The Guest was quite clever. These characters have so many secrets that there's something new around every turn. I certainly was kept guessing!

Laure, the houseguest who overstayed her welcome, had me anxious for Iris and Gabriel. There's nothing quite so uncomfortable as wanting your space back to yourself when someone just won't leave! The storyline did get a bit bogged down with the day-to-day of these characters' lives, but from the prologue the reader knows something fascinating is coming. It's worth it to stick out the slow parts!

While not my all-time favorite from this author, I enjoyed the read and will certainly pick up her next novel.

Iris and Gabriel’s perfect life is turned upside down when Gabriel finds a young man dying and is tasked with delivering his last words. As Iris tries to help her husband heal from this trauma their friend Laurie unexpectedly shows up, distraught after discovering her husband fathered a child with another woman. Iris and Gabriel, wanting to help their friend, insists she stay as long as she needs but that turns out to be longer than either expected. Their only reprieve comes from a couple new to town whom they’ve recently befriended. But with them comes their gardner with a checkered past.

BA Paris is one of those authors for me that if she writes it, I’m going to read it. She is the queen of domestic thrillers, however I did struggle with this one a bit.

In the first half Laure was driving me crazy and although I understand this was probably intentional it was borderline too much. Even ignoring Laure, I wasn’t overly fond of or invested in any of the characters. Then throw in the slower pace and it was headed for a 3 star average read for me.

Then came the last few chapters and the story really started to pick up. And when the twists started coming in it was great. I thought I had it figured out but was only partially correct. And although it was a bit long the epilogue really bumped this up to a 4 star read.

Don’t let the domestic suspense vibes fool you into thinking this story won’t deliver one stunner of a twist—the ending is so well-crafted and surprising, I can’t stop thinking about it!

About the Book | The Guest

Married couple Iris and Gabriel return home to their house in the English countryside to find their friend Laure in their house. Laure and her husband Pierre have been close friends with Iris and Gabriel for two decades, ever since they met on vacation in the Bahamas. But Pierre has done something that caused a fight, and Laure has fled to their home unannounced.

Recently, Gabriel happened upon a local teen named Charlie who had a tragic accident in the quarry near their home. Gabriel was with Charlie for his final words, and is haunted by what he saw and heard. Iris is doing her best to support him, but Gabriel hasn’t shared the whole story with her—or with anyone. So when the couple arrive home to find Laure unexpectedly in their home, the timing isn’t great for a guest. Especially one who has no clear timeline to leave.

Iris feels too guilty to turn Laure away when she learns that Laure discovered her husband Pierre had an affair that resulted in a child. Laure is cagey on the details at first, prompting Gabriel to reach out to Pierre and try to talk through what happened. Laure and Pierre are such a wonderful couple—Iris and Gabriel can hardly believe this isn’t something they can work through.

But their good intentions wear thin as Laure continues to involve herself in every aspect of their lives. Iris’s only break from Laure seems to be when she goes in to take a bath. Her other respite seems to be with a newer friend, Esme, who is expecting her first child. The only troubling thing seems to be their gardener, Joseph, who they refer to do some work with Gabriel. It appears Joseph has a checkered past, and there is more than one skeleton in his closet that is yet to be revealed.

Review | The Guest

The three storylines—Pierre’s affair and Laure’s unwelcome visit, Charlie’s death and what Gabriel is holding back, and Joseph’s shady past—are just the beginning of what will unfold in this book. The story moves quickly in my opinion, and before long the mysteries evolve and combine into a twisted web of lies, secrets, and deception. Iris finds herself at the center of it all, trying to repair Laure and Pierre’s marriage, help Gabriel work through his trauma, and find out what is going on with Joseph.

As the story progresses, twists and turns make the storyline even more complicated, and it’s clear that there are secrets being kept on all sides. Iris is a sympathetic character. She’s rational and level-headed, doing her best not to show her frustration with Laure or Gabriel to them. After several weeks of Laure’s stay, Iris and Gabriel set out to nudge her and Pierre towards a resolution. But there are more twists in store that may change everything… The narratives intertwine and become tangled as the story proceeds. The ending ties everything together into a beautiful final chapter.

There is a good amount of character-development which is almost always a pre-requisite for me to give a psychological thriller my top rating. The characters are all intriguing in their own way. Pierre is the least present in the story of the four central characters, but his figure also looms over the story. Laure absolutely fascinated me, and she was the character I most wanted to learn more about. Characters like Esme, Hugh, and Joseph start more in the background, but become more present as the story progresses. Esme was a good foil to Laure as a close friendship for Iris, especially since her relationship with Iris is still relatively new.

Sometimes the husbands in these stories can be throwaway characters, but that is not the case with Gabriel. The secret that’s eating him up regarding the death of Charlie and what happened in those final moments is the hook, but he also is a support to Iris and a close friend to Pierre who wants to resolve things.

The relationships are complicated and intertwined. Some relationships seem so strong to start out and eventually reveal how fragile they were all along. Others move in the reverse direction, growing stronger as the secrets, lies, and betrayals unfold across the pages. They are also filled with moments that lend authenticity—sometimes they are grateful for their friend or partner, and other times exasperated by them.

I wish I could spoil this book because this is a twisted, dark, character-driven psychological suspense novel with an absolutely jaw-dropping ending! I re-read it twice to make sure I captured all of the delicious details that Paris dropped in. The suspense was high by that point in the book, with tension mounting from the very first chapter. The last line (which I won’t reveal here) is absolute perfection. I savored it! I thought about it again and again…

A tense, gripping psychological thriller about secrets, lies, and betrayal, and how no one escapes unscathed by them.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.

B.A. Paris delivers again with this twisty domestic thriller. It was so perfectly plotted that I was engrossed in the story. Iris and Gabriel are a happy couple, and daughter Beth is in Greece doing humanitarian work when they meet Esme and Hugh who've just had baby Hamish. Gabriel is hiding a secret about Charlie, a young boy he discovered at the bottom of a quarry who died in his arms and is petulant at home which worries Iris. But their new friendship with Esme and Hugh brings them joy, as does friend Laure who has come to stay with them after her husband, Pierre admits he fathered a child with someone else. And from here the secrets begin to pile up...as do the lies and convoluted tales that each tells himself "may" be true! Highly recommend this jaw-dropping read. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Although I have historically really enjoyed B.A. Paris' novels, this was not my favorite. I enjoyed the psychological mystery aspect, but it was hard to get past the fact that the majority of the novel was a "backstory" of what happened and the twist reveals weren't until the epilogue of the book. I found myself guessing the main twist about halfway through the novel. I did appreciate the short chapters and the unreliable narrator. I would definitely still give this author another chance with future novels.

3.75 star

The Guest is SUCH a bingeable thriller that really captivated me. One of those thrillers that makes you not want to do anything else but sit and read it lol

There is SO MUCH going on in this one at all times. Laurie is an insufferable character but not in a way that turned me off from the story at all. It was really interesting to see how her story played out.

There ended up being so many layers to this story as it was concluding, which I really appreciated. There were some pacing issues for me, with some major lulls in the story.

I think fans of Lucy Foley would like this one!!

Thank you to St. Martins Press for my copy of this!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book!! All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Going into this book, I was expecting it to be a thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat. Instead it was more about characters who just did odd things that made you question them and their character. I think the story was entertaining and it had just the right amount of characters, but I did find myself losing interest because it didn’t keep me captivated and on the edge of my seat. I will say it was fun coming up my own theories and trying to figure out what the mystery element actually was, but I wasn’t a fan of how we didn’t get the mystery element really until the epilogue. Throughout the book I was trying to figure out the plot line and what it was that the reader was supposed to be finding out and we didnt get that aspect until 85%. With that said, it was an entertaining, short book if you want a pallet cleanser from the books you are currently reading but it’s not what I expected it to be

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & B.A. Paris for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

B.A. Paris is one of my all time favorite thriller authors and once again she didn't disappoint! This one kept me engaged the entire way through and I couldn't put it down. I love how she throws in lots of twists and turns, but the story is still easy to follow along with! I loved this one and cannot wait until her next one! Solid 4 stars for me!

A houseguest that just won't leave, a new gardener with a sordid past, and new neighbors that may be hiding secrets. But then again, don't we all have secrets of our own?

All of it sounds like it makes for a good domestic thriller! And it did! Most of the time. There were a few places that I felt dragged on a bit, or I found myself a teeny bit bored.

The way each story line came to a close, I just felt like it was so obviously not the case, everything felt so off to me. I had so many questions. When I turned the page for the next chapter and the story suddenly jumped to the epilogue, I was like "holy shit, that's it? What a let down."

BUT the epilogue is where it all comes together. The REAL twist is revealed, and maybe I'm just blind, but I did not see it coming at all. The epilogue is where it ramped it up from 3 stars to 4 stars for me.

Overall, if you enjoy a good domestic thriller and some juicy tea, you will like this one. And it was published today so go check it out!

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC

Long married Iris and Gabriel are struggling at the moment in their marriage. Gabriel suffered a traumatic event and is having a hard time letting it go. When they return from a vacation, they find long time friend, Laure in their house. The biggest problem with that is Laure is in no hurry to leave. The couple is in a tough spot as they are friends with both Laure and her husband Pierre.

The hits just kept coming to this group of people. More and more strange things happen. Just when you think you have it all figured out you realize you are wrong.

The characters are equal amounts interesting and annoying. I liked them at times and other times not. While I found it a little over the top at some points, it did all make sense why it was written that way in the end.

While it wasn't my favorite Paris novel, I did enjoy it greatly.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

Fast paced mystery. Iris and Gabriel seem like a happy couple. A beautiful home in the countryside, a successful daughter, and good friends. Things soon change when a tragic accident occurs and an unexpected house guest arrives. Although Iris is fine with the new pregnant house guest, things soon change. With many twists and turns, this novel is not to be missed.

The name B.A. Paris has become synonymous with creepy thriller books and The Guest does not disappoint. Set in the English countryside, the plot is mostly set in Iris and Gabriel's home. They return from a vacation to find their dear friend Laure living in their home. Although Laure has a house key, she is definitely an uninvited guest. Laure has fled her husband and their Paris apartment because she discovered that her husband fathered a child many years ago with another woman. Laure and her husband have no children and Laure doesn't know the identity of the child or the mother. The novel is filled with intriguing characters and many exciting twists and turns. As in any B.A. Paris novel the reader has no idea who to trust.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. I have to say that I like B.A. Paris's earlier work vs her current one. This was an easy read and provided entertainment, but I didn't feel like anything really happened until the very end. I didn't guess the twist so I'll give her that! This is the type of book that I would recommend to friends who read a lot and have a lot of time on their hands.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

This book is listed as a Psychological Thriller, but I have a hard time classifying it as such since those vibes weren’t really there for me until the last 10% of the book. To me it read more like a domestic drama with some slow burn suspense characteristics. Though I feel the character development was adequate, I didn’t really love or hate them; I just kind of felt indifferent. They were all pretty unreliable which was fun.

I’m sure the clues were there throughout (in hindsight I think they were) but I needed everything wrapped up nicely with a pretty little bow because I hadn’t figured it all out myself. I was given this gift (everything spelled out for me) in the epilogue, which was kind of weird, in my opinion. I flipped from the last page of the book to the epilogue and was like, “wait, what?”! I thought, “I’m not ready, I still don’t get what happened exactly”. I had a little bit of a jaw dropping moment there. It’s not very common for the author to use the epilogue to literally walk you through the logistics of it all. That’s a part of the book that sheds more light on the events or leaves you with a little cliffhanger maybe but not pages and pages explaining everything. Maybe others figured it out before then, but like I said, I didn’t. With that being said, I still enjoyed this book. I questioned EVERYONE and truly wanted to know what was going to happen next, even though at times it felt like not much was happening. I was still intrigued and wanted to know.

This is my second book by this author; the first, Behind Closed Doors, was just a little bit better for me, personally. I remember that one having some heart racing moments. I do like B.A. Paris and plan to read a couple of her other titles, which are conveniently located in my physical TBR pile.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

While The Guest is advertised as a psychological thriller, I think psychological mystery better describes this book by B.A.Paris. Gabriel is a doctor who is taking some forced time from his practice to emotionally recover from not being able to saving a young man from a fall in a nearby quarry. When the book opens, he and his wife, Iris, an interior designer are returning from vacation to their home in a village outside of London to find someone in their home. Laure has made herself at home. She has left, her husband, Pierre, in Paris where they live. These two couples have been friends and often take vacations together. She left Pierre to think as Pierre just found out he has a child.

I found the story to move SLOWLY! There are so many characters and sub plots to understand. I almost gave up a few times. However, I persisted and I am glad I did.
When I was probably at the 80-85% mark on my Kindle, The chapter heading read Epilogue. I wondered how an epilogue could be so long! After a couple of pages, the story came together and I could not turn the pages fast enough! Very clever B.A.Paris. I recommend reading this book with a lot of patience, It will be worth it! I will be thinking about this book for a long time. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

This book kept me guessing. I had so many predictions on what happened and I kept changing my prediction as the book went on. I never predicted the twist at the end!

Iris and Gabriel return home from a trip to find that there is someone in there home; it is only their friend Laure who is visiting from Paris, but where is her husband Pierre? Laure explains that she needs space from Pierre because he just told her that he has a child with another women, of course Iris and Gabriel allow her to stay as long as she needs. But how long is too long? Gabriel is going through things of his own and Iris is feeling neglected, adding Laure into the mix seems to be making this more stressful. A new couple moves into town and they all become fast friends; the new gardener they brought with them even begins helping Gabriel with their garden.

As things progress there are tangled webs, lies and murder. But when you think that everything has been settled and all is revealed you get hit with the twist at the end that you did not see coming. I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC!

I am usually a very big fan of BA’s books, but this one fell short for me. It kept me just engaged enough while reading to make it to the end, but it was very slow burning. The epilogue is where it got exciting and you connect all the dots, which were a surprise, but it didn’t want to make me go back and check and see if you could connect any in the book. It was well written and I liked the characters and you definitely don’t know what’s happening till the very end! Thank you St. Martins for this ARC!

This was an interesting read! It was sort of a slow start but I grew to love the little neighborhood and drama that seemed to evolve. I was trying to guess throughout what was happening and how the pieces fit together. I did predict what happened to one person, just not the who dun it. This had an interesting twist at the end but I'm not sure it provided the punch I was hoping for. This was a quick read and I wasn't bored as I was trying to figure out all the pieces but I'm not sure I enjoyed the ending enough. I think this would make for an interesting discussion because I want to hear what other people thought of the ending!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own. 3.5 rounded up.

This was an exciting who done it with lots of plot twists and turns. It was a very unexpected ending and I did not see that coming. I did not put it all together till the reveal. Well done. Great read.