I enjoyed this book. The way the author described everything made me get a great visual of the settings. I liked the alternating viewpoints as well. Big thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc!!

Thrillers are one of my favorites but I’m always weary when trying new authors/plot lines/etc because they can be such a hit or miss. This one did not miss! Chilling and suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat. I found that I did not hate the main character or question the judgements made. Thank you to NetGalley, Liza North, and her team!

the synopsis of this sounded like it was made for me; dual timeline, weekend getaway with old friends, psychological thriller, part of it set at university, betrayal and murder. however, the writing felt a bit choppy to me and things that were meant to be big reveals weren’t shocking to me at all. none of the characters were particularly likeable either which didn’t help. overall, it was a bit of a miss for me which is disappointing.

thanks to netgalley and harper perennial for my advance copy of the weekend guests by liza north. all opinions are my own.

As a huge fan of Lucy Foley, I figured this story would have that same sort of vibe. And it does, to a point. Five old college friends reunite at a secluded, cliffside house. Unbeknownst to them, one friend has orchestrated the reunion to rehash something they were a part of in college, The atmosphere is extremely well done. I thought the characterization was pretty good compared to a lot of these sorts of stories (and there are a LOT), and the storyline kept me involved. We have the usual dual timeline telling, past and present, and I stayed interested. I guess the only drawback for me, was the huge cast of characters. Not only do we have the original 5, but we also have their partners and kids. WHEW! Overall, I did really enjoy this one and the ending was deliciously dark and creepy! I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Liza North and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of January 28.

Deep buried secret among college friends? Moody setting? Check and check. From the description alone, I knew that I had to read The Weekend Guests -- and boy was I right! I loved Liza North's writing style and character development, it kept me hanging on for the entire ride. 10/10 recommend!

I received an advanced copy of this book from Harper Perennial and Paperbacks via NetGalley.

The story follows five college friends—Aline, Sienna, Rob, Michael, and Brandon—who reunite at Aline’s newly renovated, cliffside home in Dorset. What begins as a weekend of nostalgia and laughter soon turns dark when unsettling postcards threaten to reveal a secret crime from their university days, sparking suspicion that one of them is betraying the group.

North skillfully weaves the past and present through a dual timeline, building intrigue as secrets unravel and tensions rise. While the initial pacing is slow, the alternating timelines create an irresistible pull, drawing readers deeper into the mystery. The suspense ramps up halfway through, shifting into a gripping exploration of loyalty and deception.

The characters are richly developed, each bringing their own complexities and flaws. Aline’s poised demeanor and Brandon’s perfect image set the tone for an opulent but ominous reunion. Rob’s abrasive personality and Sienna’s unreliability amplify the unease, while Darryl stands out as a compelling wildcard whose motivations remain shadowed until revealed. Even minor characters, like the enigmatic Phyllis and the nanny Milly, add depth to the story.

The book may start slowly, but it ultimately captivates with its well-executed plot and multi-layered characters, making it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy.

5 friends meet for a reunion at one of their houses on the beach. Years ago something happened that they have kept quiet about, but now someone knows and Aline is trying to get to the bottom of it. What happened? Who is threatening to divulge their secret?

Told from multiple points of views in dual timelines. I felt the story lacked the suspense or thrill that makes one want or need to keep reading. Only once I got to the 75% mark did I find myself needing to keep reading. There were far too many characters and I kept struggling to remember who was married to who and which child belonged to who.

3.5 stars.

This book had a lot of great potential, but ultimately fell a bit flat for me.

There were so many characters and so many POVs. I didn’t have trouble keeping everyone apart, but I’m still unclear on why so many POVs were needed to tell the story. It became hard to connect with the characters because we barely got to know them before we were zooming off to someone else’s POV. I will say that the exception here is Darryl, but I truly do think it’s because we got so much time with him since he was the sole narrator of the past.

The story was also slow to move along. At 55% in, I still felt like little had happened. However, the author did start building to something more exciting after that point and I became interested in what was happening.

The storyline with Phyllis was sort of…unnecessary? From the moment the reader meets Phyllis, it’s easy to tell what’s going on with her and I’m not sure her storyline served much purpose. We already know Darryl is mentally unwell, but I guess the author just really wanted to highlight that.

The Afterwards/Epilogue also confused me greatly.

I enjoyed how the author weaved the “mystery” aspect of this book, but I just feel like the groundwork for it was a little shaky. I do think I’ll read more form this author in the future, though.

Would give this 3.5 stars if I could. The plot was interesting and engaging, and I enjoyed the writing style and the setting. The final event at the end of this book seemed unnecessary, though, and felt too unrealistic and rushed. Overall, though, I did enjoy reading this and it was quite suspenseful.

Unfortunately this book felt like a chore to get through- I had to push myself. The characters were not particularly engaging, and it seemed a bit unoriginal. I was wishing for more. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this opportunity.

Thank you Harper and NetGalley for this ARC! When Aline invites her university friends to her newly renovated 2nd home for a reunion; no one seems to anxious to be there, why is everyone getting a strange postcard eluding to a nefarious past. Who can trust who and where is this all leading to. In this duel timeline we see friendships form and dangerous outsiders spiral out of control. This fast paced book was twisty and turny and a great read!

“After years apart, old college friends Aline, Sienna, Rob, Michael, and Brandon reunite in idyllic Dorset, for a weekend at Aline’s beautiful house perched on a cliff above the sea. It should be the perfect chance to relax, rekindle friendships, and meet each other’s partners; plus, there’s a sitter to watch the kids.

What most of the guests don’t know, however, is that Aline has called them all together for a reason: someone has threatened to expose the dark crime they committed at university.”


The Weekend Guests, Liza North’s second novel, has been compared to the work of Lucy Foley. Being a huge fan, I couldn’t wait to read this one and was so excited when I was approved for an ARC. While I do think the book lived up to its atmospheric hype, I don’t think it was quite as well done as Foley’s novels.

While I have no issues with alternating POV’s and timelines, and have even come to prefer books in this format, there’s something almost jumbled throughout this book. Even though each Character and timeline of the chapters are specified, it just felt as though there was no flow. There were so many characters introduced at once and then things just sort of happening, that I often felt confused.

At one point I almost abandoned this one, but I really wanted to stick it out to see what happened at the end. I don’t necessarily feel as though this is a bad novel. I just felt like the pacing was lacking a bit and it dragged on a little. Overall, the story was pretty creative, there was a twist, and it was creepy, which I did like.

I think if you love alternating POV’s and are looking for a story with an eerie vibe, you’ll like The Weekend Guests.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I wasn't disappointed. I will admit the only problem that I had with this novel is that it started at such a slow pace. Once I did get into it, I couldn't put it down. I loved this book. I enjoyed the variety of characters, the flashbacks, and the twisted tale of an outcome you wouldn't have expected. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you Net Galley ARC!

A suspense novel about a group of friends whose past catches up to them. It is told in flashes between the past, as told by Daryl and the future told by the other characters. A deep dark twisty tale. It took me 1/3 of the book to get into it, and then I couldn't put it down. I had a guess as to who was who when I saw the chapter listings and saw which persons name was the last to speak. I also had a lot of issues the first 1/3 of the book remembering who was who between the 3 friends, their partners, children and more characters from the past. All and all a solid suspense. Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

#TheWeekendGuests #NetGalley
Liza North’s The Weekend Guests is a gripping thriller that delves into the depths of long-buried secrets and the fragility of friendships. The story centers around five college friends—Aline, Sienna, Rob, Michael, and Brandon—who reunite after years apart for what seems to be a nostalgic getaway at Aline's beautiful seaside house in Dorset. But beneath the veneer of a friendly reunion lies a sinister truth. Aline has brought the group together for a reason: someone is threatening to expose a crime they committed back in their university days. Menacing postcards have started arriving, and Aline suspects that one of her old friends has turned against the others. Over the course of the weekend, hidden truths are revealed, old tensions resurface, and alliances shift in unexpected ways. By the time the weekend is over, not everyone will make it out alive. North's use of a dual timeline narrative adds a compelling layer to the story, seamlessly switching between the present-day reunion and the past events that shaped these characters. The suspense builds as the reader learns more about the crime they committed and the consequences it has had on each of them. The characters are complex, each grappling with their own guilt and secrets, which adds depth to the story and keeps readers invested.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for giving me an advance copy.

This has that really well place unsettled feeling that keeps you rooted inside the story. This is twisty and full of messy people. What is better than a group of grown adults who can’t help but shake things up? Throw in secrets from the past, secrets that no one was ever supposed to bring back up… ahh! It’s catnip for me.

Nothing really set this one aside from others I have read. It was incredibly entertaining.

This was an enjoyable suspense read. Long time friends get together for a weekend reunion as one of them wants to show off her newly renovated home. The friends reunite with their partners and kids, but the tension among the group is obvious, and the friends realize their get together isn’t just so Aline can show off her new house and how wonderful her life is. The new partners soon find out they’re outsiders to a secret that could destroy them. The story is told I in the past and present, with multiple viewpoints, but is easy to follow along. While there were some outlandish scenes, others were creepy, and you’re left wondering who did what throughout the book.

4 stars

This book starts out very slowly. So slowly that I almost gave it up.

However, it picks up at around fifty percent. Then the novel gets very interesting. There are surprises and twists that I didn’t see coming. I began to get engrossed in the story.

Darryl’s story is spun slowly and suddenly takes off. I was astounded at the craft with which Ms. North told his story and created his personality. In fact, all of the characters are very well fleshed out and so very real. I was taken with all of them. I was there listening to their discussions and witnessing their actions.

Overall, this is a very good book in spite of the slow start. I truly enjoyed reading it. The writing and descriptions are great. The plotting sneaks up on the reader and I found that a delight.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks - Harper Paperbacks for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

“The Weekend Guests,” has five friends reuniting and coming to terms with an unspoken tragedy from over a decade earlier. Of course, when secrets are in play, we have fractured relationships, flared tempers, tension, and someone out to expose said secrets.

This story is told from multiple POV’s and a dual timeline. It does take a bit to get into the story, and put all the characters and their angst straight. I felt that with so many characters, the development and depth of them fell flat. It would have been better if the narrators and characters were limited.

After a very slow start, the tension picked up, and remained pretty steady throughout. The ending was unimpressive and contrived.

Overall, I finished the book. It had promise. The author’s ability to build and maintain tension is solid, but the execution of the plot, needed help.

Thank Ypu NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was kind of a lot at first with all the character POVs on top of the dual timeline. The story is pretty good once you get into it and have all the characters straight. It felt like a Lucy Foley book but unfortunately I felt it was too predictable toward the end.