The atmosphere is thunderous with a category 5 hurricane approaching fast. Family and strangers sheltered together and it could be deadly and not just because of the hurricane. I absorbed this book so fast!

A terrifying situation with deadly consequences.

As a category-5 hurricane approaches Florida, the Davies family is ready to spend it at their waterfront home. After all, the house was built with hurricane standards. Even if this is the wrong decision, it is too late to leave the premises. Traffic is at a standstill with all the people who are trying to evacuate. If they leave now, they will just be experiencing the hurricane winds on the road. Staying at their home should be safer or so they think until a boat carrying three strangers arrives uninvited at their dock.

Two brothers (Bo and Jason) and Bo's girlfriend Darcy join the Davies and their friends who are already in the house. As the storm rages, the possibility that the brothers showed up as a coincidence becomes doubtful and a more menacing plan seems to be in the works.

The Guests had a good amount of suspense and I felt bad for Marlowe and her kids. I was rooting for them to succeed in surviving the night.

I had some issues with the storyline and how naive some of the characters were. The end was too far-fetched for my taste which took some of the enjoyment away from the novel.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my second novel by Margot Hunt. I enjoy her books and find them to be quick reads. This book does not disappoint. The story moves at a fast pace and kept me turning the page. While preparing for a Level 5 hurricane, a boat arrives with three strangers who dock. The story unfolds from there. It becomes immediately obvious that these strangers are not here on accident. The backdrop of the storm ratchets up the suspense in the story and keeps the pace moving. If you are a fan of Hunt or of the genre, you will enjoy!

As a Category 5 hurricane approaches, a family preparing to weather the storm opens their doors to three distressed strangers arriving by boat. However, the situation quickly spirals into chaos, igniting panic and escalating tension among the group.

Being drawn to stories set in isolated locales, I eagerly delved into this one. It proved to be a brisk and engaging read, perfect for filling the gaps between heavier books. Despite the suspenseful atmosphere and well-crafted setting, I found it difficult to fully connect with any of the characters. Each seemed prone to making questionable decisions, whether due to youthful naivety or a lack of logical thinking. While the story itself was solid, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. I'd rate it three and a half stars.

Major thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing this ARC.

At the time, I was interested in mystery/thriller books; however currently I am no longer interested in reading the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Guests is an isolated summery thriller going into what happens when you are forced to host a group of people who are not exactly welcome.

The Davies family are taking shelter at their property after a hurricane hits. They invite their friends to wait the storm out together to make the experience more bearable. However, three strangers show up and although initially the family just rolls with the punches, tensions soon rise as they realise these people planned their visit and they have a lot to worry about than just a hurricane...

I thought this book was fine. It might be just me reading quite a few thrillers of this kind but I could see most of the story points coming. Usually though I can look past it in favour of interesting and fleshed-out characters but on this occasion they really irked me as there was next to no development and the way they acted in the situation failed to gather my sympathy. Overall, not the best impression I could've had from this author.

3 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

After just finishing Lovely Girls, I was looking forward to starting my next Margot Hunt novel. Living in an area where we are threatened by hurricanes, the premise sounded like it could be an interesting read. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations.

I’m somewhat new to listening to audiobooks, so maybe the review could’ve been better had I read it instead. The narrators voices were somewhat annoying. In my little experience, that can make or break book for me.

The Davies live on a beach house in Florida. When a Category 5 hurricane is heading their way, they are preparing for the worst, but wish to stay in their home. When strangers approach by boat they immediately dock in front of the Davies home. The two men and one young woman are nice enough at first, but once the family invites them into their house to ride out the storm, things start to get a little tense. Who invites strangers into their home for a hurricane? Not me!
Anyhoo…

I feel like this could’ve been so much better. A few twists, but they weren’t really that great except maybe one that I didn’t see coming.

I really like Hunt’s novels, so I’ll continue to grab them when I see them!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Margot Hunt for my advanced copy to read and review.

The Guests
⭐️⭐️⭐️.2
Author: Margot Hunt

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style.

Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the family’s shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Bo—and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy—are a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the Davies are only too happy to provide.

But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house.

Soon, the lines between family, friends, and strangers blur. Danger mounts with every pointed finger and broken confidence, and long-held secrets are revealed one after another until only one truth not everyone is going to make it out alive.

My Thoughts: A hurricane is coming and the Davies family does not reside in a flood zone so they prepared their home for the storm and will ride it out with their close friends. The Davies then get some unexpected guests, Brothers Jason and Bo, along with Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy, who claim they were trying to beat the storm but had to take cover at the closest dock. Assistance from the outside is not available until the storm passes and the roads are deemed safe. With the tensions rising inside the house, the hurricane is the lest threatening thing occurring. With the lines between family and friends blurring, and secrets being exposed, maybe not everyone makes it out alive? This follows the tropes of locked room mystery.

The first three quarters of the book was exciting, thrilling, twisty, and kept me on the edge of my seat. However, at about that point, I felt like the plot fell apart. I do not want to say too much to not spoil for other readers. The characters were developed well, the strangers arriving was no coincidence and they had a hidden agenda. The characters were mysterious, intriguing, and creatively spun throughout the story. The author’s writing style was suspenseful, twisty, and engaging. I think the characters’ naivety is what needed a little more work. I was connected with Marlowe and rooted for her and her children throughout the story. I was not a fan of the ending.

I have read other books by Hunt and they have all been 4/5 ⭐️ reads. This one fell a little flat for me. I still enjoyed the twists and unpredictability, but I really had to suspend belief to get there. While this is a work of fiction and sometimes you have to suspend belief, I just think this was not Hunt’s best book. Having said that, it was still a chilling, gripping, captivating thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend picking up today. This book is available on KU.

This book had betrayal, a teen romance, thrills, mysteries, suspense, and a storm! I am generally surprised that I liked this book so much. The cover did not pull me in and it seemed like a low rated mystery/thriller when I read the blurb BUT it wasn't. It is definitely plot heavy and the characters were not fleshed out and lack physical descriptors but they were relatable and fun. I wished that I could have spent more time with some of the characters as I liked Bo, Isabel and June better. Although the book is not super suspenseful there are some really good moments filled with tension and the reveals were done at appropriate times and moments. The pacing was fast but not too fast. I believe motives of the villains, were very smart compared to other novels in this genre.

All in all, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It would definitely read scarier if read during an actual storm.

This was a very intriguing and captivating thriller! It had elements of a “locked in” thriller, given the weather circumstances and some suspicious last minute guests. Very entertaining!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC! This book was fast paced and full of twists, but lacked substance, in my opinion.

I don’t think this is as good as previous works I’ve read by Margot Hunt. I liked the premise and the novel was entertaining!

Thank you for the ARC!

Started out a little hard for me to get into but it definitely got better! Loved the characters and the setting !

I loved the way Margot Hunt wrote each POV chapter that leads up to the next POV, which made the story flow and easy to follow along. The emotions I felt from the way this story was written had me feeling like if I was the main character, I would be WHOOPIN' SOME ASS before ANYONE would think about doing that crap to me and leaving like nothing happened! Nope! You will get "horse-collarded" on your way out! And you would have to call it Karma! LOL! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

This was a chilling, suspenseful thriller. So wild! This was a twist on a locked room thriller. There were twists and turns, as well as surprise connections. The writing was very descriptive and I felt as if I was a part of the story. There were a few guesses that I was right about, but I still found there were some things I didn't predict. The characters were shallow and I didn't really care for them, but I fond that to play right into the plot and the tome the writer wanted to set. I was unsure who to trust or believe the entire book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

A tense thriller about a family trapped indoors during a hurricane with three strangers who may be a bigger risk to the family than the storm. The Guests by Margot Hunt is an entertaining book with characters who veer towards one-dimensional and a great ending.

About the Book | The Guests

Characters

Marlowe and Lee Davies are married and own the mansion. Their children are June and Tom. Zach is Tom’s friend and is staying with them for the hurricane. June’s boyfriend Felix is also hiding upstairs in June’s room to wait out the storm. Isabel is Marlowe’s assistant. Mick is the handyman for the Davies. The three strangers are brothers named Bo and Jason, and Bo’s girlfriend Darcy.

Plot

Picture preparing your beautiful, waterfront mansion for an upcoming storm. Your family has already decided to stay in and weather the storm in the comfort of home. You’ve been through these before. Your kids are both inside, as is your husband. Your extensive art collection inherited from your parents has been secured with the help of your assistant, Isabel. She will also be staying at your house for the storm. Your favorite art piece—a Cezanne sketch—is locked away in the safe.

But as you are locking the safe, you notice something else. A cell phone is inside. It must belong to your husband, but why would he have it? You can’t dwell on it long. The police have stopped by to strongly encourage you to evacuate. You can go to one of the designated shelters. You turn down the offer.

After they leave, a boat approaches your dock from rocky waters. Three strangers get out—two men and a woman. You hope to send them away towards one of the shelters in town, but you don’t get a chance. The storm rolls in, an accident happens, you don’t have a choice but to invite them inside to dry off. Your handyman, Mick, warns you—something seems off with the three strangers. You agree, but reluctantly allow them to stay.

Things quickly go from bad to worse, though. The strangers have an ulterior motive for being there. As the storm gets worse outside, tensions inside the house begin to boil over. Soon it becomes clear no one will escape this storm unscathed…

Review | The Guests

Margot Hunt is known for her psychological thrillers. I’ve read several and loved them all. The Guests to me felt more like a straight thriller than a psychological thriller. It will appeal to readers who like a tense plot that documents a nightmare scenario and how (or if) the protagonists escape. Often these thrillers emphasize plot over characters, which is why the characters in The Guests lacked depth.

The benefit of these types of thrillers is that plot-driven thrillers read fast. This is an easy book to finish in a day. I’d expect that similar to my experience, most readers will want to keep going to find out what happens. I am a character-girl in my heart, but it can be fun to take a break from that and try something a bit more popcorn-like.

The story is narrated in alternating chapters by almost all of the characters, though Marlowe’s are the most prominent, followed by her kids June and Tom. Marlowe is the most likable character. She seems to have a good heart and she is very family oriented. She doesn’t take her extensive wealth and privilege for granted, though at times I found her to underestimate the many gifts she has relative to others.

The first part of the book is dedicated to setting the scene as the hurricane approaches. You’ll learn who is at the house for the storm and see the strangers arrive in the boat. Once everyone is locked inside, things begin to escalate. Bo—one of the strangers—wants to play a game. He’s good at guessing people’s secrets and he wants to try it out on the Davies. They don’t want to play, but they may have no choice when they see he is armed.

The rest of the book covers the night of the hurricane. Lots of secrets are revealed, from the Davies and the strangers. I questioned why the strangers chose this house. Was it because they could see that the residents had stayed for the storm? Or was there another reason? The pace moves quickly, as the perspectives between characters keep the story moving.

Margot Hunt knows how to craft a great thriller. Nothing in this book should be taken at face value, from any of the people involved. Expects twists and turns throughout the story, as well as mounting tension as things go from bad to worse for the people trapped inside this house. The book kept me engaged, though I didn’t think it was anything groundbreaking. I thought the ending was solid and tied the book up nicely for the reader.

If you learn nothing else from reading this book, it’s that you should never invite a stranger into your home!

I loved the author's previous works but this was just meh for me. Her previous works explored some interesting characters and relationship dynamics which is why I was so enthralled. This one was a complete 180 from her previous works - a whirlwind plot that caused character development and prose to suffer. I think there will be a popular book but anyone reading it because you enjoyed Best Friends Forever or For Better or For Worse might find this lacking.

Wow! What a fast paced read. This is my first novel by the author and I really enjoyed it. Maybe don’t take this one on your beach trip though….or do!!

A thrilling and claustrophobic locked-room mystery taking place during a deadly hurricane. This book kept me riveted from beginning to end! Nothing is what it seems in this noirish mystery filled with betrayals, crosses and double crosses, and complicated familial relationships. I loved the fast pace and the clever character development. The story has a lot of fun elements: an extremely valuable Cezanne sketch, a happy (or so it would seem) marriage pushed to a breaking point, a super wealthy family with a rebellious teenage daughter who may ruin everything. The hurricane begins with some unexpected guests seeking shelter in Marlo's wealthy family's port in the storm (literally). When things unexpectedly escalate to violence, everything changes.

I don't want to give too much away here, because all the twists, turns, and double crosses are what make this book so fun. But I loved the characters, some of whom have nefarious motivations, and some of whom are just trapped in a bad situation. The book has some provocative things to say about people with wealthy upbringings and the opportunities some have while others do not. I loved the old school film noir feeling of the story and the increasing frenzy of the hurricane paralleling the action of the story lurching to its exciting conclusion. I listened simultaneously to the audiobook, which was extremely well narrated. I love the way Margo Hunt writes and plots, and I'll definitely be picking up her next book, no matter what it is about! This was tons of fun.

When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style. Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the family’s shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Bo—and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy—are a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the family is only too happy to provide. But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house. Soon, the lines between family, friends, and strangers blur. Danger mounts with every pointed finger and broken confidence, and long-held secrets are revealed one after another until only one truth remains: not everyone is going to make it out alive
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me an advance copy.

This is an action-packed, locked door thriller. As a Category 5 hurricane approaches, a family with a few friends hunker down in their house. When three strangers show up, they decide to let them also take shelter at the house. They have no idea how these strangers are going to change the night. Honestly, I usually love locked door mysteries but this one made me uncomfortable. Some of the decisions made me roll my eyes. If you love locked door thrillers, I would give this a chance.