This was a bit of a slow burn, and I considered calling it quits well through the halfway point. Information is parsed out with almost painful stinginess. However, I stuck with it and there are definitely a few payoffs at the end, but I'm not completely sure they were worth the slog.

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie and Avery come from very different backgrounds but circumstances bring them together in their teens and they become inseparable. One night, Sadie's body is found near the cliffs and police rule it a suicide. However, Avery is finding inconsistencies with her death and evidence seems to point to her as a suspect. I guess you can say slow and steady wins the race because even though this wasn't a page-turner, it did keep me guessing till the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda. Miranda is one of my favorite authors, and I love that she writes both adult and Young Adult thrillers. The Last House Guest was so, so good. I always get nervous when I love an authors books, because I worry that soon I'll HAVE to find one that doesn't impress me as much, but thankfully this wasn't that book for Megan Miranda! This book was chilling, and kept me thinking. I did kind of know the direction the ending was going about halfway through, but it didn't spoil the book for me.

Megan Miranda is a master at creating dark, creepy, and foreboding atmospheres in her books. Her skills are honed with each book that she writes. She describes the scenery and houses as vividly as her characters and they are central to the plot. These places always have a dark and haunting feel to them. Her writing makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. You know what I mean if you've read All the Missing Girls or The Perfect Stranger. The creep factor is amped up in this book even more than the others.

The town of Littleport is a strange mix of two classes, where society’s elite vacation seasonally alongside year-round, hard working local people who’ve lived in the area for generations. The dynamics are highlighted in this book, and they're fascinating. It touches into the issues of class conflict and disparity.

This book is about friendship, secrets, death, grief, money, class, social structure, discrimination, home, tragedy, and love. This is the 3rd book by Megan Miranda, and in my opinion, it's the best so far. Megan Miranda is so good at building suspense and examining tricky friendship dynamics. Her stories are creative, unusual, and make you want to binge read them 'till the end.

Megan Miranda is one of my favorite suspense thriller authors. I loved All The Missing Girls it is my favorite by far. I think she set the bar so high with that book I expect everything to be equally as good or better. I wasn’t blown away by this novel but the ending is still a surprise and Megan Miranda is excellent at weaving the perfect intricate plot! Sadie kills herself but Avery doesn’t believe that is what really happened so Avery needs to dig deep in this small town to find the truth. You will be surprised by the ending. That’s all I’m saying.

This is my first Megan Miranda read. Now I want to devour all her books. The characters were all great and realistically written. This was a thriller that I could never guess the ending. Finished it in a day.

This was my first Megan Miranda. I really loved the coastal setting with the beach houses and small town vibes. However, I found myself getting less interested in the story as I got further into the book. I did not guess the ending or big reveal...and overall I think it was well done. But overall, this story was just okay.

Thank you NetGalley, Megan Miranda and Corvus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Miranda is back with her newest adult mystery/thriller and as much as I've enjoyed her previous works, this is easily my favorite from her yet.

One year ago, Avery Greer's best friend, the affluent Sadie Loman, is found dead on the night of the infamous end of summer party. The police determine it was suicide and close the case. Avery, after having a rough start at life - losing her parents to a car accident and her grandmother to illness - stays in Littleport to oversee the Loman rental properties.

Around the one year anniversary of Sadie's death, strange things begin to happen around Littleport and the Loman rentals. Homes are rummaged through, candles lit but not by the renters, etc. Avery is sure these are connected to Sadie's death and begins to raise questions with those who were at the party the night of her death.


The books jumps back and forth between present day and the night of the party, but all through Avery's point of view. We learn a lot about Avery and what brought her and Sadie together, as on paper, they had very little in common and not a lot of reasons to become as close as they did, even closer than Sadie was with her older brother, the handsome and charming Grant Loman. This even leads fellow a Littleport resident to say this to Avery: "She created you. A mini-Sadie. A monster in her likeness. And now she's gone, but here you are."

As with all Megan Miranda novels, all the layers of the story are peeled back until there's a clear picture of exactly what happened. The ending was a doozy and I loved it. I definitely did not see everything that coming but was elated when it was put in front of me. I was very satisfied with the whole story and was sad when I got to the last page.

As I said up top, this was my favorite Miranda novel to-date. I loved Avery, the main character, and really liked a lot of the supporting cast. It was well-paced and kept me enthralled the entire time. This story would make a perfect summertime adaptation for HBO, a la "Big Little Lies." The setting - an almost private and exclusive sea-side town in the summer, with a colorful cast of characters and slow-burning mystery and a touch of romance - would really lend itself well to the small screen.

When this comes out in May, be sure to pick it up and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

One of two "summer people" type of books I read in the last month. This one had my heart thudding. I didn't see the end coming at all. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Book publishes June 18 and will be perfect for a suspenseful summer beach read.

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda was an intriguing thriller. This is the second book by this author (the first was All the Missing Girls where she tells a story backwards), and I really enjoy how she crafts her thrillers. In this one, Sadie is found dead. The death is ruled a suicide, but her friend Avery doesn't believe this to be true. The story then weaves through what could have happened as Avery commits to finding out the truth. Part of this includes navigating the dynamics of the town. Littleport has its locals, but it also has a wealthy vacationing community. Avery is from the local community, while Sadie is from the vacationing crowd. Their friendship is an unlikely one which is something Avery has always appreciated. However, the unlikely nature of the friendship also raises some questions. What did Avery know? What role did she play in the tragedy? As she asks more questions, she raises suspicion about herself. The story is told mainly a year after Sadie's death, while also revising the night of her death. Avery tries to piece together the stories of everyone who was at the party where Sadie never arrived at the night of her death. Y'all the twists of this one were great. I always love a thriller where I don't see the drama coming, and it's so good that my jaw drops as it is revealed. I got an early preview of this one thanks to NetGalley, and I can tell y'all that it's one to check out for yourself once it's released in June!

**5 Stars**

"And still there were people like Evelyn, my grandmother's neighbor, hiring me for odd jobs, trying to make sure I got by. All it did was bring me closer to more of the things I didn't have. 

That was the problem with a place like this: everything was right out in the open, including the life you could never have."

Avery Greer's young life has been marked by tragedy; her parents died in a horrific car accident, leaving her to live with her grandmother, who was also injured in the crash. Not too long afterward, Avery's grandmother passes, leaving Avery to build a life for herself with no help or relatives to support her.

Avery makes a life for herself in a Littleport, Maine, a beach town known for its contrasts. Windy, rainy winters give way to sunfilled, blue-skied summer. The wealthy 1% of the town's residents own towering mansions that defy gravity by dangling off of the cliffsides, nearly tumbling into the seaside below; the rest of the residents, the 99%, labor and toil to maintain and keep up Littleport's picturesque facade, properties, and beachscapes, hoping to sustain the summer tourism industry to make ends (barely) meet.

Avery falls into the latter group; nearly destitute, she sells her grandmother's house - all that was left of her inheritance - to the Loman family, the wealthiest people in Littleport who control nearly every beautiful property in town. Soon, she finds herself working for the Loman family, cleaning their properties and managing them as they rent them out to summer vacationers. She proves her worth to the Lomans, eventually becoming a full-time property manager.

In the process, Sadie Loman, the Lomans' daughter, befriends Avery unexpectedly. Sadie takes her in as though Avery is a wounded bird in need of care; Sadie gifts Avery expensive clothing beyond Avery's paygrade and offers to share an apartment with Avery. Avery and Sadie develop a tight-knit, seemingly unbreakable friendship; they are inseparable 24/7. Avery feels as though she is becoming a Loman, or maybe even becoming a clone of Sadie. She doesn't protest, as it is a way of escaping her past. As Miranda writes,

"I believe that a person can become possessed by someone else - at least in part. That one life can slip inside another, giving it shape. In this way, I could judge Sadie's reaction before it occurred, picture an expression in the second before she shared it."

This illusion of safety and shelter that Sadie's friendship provides is shattered when Sadie is murdered, her body found lapping against the rocks of Littleton's shoreline.

Avery immediately becomes a suspect because of her proximity to Sadie.

Did Avery become jealous with Sadie started developing a new friendship with her brother, Parker's girlfriend, Luce? Did Avery discover that Sadie was having a relationship with Avery's former lover, Connor?

Amid the town's speculation and gossiping about Avery, she discovers that she was never really a Loman (as much as she tried to become one, much to the discontent of the town's residents):

"How you could get pulled into the orbit of one world, thinking you had a place in it, even if you weren't fully part of it."

Avery races against time to solve the murder of Sadie in order to absolve herself of Sadie's murder and find out the truth about what happened to her. Digging into Sadie and the Lomans' past may uncover some unsavory and even shocking truths about the town of Littleton and the lengths to which its residents will go to hide its scandals, crimes, and misdeeds.

This was my second book by Miranda, and I think it's safe to say that after this book I've become a really big fan. I did not see the ending coming at all - I really loved how it came together nicely and made complete sense. Miranda dropped a lot of hints along the way - I just missed them! I also liked the themes that this book explored - youthful friendships and the tensions that arise within them; class inequality; the longing to be someone else, or have someone else's life (that seems perfect from the outside...but you know what they say about the grass); and loss and grief. Miranda tackled these topics with sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and care reflective of a gifted writer.

Thank you so very much to the author, Megan Miranda, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of The Last House Guest! I can't wait to read Miranda's next hit :)

I enjoyed this twisty story. Miranda weaves a tale that takes a lot of turns. Strong story line and a binge read at its best! Look for this to have a prominent spot in your beach bag this summer!!!

The newest suspense novel from Megan Miranda, THE LAST HOUSE GUEST will keep the reader guessing right to the end, with twists and turns you'll never see coming. A true page-turning, nail-biter of intrigue and a deep dive into the lives, motives, and people of a small tourist town on the Maine coast. Definitely worth the read!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
This book is a murder mystery that is geared to young adults.
Avery works as a property manager for a family who has several rental properties near the water in Connecticut. The family spends their summers in a home that they had built on the cliffs facing the water. Avery becomes good friends with the family's daughter and when Avery isn't working, they're inseparable. Even though the family is wealthy, sadly they are not a close family and each member has secrets which will be brought out in the book.
Overall, a good mystery but would have been better without the profanity.

This was my first foray into Megan Miranda and honestly, I really enjoyed it. I didn't think it was the best thing I have ever read and I thought there was a couple of confusing bits and pieces but it was VERY enjoyable.

In the small coastal town of Littleport Maine; there has always been a clear separation between the locals and the wealthy home owners who visit each summer. Avery Greer, a troubled teen, finds herself in a new social circle when she is suddenly befriended by Sadie Loman, the daughter of local entrepreneur. Years later the girls are inseparable and Avery is managing real estate for Sadie's father and living in their guest house. After the social event of the summer, Sadie is found dead, an apparent suicide. Avery is certain Sadie wouldn't kill herself and that someone at the party knows something. A year later the town is preparing Sadie's memorial but mysterious power outages and break ins have Avery questioning Sadie's death once again. As Avery tries to piece together the events of that night she discovers the town has several secrets...and someone who is willing to kill to keep them hidden.

The Last House Guest is an exciting new mystery thriller from Megan Miranda. The main protagonist, a troubled teen, finds her life drastically altered when she unexpectedly becomes friends with Sadie, daughter of one of the town’s wealthiest summer residents. The novel transitions between the present day, where Avery is managing the rental homes for Sadie's father and the summer before when Sadie is found dead. Mysterious events, a list of possible suspects, and several dirty secrets make this novel a suspense driven mystery you won’t want to put down. This is one of those stories that have to be told slowly so that each detail can be revealed in the end. If you’re looking for an action packed mystery than this might not be for you. This is the second novel I have read by this author and I enjoy how she twists the story and reveals new insights as the plot progresses; a very enjoyable novel to curl up with.

All in all, I enjoyed this mystery / thriller, and thought it moved at a quick pace.

The story takes place in Littleport, Maine, a vacation town that caters to the wealthy. When local girl Avery, and wealthy visitor Sadie become friends, they create an inseparable bond. Then Sadie tragically dies in what's deemed a suicide. Avery doesn't believe it though, and works to uncover the dark secrets that have been hidden for far too long, putting herself in danger in the meantime.

The highlight of this story for me was the setting. I really enjoyed seeing this vacation town and how it transformed for its local residents during the off season. Dark winding roads, dangerous bluffs, and a violent sea all added to the tense feeling.

I also liked observing the dynamics between the wealthy people and the local residents, how they treated one another, and took over the town.

The ending came as a surprise, and I appreciated the twists and the fact that the outcome wasn't easy to guess (at least, it wasn't for me). It was a well crafted story with interesting relationships.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers. It wasn't a favorite for me, or one that will stand out as a favorite in the genre, but I did enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review

I did enjoy this book. The mystery part grabbed me from the beginning. Lots of twists and turns. It did drag in a couple of places

Finished Megan Miranda’s new book “The Last House Guest” and it’s a ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 book for me. The ending really lifted it up. It was definitely a pleasant read, but I felt like a lot of the book was just running around this small town and looking into houses that were broken into. When it hit the last 25% of the book, I was like OKAY here’s where it gets good. The story takes a few wild twists.
Also, I will read ANY book that takes place in Maine 😂😂 Do any of you read books specifically because they’re set in a certain place? What place?

Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline; and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors.

Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl—but that’s just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and Littleport resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable—until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can’t help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie’s brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they’re saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book it was a great experience