This could have been a labyrinth of a read had it not been for the way the author wrote the story from several points of view. We were able to get more of a feeling for each of the characters and I think that helped us work out who was the real villain and who was just caught up in something bigger than them. There is still time for a twist and this one was a shocker I did not see coming.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC. Available Now!

Main character leads, Hugh and Juliet, who on the surface, lead a happy, privileged life.
Cracks start to appear in the facade when a mystery guest turns up at the family estate claiming to be a long lost family member who potentially stands to inherit it all!

A very well written thriller. Dark, Secretive and Twisty where it needed to be.

Recommend.

This novel is utter genius!! It is psycholgical fiction. with a lightness to it. The genius comes in the writing from the perspectives of multiple characters. The story is told through a combination of these narratives - there is some overlap between events narrated to enable the reader to see different interpretations of the same events so we have the benefit of having an overview of the whole story, while the characters are only privy to events that they are party too, this makes the novel a fantastic read!

The story takes place in, around and about a spectacular stately home. Hugh Mullen is the heir to his lavish country manor. He is married to part Italian Juliet, the couple are unable to have a child of their own, so on the couple's death the home will be inherited by a distant cousin. Historic law governing the home means that divorce between the couple would be tantamount to financial ruin. This sets the scene for an utterly spectacular novel! While Juliet and Hugh start the novel they appear to be living a perfectly nice, if slightly dull, existence, the surprise appearance of the 'House Guest' throws this harmony into utter disarray!

This is a book that demands to be devoured!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I listened to the audiobook in addition to reading the hard copy as well.
This was a confusing and bizarre book that I was back and forth on liking.
It was confusing and far fetched at times and had some bizarre twists.
I did however like the ending. It one of worked things out.

Juliet and Hugh have inherited the Mullen family trust. They have no children so the trust will revert to the next family member, Hugh's long lost cousin Alexis. One evening she turns up unexpectedly and inveigles her way into their home...
The House Guest is a psychological thriller set in the UK.
I absolutely LOVED this book! The twists were massive and obvious (until the final quarter) but I couldn't put it down! It is soooo difficult to review without giving away spoilers!
Juliet and Hugh live in a big stately home which is held in trust for direct heirs. Sadly the couple are unable to have children so the house and money will transfer to a relative on Hugh's death. He knows the name of his cousin Alexis but has never met her so he feels obliged to welcome her into their home when she arrives unannounced. Ooh instantly suspicious...
The book is written from four first person perspectives beginning with Juliet. We witness her distrust of the newly arrived Alexis and then her shock as life changes forever. Then the narrative shifts to other characters as the plot developments start to unravel.
I guessed all of the big twists but was completely hooked by the engaging writing and character dynamics. The final part of the book had me stumped as I had no idea which direction the book would take to conclude, although I almost didn't want it to end!
The House Guest was a brilliantly entertaining book with big twists.

This book does not disappoint. Twist after twist and wondering who to trust. Written from multiple perspectives the characters were introduced and developed thoroughly. I
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This was a slow starter and I did begin to wonder if it would pick up. It did eventually but, I found the whole story u convincing. The characters were so lame it was laughable. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

OK firstly, scrap the book's description because quite honestly it's nothing like how the story goes at all. There is no DNA test result and the red haired beauty on the doorstep doesn't ask for help and the narrator of the piece does not open up to her suggested. And then what is this secret that is discovered? I have to wonder if the proofreaders have read the same book I have because the descriptions are often way off course.

Secondly, you're going to need to suspend belief when reading this tale. And I mean REALLY suspend belief. It all starts out innocuously enough but then it just gets nuts and I mean really way-off-base-never-going-to-happen-in-a-million-years in all probability. Once you take this on board, you're in for a fast paced entertaining, if not idiotic, ride.

Mullens End. It's a beautiful 18th century Queen Anne stately home in which Juliet and her husband Hugh reside. Hugh is the last of a thin line, a very thin line, of Mullens and while he is not the last branch on the tree he is the last on his branch. The home was built in the 1700s but purchased by Hugh's great grandfather in his attempt to stake his claim in the landed gentry and in doing so, crafted a will in which Mullens End is not entailed (much to his ancestor's chagrin) but is tightly bound in a legalese version of such in that only direct descendants of the Mullen line can inherit Mullens End with a life tenancy. Meaning Mullens End can never be sold. And then there is the fact that it is Grade 1 listed meaning no alterations can be made without permission. Thankfully, there is a trust which pays for the exorbidant costs of running a stately home attracts.

So Juliet and Hugh live rather comfortably albeit modestly at Mullens End. The plan was that Juliet provide Hugh with an heir to inherit the grand home as the trust dictates but alas that was not to be, leaving Hugh the last Mullen perched on his branch of the family tree. But their life is good, even amidst the dreaded Open Days such as the one at the beginning of the book that had Juliet dreading. But everyone loves a stately home and their stunning gardens which have been kept immaculate thanks to their gardener Pete. And thankfully it's only once a year they have to open their gardens up to the public.

It's at a dinner party Juliet and Hugh are hosting that they receive an unexpected knock on their door. On the doorstep is a young red haired beauty who introduces herself as Alexis Lambert, the heir to Mullens End, and as she's between flats at the minute has popped in to introduce herself, wheeling her large suitcase in behind her and plonking herself down at the dinner table. As Juliet awkwardly presents the roast lamb to their guests, Alexis informs them that she's vegan which sends Hugh off looking for something veggie for their unexpected house guest.

If you think that's awkward, stick around for the rest of the mucky story because it gets a whole lot more convoluted and murky than that! Again, that whole believability thing. Still the tightly-woven plot makes for plenty of twists (believable or not) and a compelling read that is both entertaining and suspenseful.

The characters are a crafty bunch. None of them are particularly likable. Even Juliet, who is probably the most likable, is so rigid and practically unemotional it's hard to connect with her. And Hugh is so self entitled and spoilt, he expects everything to fall into place according to what he wants. Alexis is naturally devious. And Belinda is decidedly shifty. What I love though is the narratives are divided into seven parts throughout and four separate perspectives with each character becoming the protagonist in their own narrative, and therefore allowing each one of them to develop with the right amount of depth and authenticity. This only adds to the complexities within the already complex plot. And makes for such delicious reading.

There is, however, a downside. Unfortunately I must make mention a TRIGGER WARNING here with the death of a beloved dog. And not just a death, but a cruel one, which I find unnecessary to any story and I always down-rate one that includes one. Granted, it wasn't prolonged or mulled over for long and passed within a page or so but it was mentioned within three separate narratives from their respective perspectives, and I had to relive the poor dog's cruel demise all over again.

But that aside, THE HOUSE GUEST is a fun an entertaining thriller that you really do have to suspend belief but it's such fun who cares at the end of it? I did love the ending which was so much more than satisfactory. If not for the dog death, this was a close 5 star read.

I would like to thank #AlisonJames, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheHouseGuest in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The House Guest was a bit of a slow burner to begin with but once it got going it really got going. It was quite far fetched in places but it made for an enjoyable read that kept me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

It took me a bit to finish this book. It was slow then fast. There were so many twists in this book, sometimes it had a hard time holding my attention. Everything started happening around the middle of this book. If you’re someone who like 3+ points of view, this is the book for you. If you’re someone who likes 3+ twists in a book, this is also the book for you. If I didn’t guess most of the scenarios, I would’ve rated it higher.

This book does not disappoint. It left me hanging for more and could not get enough of all the twists and turns. Such a thrilling and exciting read right till the end

Big fan of the long lost relative showing up on at the door unexpectedly. Even more fun when the unsuspecting relatives are in the middle of a dinner party!

Hugh and Juliet are hosting a dinner when Hugh's supposedly long lost several times removed cousin Alexis arrives at their home. They welcome here, allow her to stay with them, and then things start taking a turn.

But Alexis isn't the only one with secrets and lies. When they all start to come out, so much is revealed. I loved the multiple POV! And just when you think you have it all figured out, there's another twist!

Definitely not how I thought it would all play out, and I love when I can't predict the ending!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really sorry, I tried hard to enjoy this book – and I did at the beginning. Why do plots have to become so ridiculous though? What a shame, it could have been really good. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers and I’m happy that so many others thought it was great.

A little slow starting, but I was instantly hooked. Told from alternating perspectives, this book tells rather story of Juliet and Hugh and the way their lives change when Hugh’s cousin (and next in line to inherit their family mansion) shows up on their doorstep.

Good read. Highly recommended.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review

Hugh and Juliet Mullen welcome Hugh’s long lost cousin, Alexis, to stay with them at picturesque Mullen’s End. But why is their new house guest really there? Is it just a coincidence she is next in line to inherit the famed property?

I wanted to love this book so badly, but it was sooooo far fetched. I found myself shaking my head multiple times at how ridiculous the plot was getting.

Thank you you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really really loved this book for the first half. It had me on the edge of my seat and I was so invested. The second half was a wee less believable, so I wasn’t entranced.
However, I did really enjoy the book overall and would recommend it to all thriller lovers.
Thank you!

"An absolutely addictive and unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page."

This is part of the blurb which describes 'The House Guest', a novel by Alison James. New to me, this author has written a thriller which captured me from the beginning. Told in alternating perspectives by different protagonists, the story focuses on Juliet and Hugh Mullet, who live in a luxurious country manor. Their mundane life is disturbed by the arrival of Alexis, claiming to be Hugh's cousin. She asks to stay with them while she gets her living situation sorted. Of course, everything is not as it seems and chaos quickly ensues.

I really liked the overall plot of this book; it was fast-paced but easy to follow, even with the different narrators. At times, changing narrators can make things confusing but this was not an issue here.

My main complaint was that I guessed the 'whodunit' aspect of the storyline pretty quickly, and would have liked just a bit more mystery throughout. However, I still enjoyed it!

*A great many thanks to Netgalley, Alison James, and Bookouture for this ARC. It is important to note that I was not committed to providing a positive review; all opinions are undoubtedly my own.*

Twists and turns galore in this book. My head was spinning trying to keep up with this great story. I loved it.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

This is one of those books where plot twists seem to come out of nowhere and they are unexpected.
Various POVs made it a fast-paced read. In some very weird way, the unlikable characters added and extra layer of excitement to it.

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!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange of my opinion!