When five friends reunite, they must face a tragedy from a decade earlier. As secrets are revealed, relationships are destroyed as the truth about their past comes to light.

Told in two different timelines from multiple points of view, this starts as a promising read. However, there are several characters to follow, and it is a challenge to keep their stories straight. Additionally, so much is addressed that it begins to feel overlong and overworked, while the characters feel underdeveloped with Darryl being the exception.

While there are flaws with the pacing and character development, the mystery itself is intriguing, Darryl is both tragic and creepy, and the chapters from his POV move the plot forward.

This will be a fun weekend read for fans of Lucy Foley.

Five university friends bound together by a tragic secret from their past decide to reunite at a fancy home after being separated for over a decade. They have never spoken of this tragedy since, and their spouses are unaware of this happening. From the start, the tensions mount, tempers flare, and animosity hangs in the air. They thought their secret was safe amongst themselves but it appears someone else knows what they did. This causes them to start turning on each other and causes a shift in all their relationships.

The premise of this story is intriguing and well thought out. It is told in a dual time-line which is necessary to put the pieces together. It does get a little confusing because there are so many characters, many of them taking turns doing the narrating. Because of such a large cast of characters they aren't fully developed and felt a little flat. It started out a little slowly, but as it progressed I found it picking up. All in all I enjoyed this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the advanced copy

Five former university friends reunite for a weekend retreat, accompanied by their spouses, partners, and children. The glamorous Aline, who has achieved great success, has organized the gathering at a stunning clifftop venue. Almost immediately, tensions rise as each guest seems to harbor personal grudges, and they are all concealing dark secrets from their past.

The narrative unfolds through a dual timeline, alternating between their university days and the present, with multiple characters sharing their perspectives. However, this approach becomes a central flaw, as the sheer number of voices can feel overwhelming. Not every character contributes meaningfully to the story, and their lack of depth makes it difficult for readers to connect with them.

Despite this, the plot has significant merit, effectively building tension and suspense throughout. Unfortunately, the climactic ending feels somewhat contrived, which detracts from the strong buildup that preceded it. Overall, while the story offers intriguing elements, its execution leaves room for improvement.

Thank you to NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings: cheating, murder, manslaughter

Aline and her husband, Brandon, invite a few of their friends to their newly renovated home on a secluded estate with promises of surprises. Despite not having seen each other since university, they all agree to go to spend the weekend. Things take a turn as visitors begin thinking someone else might be at the estate with them. Who is it, and what do they want? Told in dual-timeline and multiple POVs, this book will keep you on your toes.

What can I say? I had so much fun with this. A creepy secluded estate in a thunderstorm is gonna do it for me every single time. Also, (and don’t crucify me for this, I know how y’all gatekeepers like to tussle), The Weekend Guests gave very strong dark academia vibes. The switching back and forth between the past and present as well as between POVs was so beneficial in keeping me entertained. Overall, I had a great time even if it was a little predictable.

4/5 stars

I alw ays enjoy gatherings of friends at a secluded location, but this was not one of the best of the genre. The twists were predictable and the ending unsatisfying. As usual for this kind of story the characters were unlikeable, but not in an enjoyable way. Nevertheless I read the book in one day!

This was great, it reminded me of what I always hope for when I grab a new Lucy Foley book, but somehow always falls a little short of expectation wise. I will continue to read Foley, but Liza had my attention.



Liza delivered on the twists and turns, it was hard for me to take breaks, with some books like this, I sit it down and go do other stuff take breaks, but this had my attention from the start.

For me there was real suspense, which I don't always feel in a book, but Liza painted the emotions with words, and I fel

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. I liked the characters! Great writing style and I liked the storyline. This book kept me guessing. I finished it in one sitting.

I enjoyed this book. The style of writing is highly detailed, beautifully rendered and pulls you into the characters' worlds. The sense of time and place was well -wrought. There is a back and forth timeline which was at time challenging, but not impossible to deal with. A lot of characters and a sense of desperation with some. A sense of unease throughout the story. As the story comes together it all makes sense in a way, but not completely. A lot of hurt, pain and some seemingly unanswered questions, some of which are impossible to answer. This is one of the better books I've read in a while. Recommended.

I love closed-door mysteries, especially ones in atmospheric settings, and in that regard, the premise of The Weekend Guests delivered. However, I struggled with both the structure and how the plot unfolded. I'm generally not a fan of dual timelines, but the multiple characters across the timelines made it even harder to follow. As for the plot, among all of these rotating perspectives, the start of the book just felt like a constant introduction of new characters. I couldn't connect with any of them, which made it harder to stay on board with the many, many narratives. This ultimately ended up in my DNF pile, but I hope other readers enjoy it more than me.

Fans of Lucy Foley will enjoy The Weekend Guests by Liza North. It was a twisty turny thriller that kept me turning the pages until the last one.

The Weekend Guest by Liza North is a great psychological suspense and atmospheric mystery. The story follows five old college friends who reunite in Dorset, only to have their peaceful weekend turn into a nightmare. The author expertly writes a dual timeline narrative, revealing long buried secrets and simmering grudges that explode in shocking ways. The tension builds relentlessly, and the twists keep coming, making it impossible to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping thriller, and it’s a must read for anyone who loves suspenseful, twisty novels.

Tagline: Five old friends . . . One reunion to die for

You know I love a vacation gone wrong, well here's a new one I recommend!

The very wealthy Aline and husband Brandon bring together a collection of their old college friends : Sienna, Rob, and Michael and their significant others. The friends descend upon a beautiful home in idyllic Dorset on a cliff. It's not long before we learn that the group has been getting threatening messages and that someone is well aware of the secret they all keep.

Juxtaposed against the tale of the friends' neighbor in college, you really aren't sure what the secret is or who, if anyone is at fault. It's a tense thriller to the very end and very satisfying conclusion!
#harperperrenial #harper #theweekendguests #lizanorth