I really liked the ending to the book. It was a nice twist that I didn’t see coming.

I thought the character development and the day to day living dragged a bit much for me. I became a little annoyed with some of the characters.

Overall, I would recommend this to friends.

This is the first novel by Paris that I've read and I absolutely loved it! The writing style kept a quick pace and I couldn't get over Laure - I hated her but she was so well written! I've read a lot of thriller/suspense but this ending took me by surprise...looking forward to reading more from this author.

**I received a ARC from St Martin Press + NetGalley**

B.A Paris is the Queen of slow, mysterious build ups and then a jaw dropping ending. She truly is a modern day Agatha Christie.

This one took me a while to get through. The first 60% of the book, I was kind of confused by the time lines and the purpose of some of characters, but if someone asked, I’d tell them to power through because it was worth it!

I really enjoyed this book. It is definitely a slow burn though. nothing big really happens in the first 50%. the last half of the book is when it really gets good. I really love the short chapters. So even though it is a slow burn it doesn't feel to dragged out. This was able to keep my attention the whole time.

I personally enjoy almost all of B.A. Paris' books. I think there is only one I haven't liked. Her darkest thriller to date is her debut book, "Behind Closed Doors".
This novel was a quick read. I didn't have any favorite characters. Nor was I rooting for any of them. You don't know who is being honest or who is being deceiving.
Did I see the big reveal coming at the end?? Nope. That is one of the many reasons I continue reading her novels. She keeps me on my toes. Mild sexual content.

B. A. Paris writes an intriguing thriller about infidelity, secrets, and murder.

Iris and Gabriel come home from a getaway to find their good friend, Laure, in their home. When Laure explains why she is there, and without her husband, Gabriel and Iris offer to let her stay as long as she wants. Gabriel is dealing with recent deaths in his life and is barely coping; Iris is struggling to help Gabriel; but Laure staying with them for the unforeseeable future, adds fuel to the already damaging fire.

Without the epilogue, this one may have fallen apart completely. While I did catch some of the twists early, some were still left for surprise.

There were quite a few characters and none of them were very likable, but the book did keep me drawn in for the most part. I feel like the story could have been told without the introduction of Esme and Hugh; there was a lot going on that could have been avoided, but all for filler, I suppose!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of The Guest! I enjoyed the experience of this one, and I know many other readers will as well.
Publication date: February 20, 2024

What a TWIST. I did not see that coming AT ALL. Normally, I’m one to guess the ending of thrillers before they happen. However, from the beginning of this book to the end, I had no idea where this was going at any point. This book was such an easy, smooth read that took me on a whirlwind of slowly revealed secrets and mystery.

I read this entire thing in one sitting. Excuse me while I go buy the rest of B. A. Paris’s books!!

Secrets, Lies, Deceit, Drama, Suspense, The Guest did not disappoint. A sort of slow start for me that had me nervous and the names of the main characters were interesting and odd.. Once I got a few pages in, I was fully interested and excited to get this one read to see what happens. The characters names grew on me quickly and I enjoyed the story and the characters….B.A. Paris I felt did a good job with this book. I enjoyed the suspense factor and how much it kept me wanting to know what was coming and what exactly happened. I am rating it 4 starts because while it was a great read it did not OVERLY WOW and shock me. Thank you NetGalley, and St. Martins Press for the ARC opportunity, and for B.A. Paris for doing a great job writing this one, I really did enjoy reading The Guest and can’t wait to explore more B.A. Paris books!

B.A. Paris became an instant buy for me ever since I read Behind Closed Doors (also a great book!) there hasn’t been a book I haven’t enjoyed since then and that streak continues with this book! I was a bit skeptical on the beginning, as the book does take a bit to get its pace going-BUT when it does, it’s a wild ride.
I love a thriller where you think you have it figured out only to have the rug pulled out from beneath you at the ending. And my goodness, don’t forget the epilogue with this book because that about blew any and all of my theories out of the water. Let’s just say, I was no where close and didn’t see that coming. Pick up the book and enjoy the ride, I know I sure did!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc. All opinions are my own.

Advanced reader's copy provided by NetGalley

This is the first novel I have read by B.A. Paris, but I don't believe it will be my last. While the domestic thriller genre isn't the most common genre I read in, I have definitely dabbled.

The Guest starts off by introducing us to the main characters, Iris and Gabriel, just as they are coming home from a vacation. They notice that their house appears to be occupied and soon find one of their close friends in the home. The friend, Laure, states that she is in their home because her husband, Pierre, recently found out that he had a child some years ago with another woman. The precarious situation is made all the more difficult as Gabriel has recently witnessed the death of a young man who rode his bike into the quarry, having spent his final moments together before help could arrive.

This story is filled with secrets and twists that I did not see coming in the slightest. And when I say filled, I mean it. Every chapter of the book seemed to bring in some fresh new mystery that I had to continue reading to solve.

However, while the twists and turns and many mysteries were a great aspect of this title, I found that the characters fell a bit flat. Furthermore, though this is somewhat common for domestic thrillers, there was very little action. That is to say that the majority of the story took place through dialogue.

I would absolutely recommend this title for anyone looking for a good domestic thriller.

3.5 stars. I had read B.A. Paris' previous book, Behind Closed Doors and enjoyed that domestic psychological thriller. Paris brings her same signature DNA to her new novel, The Guest -- a new domestic thriller that takes the reader behind another set of closed doors. After coming back from vacation, a couple - Iris and Gabriel return to their home to discover their friend Laure is in their house. Laure has walked out on her husband and crosses many boundaries including rearranging furniture, dressing in Iris' clothes and creating concern over her well being. After a new couple. comes to town ,what seems to be an escape from Laure's behavior becomes more complicated when their gardener also enters the conversation. The past and the present collide in a myriad of secrets and revelations are made.

I love me a good psychological thriller and while Paris provides plenty of opportunity for twists and turns it wasn't until the epilogue that I was fully on board. The pacing was a little off for me in the beginning, but ultimately the pay off was pretty great, I just didn't think we had enough time to focus on all of the characters since the cast was rather big. Ultimately I did find it to be another generic domestic thriller filled with the usual secrets and won't necessarily need to pick it up again. But that ending. Also word to the wise -- if your house guests start wearing your clothes without permission or rearranging your furniture -- abort mission. Kick their behind to the CURB.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, B.A. Paris, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I've read a handful of B.A. Paris books over the years and The Guest was one of my favorites.

The book starts with husband and wife, Iris and Gabriel returning from a vacation to find their longtime friend, Laure, in their home. Laure left her husband, and Gabriel's best friend, Pierre, after finding out he had a baby with another woman. Obviously devastated, Laure can't bring herself to go back home and overstays her welcome at Iris and Gabriel's, becoming a little too comfortable wearing Iris's clothes, sleeping in their bed, and consuming every moment of free time the couple has. During this time, Iris befriends Esme and Hugh, a couple who just moved into their neighborhood. Iris finds herself becoming suspicious of Laure's increasingly odd behavior as she starts to entangle herself into the lives of Esme and Hugh's family, and more importantly their gardener, Joseph. Laure seems to move on from Pierre rather quickly, and Iris finds herself questioning if Laure's being truthful about her reason for being there.

I found the first half of the book to be quite slow, but the mid to end was full of twists that kept coming - none of which I predicted as I was reading. Was some of it a bit far fetched? Sure. But was it entertaining? Absolutely.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for this ARC.

The whole time I was reading I was asking when is something going to happen? And then it did! It was a good twist and a nice easy read it was just a bit slow to go.

OMG!! Just finished The Guest and am utterly astonished! Iris and Gabriel welcome long time friend, Laure, into their home when Laure leaves her husband, Pierre, after finding out that he had a child from another woman. New friends, Esme and Hugh, enter the picture, and their mysterious gardener, Joseph, becomes an odd part of the story, as well. The lives of these folks become intricately entangled in shocking ways.

There are A LOT of twists and turn in this story, and I did get a little annoyed at all the details, and midway through the book, I almost abandoned it. But sticking with it paid off BIG TIME! Didn't see that comin'!! Loved this book and would highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Guest.

Thank you to NetGalley, B.A. Paris, and St. Martin's Press, for an ARC copy of "The Guest".

"The Guest" is a gripping and suspenseful novel that masterfully delves into the complexities of friendship, secrets, and the dark consequences of hidden truths.

The story revolves around Iris and Gabriel, a couple returning from a holiday only to find their home invaded by a close friend, Laure. Laure's presence quickly becomes unsettling as she crosses boundaries, from sleeping in their bed to wearing Iris' clothes and even rearranging their furniture. Laure's sudden appearance is triggered by her tumultuous relationship with her husband, Pierre, who has confessed to an affair and a secret child.

As Iris and Gabriel attempt to be supportive friends, the tension escalates as Laure's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, causing strain on their own relationship. Amidst this chaos, a new couple moves into town, offering a temporary respite for Iris and Gabriel. However, the arrival of these newcomers also brings their enigmatic gardener, whose past is shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

B.A. Paris excels in creating a chilling atmosphere and crafting a narrative that explores the consequences of betrayal and the lengths to which people will go to protect their secrets. The novel is a rollercoaster of emotions, offering unexpected twists and revelations that will leave you breathless. This book is a must-read and keeps readers engaged and guessing with a tale that proves that some secrets never truly leave us.

Solid 4 star read. This one definitely kept me guessing up until the end.

Worth reading - another Paris hit!

B.A. Paris does not disappoint! Iris and Gabriel return from a holiday to find they have an unexpected guest. Their good friend Laure has left her husband, Pierre. He has confessed that has a daughter. Laure is devastated! She and Pierre are childless by choice, at least his choice. She doesn’t understand. Iris and and Gabriel welcome her, somewhat reluctantly. What could go wrong, this will get sorted.
This dark thriller is filled with secrets, lies and murder! Well developed, unlikeable characters drive this quick who done it. Atmospheric and brooding, and a twist you won’t see coming.

** spoiler alert ** This book kept me entertained right to the end with a twist I didn't see coming.

The beginning started a little slow and I was unsure of where it was headed a couple of times, it seemed like a lot of different things were happening and didn't all come together cohesively in the beginning. Then it all came together in the last few chapters with a lot of wow moments.

I enjoyed that this plot line was very different from anything I've read and wasn't predictable. The direction I anticipated the story going in was very different than what actually happened which kept me entertained and guessing throughout the whole story.

There were some moments where the main characters felt a little bit clueless, and Laure was annoying by the middle of the book, though I think that was the point. I would have liked to know more about the daughter Beth and her story.

Overall, solid read that I really enjoyed!

5 stars for the conclusion being both a crazy stretch and totally plausible, at the same time.

Like Paris’s other works, the big twist(s) were foreshadowed…if you were looking closely (and do I mean CLOSELY). I missed them. Which makes me want to reread now that I know what they are to see what else I missed!

Overall, this was a twisty domestic thriller (maybe closer to psychological suspense or domestic suspense), and I definitely lived the emotional response of having a houseguest who overstays their welcome. I felt the emotion of having a best friend who has gone missing. And the teen daughter was so well written I could imagine her existing in real life.

Overall, it makes me want to move to a country house with a walled garden and live a peaceful life (without the drama of my friend moving in indefinitely!)

So first I love this author so much their writing is magical and I always feel good about reading these books. I will say this book felt like those small town mysteries that could be a “cozy” mystery with a cute food or pet related name. I did love it though I just thought the twists would be a tad more twisty.