Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
Review of this novel will be posted soon.

WOW what a ride this one was! I am definitely kicking myself for letting this one sit for so long! I really appreciated how Rous allows readers to be able to pick up on some of the secrets of this book, without revealing all the twists she had in store for us! It did take me a bit to get into this one, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It's hard for me to be totally surprised by all the twists, but this one definitely left me shocked.

This book starts off really well and lures the reader in, which is a mark of a good book. It’s intriguing from the first few chapters but unfortunately not enough to inspire me to finish this book. DNF @ 30%

This book was the perfect antidote to the winter blues. I found it a fast read with the perfect amount of intrigue and descriptions of place.

The Perfect Guests is a dual-timeline novel that covers two women's experiences at the same house. I adored the back and forth storytelling, finding out more as the story went on. I think this book was a great audiobook, easy to follow and captivating to listen to. I wasn't really sure what it was about or what happened, but it was a medium burn thriller that was essentially full of family drama. Lots of twists and turns I didn't expect, while still being fully believable. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This dual timeline story really had my head spinning. In my mind, it was about motive. In the past, in 1988, Beth Soames' life fell apart when she lost her family. At first taken in by her aunt, she is soon taken in by a family that resides at Raven Hall with a daughter her same age. Beth and the girl, Nina, hit it off and Beth soon feels at home. Oddly enough, whenever Nina's grandfather visits, Nina's parents ask Beth to pretend that she is Nina. Again, the question begged me - motive?

Modern day, 2019, Sadie Langton is a struggling actress is invited to play a game at Raven Hall (yes, the same place that the story began with in 1988). This is a murder game and Sadie has been hired to play a role. While Sadie is enamored by the grandeur that is Raven Hall, she is very curious as to the specific demands placed upon her with the game about to be played. Yes, motive?

Indeed, what motive plays into Beth being asked to pretend to be Nina and who hired Sadie and what is the ultimate purpose of the game? Who is the host and who are the other guests?

What a thrilling story! I loved the back and forth in this book, especially because whether I was reading Beth's story or Sadie's story, I was really pulled into the drama. I also loved being led to search for the connection between the two time frames and how, if at all, the characters were connected. This chilling book kept my attention from beginning to end, with no lags of any nature, truly excellently written, leaving the reader grasping for the motives behind everything taking place.

This is the second book that I have read by Emma Rous, the first book being The Au Pair. Her writing is captivating and I most definitely recommend her if you want to find a book that will keep you reading late into the night.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

At first glance The Perfect Guests refers to the attendees of a murder mystery weekend at Raven Hall, a grand, dilapidated mansion in the East Anglian fens. Sadie Langton is a struggling actress whose mermaid-commercial gig just fell through when she receives an offer she can’t refuse. For a few days’ work, she’ll earn a lot of money and she’ll get to dress up in glamorous clothes. All she has to do is remember to play her role as Miss Lamb, who is the sort of character you'd find in a game of Clue.
But there is another game afoot and another guest who needs to play a role. This game began decades earlier, in 1988, and the guest isn’t an actress but an orphaned girl who is a gifted violinist. Beth Soames has just turned 14 when her aunt drops her off with her new foster family at Raven Hall. The Averells aren’t as interested in parenting as they are in providing their daughter Nina with a companion. Beth knows she’s got to get her “part” right or she’ll end up back at the children’s home.

But exactly what do the Averells expect from her? Nina is homeschooled and can’t venture into the village for any reason. The girl’s mother Leonora treats her daughter as if she’s sickly, despite Nina’s protests that she’s fine. Then there’s the other part Beth must play and she has no idea why. At Leonora’s insistence one night, she dons an old blue dress, plaits her hair and plays the violin for an old man.

The book alternates between Sadie's and Beth’s perspectives, along with short interjections from an unnamed narrator. As is true of most gothic novels, the two tales come together in the final chapters and both mysteries are resolved. And as is also true for nearly every gothic tale with two storylines, I found the earlier tale much more compelling. While the modern part of the plot had great potential, I ended up rushing through those parts to get to the next installment of the 1988 story. I appreciated the Agatha Christie vibe in the 2019 chapters (think And Then There Were None) but at times it felt a little contrived. Also, the resolution stretched credulity too far, even for a gothic novel.

That said, The Perfect Guests is an intricate, engrossing, fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the last chapter. It’s not a novel that skimps on twists and turns, to put it mildly. I also loved the fens setting so much I went on to read Rous’ debut novel The Au Pair and I’m so glad I did. That novel delivers an even more powerful gothic punch and might be the best place to start with this author.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Emma, check out my interview with her in The Writing Cooperative. Much thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for gifting me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Set in two different time periods in alternating chapters we learn of a family who lived in a placed called Raven Hall. The parents were very strict, sheltering their daughter to the point where she wasn't allowed to be seen in town or at their parties. In order for her not to feel isolated they bring a young girl who is their daughters age to stay with them. The girl has been orphaned and her aunt is now her guardian and has very little time for her. Now staying in an opulent house she hopes she gets to stay. However things get strange when the parents keep asking her to pretend to be their daughter whenever her grandfather comes calling.

In modern times a struggling young actress is given the role of a lifetime. Show up to a beautiful house and play the part of a guest in a murder mystery weekend and get paid enough money to keep her in her apartment. When she arrives things start to feel strange and just keep getting weirder the longer she is there.

Part Guest List, part Agatha Christie this book will give you the creeps. Obsession knows no boundaries and what people will do for revenge is beyond imagining. Well constructed this story kept and held my interest the whole way through and the ending left my jaw open a little. Very well done.

A Mystery/Suspense that lacked well, mystery or suspense.

1988: Beth is a orphan who is brought to Raven Hall to live and be a companion to Nina, who is about her age. Little does Beth know that all is not as it seems. Secrets are abound. Secrets that Beth must partake in.

2019: Sadie is an actress who goes to Raven Hall to partake in a mystery, she is to pretend to be a guest at a party, As it turns out, nothing at Raven Hall is as it seems and Sadie is part of the suspense. There is more here than meets the eye as the past and present collide.

If only the book felt mysterious or intriguing, I however was at a loss and was wholly uninterested.

What was clear is that I was the wrong reader for this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc.

I have read such mixed reviews about this one and I think it makes sense. Overall, the story is based on a good premise but the story doesn't completely flow well. I like the writing most of the time, but then at other times, it is too rambling and confusing. With a bit more editing, this may have well had a lot more potential. Instead it was just okay.
#ThePerfectGuests #NetGalley #BerkleyPublishingGroup

After several attempts to read this book I am at a loss for words. At 65% I was still asking myself the purpose of the book. I had no idea what the story line was about. By this point in the book it should be clear and a connection made. Sadly it didn’t work for me. I even tried an audio version but became even more confused.

This book clearly lacked both direction and purpose.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing.

This book has several great reviews so I know I'm in the minority, but I was so bored through this story. The 1980s plot line was interesting at first, and so was the current day murder mystery game angle. However, neither of these kept my attention and I didn't find the "twists" worthy of the time spent reading this book.


I received an advance copy; all thoughts are my own.

An interesting plot but hard to follow storyline. Going back in forth in time and with the mystery party, it was hard at times to keep everyone straight. Also somewhat predictable.

Two timelines and a whole lot of drama and secrets make The Perfect Guests un-put-downable! Five stars for brilliant storytelling and a twist I did not see coming. Will be purchasing for the library's collection.

i really loved THE AU PAIR by her so i was so excited to get my hands on her new book - thanks to Netgalley and Berkley i did!

this was a good suspense that kept me guessing, but had some unrealistic elements. i think i prefer THE AU PAIR mainly because of the characters but this was a fun double POV read. overall, a good story and reminded me alot of the game CLUE!

I needed something zippy to fly though, and Perfect Guests TOTALLY fit the bill. I loved the dual timelines, and found them to be totally propulsive in moving the story forward.

My only hang up was the need to suspend disbelief a fair few times throughout the story – I could see this being a snag for some readers.

Ultimately enjoyed it - I will definitely read whatever Emma Rouse comes up with next!

If I am honest, the book was a bit confusing filled with way too many characters along with alternating timelines. It was just too much to keep up with that I lost track of the story, preventing me from truly getting into it. My overall thoughts on the book is that it was okay, and possibly it just wasn't for me. The writing was a bit all over the place and it could be that it was done that way with the intention of creating a confusing road for the reader. I did not love it, but I can see why other readers might have loved it.

This was a good suspense book! I really enjoyed it! It's toldnthrough three perspectives. You don't know the timeline or who the third person is until about halfway through so that kept me guessing. Each perspective had its own mystery and it kept me interested and I kept needing to read more to find out more. There were so many twists - some I guessed, some I didn't. I liked finding out how the timelines were connected and how everything came together towards the end. And then the final twist was great too! Thisbwas a very good book for those who enjoy suspense or thriller books.

That was like reading an episode of the game Clue! Very enjoyable and nice change of pace. It isn't a thriller, per se, but it has an old home with a spooky history, a creepy storyline and characters, and enough puzzling circumstances to hold your attention. I had quite a few WTH is going on here moments and thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

Was not able to finish this book due to compatibility issues. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.