Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Iris and Gabriel welcome their friend, Laure as a houseguest they assume it will be temporary. After all, Laure and her husband, Pierre should be able to work out their problems. Then there is Gabriel's recent trauma of witnessing the tragic death of a young boy in the community. It still haunts him that he wasn't fully honest with the boy's last words. Meanwhile, Iris makes friends with new neighbours, Hugh and Esme and employs their gardener, Joseph to help Gabriel with his walled garden. It soon becomes apparent that none of these characters are what they seem.

This was the perfect domestic thriller to curl up with this weekend. The prologue had me hooked and the epilogue left me with a lot of anxiety. Future readers will find that B.A. Paris creates an atmosphere of second-guessing and twists, I was so confident that I knew what the big revelations would be, but there was no way I could have guessed it all.

B.A. Paris has another absolute hit on their hands!


Publication Date: 20/02/24
Goodreads Review 17/03/24

HOLY SECRETS! 😱

Never thought B.A. Paris would be able to top Behind Closed Doors but I was wrong. The Guest is officially my new favorite by her. 😍

I’m usually not a fan of slow burns but this one sucked me in and swallowed me whole. Reading this one felt like I got hit upside the head with a 2x4 and completely blindsided by the twist! 🫨😵‍💫🤯

So freaking good for my fellow thriller lovers!!
👏🏼

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a free ARC from MetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This plot moved a little slow but when it finally picked up speed, it was so good. There was an amazing twist I didn’t see coming. The characters were well developed. A good read!

As always, this is a home run. She's an auto buy and go to author for me. Loved it! Thank you Net Galley for this advanced copy

I have always loved this authors books but this one didn't appeal to me! It seemed all,over the place with characters that didn't add to the,story!
I will continue to read her books and look forward to the,next!

I seriously love how BA Paris writes these stories of these super mundane lives and then twist them to become absolutely diabolical!

The epilogue was insane! When I want a twisty ending, that is what I mean.

Getting into the story may have taken a little longer than I would have liked. Also there is no way to figure out the ending with clues until you get the end where everything just unfolds.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for this ARC!

As an avid follower of Paris's work, I couldn't wait to dive into this latest release, and it did not disappoint.

Iris and Gabriel's life takes a sharp turn when they return from vacation to discover their friend Laure occupying their home, their bed, and even wearing Iris's clothes. Laure’s abrupt arrival is triggered by her husband Pierre’s confession of an affair and a secret child. Will she ever leave?

As the story unfolds, Paris weaves together a web of deceit, introducing new characters and subplots, including intriguing new friends and a hot gardener. Now HERE is where it gets interesting! What could these new characters possibly have to do with Laure and Pierre’s drama? Oh, maybe they just add a little more edge and keep you questioning what on earth is happening in this book I am reading!?

With each chapter, the tension escalates. What I appreciated most about "The Guest" is its ability to surprise me at the very end. How well do we really know our friends?

This book is for anyone who likes a good friendship/domestic drama/thriller/mystery vibe.

Thanks to the St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Absolutely chilling page turner! I think this is my favorite suspense book I’ve read in months. I did NOT guess any of the twists and turns and my brain was going a million miles an hour the whole time I was reading. Reminded me why I loved the other BA Paris books I’ve read.

Iris and her husband Gabriel are just coming back from a getaway a few months after Gabriel found a young man who had fallen into the quarry near his running trail and was unable to save his life. Gabriel is a surgeon and Iris thinks he has distanced himself from her because of his guilt at not being able to save him. Gabriel has been hiding the truth from his wife. Charlie's final words are what Gabriel has lied about and he can't figure out what he should do. When they arrive home, someone is in their house. It turns out to be their very good friend Laure who has gotten shocking news from her husband Pierre and needs time away from him. Iris and Gabriel are trying to navigate how to be there for their friend in her time of need while they also figure out their own problems.

I thought I knew where this book was heading but I couldn't have been more wrong. Such a fantastic thrill ride! I could not put this book down! There were so many layers to each character's story and then hairpin twists that all came out of nowhere. Absolutely fantastic!!

My introduction to B.A. Paris was "Behind Closed Doors," and I could not put it down. That pattern has continued with each subsequent novel she puts out into the world - she's become one of the authors whose releases I impatiently await - and "The Guest" was no exception. It is a characteristic slow burn of a mystery, with untrustworthy characters abounding (some of them are actually just plain annoying, honestly, but that is likely part of the point); the journey to the truth is meandering, often doubling back on itself and causing the reader to second-guess any conclusions they might be drawing, but at its moment of denoument, it is a cannonball unapologetically rocketing into the reader at full-force. In some ways, everything feels too neatly wrapped up by the last dozen or so pages, when the rest of the book has tiptoed - almost playfully, like a cat batting around a mouse - towards the big reveals of the truth; side-plotlines, too, are wrapped up succinctly and cleanly, and in ways only somewhat satisfying. Overall, though, this is a solid entry in Paris' catalogue of work, and while it isn't the strongest of them, it's still a great read.

Read Completed 12/20/23 | 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for the audiobook review copy. This free copy did not affect my review in any way.

I really enjoyed THE GUEST a lot more than I thought I would! I've read all of B.A. Paris' thrillers so far and some have been big flops, including the last few, so I just wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe because my expectations were low, I went into it not expecting much and I was happy when I ended up connecting with it.

The beginning of the book was slower, but enjoyable for me. If nothing else, the concept of a guest that's overstayed their welcome was dread enough for me to feel tension and anxiety while reading. I was okay with this pacing because I liked getting to know the characters really well and wondering where everything was going, but I can see how others might not have enjoyed that. I mean, normally I probably wouldn't have enjoyed that, but I just really ended up clicking with the characters, which doesn't always happen.

Things started to spiral out of control about halfway through and that's where things really got interesting. I didn't want to stop reading and was racing through to try and guess at all of these family secrets! Who was the most sinister? Were these circumstances suspicious or out of character? I really liked all the little surprises and twists.

This could have really ended on a bang but instead, we get a weak epilogue where someone basically tells all, and I really hate that. It's lazy and felt like we reached the conclusion of the book already and this was all an afterthought. It really cheapened everything and I wish that could have been used IN the conclusion because everything else just kind of died off and wasn't exciting.

This was a better B.A. Paris read for me but I'm really disappointed in how everything wrapped up. The answers to the questions were satisfying but I hate how we learned about them and after finding out all the answers, there were too many red herrings and barely-hanging-on parties.

This book kept me guessing until the very end! I love that in a book. The plot was tense and uncomfortable at moments, but was thoroughly thought through and very well written. This is my first book by this author, and will definitely be picking up more. Highly recommend.

Alright second chance with a B.A. Paris book! I think it's official.that I'm just not into her writing. The guest is a domestic thriller that's not thrilling at all. Iris and Gabriel have been through a lot when their friend shows up unexpectedly. Iris and Gabriel are sick of their guest, Laure. She came when she found out her husband had a child she didn't know about. I mostly just hated that iris was told from first person and Gabriel was told from third person. It's annoying. This book was too slow. Just Read the epilogue and it'll explain everything so you don't have to read it all.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

This book kept me intrigued. I did not see the ending coming! The book is about 2 couples that are great friends. Their lives are more intertwined and complicated than some of them know. You think you know someone, but things are not always what they seem!

I really had a hard time getting into this one. But I do love B.A. Paris book the therapist! I would definitely give another book a shot though!

Wooooow, B.A. Paris does it again. Actually this might be my favorite out of all of her books. I love it when a suspense novel has you going down one path thinking you’ve figured the plot out only to make a sharp left turn and now you’re second guessing yourself. The story had my hooked and the major plot twist at the end was so good! I didn’t see it coming and I always figure things out!
Iris and Gabriel are surprised when their best friend arrives from Paris and asks if she can stay with them for a short period of time. Laure was given some shocking news by her husband, Pierre that early into their marriage he had had an affair that resulted in a pregnancy. Iris and Gabriel are equally as shocked, but hope that they’re two best friends can get past this news.
Gabriel tries to talk to Pierre and see if he can help him work through what’s going on, but can’t seem to get a hold of him and Laure’s presence is starting to wear on them. The couple was already dealing with a tragic event that took place before their guest arrived, and now having to deal with the affair, and Pierre wanting a relationship with this mystery daughter, is too much.
Strange things start to happen and everyone involved will start to question if they really know each other like they thought that they did.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris begins with a slow burn, but swiftly evolves into a captivating read that kept me gripped until the final page. Paris masterfully crafts a narrative filled with suspense, leaving me guessing at every turn as to the true nature of the unfolding events. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the unexpected twist at the end took me by surprise, solidifying this novel as a thrilling and satisfying psychological thriller.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The Guest by B. A. Paris.
The Guest is a riveting thriller that delivers a rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue from start to finish. With its expertly plotted twists and turns, the novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats, unraveling the sinister consequences of an innocent invitation that quickly spirals into a nightmarish ordeal. The author's sharp prose and well-drawn characters immerse readers in a web of deception and betrayal, culminating in a heart-pounding climax that will leave them breathless. Beyond its thrilling plot, the novel also delves into deeper themes of trust and the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

As usual, this B.A. Paris book packs a punch.

Gabriel and Iris have been married for years but are suffering through a difficult patch. They don't talk to one another and both of them seem to be keeping secrets from one another. Their partnership is on the line. It seems that when Gabriel was with a young man in their community as he died from an accident, he never recovered from the impact. He's been changed ever since and can't move forward and whenever Iris tries to reach out to him, he refuses to open up to her. It doesn't help any when their good friend, Laure shows up to stay with them because her own marriage is on the rocks.

The book adds in new neighbors, Esme and Hugh as well. Gabriel and Iris easily befriend them and spend some time with them. Esme and Hugh have a friend staying on site to help them with some gardening - - Joseph. He also ends up helping Gabriel. Joseph seems full of secrets himself.

Even though there were a few points where this move felt like it drug some, I enjoyed it overall. It was clever and unique.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also listened to the audiobook and found it to be quite well done. The narration was spot on and kept me hooked. It was a lovely performance of the material. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

I'm struggling to find anything positive to say about this book. I've enjoyed a few other books by this author, but this one was a miss.