Having read all of B.A. Paris’ books, I went into this with heightened anticipation. I was waiting for the suspense for 90% of the book and it just didn’t get there until the epilogue. I expected more twists and it felt a bit flat for me. I did enjoy the plot of a friend who finds out her husband had a child with someone else, moves in and overstays her welcome.

Another good one by BA Paris. I really enjoyed it. Twisty turns and characters. I have planned to go back and read all of BA Paris' books. Enjoyed it.

Iris and Gabriel are struggling; after Gabriel's witnessing of a horrifying accident they are experiencing a great divide. Further exasperating things is their univited guest, Laure, who is going through a difficult separation from her husband, Gabriel's best friend Pierre. Like Laure, their neighbors have a house guest going through some trying times and with him comes a mountain of secrets that leak into their own.

My word, first, you need a map to keep the connections straight in this novel. There are a lot of characters and as the novel progresses, the individuals story begin to tangle together. Second, this one is slow in pace and while I think it lends itself to understanding the true height of tension, it can feel monotonous. You are reading a story about a couple and their day to day lives after a major incident. There is coffee, lunches, dinner, afternoons shopping, and daily runs. It feels somehow both critical to the story and repetetive, however if you've ever had family or a friend stay for a long time, you'll know the intent of the author in doing this. As the coffee cups sit where they shouldn't and private time gets less and less, what boils to the surface?

While I figured out fairly early on who the true villain was, I greatly enjoyed the layout of everyone being a suspect. It's a twisted story, no one is truly as good as they'd like to claim they are, but the secrets bubbling up are horrifying. I enjoyed this read, especially as a quick beach-read thriller.

2 stars

This is the second B.A Paris book that I have read other than Behind Closed Doors. I wasn’t thrilled with that book either however I do think it did a better job altogether than this one. The Guest was a very odd premise to start with but I got into it a bit and was still engaged enough to see where this was going but I feel like it wasn’t executed well enough. The characters seemed annoying and messy but not in a good messy. I don’t think they were as well put together as maybe how the other imagined. I also felt like the reasoning behind the whole plot was kind of just lackluster.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This thriller was fine, but didn't knock my socks off. I think this author just isn't for me. I have seen mixed reviews of this book.

The plot twists gradually reveal the underlying complexities of a seemingly troubled relationship on the mend, culminating in a suspenseful and deadly aftermath involving an unanticipated guest. While the novel delivers a surprising ending and maintains a brisk pace with its short chapters, I found it challenging to engage with the characters due to their almost shallow nature. Unfortunately, this hindered my ability to remain fully invested in the story. Normally, I am a huge fan of this author's writing style, but this particular book didn't resonate with me as much as their previous works.

Thank you MacMillan Audio and St Martins Press for my copy.

BA Paris is an autobuy author for me, she made me get back into reading with Behind Closed Doors. I hadn't really been a reader since I was a kid before this. I always jump to read her new books and this was the first time I did one mainly on audio. I thought the narration was pretty good, nothing really stood about it for me on audio, and the story was also ok. It was a good mystery, but it wasn't one of my favorites by her. I would check out Behind Closed Doors and then Bring Me Back if you want to check out this author instead.

Domestic thrillers are my bag, and I really love to read them and see what each author does with the genre. An uninvited house guest is a personal nighmare for me, and I would hope that I would deal with this issue swiftly and well. B A Paris does a great job setting the story, and once established, following the characters was interesting and a great read. Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC of this book.

★★★★☆

b.a. paris knows how to sink her claws into you, and the guest is no exception. from the very first page, there’s an unsettling undercurrent—a slow, creeping tension that tightens its grip with every chapter. this is not a thriller that relies on big, flashy twists; instead, it builds its unease gradually, piece by piece, until you realize you’ve been holding your breath.

the novel thrives on its atmosphere—claustrophobic, charged, laced with secrets that fester beneath polite smiles. the characters are flawed in that distinctly paris way, where you don’t know if you trust them, but you have to know what happens next. the pacing is sharp, the dread palpable, and while some plot points felt a little predictable, the execution kept me glued to the pages.

if there’s a flaw, it’s that the emotional depth doesn’t always land as hard as the tension does. some moments could have cut deeper, hit harder. but even so, the guest is an addictive, compulsively readable ride—one that leaves you unsettled in the best way.

Wow!

The Guest is a story that will keep you turning page after page.
There’s nothing to make you think outside the box. The story is exactly what it says…………….until it isn’t.
Did not see that ending coming at all.

Such a good story!

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story.

This was an intriguing novel. I was surprised by the ending - never would have guessed the culprit. The writing style was good with intriguing characters. I recommend this novel for a nice, cozy mystery read. The full scope of my review can be found on these links!

B.A. Paris does it again with twists and turns you don't see coming until they hit you! Buckle up for the ride!
#thriller #Netgalley

BA Paris truly never misses. I would read anything by this author. Amazing premise and perfect execution.

I had a hard time connecting to this one. I didn’t find the characters engaging, the mystery didn’t have my normal favorite elements of a Paris book. Others may enjoy it more than I did.

Loved this book 10/10 kept me engaged the whole
Way thru and loved it from start and finish thankful I was able to read before anyone

The Guest by B. A. Paris is a domestic suspense novel packed with secrets, tension, and a final twist that’s sure to leave readers stunned. It’s a story about friendships, betrayals, and the unsettling presence of a guest who overstays her welcome—both physically and emotionally.

The mystery at the heart of the story is well-woven, and that final twist? I didn’t see it coming! While the reveal surprised me, I’m still unsure if it fully lived up to the suspense built throughout the book.

The biggest challenge for me was the characters—I didn’t feel much of a connection to them. Laure, the titular guest, had me shouting at the pages—her overstepping and erratic behavior made me want to throw her out of the house myself! On top of that, the pacing dragged at times, with too much focus on repetitive discussions and mundane details.

That said, there’s something undeniably entertaining about B. A. Paris’s storytelling. Domestic suspense novels like this are great for when you want a quick, low-effort thrill. While The Guest wasn’t my favorite of hers, it’s still an engaging pick with enough twists to keep you reading until the end.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. I paired it with the audiobook—a fantastic decision, as the narrator’s performance was truly engaging and made it easy to stay immersed!

Because this was an ARC from Netgalley, I gave it 50%
The first 50% was fine enough and did keep my interest a bit, but I didn't care about any of the characters and I couldn't keep any of them straight.

Around 80% it finally started picking up. But the twist... it was unpredictable, yes, but not at all satisfying.
The epilogue just shot through the story. I would have liked the author to take her time a bit more.

⭐️⭐️
04.26.2024

3.5 out of 5 Stars.

I always find an interesting read from B.A. Paris, although this wasn’t one of her best, it was still a decent and fast paced read.

Hated it. Not for me. Loved the prologue and that was about it. Too many random things thrown in when it could’ve been just really focused on one story to tell.