My head is still spinning from this twisty read. Never saw the ending coming. Very, very craftily plotted. Just another outstanding thriller by this fantastic author. Wow! Loved it !

Stretching this one to three stars ...

The mysteries and twists to this one were pretty good - it went in a lot of different directions and kept me guessing throughout the end (and it was a great twist at the end). What really sank this one for me were the characters. I couldn't find any connection or likeable qualities to any of them (primary or secondary). Iris and Gabriel were such utter doormats that I wanted to slap them both before I was even half way done with the book. And while the interwoven storylines were clear and laid out in a way that they were easy to track, it was all just so implausible and far-fetched, I rolled my eyes throughout they entire story. So all my stars go to the twists and ending; the rest of the book was pretty difficult to get through.

BA Paris's newest domestic thriller, "The Guest," invites readers into the lives of Iris and Gabriel. They return from a trip to discover an unexpected houseguest, Laure, staying in their house. What begins as simply helping out a friend in need soon leads to a tangled web of uncertainty.

At first, Iris and Gabriel are happy to open their home to Laure, who is dealing with the collapse of her marriage and the absence of her husband, Pierre. Yet, as time goes by with no communication from Pierre, Iris's doubts start to grow. Could Pierre be missing, or is there a darker mystery developing?

"The Guest" creates an intriguing storyline with surprising twists, but the narrative feels inconsistent and sluggish at times. Overall, I found the book to be an interesting introduction to the author. While it didn't top my list of favorites, I'm looking forward to exploring more of BA Paris's work.

I recommend "The Guest" to anyone who enjoys a good domestic drama with a shocking twist at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review.

This is my fifth B.A. Paris book now, so I’ve kinda got her style of books figured out now. They are slow burn domestic-type thrillers.

With the exception of The Prisoner (which is probably my favorite and has more action than the others), most of her books make you start to wonder if the book is worth finishing.

There is usually some mundane daily routine stuff where it feels like nothing is really happening. You don’t really connect all that much to the characters because you’re kinda in this limbo where you’re not really sure what you’re trying to figure out or where the story is even going to go.

But then Paris usually throws in some twists/revelations at the end that draw all the threads together and turn all the mundane into meaningful details. Turns out most of it matters.

The Guest followed this pattern to a T. But unfortunately, I’m not entirely sure if the ending was worth it like it was for The Therapist or The Breakdown.


The main premise is that a long-time friend from Paris (Laure) shows up at Gabriel and Iris’s house in the London area citing marital problems and asking if she can stay there for a bit…. the guest.

She overstays her welcome— like so hard… even I wanted to punch her in the face— and Pierre (her husband and also their friend) isn’t communicating with them. They have no idea what is going on other than Pierre has admitted to having a child with someone else and now wanting to be in that child’s life. Laure has given him an ultimatum- me or the kid.

Things only get weirder when Laure seems to have developed some sort of crush or relationship with the (young) landscaper friend who has been working for Gabriel and their neighbor.

Then a body is found. And another one.

This one is quite the tangled up domestic mess.



When the ‘bomb’ was dropped in the epilogue (not the other bomb), I was like ‘Oh that’s pretty crazy, but also, that actually is crazy.’

I didn’t see it coming but at the same time it felt quite out of left field. While there is pointing back to ‘clues’ we had read about, I wouldn’t really say it’s one that the reader can really figure out. You may guess the right person, but there’s no way to know exactly what happened until it’s all laid out.

The upside is that the book is a really quick read as hers tend to be. So if you’re on the fence about reading it, it is at least a low time commitment book. I wouldn’t call it a must read, but if you tend to like B.A. Paris’s books normally, you’ll probably feel at home with this one.


I’m not sure if I will read her future books or not. Maybe if I’m in the mood for a slow-burn with a twist reveal, but I may have had my fill. Although, I might go back and read Behind Closed Doors because I’ve heard that one is really good.

If you have never read Paris before, maybe start with The Prisoner or The Therapist.

She is not an author I can universally recommend because her books are hit and miss for me, but at least they’re pretty clean!



Now for a few MAJOR SPOILER COMMENTS so keep scrolling if you don't want to know!!

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Okay, so what the ‘big reveal’ tells us is that Iris is the person Pierre had a child with. Beth is Pierre’s, not Gabriel’s. And what makes it so messed up is that Pierre was on his honeymoon and Iris was on their first anniversary trip when they had sex! And they had already met as friends!

Who decides to go for a naked swim?! By themselves?! On their honeymoon/anniversary?! Nobody. That’s who. And even if they did, who would see someone else and then immediately have a sexual desire for them and act on it?!

Furthermore, how could it have zero impact on their friendship as a couple? It makes no sense. Unless both of them are sociopaths.

And beyond that… there’s no way she would have any idea that she was actually pregnant that night. She didn’t even have a pregnancy test. She just ‘knew’ she was pregnant and told Gabriel she took a test before they left. And then they told Pierre and Laure that they were a month pregnant. Without actually knowing FOR SURE that she was! There is no way to know you are pregnant at conception. That’s crazy pants.

And ALSO how could she really keep Beth away from them for 20 years? They were such good friends they had keys to each other’s houses, but Pierre never sees pictures or videos of Beth? Ever? He never wondered before now?

And all of this is just the ‘source’ of the conflict. It’s like two paragraphs in the whole book. But all the killing Iris does as a result of such a crazy/stupid encounter is just… out there.

To be honest, I’ve never really been a fan of the unreliable narrator trope. Sure, it makes for a big surprise, but I don’t like the bait and switch of how you perceive and relate to the main character being turned on its head. The first one of these I read was Gone Girl and when that was revealed, I was like sick to my stomach.

I guess I just don’t like being lied to, especially by someone I’m supposed to be empathetic towards.

Besides, when I’m reading a whodunnit, it feels like cheating to just be like- oh and I’ve been misleading you this whole time so you were never going to figure out the clues because you trusted that when I said I took a bath and when I said I went to lunch with my friend Jade, you would have no reason to question it. Gotcha!

That’s not the kind of twist I get excited about. Especially for the reason that it was in this book.

I didn’t like it in Gone Girl, and I didn’t like it here.

And ANOTHER thing. Gabriel’s secret. How could he keep that even from Iris? It’s not even about her OR him. It’s about other people’s lives. I would immediately tell my spouse and have them help me figure out what to do. It’s clearly causing major issues in their marriage.

I think it’s stupid that he didn’t just tell her. There was nothing to be afraid of. There were worse things that could (and did) happen by keeping it in. Speculation is usually worse than the truth. If you can’t tell your spouse every thing, there is a problem.

And ANOTHER thing. When Gabriel and Iris get home and Beth asks them what happened, clearly distressed by the sound of the explosion, Gabriel says- “It’s Joseph. He blew himself up.”

Just like that. I get Gabriel is in shock… but it felt very random to just say that someone blew themselves up. ‘Sorry Beth, I know you became really close friends with him and all, but he’s like totally blown up right now, so your friendship is over. Want some dinner?’

So. Yeah. I had a few issues with this one. I don’t like mysteries as much when it all just boils down to domestic dysfunction. For some reason a serial killer is more appealing to read about than a fornicator.


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SPOILERS OVER!


[Content Advisory: 0 f-words and 2 s-words]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

I am the biggest fan of B.A. Paris. I get all her books as soon as they are available. I love the domestic thrillers as well as the ones that are more like domestic dramas with a bit of mystery. She is always a winner. The Guest will end up on the lower end of my rankings of the author's books, but I still really enjoyed it. I think what held me back from liking it as much as I have others of her novels was simply that I didn't relate to any of the characters or the choices they made. I couldn't understand being ok with a friend showing up at my home and moving in with my husband and myself INDEFINITELY with no notice or even reassurance of when they will move out. I couldn't understand Laure's actions with regard to Pierre. I couldn't understand the reason for the depth of Gabriel's depression making it to where he couldn't even imagine ever working again. It seems to me that a lot of what seemed like unlikely emotions or choices were probably written in order to make the mystery play out appropriately. And while I do not mind suspending disbelief, it is less enjoyable to me than if motives of the players actually made sense. That said, I was engrossed the entire book. I think the red herrings were occasionally very clever and the ending made sense even if I didn't love it. Good luck to anyone trying to figure it out. It was a crooked/twisty path to get there.

My mom always says that guests are great, but they start to stink after three days – and in B.A Paris’ new book, this holds true.

Iris and Gabriel return home from a holiday away to find family friend Laure has been squatting in their house after a fight with her husband, Pierre. Add to that Gabriel’s struggle with being witness to a tragic accident in the nearby quarry where he hears a boy’s last words before dying, new neighbors and a gardener with a mysterious past, and you have yourself the makings of a great domestic drama.

I love B. A. Paris’ style of writing, with short chapters that make for fast-paced reading. This book had great character development, a strong setting that had me yearning for a lovely garden and enough drama to keep me going, but the ending felt a little abrupt. While it was a shocker, I wish that it had been fleshed out a little more. This book was good, but I feel like it falls in the middle of the road of the author’s books for me. I'm eager to see what she comes up with next.

Thank you to B.A. Paris, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

I liked this one, but didn’t love it. The pacing was good, and I kept wanting to turn the pages. I loved the setting in England, and going over into France. There was a lot going on, multiple storylines to keep track of, and that’s what I didn’t love. It all came together in the end, but was a ride to get there. The ending was shocking! I didn’t see it coming, which I like.

This was a good read but not as good as it could’ve been. I did not love the pace of this story. Overall there was something missing with mystery. If you have read by this author you will enjoy this. It was a quick read.

B.A. Paris is an auto-buy author for me so when I saw that a new book was releasing, it was a auto-request as well. This thriller had me at the edge of my seat and I could not put it down. What starts off as a family in Greece for humanitarian work and making friends, slowly unfolds with dark secrets as the story unfolds. You cannot pass this one up and will have you enthralled to the final word!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

A genre bending murder mystery/domestic thriller. Quick short chapters; plot and pacing that keeps the reader guessing. Things come together a bit quickly at the end of the novel but overall an entertaining read

This book kept my guessing all the way until the last chapter. Moral of the story … don’t trust anyone!
This was another great read written by BA Paris.

This book definitely kept me on my toes, and kept me constantly guessing at not only who was the killer, but what was actually going on in the book. One part domestic thriller, one part murder mystery, this book has the perfect blend to keep you interested and engaged, and guessing. The twist at the end was perfected, and narrated with perfect nonchalance-- so much so you may miss it if not paying attention.

I find some books are hit or miss for me with this author, but this book was definitely a winner.

Thank you to the Author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.

I really enjoy this author and this newest book didn't disappoint. For such a slow burn, it kept me totally engrossed. Best part was that I didn't see the twist coming at all.

The plot of this book was super intriguing, and I was fully into it the first 30%, but then things drastically slowed down and took a turn. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters, their mannerisms and decisions drove me a little crazy, and I felt like a lot of details about them were including that didn’t add to the story.
I was hoping for more twists along the way, but there was just the one main story that ended up being a major slow burn.

While this one was a miss for me, I’ve enjoyed some other books by this author!

I love a twisty book. This is part domestic problems and then people just keep dying. Iris and Gabriel seem to have an idyllic life, but one thing happens then another. When an old friend comes to stay with them I see red flags everywhere.
It’s a great short book. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press Macmillan Audio for early copies.
Audio was well done, narrator does have an English accent but it was easy to listen to.
This book is available February 20,2024 and I highly recommend it

Iris and Gabrielle have come home from vacation and when they get home there is a guest in their house. Their close friend , Laure has left her husband, Pierre. Saying that he told her he had a child with someone else.
They also meet their new neighbors and their new gardener who comes to help Gabrielle with hs garden.
I wasn't very trusting of the new neighbor for some reason.. She just seemed a little off to me.
If I was Iris and Gabrielle then I would have had to say something to Laure about her staying to long. she was driving Iris crazy. But the ending I did not see coming.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the ebook to review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This book was just okay. It is a domestic thriller, which I usually love, but this one fell a bit flat. I enjoyed the short chapters and the setting in England, but I found the storyline slightly underwhelming. I was not invested in the plot or characters, and found it disappointing that the entirety of the book’s twists and revelations happened in the epilogue. I think this story could have been so much more, but it was limited by the author’s writing and lack of character depth. It was not my favorite and I wouldn’t particularly recommend it, but it was an easy read.

This book published February 20, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC is exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to the author, BA Paris and St. Martin’s press. Three stars

The story revolves around Iris and her husband, Gabriel. Gabriel is haunted after witnessing the death of an 18 year old he knew. He is preoccupied by the young man’s last words which he chooses not to share with Iris.
When they return home from a trip, they find Laure, their friend of 20 years, , in their house. She has made herself at home after learning that her husband, Pierre, has a secret child. Laure becomes a super annoying, clingy houseguest that will not leave. Both Iris and Gabriel try contacting Pierre so he and Laure can work it out.

There is also a couple down the street named Hugh and Esme. I feel like they were kind of thrown in to the narrative. They also have a suspicious guest staying with them.

I can’t say too much else without giving the plot away. There were parts were their everyday lives dragged and not a lot happened. I was annoyed towards the end when it seemed like I was not going to get answers. But then the epilogue was like boom! WOW! I will say I did not see it coming.

DNF, I used to enjoy most of BA Paris novels but unfortunately they have gone downhill for me. This novel had my attention at the beginning, like they all do. However, it got to the point where I had to ask “what is the synopsis of this book?” I didn’t know what the actual thrill was. The thrill started to pick up more than 50% through but it still made me question what is the whole book suppose to be about? We had nothing for the beginning then two random murders. It just made me feel like that could have happened sooner.

B.A. Paris never disappoints. Another great read from this author.

Iris and Gabriel return from a holiday to find their friend Lauren in their home. When asked she indicated that she and her husband are having issues and she needed a place to stay for a bit. Lauren starts to overstay her welcome
And all three of these individuals are harboring secrets and getting under each others skin. A new couple down the street becomes their escape however their gardner has secrets that will destroy them as well. Is anyone safe from secrets and what will happen when they are all exposed?

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC.