This was a good mystery with a twist I did not see coming. I felt the pacing was a bit slow which kind of drew me out of the story at times. Overall though the plot was good and the twists did surprise me. The udiobook narrator was decent. I would have liked a little more distinction between characters, especially in the male voices. Overall a solid resd.

As always, B.A. Paris continues to write amazing mysteries/psychological thrillers with such surprising twists. I read so many books in this genre that it’s hard for me not to predict an ending — but this one still surprised me. The characters were really well developed, and it made me want to become friends with the new neighbors, but then felt personally upset when scandalous details emerged. It was an easy book to foy through in a day or two, and the audio was great! I would definitely recommend!

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is a domestic thriller. A couple returns home from holiday to find a friend has moved into their house. How long is she going to stay?

Characters 4/5
Writing 3/5
Plot 2/5
Pacing 2/5 too slow, not enough action
Unputdownability 3/5
Enjoyment 2/5
Narration 4/5 by Emily Joyce, but she has a strong British accent.
Cover 4/5

When the twist requires a long epilogue to explain, rethink the writing.

I didn't really enjoy this book. It seemed to drag on.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for this audiobook so i could provide this review. All opinions are my own.

Oof - wasn’t expecting that ending and boy was I pleased! This domestic drama was a bit slow to build at first, but immediately starts off with some mystery and a bit overbearing house guest. As it goes on, death ensues and you’re left wondering, who and how? I found myself hooked trying to figure out all the twists and turns and was pleasantly surprised by the ending! Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this domestic thriller!
It begins with a couple, Iris and Gabriel, returning from vacation to find an unexpected houseguest.
Laure, a dear friend of theirs has left her husband Pierre, also a dear friend of theirs, when he confesses to a much earlier indiscretion that will now affect their lives many years later. Laure oversteps again and again, as a houseguest, resulting in the atmosphere becoming quite tense.
An intriguing story with a roller coaster ride of twists and turns lead to a surprise ending.
Excellent narration by Emily Joyce.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC and the chance to review it honestly.

I liked the story overall. You get a lot of deaths in this story! I liked that people were just getting killed to hide more and more secrets, this book is full of drama! I thought the narrator was great, I was able to finish this book quickly. I honestly really wanted to love* this one but the pacing really threw me off which then resulted in a lower rating but it was still enjoyable. This wasn’t my favorite book by the author but I didn’t hate it either!

Happy reading

This was such a good book! I loved the characters, and their story. The dialogue was realistic and enjoyable. I was very surprised by the ending!

3.5/4 stars (rounded up to 4 on here)

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
*
I have to start this by saying that I am an avid B.A. Paris fan. I have pretty much read all of her books and I think have a copy of all of her books as well (even though some might be in storage till we move). All this to say that I do love her writing. I can usually get into one of her books quick and they keep my attention throughout the whole book. However, The Guest is probably not going to make my favorite of her books. The one thing that did probably save the book for me was the ending, but I felt like it just took a lot of time to get there. The pace was slower than her other books and I felt like by the time we got to the twists, my attention span was struggling. Also, I think the biggest thing for me in this book was how unlikeable the characters were. They all just seemed to struggle, and for how close the group of friends supposedly were, their lack of communication was lacking.


I did really enjoy the narrator! I felt like I was engaged more throughout the audiobook and would tend to listen to it more than I would pick up the eARC!Overall, I still felt like it was a decent book and isn’t one that will deter me from picking up her books in the future, because like I said, I still really enjoy her writing!

This wild thriller kept me engaged with it unreliable narrators. What a wild cast of characters who kept me on my toes. The audiobook also enhanced the experience. I would recommend this audiobook to any friends who are interested in an audsome read!

This book was excellent. So many twists and turns! The plot was thrilling and hit like punch after punch after punch. I think some of the characters were kind of unnecessary and extraneous, but otherwise, the story was really good.

I did not see that coming.... no spoilers but this book definitely got me! It was a compelling read and kept me wondering what was next throughout. The dynamic between Esme, Lor, Beth, and Iris was super interesting. So many mind games! 4 stars and would definitely recommend! Audio book - the narrator was fantastic!

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Netgalley!

I found the pacing of this book to be quite slow for the most part, but despite that, it was still highly readable and I was quite happy to stroll alongside the characters. The final 10% of the book takes this suddenly into high gear, and was a satisfying pay off.

I initially found the book to be a bit slow-paced, but I'm so glad that I persisted in listening. As I progressed through the book, there were countless unexpected twists and turns at every corner which kept me guessing what would happen next. The ending though was intense and shocking!

I was so excited for this book as B.A. Paris has written a couple of my favorite books. However, The Guest is my least favorite book of hers to date. It seemed needlessly long with a bunch of unnecessary storylines that didn't add to the story but instead just made it messy. The "twist" wasn't one at all. I had it figured out early on and almost didn't finish the book a few times because I was so bored. I was relieved when the book was over.

Happy (belated) Pub Day to BA Paris and her newest novel, THE GUEST! I just read & listened to it in two days. It was hard to put down, and I think this one is her best yet although the end of Behind Closed Doors leaves me satisfied (I’m not sure if that makes me a psycho 🤷‍♀️). The end of The Guest left my mouth open— totally didn’t see that one coming. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the twists and turns.

Quick synopsis: Laure shows up unannounced to Iris and Gabriel’s home to get away from her husband for a few days after he confessed to a previous affair where he fathered a child. Laure overstays her welcome and starts inserting herself more and more into their lives and the lives of their new friends/neighbors. Meanwhile, they all have secrets that start to unravel. Some innocent secrets and some dark secrets.

If you’re looking for a good, riveting suburban drama/suspense, look no further. I enjoyed both audio narration and reading the book with my eyes. I was able to go back and forth between the two modes seamlessly. Many thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the galley and early audiobook!

Laure is spending a few weeks with Iris and Gabriel after discovering her husband Pierre had cheated and had a child out of wedlock. Iris and Gabriel are happy to host Laure at first until her stay gets extended. Suddenly, she’s staying indefinitely and as the weeks stretch on, it becomes too much. Laure becomes part of every aspect of their lives. Things get worse as secrets are revealed, friends begin disappearing, and we begin to wonder who can be trusted.

The beginning is slow and the ending is kind of rushed, but I can honestly say I never guessed who was responsible until the “tell all” at the end. You truly don’t know what some people will do in desperation. I wanted a little bit more from the pacing, but I’m somewhat picky with my thrillers.

The audio is a great option. The narrator did a great job of distinguishing voices and giving things the perfect tone.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you so much to @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the ALC and ARC!

🚪 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🚪
Iris and Gabriel return to their home to find their friend Laure there unexpectedly. Laure and her husband Pierre are having marital problems, so Laure wants to stay for a few weeks. As time goes by, Iris and Gabriel wonder if Laure will ever leave or talk to her husband again. In the midst of their houseguest, Gabriel is having some issues with knowing someone that passed away recently.

The Guest is definitely a domestic suspense story, that starts off as a slow burn. We learn a lot about the characters slowly as Laure stays with them. New neighbors also move in and make friends with the main characters, which adds to their friend group and circle of stories.

The book really picked up halfway through the story! More twists and turns are explored, and it made the mystery more intriguing. I had my guesses as to who may have been doing what, but I did not guess the ending of this one! I definitely love an expected ending, and this one delivers!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Emily Joyce does a fabulous job narrating the role of Iris and voicing her husband Gabriel as well. The story is told in 3rd person, and Joyce was able to flow through the characters and storyline with ease.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🔹 Slow burn thriller
🔹 Domestic suspense
🔹 Murder mysteries
🔹 Explosive ending 🤯

Unfortunately this is my lowest rated BA Paris book.

Was over the moon to read a new one because her writing always has me hooked. For some reason this just was not it for me. I had expected some sort of squatter situation at the onset of the story, but turns out Paris’ friend was just a semi-unwelcome guest. It seemed like they didn’t build Laurel as toxic and troublesome as the could have so it all kind of fell flat. The whole storyline seemed tedious and I felt like I was on the path to nowhere. The reason I gave three stars is because the epilogue did provide some interesting turns and twists, but by the time I got to it I already felt fatigued by the lack of excitement throughout that it just didn’t wow me.

This book follows our main characters Iris and Gabriel, as their friend Laure invites herself to stay with them for a while because she is having marriage problems with her husband Pierre.

Throughout the book we learn the details of Laure and Pierre’s problems, and how they come to involve Iris and Gabriel.

Overall, this book was full of twists and turns and I really enjoyed it! The epilogue tied everything together beautifully. This is definitely my new favourite book by B.A Paris.

If you like…

😈 Domestic Thrillers
🇬🇧 an English countryside settings
🤐 Secrets & Betrayal
🔎 an addicting, slow burn mystery
🎭 Twisted neighborhood drama
😱 a blinded sided ending
🎧 Audiobooks

Let’s start with the audiobook is a 5 star listen. Emily Joyce’s narration was so on point to capture the internal monologue of Iris and her ability to give each character their own voice.

This is a SLOW BURN mystery/thriller— especially the first half. You are driven mad by the characters, kept on the edge of your seat with anticipation, and constantly thinking you have it figured out before a twist is thrown at you. B.A. Paris did a great job writing a page turning, fast paced read that was easy to get lost in. While the entire book was enjoyable, the EPILOGUE bumped this book from 4 to 5 stars. I didn’t see it coming. BRAVO!

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this complimentary audiobook, all thoughts expressed here are my own.