Alison James’ The House Guest is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The story unfolds in a seemingly idyllic setting, where a woman invites a friend into her home, only to discover that her guest harbors dark secrets that threaten to unravel everything.

James’ writing is sharp and engaging, with a tense atmosphere that builds throughout the narrative. The characters are well-crafted, each layered with complexity and motives that keep readers guessing. The protagonist’s journey of trust and betrayal adds depth, making the unfolding drama all the more compelling.

The pacing is brisk, with unexpected twists that maintain a sense of urgency. Themes of deception, loyalty, and the blurred lines between friendship and rivalry resonate throughout, leaving readers questioning the nature of trust.

Overall, The House Guest is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. It’s a cleverly woven tale that explores the darker side of human relationships, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a thrilling escape.

When I saw this book, I had never read Alison James before but I was intrigued. This was a fast-paced and a gripping read that I just couldn't put down. The dual perspective worked perfectly to slowly build a story of story of what actually happened. Every time I thought I knew the ending another twist was thrown in and you are left doubting everything. The characters and setting make this a perfect suspenseful you get lost in. I would recommend this to any thriller lover and I am eagerly awaiting more releases by this author.

#TheHouseGuest #NetGalley

Overall, The House Guest has its entertaining moments and a storyline that could have really worked, but it stumbles due to an unrealistic plot and characters that don't quite feel fully fleshed out. If you're into thrillers that are quick and twisty, you might still have a good time with this one. But overall its just all so unlikely

Juliet is married to Hugh and lives in a beautiful grade 1 listed house and is the envy of all her friends. They are only life tenants, they can never sell it as it is held in trust and when Hugh dies it will pass to his eldest son. But with him not having any children it will pass on to his distant cousin Alexis. Juliet has a teenage son from a previous relationship but since she has been married to a Hugh she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and cannot have any more children. Her life is turned upside down when one evening , when hosting a dinner party, Alexis turns up on the doorstep with a suitcase. She charms Hugh and invites herself to stay for a couple of days. As the days lengthen into weeks Juliet becomes very suspicious of Alexis and starts looking into her past. The story is told from multiple points of view over several months with shocks, surprises and so many twists and turns. Another brilliant read from Alison James.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book,

A brilliant read that hits you for six every time you think you have things sussed, then the narration flips and turns everything on its head. So gripping and great twists.

Really enjoyed the house guest. Love the style of writing where each character has their own story. Had me hooked from the start.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of The House Guest in exchange for my honest review.

Lots of cat and mouse here, which made for a fun story to read overall.

But I took off 1 star for animal cruelty, which detracted from the story.

This was another edge of your seat tense psychological thriller from this author that I devoured in a day. This is written from multiple characters points of view and covers a lot of issues such as friendship, family and infidelity along with secrets and lies. Who can you really trust?

This was a fast paced and engaging read that had me hooked from the start.

Look forward to reading more from this author

This is a brilliant psychological thriller. It’s slightly slow at first but please give it a chance as it’ll take you down a road you weren’t expecting. The characters are intriguing and the back story great.
A nice book to pass an afternoon off work. Yep. One sitting!

Thank you Bookoutre and Netgalley for a really good read.
This was fast-paced and a really great read. Very difficult to put down.
The story is told from different perspectives and you its difficult to trust anyone.
Some things you don't see coming.
Great thriller. .

3.5 star (rounded down to 3). Short review because I’m on vacation and eager to start a new book. This one starts off great but becomes VERY predictable halfway through. I honestly didn’t really care for any of the characters, especially Hugh (he’s just gross ). The storyline was interesting but again, predictable. I think the biggest let down to me was the ending. It was just “meh”…nothing exciting. Not so sure I would recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

So many insane plot twists! Well developed characters. A couple, Hugh and Juliet, residing in an inherited fabulous family estate that can only be passed down to heirs with a birthright. A long lost cousin who shows up on the doorstep, unannounced, suitcase in hand and next in line to inherit. A best friend with a secret of her own. This page-turning read, full of secrets, lies and betrayal had me glued to my seat until the very end. Absolutely loved and enjoyed this psychological thriller!

This was a fast-paced and a gripping read that I just couldn't put down. The story is told from four different perspectives and you just didn't know who to trust... It took some turns that you didn't see coming. I really enjoyed this thriller.

There are so many lies that are intertwining between characters in this book. I am always amazed how authors can keep them all straight, but she did to this readers delight.
The book rolls along w each person of interest having their own narration of what was happening in the story. This reader was amazed when the different characters, who I was convinced were being duped, actually were aware of their circumstances.
Needless to say sex, money, egos, heirs and divorce -the usual culprits of a psychological thriller were there and at their best. And pat endings are missing, so you’re turning pages quickly to discover what really happened in the final chapter.
Having the characters run around like Keystone Kops added an amusing edition to this entertaining book. I couldn’t put it down.

This is such a great fast paced book about secrets, lies, and deception. The book grabbed my attention right away and had me hooked. I read the book in two settings as it was unputdownable. There are twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed the multiple POVS and getting to know about each of the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

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

Really enjoyed this story- something a bit different for a mystery thriller about a long lost relative suddenly turning up on the doorstep of a couples house. All doesn’t seem to be lining up and the main characters husband begins acting strangely as well. Great thriller

I got super into this book. I wanted to yell at different characters through this book lol. It’s very well written and kept me on my toes!

I loved this one, it was filled with unexpected twists and turns. The story follows Juliet and Hugh who are living in Hugh’s family estate. One day a woman called Alexis turns up, claiming to be a distant relative, when tests reveal she isn’t lying; the couple begin to wonder what her motive is and why she is there; money or something else???

I thought this was quite slow to start to be honest but once it got going it didn’t stop.

Had plenty of twists and I found it way to follow even though it’s told from various POV, a great little thriller thank you!!

An enjoyable read. Twists and turns throughout, which always makes a book like this more interesting. A very satisfying ending too!! I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, couldn't help but grin to myself. I did find some of it a little predictable, however, the parts I may have been able to predict weren't always necessarily as it seemed.