This book is domestic drama at its finest! Iris and Gabriel come home from holiday to find their friend Laure moved into their home after having left her husband because he had an affair that led to a child he has just discovered and wants to get to know. Adding to the mix is a new couple who have just moved into town and the dynamics between them and their gardener is a conundrum to be explored. It’s not a quick read by any means but it’s all about the ending!! I thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Do we ever know what we’re capable of?

Gabriel is going through a really rough time at the moment: he’s on leave from work after losing his beloved Great Dane, his father passing shortly thereafter, & being the first at the scene of a death at the local quarry. His wife Iris is doing her best to get him to open up, but their living situation becomes fraught with tension when a good friend named Laure comes to stay with them for an extended period of time following her husband Pierre’s revelation that he had fathered a child with another woman sometime in the past. Laure won’t leave Iris alone, & it’s a distressing situation for Gabriel as well since he’s friends with Pierre & Pierre has suddenly become very uncommunicative; one of the only means of escape from the strangeness in their home comes in the form of fun new neighbors Esme & Hugh who are expecting their first child soon. However they also come with a gardener, & that man may be more trouble than anyone realizes…

The lengthy explanation at the end was one I did not see coming - I’ve read B. A. Paris books in the past & this one was exactly the high-caliber thriller I’ve come to expect from this author. I enjoyed some of the little details like the dog shelter Iris & Gabriel’s daughter Beth worked at, & The Secret Garden reference when Gabriel started improvements on their property as something to do during his work leave. The overall story was a complicated mix of relationships that I read through very quickly, & I recommend it to anyone looking for a fascinating shocker of a book that can be read in a single sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love BA Paris! Great set up, mood, characters with fun twists. The story moves quickly and has some dark elements that are sure to darkly delight Paris’ readers.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is a masterclass in suspense, delivering a gripping narrative that had me glued to the pages from start to finish. Paris's skill in crafting a tense, unpredictable storyline is unparalleled, ensuring that I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire read. The plot's twists and turns were perfectly paced, making it impossible to put down—I devoured this book in just one day. The characters are deeply complex, driving the story forward with their secrets and revelations. For anyone looking for a thrilling psychological ride, "The Guest" is a must-read. Paris has outdone herself with this one, proving once again why she's a leading name in the genre.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Iris & Gabriel and Laure & Pierre have been friends for years. When Laure shows up at their door in the middle of a crisis, of course Iris & Gabriel open their door and arms to help her figure things out. But what happens when that friend seems to overstay their welcome and seems to be acting out while you are dealing with your own issues?

Perfect read to get me out of a reading slump. In true BA Paris fashion, there are many twists and turns and your mind will take you down many wrong roads. As always, the ending comes together, like putting the final pieces in a puzzle and all the signs become obvious. There were times I scratched my head and questioned motives or decisions, and yes, I was totally manipulated. Characters were annoying, not very likable. This was a fun psychological read. If you’ve read this author before, you know what her endings are like. Thanks to BA Paris for giving me a book I couldn’t put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

“The Guest” by B.A. Paris follows couple Iris and a guilt-stricken Gabriel, who heard the last words of a dying young man. While Iris tries to take care of her husband, her friend, Laure, unexpectedly becomes a house guest after leaving her husband. After Laure’s arrival, secrets are unraveled. How far will someone go to protect these secrets?

The book was easy to read, but I felt conflicted. The first two-thirds of the book was slow and felt repetitive. How many times can the characters rehash the same secrets? It felt like an overload. The book's last third picked up and there were some great twists. The loose ends came together and if you like B.A. If you like Paris's work, it might be worth reading the book for the epilogue.

Thank you to B.A. Paris St. Martin’s` Press my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

It's 'the man who came to dinner," only it's a woman houseguest, uninvited and reluctant to leave, in .B.A. Paris'. "The Guest." Paris leads us down a rabbit hole of petty annoyances and gruesome deaths, until finally there's a big reveal I for one didn't see coming. Print and online review ran in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Guest is another twisty read from B.A. Paris. While I did enjoy this more than the last book I read by this author, something was off for me and I can’t quite put my finger on it. The dynamic between the characters felt a little forced I think, and the pacing seemed a little repetitive at times. I was hooked into the story however, and I felt invested enough to see how the story would play out. The end of the story was a little bit of a surprise, and for those who are newer to thrillers, I would recommend it for that reason.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have never read a B.A. Paris book and been disappointed, this one is no different. This book had my attention from the first page, I couldn't put it down. The way she writes psychological thrillers is like no other. There were so many twists and turns, and even though I thought I had it figured out, she let me know I didn't.

I love myself a good domestic thriller and B.A Paris never disappoints in that department!

This story is about a couple named Gabriel and Iris and one day when they come home from some time away they find Laure one of their friends in their house claiming that she was having some marriage trouble. Iris was skeptical from the beginning and just wants Laure out of the house. As the story unravels you will be SHOCKED.

The twist at the end had my jaw on the floor. I recommend picking this up if you are like me and enjoy a great domestic thriller with an awesome twist!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for an eBook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The Guest is well-written, as I had anticipated from B.A. Paris. The short chapters made it a quick and compelling read. However, I didn’t feel particularly connected to any of the characters. This simply didn’t capture my interest in the way it might, had I felt more invested in what happened to any of them. It was more dramatic than suspenseful. It was fine overall, and the ending still left me feeling surprised. I always look forward to reading what this author writes next.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. martins press for the ARC!

First off, this is my first B.A Paris book..Girl, I will be back for more!

I loved the setting of the book! A good domestic thriller sucks me right in. We follow husband and wife Iris and Gabriel in their “mediocre” type life where it doesn’t seem excitement is normal for them. They come back from a trip and find that one of their best friends is actually in their home…and won’t leave… ummm, rude! And also a nightmare! With the writing style, the tension between the parties is palpable and building in intensity with every interaction. And it finally pops. And it does so in a spectacular way! When the twist hit, I literally said “Hah!” aloud. It was a glorious moment.
Highly recommend this read! And will be going back and adding all books by B.A. to my TBR!

I enjoyed this one, but it wasn't my favorite by this author.

Plot -
Gabriel and Iris return from vacation to find their friend Laure staying in their home. She had just walked out on her husband, Pierre, after he confessed to an affair and a secret child. Iris and Gabriel try to be supportive, but Laure's behavior becomes more and more unhinged, and she has overstayed her welcome.

Thoughts -
This book was just okay in my opinion. I thought the whole thing dragged on for a long time with nothing happening. This author's books are usually more tense than this was. I wasn't entirely sure where the book was going. I don't want to give any spoilers because it does take a few wild turns, and then there is one massive plot twist at the end. I personally don't like the plot twists where everything is wrapped up, and then a character is like, "but here is what really happened." The best I can say is that it is a reliable thriller, but probably won't be memorable for me in either a good or a bad way.

Not my favorite BA book. While there is a lot going on in the story, I feel like I was always waiting for *something* to happen. There were a lot of little things that left the reader suspicious but in the end, there wasn’t a lot that came from those things and instead the twists came from nowhere. And I have no problem with a slow burn book, but having to wait to the very last chapter - the epilogue, no less! - to figure out what exactly happened was not satisfying to me.

This story started off a bit slow and I felt the middle dragged. Not much was happening but here an there I got an eerie feeling. I do feel there was some predictability but overall I did enjoy this book. All the secrets spilled out at the end and I would have preferred them to trickle. I would recommend this book for my thriller lovers wanting a simple low key beach book. The Breakdown is still my favorite book by this author and probably my all time favorite thriller. Hands down.

4 stars...

A slow burn, domestic suspense... with a very twisty, satisfying ending.

I've always been a big fan of B.A. Paris since reading Behind Closed Doors years ago (still an-all favorite thriller I will always recommend). Over the years, some of her books have been hits, others complete miss (The Dilemma), but I have always read every one and will always pick up any new books by this author.

The Guest was a quick, satisfying read that fans of her previous work will enjoy!

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher!

3.5 stars - this is my first read by this author so thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC version for my review.

Iris and her husband Gabriel arrive home from vacation to find an old friend, Laure, who needs a place to stay after discovering her husband’s infidelity. Iris and Gabriel, who are going through a rough patch due to some recent traumas, let her move in with them. What was supposed to be a couple weeks stretches into an indefinite stay.

Iris finds escape with new friends in the village, Hugh and Esme, who are expecting their first child. Hugh and Esme have their own houseguest in the form of Esme’s childhood friend-turned-gardener, Joseph. Their lives quickly become intertwined and several tragedies ensue.

My one complaint is I kept waiting for the twist but the big reveal didn’t come until the epilogue, and the amount of info that was thrown at the reader in the last few pages made it feel rushed. It was a slick way to wrap up the story, but didn’t fully overcome the slowness that the first 97% of the book entailed. I wish the author had woven more of that into the main story, to help crank up the tension.

The Guest will keep you guessing throughout the entire book with twists and turns in every chapter. Your best friend just left her husband after finding out he was unfaithful years ago and fathered a child. As she overstays her welcome with friends, her husband is no where to be found and you slowly find out the truth about their marriage. The story unfolds with so many twists and turns to keep you engaged along with short chapters that make you want to keep reading to figure out how it all fits together. This was definitely a could not put down from start to finish!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a copy of The Guest by B.A. Paris. This comes out February 20th.

Psychological Thrillers are my favorite. The Guest was full of so many secrets and this had so many twists!