The plot was unique and interesting enough but wasn’t my favorite by Paris. I found the beginning a bit confusing as if I started watching a movie and missed the beginning. I did get into the story quickly enough though. But I found that I started to lose interest a bit with all of the drama that seemed to go on and on and on. By the end I was ready for it to be wrapped up. I did really enjoy the ending, the twists at the end were very creative. If you start to lose interest but want to know what happened, you can skip to the epilogue and it explains and clears up everything. It isn’t a bad book but definitely not her best work.

B A Paris is a repeat author who never fails to disappoint.

When Laure shows up from Paris to stay with Iris and her husband, Iris tries to be a supportive friend. However, Laure soon outstays her welcome and tension begins to appear in their friendship. As with all books by this author, I was captivated by the mystery.

I really enjoyed this and while I found some aspects predictable, found the ending completely surprising. Highly recommended for fans of domestic thrillers.

Thank you to B.A. Paris, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced reader copy of this audiobook!

3.5 out of 5 stars!

I feel like I can always count on B.A. Paris for a good thriller to keep me hooked and guessing until the end. The Guest was no different. There were so many twists and turns in this book that it got hard to keep count!

Things I loved:

The sub-plots: There were so many little plots that tied into the big overarching story, but each one contributed to the ending in its own way. It was like one big river with small streams trickling into it. The sub plots also would provide enough distraction that just when you thought you had things figured out, tiny details would be brought up and it would throw you for a loop again, completely changing what you thought.

The writing: I found the writing easy to follow. This was especially helpful since there was so much going on. It helped keep my focus on what was happening on and not on superfluous explanations or descriptions. I appreciate this about how B.A. Paris writes in general. There is enough description to give the reader a good sense of what is happening, but not enough to distract from the general story line.

The twists!: Sometimes authors don't leave enough breadcrumbs to follow and the reveal comes seemingly out of nowhere. Paris gives lots of breadcrumbs, enough that you have to decipher which ones are real and which ones are red herrings. It keeps the reader on their toes and makes the reveal believable.

Things I didn't love:

Gabriel and Iris's relationship: I'm not sure what it was - and maybe the book was written this way on purpose - but the relationships in the book seemed oddly detached for two people who care so much about each other. I understand that they were both going through some very hard times, but we can tell from each of their narratives that they care deeply for one another. Were they unreliable narrators, or just so affected by the deaths that they had to disassociate from their normal lives?

In the end, I really enjoyed this book and devoured it in a day. If you're looking for a quick thriller - this is a great choice and will keep you guessing up until the end.

When Iris & Gabriel return from vacation to find their friend Laure has essentially moved into their home they're not overly concerned. After all, Iris & Gabriel sometimes use Laure & her husband Pierre's Parisian home while they are away, it's something the couples have become quite used to.... except this time, Laure isn't leaving any time soon.

I am so torn about this book that it took me two days to write my review. The description of this book, essentially a house guest that won't leave and starts displaying some very 'Single White Female' type behaviors, seemed intriguing. I imagined how much tension could come from a situation where someone you are close with won't leave. And for a little bit, it seemed like that was the way the book was going. Laure displays increasingly odd behavior..... but then nothing happens for the entire middle of the book. The characters, plus a random (or not?) landscaper as well as a neighbor couple, interact with each other in increasingly bizarre ways. Even about 80% of the way in I truly had no idea where this book was going.

The epilogue was absolutely shocking and I did not see it coming at all. I think the author did an awesome job of giving you only certain secondhand information so that you don't guess the ending. and I sat there enthralled as the epilogue unfolded. I generally do not like a wrap-up tell-all epilogue, but I truly enjoyed this one and could not put it down. I just sat there in my office for several minutes after it ended. I'm not 100% sure the end overrides the dragged-out middle, but ultimately I have to conclude it does. Definitely give this one a go, but only if you're willing to stick it out to the end!

The narration on this one was pretty spectacular. While the middle dragged, the narration kept me going when I would DNF a print copy. The narrator does a flawless job of switching seamlessly between the English & French accents in a way that made it so easy to keep the characters straight.

B.A.Paris is one of the go to authors for a good mystery/thriller, however I feel The Guest missed the mark for me.
I am assigning this book three stars as it had potential in each of the individual storylines however I didn't quite enjoy how they came together.

It was a slow starter and I found myself struggling to engross in the initial narrative and character descriptions. It definitely picked up once I got around to situating each of the primary couples in the storyline. With the introduction of Laure as the most unwelcome guest, the plotline seems to go on a smooth sailing intriguing path. However it is constantly overlapping with another side mystery of Charlie's death and the personal crisis Gabriel seems to be going through regarding it. I found this the hardest to keep myself engrossed in as at times it felt like I was reading to separate books. The main story really felt like it kept progressing in a whole lot of different directions, so I was unsure for the most part of it as to which is the more significant plotline -Charlie+Gabriel or Laure, The Guest.

The epilogue ties the whole books together but that also means that it all comes crashing down to the one last chapter for any closure, making the epilogue seem like a long list of explanations for who, why, when.


I am immensely thankful to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me the arc in exchange for my review and thoughts.

3.5/5 for this one rounded up for goodreads

So the trouble with reading books by authors, who happened to hold the spot for one of my favorite books (Behind Closed Doors) is that they set the bar so very high. So while this is a 3.5 for me trust me that’s not a bad thing.

This book was packed with unlikable characters, which worked well as I don’t think they were supposed to be very likable.

For a good part of the book I was like OK let’s see where this is going. It was a bit repetitive at times, but came together nicely in the end.

I liked how the author set the scene for the big reveal towards the end. It was atmospheric and you could really get that vibe of why things went the way they did and how people got caught up.

I was surprised that the epilogue was so long. I almost feel like the epilogue could’ve been included into the main text of the story.

For me epilogues, add extra something to the story to tie everything up nicely or to leave you with that extra satisfied feeling. The epilogue here was just so long I think that a lot of that could’ve been included in the bulk of the book rather than the epilogue…and the and the main part of the book could’ve been condensed a bit.

One thing, I think we can all agree on is that Laure was probably the most annoying character of all.

Looking forward to her next book.

If you like a slow-burn mystery, The Guest is the book for you! It starts out somewhat slower than I would have preferred, but the intrigue of what’s actually going on kept me engaged. The plot begins to thicken even more about 35-40% in.

The story involves a married couple at the center with a friend who comes to stay with them due to issues in her marriage. This friend was a fairly unlikeable character in the beginning of the book and to keep spoilers out of this review, I won’t add any more about her!

I had some theories about what was happening, but I wasn’t able to figure out what really happened which I really liked. This was the first book by BA Paris that I’ve read, and based on the ending, I’d be interested in reading more of her stuff! The Guest is out on Feb 20, 2024!

Thank you #NetGalley for an early copy of this book!

Just when you think it is over, it isn't. I listened to the audiobook and was finding reasons to drive to continue the story. So many twists and turns! Was absolutely engrossed in the story and the characters!

My thanks to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me to review this audio arc.

I usually love this author but this fell flat. Very slow detailed build up . What was this really about? Charlies body being found? The houseguest that wouldn't leave? A certain character s death? Another person related to that character s death? The questionable parentage of another character? Confused. Ending was a bit of a surprised but was not wowed by this story.

I came into this expecting a fast-paced psychological thriller but what I found was a slow burn domestic drama., which I also love! BA Paris usually knows how to keep me interested, however, I found myself struggling to get into this one. I stuck around to see how it all unfolded, but 3 stars is my rating.

The Guest by B.A. Paris was a slow burn mystery and different from other B.A. Paris books, but it was a great read. I was surprised by the ending and enjoyed the relaxing pace of the story. I think some people may not enjoy the slow pace, but since it is shorter in length I would recommend sticking it out and waiting for the ending! I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and book club. I'll always read any book B.A. Paris writes!

I wish 3.5 was an option. I loved all the moving pieces and how the story lines all intertwined. A lot of the ah ha moments were all in the epilogue and my only wish was that some of the hints had been scattered throughout rather than revealed all at the end.

The narrator is refreshing voice in the audio world. I loved her did povs and her accent. The story itself is a solid thriller. There were bits that were predictable but of course the ending was a treat but expected.

"The Guest" by B.A. Parish

My rating: 3.75⭐️

This book feels like:

-A slow start followed by escalating tension
-An exploration of fractured relationships and mounting secrets
-A narrative that gradually builds momentum


Let's talk about "The Guest." It's a domestic thriller that had me torn. The setup promised a gripping mystery, but the pacing, especially the first half, felt like wading through molasses. Exactly halfway in, the story finally caught fire.

Despite the sluggish start, the novel crafts a compelling web of fractured relationships and concealed truths. The slow-burn tension eventually hooked me, unveiling an intriguing mystery.

"The Guest" navigates fractured relationships, secrets, and the test of Iris and Gabriel's marriage in a tense atmosphere. If you can bear with the slow build, the escalating tension might just grip you.

I enjoyed this one It was a bit different and kind of mixed the domestic thriller with a mystery which BA Paris does so well and this one is no exception.

I thought I had this figured out but I only had one little tiny piece and the rest I was wrong and happily so what a great reveal!

Narrated by Emily Joyce who does a wonderful job with the characters and emotions.

BA Paris has become an auto buy for me. Highly recommend this one!

4 stars

I received this audiobook from the publisher Macmillan Audio for a fair and honest review.

I loved this as an audio. It was such a fast easy listen which is what I am always searching for in thriller audiobooks. I did not see the ending come which bumped it up an extra star for me. Good twists!

I love this book so much! I loved it in ebook form so naturally I needed to listen too. The narration was amazing. My favorite parts are all about how annoying this guest is really. She is just so much! She rearranges the kitchen, she walks around naked, she sleeps in their bed, she wears their clothes, and she just is so much!
And there is murder, the death of a young person, and a child fathered by a another married man. Oh and the lover.
I could listen to this 90 times. It doesn't matter that I already know all the twists and secrets.

In my reading of this book I struggled with the slow pace. However, the audiobook is absolutely amazing. The narrator is perfect for this storyline. I initially missed the usual nail biting, edge of my seat feeling in the book but the voice of the narrator from the audiobook brought the story to life and gave it the suspense I love in a thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher

This book was a first for me by this author and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed it. So many twist. When I thought I knew who did it i was soooo wrong! Such a good ending.

The narrator was wonderful and the twist at the end was awesome. I was a little checked out and easily distracted until the Epilogue, which was where the bulk of the action happened for me. Satisfying ending but the pace throughout was a little slow for me and some of the plots within the story seemed to be red herrings.