B.A. Paris is insanely good at making the reader guess the entire book. I've read several of their books, and each one is great in its own way. I honestly had no idea who did it, and every single time I thought I knew what was happening, something happened that made me realize I had no idea.

My only negatives with the book are that it took me a solid big chunk of the book before I felt invested and wanted to know what was going to happen. I was about 50% of the way through when I decided I needed to finish, and I needed to finish now. Usually with B.A. Paris books, it takes a chapter or two before I'm invested. I also found Laure kind of unbearable and unlikable.

This was the kind of book where the second I finished, I wanted to start it over so I could see what I missed. This was definitely a slow burn type of thriller—and the twist at the end was shocking. I flew through this book and will read anything else B.A. Paris writes.

This book was a bit of a slow burn for me with mostly unlikable characters. The narrator was good and the ending definitely had an unexpected twist.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy for my honest opinion.

In this newest domestic thriller by B A Paris the story centers around Iris and Gabriel. This seemingly perfect couple is successful and happy. They have a wonderful daughter, great friends and great careers. All of that starts to collapse when Gabriel finds a dying young man that shares a message leaving Gabriel emotionally wrecked. Then a surprise guest arrives, their friend Laure. She is the wife of his best friend, Pierre and friend to Iris. Laure is devastated after Pierre drops a bombshell on her. Laure begins to wear out her stay by intruding in their lives. The only positive is a couple that moves in the neighborhood and befriends the couple. Tensions begin to rise as Laure, the neighbors, Iris and Gabriel all reveal secrets that may devastate the life that they have.

I have not enjoyed a B.A. Paris this much since Behind Closed Doors. This one was full of surprises and twists that are her trademark. The story did drag a little in the middle but was able to get back on course by the last part of the book.
The narration was done very well, including the French accents!

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #TheGuest #BAParis

I seriously hate hate hate leaving negative reviews. This book hooked me, but then led me around in circles for hours and hours and required an HOUR long epilogue to explain all the twists and turns. Not my cup of tea. The audiobook narrator was fantastic though!

3.5 Stars rounded up

The end of the book is the best part. I felt so-so about the whole thing. It's kind of slow, but there are interesting bits that grab your attention. It's mostly like a family drama with some thrilling moments. The whole story takes a while to unfold. The characters seem a bit plain and not fully developed. The story jumps between Iris and Gabriel, and it feels weird. The flow of the story isn't great. I wasn't sure if I liked the book in the beginning. The first part is slow, and I didn't know where it was headed. But, surprisingly, things get exciting halfway through. I was shocked because the story suddenly gets twisty and action-packed. The narrator, Emily Joyce, did an amazing job.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity listen and review this audiobook ARC.

When Iris & Gabriel arrive home early from vacation, they’re surprised to find their long-time friend, Laure, has let herself into their home, helped herself to Iris’ closet, and soon, into their seemingly quiet village lives. Meanwhile, Gabriel has been silently suffering from the guilt of a tragic accident he has accidentally entangled himself in. Iris is doing her best to take care of everyone around her while Laure continues testing their boundaries.

As someone who would struggle to tell a friend to get out of my house while going through a hard time, I found the writing in this book unnervingly relatable. Every character’s reactions felt very realistic and human, particularly Gabriel’s midlife crisis.

As an audiobook connoisseur, I thought the narrator did a great job conveying Iris & Gabriel’s alternating chapters. Her voice perfectly suited Iris, and I was surprised to find that Emily Joyce hasn’t narrated many other British mysteries - I hope to hear more from her in the future!

A slower paced cozy read with a Midsomer Murder, suspicious-things-keep-happening-in-the-village vibe. I really enjoyed the ending but did find it a little unrealistic. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a less dark Lisa Jewell.

My Dream Casting:
Iris - Emily Mortimer
Gabriel - Colin Firth
Laure - Marion Cotillard
Pierre - Vincent Cassel

Publishing Date: Feb 20th, 2024

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and B.A. Paris for the audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eAudiobook ARC! Iris and Gabriel return home to discover their friend, Laure. Laure has taken a break from her husband, Pierre, after he admitted to having an affair and fathering a child (especially painful to Laure as Pierre told her he didn't want any children). Laure is now trying to figure out what to do next. But when Laure starts borrowing Iris's clothes and getting a matching haircut, the couple starts to feel she's overstaying her welcome. Compiling the stress, a new couple moves into the neighborhood and has brought with them a gardener with secrets of his own. It's not long before something gives. The narrative is also propelled by a tragedy that was witnessed by Gabriel and how it has impacted and continues to impact his life. With so many twists and turns and hidden secrets, The Guest by B.A. Paris will keep you guessing and delivers a jaw-dropping ending!

Two couples. Years of friendship. Then a marriage splinters over secrets, and that loyalty is put to the test.

This was a domestic thriller with unlikeable characters. If that’s your thing, you will enjoy it.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris offers a gripping premise and solid execution, making it a worthwhile read for fans of psychological thrillers. Paris skillfully builds tension throughout the novel, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The setting is atmospheric, and the pacing is generally well-maintained, with enough twists and turns to keep the story engaging.

I have had this book for a long time, and although I couldn’t wait to dive in initially I couldn’t bring myself to finish. However, with the publication day looming and being given the generous ALC I pushed through to bring you my honest review.

First, I would like to say that I have read 4 other books by this author and I quite enjoyed them. Behind Closed Doors is a book that will always be one of my favorite and unforgettable.

This book is about a houseguest and a friend of a couple who makes herself completely at home in their house while they are away. She gives her friends no heads up that she is there, and when they return home to find her, they are caught off guard. However, as agreed previously, if they ever need a place to stay, they could bunk at each other's place.


Despite my love for books with drama and my full embrace of the idea, this book did not deliver as I had hoped. I was expecting a true thriller at some point, and I kept saying that she was just making us work for it, but it never came about. It was a slow burn for me. The dialogue was excessive, and the characters didn't provide much insight or information. The first half of the book felt like a lot of chattering with no clear purpose. I was not fond of the pace, and when we were nearing the end, I just wanted it to end. And then we get a very long epilogue retelling of what actually happened. While I do appreciate finally knowing it would have been nice to see some of the epilogue integrated into the actual story so we knew a little bit about why we should care. I'll say that I liked the second half more than the first.

I do think the narrator did a bang up job. I quite enjoyed her delivery and inflection.

I rounded up to 3 stars because I believe that if you're a fan of B.A Paris, you might still want to give it a shot. This one was not a good fit for me and probably my least favorite I have read to this day.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and B.A. Paris for gifting me this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book starts off strong. It’s a slow burn for the next 60% and things begin to feel monotonous. A lot of the same frustrating situation over and over. I wanted to shake the main character for putting up with so much! Things pick up toward the end and the big reveal, which unfolds in the epilogue, is definitely worth sticking around for. It caught me totally off guard!

The only other BA Paris book I’ve read is Behind Closed Doors. This book isn’t nearly as intense but dark enough for true mystery/thriller fans to enjoy. Definitely recommend.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Iris and Gabe have cut their vacation short by a day do to Gabes mental health he recently found a local boy dying in the quarry where he runs right before the boy died he left Gabe with some final words for his mother and although Gabe told everyone he said to tell his mother he loved him we soon find out that isn’t at all what the boy says and it plagues Gabe. He also recently lost his father and to make matters worse when they arrive home ready to relax and go to bed they open the door to see their longtime friend Lore. She is not only in her home but she is making herself at home even sleeping in the couples bed and wearing irises clothing. They soon learned she left her husband Pierre and when they find out why the couple or floored. She is definitely making herself the main character in the couples lives so when Iris makes a new friend with the new residence down the street she couldn’t be happier that is until Lore starts getting cozy with Jonathan the new couples landscape designer. It doesn’t stop the two couples from becoming close however but when more deaths happen in secrets come to light Gabe and Iris really have to ask themselves how well do we know our friends there’s way too much happening in this book for me to give a really good summary just know we have a predator in the book a murderer and they’re not the same person. I really liked the way Iris and the new neighbor whose name I don’t know how to spell had a good positive relationship as well as Iris did with her husband Gabe I found this book to be twisty it is my first book by be a Paris but it will not be my last I have been hearing about this author and finally decided to give it a go with the Kindle and audio version of The Guest. I can honestly say I was not disappointed this book has multi plot lines minor and major and they all come together cohesively in the end and that is not easy to do Miss Paris truly is a talented author as is the narrator who did the audiobook her name is Emily Joyce and she has awesome character distinction as well as bringing a great dysfunctional tone to the book bravo to her and the author I’d rather the audiobook but that is just me for those who enjoy the Kindle I’m sure it’s just as good I read both 50-50 and enjoyed each experience. I want to thank Saint martins press Minotaur books McMillan audio and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Guest by B.A Paris was not what I was expecting. The book had me engaged the whole time. I used the audiobook version published by Macmillan Audio and Narrated by Emily Joyce.

Iris and Gabriel have been distant since the accident. A young man tragically dies in a nearby quarry, where Gabriel stays either him until help arrives. This accident haunts Gabriel because of what he knew, but it wasn’t what you expected. While Gabriel was trying to deal with this, Laure a friend of theirs shows up at the house needing a place to stay. Iris and Gabriel let her stay with them but quickly started to wish she would go back home to her husband. Iris starts to feel that Laure is always in her space and wants to go everywhere with her.

As the book goes on, I had a lot of emotion. First off, I would have put my foot down a little more than they did with their friend. Second, I was mad that Gabriel didn’t go check in on his friend sooner, but also felt sad for him because of what he was already going through with the accident. At the end of the book, I was completely shocked!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the mystery and thriller genre. Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillian Audio, for allowing me to listen to the audiobook and give my review. Thank you, B.A Paris, for spending the time to write this book. I look forward to reading other books by you.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was pretty good. This book was full of twists and turns, some pretty obvious but others surprising! I would recommend this one to anyone looking for an intriguing drama with some mystery and thriller thrown in. .

1 sentence review: cue the *you got me there* meme

Domestic thrillers are always hit or miss for me. There was a lot going on within this story, without a lot of answers- until the end! There were quite a few twists that I saw coming and I started to lose interest because of this, BUT the ending caught me totally off guard and it was totally worth it in my opinion! What I thought was going to be “boring” was actually quite enjoyable! I would really only recommend this to slow burn thriller lovers… if you’re quick to DNF, you might want to just skip this one because the ending is the best part!!!

Read This if You Like:
🪴 Slow burn thrillers with twists that’s aren’t revealed until the very end
🚪 Domestic thrillers with loads of secrets
☕️ Thrillers set in England (with British narrators!!)

This book was very interesting. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and the mystery, the story was very interesting and dramatic until about the 60% mark. A big change in the plot happens around this point and then it kind of falls short. I was no longer excited to pick it up, I was confused, and it felt like we were sitting in limbo until the big reveal. Then there’s a 54 minute epilogue that reveals everything at the end. Now i’m not faulting the author of this is their way of writing thrillers, as this is my first book by the author, but from enjoying it to being confused to having a long epilogue that wrapped everything up, it threw off the pacing for me personally and made my rating drop. Overall, if the beginning of the book would’ve continued and then the epilogue was broken up into the remaining parts of the book it would’ve been a 5 star thriller, because it is fun and dramatic and twisting, it just fell a little short for me.

Thank you Netgallery for the ARC (audio) of The Guest!
The story starts with a couple (Iris and Gabriel) who are trying to get through a tough spot. There was an accident with a boy named Charlie and Gabriel was the one who found him before he passed away. He said something before he passed that Gabriel is unable to let go of. This is causing some tension between the couple.
But things only get worse when Laurel, a friend of the couple, shows up at their house when they are coming back from a trip. They are close friends but soon begin to wonder how long she plans to stay as she invades their home. She has just found out that her husband (Pierre) has a secret child with someone, and they decide to take a break. All four have been friends for a while. Gabriel tries to reach Pierre and figure out their plans as Laurel becomes a more unwelcome guest.
During this time, a new couple moves in down the street, along with their gardener Joseph. Joseph quickly becomes a hit with Laurel! But Iris isn't a fan of what's happening. While trying to connect all the pieces of Pierre not answering/showing up to meet with Laurel, Gabriel and his struggles with the incident, and the new neighbors (and Joseph) it takes a shocking twist when people start ending up dead.
This unexpected ending comes to light with a twist I did not see coming! But it perfectly brings everything together.
Overall-great audio. The book was slow moving at first but quickly picked up..and that ending!
Solid 4 ⭐️

Unfortunately I tired both the audiobook version and the digital arc and after giving it a good 20% in I had to DNF this book.

Wow!! This book was crazy! I loved every minute of it! The ending left me with my jaw dropping! Such a great book!

THE GUEST
B. A. Paris

B. A. Paris is back with another thrilling domestic suspense novel.

In THE GUEST we follow a group of friends. Iris and Gabriel are good friends with Laure and Pierre. Iris and Gabriel live in the country and Laure and Pierre live in Paris. All four of them often travel and go on vacation together.

One day Laure arrives at Iris’ doorstep claiming that Pierre has been having an affair and there is a child involved. The story does not sound good for Pierre or Laure, but Iris tries to be a good friend to Laure and insists she stay there with them until everything gets sorted out.

Laure is a tiresome guest with bad habits and indefinite plans to stay. She starts to do little things around the house that get under Iris’ skin and soon becomes THE GUEST that no one wants. As the story about Pierre’s affair comes to light and more is revealed about their marriage, patience is tested, bonds are strained and every attempt to keep secrets hidden is thwarted.



I have read everything B.A. Paris has published and this one feels like a domestic Final Destination movie. The more ridiculous it got the more my enjoyment rose. It is set in Paris for just enough of the book to make it part of the setting and I enjoyed that aspect.

There is a secondary story that I haven’t even mentioned yet. The secondary story was not as interesting as the one between Iris and Laure. Everything got tied up in the end between the two, but it felt unnecessary and distracting.

I’m still a follower, still a fan. Paris is an auto-buy author for me. Her books remind me that I love reading in part because it is an escape.

THE GUEST comes out next Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Will you be picking it up?

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy and the opportunity to provide feedback!

THE GUEST…⭐⭐⭐