Great beach thriller about a family visiting a luxury resort in the Maldives. Hoping to put some traumatic events behind them and make new business connections, their secrets followed them. Certainly put me off diving, luxury resorts and the Maldives!

Idyllic setting. A chance to see how the other half holiday. I was conflicted between wanting to experience the luxury and the setting and the environmental issues caused by this kind of tourism. The characters all had their dark secrets. Not very likeable characters, but well written, .Good twist at the end.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin General UK and Nikki Smith for this EARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book after reading The Beach Party, and it certainly didn't disappoint!

Here we travel along to the idyllic island of the Maldives with the Hamilton family. It is clear from the start that their is some sort of rift between then, that they are trying to escape something and forget themselves on a tranquil island.

However, they just can't escape the drama. Honestly keeps you gripped with the twists and dark vibes within the story, giving the perfect destination thriller! Lots of sun, sea and secrets!

I loved The Beach Party last year and was delighted to get an early copy of The Guests from Ellie Hudson at Penguin books.

After a traumatic event, the Hamilton family arrive for a restful holiday in the Maldives, with no idea of what their break will turn into. The story ends in the prologue, with the subsequent chapters taking us on a countdown to that discovery. On the way we meet multiple dubious characters all with their own motive for being on the island.

The story twists and turns as we countdown the days and hours. Even though I knew who did it, I had no idea how it would end, and (after reading the end) whether there will be a sequel! 🙏

Nikki Smith is skilled at pulling you into the story, making you feel the sun, the sand and the sea, and I’m now itching for my holiday next week! ☀️

The Blurb
The resort of their dreams.
A destination to die for...
WELCOME TO PARADISE!

Or so the staff say when they greet the Hamiltons at the idyllic Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives.

And it starts off that way: champagne picnics on powder-white sand, snorkelling in the serene blue sea and moonlit walks under the stars.

But lies lurk beneath the luxury because each of the guests has a secret, and they’re not the only ones.
How can a once-in-a-lifetime trip turn into the holiday from hell?

A tropical island and a chance to come together as a family but is it really that easy. With all the secrets and lies, how can anyone figure out the truth?

Everyone has a secret and has been lying. This was an interesting read and the plot drew me in. There's a lot going on and at times it came across as a little rushed. The ending was not quite how I wanted it to end but I think for the concept of the book it worked really well. There is no one overly likeable in this at all. Every person has their own issues and by the end you're not sure who or how you want it to end. A thriller of twists and lies.

The Hamilton family have made their way to the Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives for a much needed family vacation. Things are strained between them at the moment, so they're hoping this trip will help to mend some bridges. What the family aren't expecting is who they come across when they arrive. Suddenly it's not just their own secrets that are at risk of being exposed.

I haven't read The Beach Party, somehow that one slipped me by. After reading this I'll definitely be getting myself a copy though. I was hooked in to this book from the first page, and found it incredibly hard to put down.

Surprisingly I didn't dislike the Hamilton family like I expected to. Don't get me wrong, each of them has some issues, and if they communicated with each other properly they might not have such strained relationships, but I thought they seemed like real, everyday people. THe supporting characters were well put together too, each with their own agendas that become evident as the story progresses.

In terms of the plot I had no idea where this one was going to go. It's evident from the countdown that runs throughout the book that the story is building to a key event, but until things actually unfold you don't see what is coming. Every time I thought I was getting an idea what was going on something else would happen and send things on a different path.

I've never been to the Maldives, but had a really clear picture in my head of the resort because it's described so well. One thing that did stand out to me from this is the level of wastefulness that occurs at luxury resorts like this one in order to please the guests. It definitely made me stop and think about the impact to the environment, and the local people and cultures.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and will definitely be keeping my eye out for future books by Nikki Smith.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review

A brilliant read with lots of twists which keep you guessing. This was a page turner which I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves psychological thrillers.

This was a great read that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat.
A brilliant cast of very different characters & the idyllic setting was perfect.
A very well written gripping thriller.

If you liked ‘The White Lotus’, you’ll love ‘The Guests’.

Nikki Smith captures her intriguing cast of characters perfectly, weaving their individual interests with an idyllic resort in Maldives. From the eco-influencer to the high-profile businessman, everyone has something to hide in Asana Fushi.

Nikki Smith’s writing is so evocative, you can feel the sand beneath your feet and the salt water in your eyes. You can also feel the desperation of some of the characters as their lives begin to fall apart - and their lies are threatened with exposure.

This is the perfect summer read.

WOW - Never read a book like this before - so many different characters and so well written too, kept me guessing all the way.
Edge of the seat thriller- highly recommended.

I dived right into this book, immediately interested and keen to turn the page. The story focuses on the Hamilton family, Zach and Cara, plus teenage daughter Alexa, on a luxury trip to the Maldives. The narrative is all headlined with a countdown to an event, which kept me wanting to find out what we were cantering towards as the family secrets and troubled relationships tumbled out. I was captivated and intrigued as the tale twisted along. A really good holiday read!

I found this to be a decent, easy to read drama. A perfect beach read as it’s set in the beautiful Maldives and tells the story of a family on holiday.

The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the husband’s 50th birthday as well as recover from a traumatic experience.

There are a number of well drawn characters all with various secrets.

It held my interest, but, only just as I felt it never really gripped me fully.

Overall a 3* decent read and thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the opportunity to preview.

I found this book intriguing, there were lot's of hints and suspense of different events that had previously happened, that I think my nosiness kept me reading.

The book starts with a family going away on holiday to a very exclusive and supposed eco-friendly resort. Once there all three from the family encounter there own problems that they have to face, whilst also carrying the problems from home.

I didn't particularly like most of the characters, but that's not to say they weren't fully formed and I don't always believe we're supposed to like all the characters in a story.

I thought the story had potential, it really felt like it was building to an exciting end, but I felt let down and underwhelmed by the conclusion of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

This was a quick easy read but it struggled to keep my interest. I didn't particularly like any of the characters and couldn't relate to any of them. The setting was brilliant and I will definitely look out for more by this author in the future.

A holiday in the Maldives is just what Zach, Cara and Alexa need to get over the traumatic events of the past few months. Sun, sea, sand - what could go wrong? Instead of the perfect holiday in paradise, their visit turns into their worst nightmare as secrets rise to the surface and they find themselves driven to do things that are totally out of character and put themselves and others at risk! A great read, full of twists and turns which leave you guessing right until the final full stop.

This book had the makings of an exciting tale - an eco-businessman, his wife and their teenage daughter book a holiday in the Maldives to recover from two upsetting incidents (the author keeps us guessing what they were so I won't spoil things). It starts with the drama of a little boy finding a skull buried on the beach. The chapters have a time clock clicking down, so obviously something exciting will happen at zero hour.

The characters are all hiding secrets and none of them are remotely people I could identify or empathise with - spoilt, self-centred and devious. The mother and daughter relationship is damaged and Cara is hoping the holiday will repair that. Her relationship with her husband is also under strain, while he is struggling to keep his business afloat. The book then becomes a little beyond ridiculous, stretching credulity way beyond my boundaries. Again, I won't say why so you can read it for yourself. But you can drive a coach and horses through the plot.

And at zero hour? Well, don't get your hopes too high. The whole thing is a silly, summer read - fun for the setting, a lot of stuff about climate change and saving the planet, but not much substance. Overall, disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin for allowing me this eARC...

This was an enjoyable, quick read for me - one that I can imagine packing in my suitcase to read on holiday. My first read from this author, but it definitely won't be my last!

It is a modern day thriller, where we follow a family of three from the UK on their luxury holiday to The Maldives.

We quickly learn however, that the Hamiltons are not the perfect family that they appear to be - with secrets and lies between them threatening to be exposed, and even fellow guests not being as they seemingly appear.

With plenty of twists, turns & surprises throughout to keep you guessing, this is a good holiday read for the summer.

** Amazon review pending approval

Firstly, I would like to say a big thank you to Penguin General UK, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the perfect beach read for summer – an intense, spine tingling thriller with the glorious backdrop of the Maldives.

Nikki Smith is definitely one of my favourite thriller writers. Her writing style just has a way of making my skin crawl from all of the well built tension and unforeseen twists and turns. The ending, which most definitely was left on a cliffhanger (I’m begging for a sequel), made me gasp. I didn’t see it coming, much like every event in this book. With the Hamilton family, you just knew you couldn’t relax as they kept on getting themselves in horrid messes.

I really like how each chapter had a countdown at the start. That, along with it being from third person perspective, made everything so intense and eerie. My heart was thumping as the countdown got less and less.

This book had a wide range of characters, and a manageable number to keep up with. Zach Hamilton harbours a lot of secrets, and his downfall was most satisfying.

Ultimately, this is a brilliant thriller for summer, and it will keep you firmly planted on the edge of your seat.

Really liked the concept of this book and the way environmental issues were woven into the plot without feeling out of place.

Zach, Cara and their daughter Alexa are on holiday in what should be paradise. Asana Fushi is a luxurious beach resort in the Maldives but instead of enjoying their time away they are all busy trying to hide secrets. The book reveals their different secrets as it progresses and the way they affect the plot as well as appearances from the other guests and the staff of the resort.
Will the family see it to through to the end of the holiday and return to the UK together or will the secrets being kept tear them apart.

I enjoyed the mix of characters used to tell the story and loved the setting. The way the author describes the location I could imagine being there.

Perfect for a beach read!

This is the book you pick up at the airport, it will make your plane journey go quicker and you finish reading on the beach, the perfect holiday read!
Amazing setting, well paced, twists and unguessable ending and a book that will engage from the opening chapter till the end. Nikki Smith is on of the strongest writers currently in this genre, recommend wholeheartedly.