This review contains SPOILERS
I have had a hit or miss experience with B.A. Paris in the past. I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors but really didn't like The Breakdown. This newest mystery/psychological thriller falls somewhere in the middle.
I am also unsure how I feel about the newer trope/trick of lying/unreliable narrator. Being an unreliable narrator (in the traditional sense) is different from having a close 3rd person perspective and deliberately leaving things out. I was all in on this book from the beginning. The short chapters and small bread crumbs of clues left by each character kept me turning pages. I read the entire thing in a day.
The story is told from the close 3rd person perspectives of Iris and her husband Gabriel in alternating chapters. Both characters are keeping secrets from each other and from the readers. I was interested in the secrets and how they were all going to fit together. Unfortunately, when the secrets were revealed they were a bit lackluster - or maybe the characters reactions to these secrets seemed a bit over the top. Just when I thought the plot was getting a bit repetitive and slow, Paris would throw in another twist or reveal which made me continue to turn the pages. Towards the end, however, some of the major plot points were revealed through flashback. The chapters jump in time past some pretty major events and just show the aftermath. I'm not sure why the author chose to do this instead of keeping us in the moment. This happened several times.
I also enjoyed the duality of the title. There are two houseguests in the story - Laure staying with Iris and Gabriel and Joseph staying with Esme and Hugh. This made me continue to wonder which guest the title refers to.
Although I needed to suspend my disbelief a little bit, I did enjoy how all the characters and plot points fit together at the end.
And then there was the epilogue. Sigh. The epilogue is in 1st person from the actual murderers point of view. It literally retells the entire story but with the "real" story instead of the details I just spent hours and over 300 pages reading... I'm not sure how I feel about this. Most of the clues were there, I'm just wondering if there would be a better way to reveal the ending than retelling the entire story again.
Overall, this was a quick, fast, page-turning read. Fans of Paris' other works will like it. The characters are well-developed and the writing was good. Worth a pick-up if you like this genre.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is an intense psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. With its skillful blend of suspense and mystery, Paris weaves a captivating narrative that explores the dark secrets hidden within seemingly ordinary lives. The author's masterful storytelling and clever plot twists contribute to a gripping reading experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.

3.5 stars - I did not really know what to expect going into this book. For a majority of the book, we spend time learning about Iris and Gabriel's marriage. The actual plot starts to thicken around 60%, when people start going missing. Although the pacing was slow to start, things did pick up in the end and I did not expect the ending. I enjoyed my time reading this book and I appreciate the Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author.

I'll admit, at the start, I had a bit of trouble keeping up with all the different names and characters—there are three main couples in the mix. However, once the story got rolling, it became ridiculously addictive. I couldn't put it down.

The pace is fast, and the writing is top-notch. There's a lot happening, and I was so engrossed that I completely missed the plot twist. Needless to say, I'm excited to read more from B.A. Paris.

Big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. "The Guest" is currently expected to publish on February 20th, 2024.

Really struggled to get into this book. I felt irritated at the characters much of the time and didn’t feel some of the secrets were worth having. Fell a bit flat overall

So good! I loved that it kept my attention from the beginning. I didn’t see the end coming and it really kept me guessing the whole way through! It was well written and easy to follow for the most part.
I did find it a little hard to keep track of who’s who, but once I had that straight it was much better. Overall I would definitely recommend this book.

Did not see that ending coming! Love it when that happens. I think I’ve read every single book by this author and have enjoyed every one. The houseguest/friend that won’t leave. The breakdown of her marriage over a child outside the marriage, the mystery of the child and the mistress remains unknown. The main character going through her own struggles as she tries to support then tolerate, her distraught friend while her husband, also struggling with witnessing a recent tragedy. There’s a lot going on which creates the perfect level of distraction to keep the ending unclear.

I really, really enjoyed this twisty domestic thriller! The story follows a couple, Iris and Gabriel, who are surprised by the sudden arrival of their friend, Laure, who is distraught over marital problems with her husband, Pierre. We also have some new characters enter the story, Esme, Hugh, and their gardener Joseph, who move in down the street. All of these characters' lives quickly become intertwined and the domestic drama unfolds. The pacing of this book was so quick, and the chapters were short and easily digestible. There were a lot of mini plot lines along the way, which got a little bit confusing trying to keep up on what the main point of the story was, but the way everything came together in the end was so well done! This is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a domestic thriller and wants a book they can read in one sitting! Highly recommend!

Loved the suspense throughout this entire story! I could not turn the pages fast enough! I have read all of this authors work and she has yet to disappoint! A must read!

This was a fun one that I really enjoyed! I felt like there were a lot of characters to keep up on, but once I got into it I was hooked! The suspense was so good from the very start, and I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for this ARC!

I am a huge B.A. Paris fan, so I was thrilled to read her new book early. This book is going to take you on a wild ride, so buckle up! You never know where the book is going to take you & I definitely couldn’t predict the ending.

Great read!

3.5 stars rounding down to 4.

Iris and Gabriel return from a holiday to find their friend, Laure, staying in their house due to a dispute between her husband, Pierre, and herself. Esme finds a friendship with a new couple in town, Esme, her older husband, and their gardener Joseph. Joseph has a messy recent past, Gabriel found a kid dead who left him with some strange last words, and Laure continues to overstep her welcome Iris and Gabriel's home. The story slowly (emphasis on slowly) puts together what all this means and why. The twist at the end was shocking, I thought I knew what was going to happen and it really took another twisting direction. However, it was a very slow boring burn and all of the characters kind of got on my nerves. Not my favorite BA Paris novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to advance read this thrilling novel! Out Feb. 20th, 2024.

I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It kept me guessing and definitely had me fooled. There's lots of twists and side stories and kept me entertained.

B.A. Paris does it again! I have been a long-time fan, and Paris is typically an auto-buy author for me. This one took a little long to settle into as there are many characters to sort through. There is our main couple, Gabriel and Iris, who return home to find their friend Laure on the rocks with her husband, now,an unintended guest. Laure becomes quite annoying and has long overstayed her welcome. The twists come fast and the epilogue was a gut punch that I certainly did not expect. I wish the characters and couples were developed more but still I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Wow. Just wow. The ending of this book was crazy, and definitely not what I anticipated. Talk about a twist! This is a good author, and I did expect it to be a good book, but I didn't see this coming.
The book follows Iris and Gabriel, a middle-aged couple going through marriage problems due to a bad accident and death Gabriel witnessed. They have one daughter, Beth, who is away taking a year off before college. They meet a new couple, Esme and Hugh, who have moved in town, and they become fast friends.
Then enter Laure, an old friend who the couple is very close to, and her husband Pierre. Laure shows up at Iris and Gabriel's house, as she advises that Pierre found out he has a daughter. The longer she stays with them, the worse everything gets. Then people start dying, and the craziness of their lives keeps getting crazier. All I can say is if you want a book that keeps you thinking, this is it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. I always enjoy a BA Paris thriller, but nothing approaches the incredible story, Behind Closed Doors, This is the closest I have read. A page turning story followed by a twisty ending, what more could a reader want. 4.5 stars (because it is not quite at the Behind Closed Doors level), rounded up to 5

Amazing !!! Love the characters and the setting !! So many twists I couldn't put this book down ! Can't wait for her next book !

BA Paris does domestic suspense well. Her newest kept me turning pages, but the long ‘epilogue’ explaining the twists and turns proved a bit much for me.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC.

A family friend comes to live with Iris and her husband and over stays her welcome that adds turmoil to their marriage. There are secrets and lies from the past and present. A good psychological thriller that keeps you interested and shocks you at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's press for this ARC

BA Paris has been an instant order no matter what and I will be getting the physical book for my collection.

Her thrillers tend to keep me up all night reading and this one was no exception.

The book starts off with a slow bang and kept me reading.