, it was longer, and the ending was just that,

I loved this book! So many twists. I was totally wrong on what I thought would be the ending. I have read other books by this author and am never disappointed. I read this book for free on NetGalley.

WOW! Such a wild ride. The middle of the book all the twists were happening and I kept believing it was near the ending.... no, it was just getting started! So many twists and shocking turns. I had NO clue who did it, I was kept on my toes the entire time. Absolutely LOVED this thrilling ride of a book. Everything about it was intense, shocking and gripping!

4.5 stars 🌟

I received this ARC from NetGalley to read and review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this ebook.

I absolutely loved this book, once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. Thank you so much for the ARC.

Another great read by B A Paris. It was a little slow to get started but kept me interested enough to keep going. The ending was one I did not see coming.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early release ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of B.A. Paris' newest novel, 'The Guest". I'm a big fan of B.A. Paris; have read most of her books so I jumped at the chance to read this one. While this is admittedly not her best book, I did enjoy it and it did keep me guessing until the end. I wasn't in love with the characters which is probably why it wasn't my favorite. I just wasn't rooting for one person or another and was really annoyed that "the guest" stayed as long as she did.; it just wasn't realistic.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. I am a fan of B.A. Paris, and for me, The Guest was a notch below her typical efforts. The first half of the novel proceeds very slowly, and then the entire complexion of the story changes completely during an epilogue which essentially serves as an extended “surprise reveal”. The story is entertaining and a relatively quick read, but not quite up to the author’s usual standards. Three and a half stars (rounded down to three).

I’ve read “behind closed doors” and I loved that book so much! Right after that I got as many books by B.A Paris then this one came out and I just had to read it. It kept me guessing and I was hooked from the beginning all the way til the end. Such an amazing read. Thank you!