This is exactly what I expect and want from a book by B. A. Paris. Great storytelling, complex and interesting characters, and plot twists I don’t see coming. I loved every minute of it! Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

I have been a BA Paris fan since getting an ARC of Behind Closed Doors years ago so I was super excited to get this eARC. It did not disappoint. I stayed up way too late on a work night tearing through this one!

B.A. Paris never fails to write engrossing thrillers with unforeseen twists and The Guest is another winner. Iris and Gabriel are saddled with their friend Laure in the aftermath of an argument with her husband. There are several plots running alongside one another and you will be constantly questioning how they will intersect. Gabriel has witnessed the death of a young boy and it keeping a secret about his final moments, new friends have moved in nearby and could be harboring a secret about their soon-to-be-born baby, and a mysterious gardener starts helping out on the grounds. It's hard to know who is being honest but its fascinating to find out! I loved this one and couldn't read it fast enough. A definite must-read for thriller fans and really all readers. Thanks to B.A. Paris, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC is exchange for my honest review.

I got an email from NetGalley/the publisher offering me B A Paris’s new book and I ran SO FAST. I’ve loved every Paris I’ve read, and this one was no exception. I’ve just recently gotten out of a reading slump, but had yet to find a book that WOWed me; this one did it! It was just an interesting story, then I was like “that’s it?” But NOPE. Enter: the epilogue. I usually hate the “this is how it all happened” trope that happens at the end of books, but this one shocked me. I audibly gasped, and that hasn’t happened in so long.

So grateful to have been auto-approved for this, and it delivered just as much as all Paris’s books do. She never disappoints!!

In The Guest, B. A. Paris serves up the ingredients for a perfect psychological thriller: a devastated husband who witnesses a young man take his last breath; a family friend who appears unannounced because of her husband's admittance to an extramarital affair; a couple down the street who hire a gardener with a questionable past. As usual, Paris has constructed a whirlwind of a narrative which focuses on a married couple and their complex relationships.

Gabriel and Iris have returned home from a much needed vacation. Gabriel has been recovering from the death of his father, a beloved dog and the untimely death of a young man. Gabriel had been out for his morning run and had found Charlie, an 18 year old guy, at the bottom of a limestone quarry, apparently a victim of a bicycle accident. Charlie was still alive and uttered a message to Gabriel before he died. This message has haunted Gabriel and has led to his emotional withdrawal and ultimately a strained relationship with Iris.

Upon returning home they discover that a close friend, Laure, has taken it upon herself to move into their home temporarily because her husband, Pierre, has admitted to an affair and a child from that encounter. Although they are close with Pierre and Laure, Laure's presence starts to grate on Gabriel and Iris. She ends up staying for weeks, trying to insert herself in their daily routine and claiming she can't reach Pierre.

As a welcome diversion, Gabriel and Iris befriend Hugh and Esme, a couple that recently moved in down the street. They are working on renovating their home and outside gardens. To this end, they have hired a landscaper, Joseph,
who has been recovering from a drinking problem.. On Hugh and Esme's recommendation, Gabriel and Iris hire Joseph to help Gabriel with their garden. Over time, Joseph's past starts to rear its ugly head.

Unfortunately, there's no end to the series of terrible events that ultimately unfold. Paris is masterful at showing how the bonds between people can ultimately fray as past secrets are exposed. This is another terrific novel from B. A. Paris that will be devoured in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book totally freaked me out! It was scary and gripping. I couldn’t put it down! A must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!

Okay.... admittedly, this book was slower at sme parts than I've come to expect from this author- but that doesn't detract from how much I enjoyed reading it. I thought several times that I had everything all figured out, so the epilogue literally blew everything I thought I knew out of the water. In my humble opinion, you can't go wrong with this author... yes, there may be parts that drag on a page or two too long, but don't give up. The ending is 100% worth staying the course!

Whoa 🤯! I love when a story twists the way this one did! B. A. Paris continues to surprise me with how well she can spin a story. This one should keep you guessing until the very end! My favorite is the last line of the book. Once you read it, you’ll understand why. 😉

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!🤗

Thanks @stmartinspress and @netgalley for read number 98 of 2023. This book reminds me of how well @baparisauthor is at developing character. She has some interesting ones in here. I was not expecting that twist at the end. The last chapter is pure gold and that last sentence is incredible. This book deserves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ based on the last chapter alone. This was a hard book to put down, and I read it all in one sitting. There is a lot of character development, and while the pace picks up about 1/2 way through, even the other chapters had me hooked. @baparisauthor is a favourite author of mine, and she’s hit another home run with this book! I loved it! ❤️

Classic B.A. Paris had my jaw drop at 90% through the book. I LOVED "The Guest."

Charlie's last words haunt Gabriel, who found him at the bottom of the quarry, long after he dies. Just when Gabriel thinks his life can't get much worse after being forced to take time off from work to deal with his trauma, he comes home from holiday to find his best friend's wife living in his house. Gabriel and Iris can't believe how comfortable Laure has made herself in their absence, sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris' clothes. But they can't say anything- she's just found out her husband has a child, with another woman! Laure's martial drama becomes the center of attention as her husband Pierre refuses to speak with anyone. The drama ensues when Iris suspects the gardener is the father of her neighbor's child and not her much older husband. The drama level of this book, the suspense, the amount of secrets swirling around them all led to me reading this book in one sitting.

The writing was impeccable, the story enthralling. Thank you for this early read, I'm already telling all of my friends about it. Can't wait to get one for my bookshelves in February.

The Guest by B.A. Paris is another captivating read from this highly addictive author who never fails to hit the mark. Chock full of secrets and intrigue, you will not be able to put this down.

Iris and Gabriel arrive home after a holiday to find that their friend Laure has installed herself in their residence following the discovery of her husband Pierre's shocking secret. Having experienced a traumatic event himself quite recently, Gabriel is not in a good place to play the genial host, and Laure soon pushes the boundaries with her well-meaning friends. The arrival of new neighbours will offer some respite, but tensions are high, and it is only a matter of time before secrets begin to bubble to the surface, making for some truly explosive revelations.

While this latest does probably not rank as my favourite from this author, it is virtually guaranteed to leave your jaw on the floor. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.

I always enjoy books by this author and this was better than most.
A couple returns from being away to find a friend has moved into their home while she decides what to do about her marriage, facing a situation where they are smack in the middle. They are friendly with both of the other couple and want to help, though it is straining their already awkward relationship.

Gabriel has a secret that is burdening him enough that he cannot work. It is straining his relationship with Iris, his wife, as he has not confided in her in spite of her attempts to help him. When Laure chooses to extend her stay, it prolongs the tension between them.

New neighbors provide a distraction and yet there are secrets there, too. Joseph, friend of the neighbors, is helping them with their garden, but what are his secrets and why is he so close to so many with issues?

So many overlapping story lines, yet all contribute more facts and more questions. How reliable is the narrator?

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I'd give this one 4.5 stars for keeping me wanting more, right up to the end.

I don't even read summaries anymore before diving into the latest B.A. Paris thriller - that's how must-read an author she is for me. This one, however, fell just a little flat. Without any spoilers, I loved the twists, but would have preferred a less hurried reveal at the end. Still a solid 4-star, fast-paced read.

Holy whizz this was a jaw dropper a slooooow burn and may be her most clever and diabolical book yet ! I loved this book and was shocked more then once ! Twisted and full of scandal , heat and surprises ! This book left me wanting more ! Easily a 5 star read !!!!!

What an amazing thriller! B.A. Paris knocks it out of the park once again with her newest book, showing just how dangerous a house guest can be, when they are most definitely uninvited!

B.A Paris never let's you down
Powerful punch to this book.which definitely got way better at the end when all clarity is revealed. Friendships but are they really...you never know who to trust in this book. I thought what I read was true then the ending happened.. boom what a brilliant surprise!!

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

B.A. Paris is an auto read author for me. I read The Prisoner last year as an ARC and loved it. The Guest was not my favorite read from this author. The story was interesting and kept me wanting more. There were a lot of characters who all felt similar so I kept getting confused on who was who to the story. This is definitely a domestic thriller. The epilogue is long and where the reader finds out what has been going on for the whole book. I didn't see it coming. Not even a hint of possibility. So I guess that was the best part of it? It's a satisfying read, just not as great as I expect from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! I was definitely not expecting the ending of the book. Looking back, some parts of the ending are not that surprising, but given everything else that happened in the story, those possibilities were not something that I had considered.

Yet, as explosive and surprising as the ending of the book was, it is a book that takes a while to get into, and there are parts where the characters are whiny and obnoxious, and you just want the author to move along with the story. Overall, not as good as other books I have read by B.A. Paris, although the ending certainly makes up for some of the earlier deficiencies.

I have read all of Paris’ books and the first thing I can say about all of them is that they you can not put them down. I devoured it in one day which is not my norm. Secondly, every book is a brilliant, suspenseful, page turning thriller.

Paris’ writing style pulls you in from the first line and keeps you engaged throughout the entire book.

The Guest is about a couple, Iris and Gabriel who have been friends with another couple, Laure and Pierre, they met on vacation 20 years ago while they were celebrating their 1st wedding anniversary.

Laure shows up at Iris’ house while they are out of town because Pierre and her had an epic falling out and Laure needed some space. Iris and Gabriel come home to find Laure had been staying there for several days without warning.

Over the next several weeks with Laure living with Iris and Gabriel many events take place that keep you wondering who is telling the truth and what is really going on.

The story has an excellent flow, great characters and epic plot twists that all combine into a stunning thriller!

I highly recommend this excellent novel.

The Guest begins with a promising premise: Iris and her husband, Gabriel, are awakened in the middle of the night by the unexpected arrival of their distraught friend, Iris, who has fled from her husband, Pierre, after learning he has a child that he’s kept a secret for many years.

And it’s all downhill after that. People die, mysteriously. Fingers are pointed.Clues and multiple red herrings abound. And then, in what must be the cheapest literary technique in the book, a “surprise “ epilogue reveals the true identity of the killer.

The characters are boring, and, except apparently for the killer, idiots.

Not recommended.