This thriller took me for a ride. I was totally surprised by how it went.

The Dinner Guest starts out at the murder. Those present are Matt, the deceased, his husband Charlie, their teenaged son Titus, and friend/acquaintance Rachel. And Rachel calls the police and confesses to the murder.

Case closed, right? Wellllll…not so much.

The story then goes back in time and leads up to that desperate moment, as told from both Charlie and Rachel’s points of view. We learn more and more about each character, and we soon discover the depth of secrets and deception that are hidden in an pretty instagram life.

Full of secrets, deception, lies, and blackmail, the story unfolds and keeps you hooked.

Wow, this story was a rollercoaster ride and that last drop was mind blowing!

Rachel fell into Charlie’s and Matthew’s laps by chance, and she quickly weaved herself into their complicated lives. It all started with an invitation for Rachel to join Matthew’s book club, but Charlie had his suspicions from the get go. Somehow she was always happened to be in the right place at the right time. She moved into a flat nearby, saved their son (Titus) from muggers, and quickly received a job opportunity from one of Matthew’s friends from book club. It all seemed too good to be true...until Rachel called the police, confessing to Matthew’s murder. But the details leading up to that night revealed so much more than Rachel’s simple confession. Rachel was not the only one keeping secrets and they all led to one thing...the truth.

This was a fantastic suspenseful read, and I really enjoyed getting the story from multiple POVs. The story seems to be pretty straightforward in the beginning, but as more secrets are revealed, the reader begins to question what really happened the night Matthew was murdered. I didn’t see it coming and was glad the end surprised me. Definitely worth the read!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3871702647

THE DINNER GUEST
BY BP WALTER

This was honestly torture for me to get to the part where it becomes compelling and suspenseful. I have never taken this long to read a book and was really quite ready to give up. I have wanted to give up on this because so much of the beginning seemed like disconnected details that didn't seem to move the story forward. I had to force myself to not abandon this since I have to honestly review it and therefore not put it down. When I got to about fifty percent through it started to become more cohesive and really my arrangement with a request that I have made is to stick it out. I am only giving it three stars because no matter how good it became halfway in and I might be generous for thinking it finally drew my interest at 60 percent in. I am so glad that I finished it so that I didn't do what most have done because I honestly couldn't take the slog that this took to hold my attention. For a thriller it must be suspenseful and it shouldn't be torture to get to the 40 percent that did finally make it enjoyable. I am not going to summarize the synopsis because every single review that I read talks about this dinner where they describe the action taking place. The Title is not even fit for the story. If I wasn't so honest I would have summarized the synopsis instead of saying that this did redeem itself and it did get better but honestly this isn't worthy of the book length slog of pure trivia that it took. I am not a writer and I hate to sound uncharitable to the author but this was awful until it suddenly got interesting. I had the worst time with this and my last request which is my fault for not being more discerning when choosing them. Let me just say that I am glad that I am done and I can say that I did like it but I am glad that it is over. I wouldn't recommend it because it just took me two weeks and I am not embellishing. Honestly, I would not have finished this if I had bought it. It may appeal to other's but it wasn't for me and I am truly sorry to offend the author who was able to write a good portion but it shouldn't take so much effort to reach the point where the words start to mean something. I can't in good faith recommend this but I really wonder how so many people have written about a dinner. It has nothing to do with a dinner guest unless I have forgotten what may have happened as filler but I can tell you that I feel like I read a different book. But as far as a novel this needs some work. I am not that picky, but I think that between this one and my last one-( I kept alternating them) and they are my least enjoyable reading experiences in my year's of doing this. Life is too short to spend forcing yourself to endure punishing yourself to finish something that feels like it is sleep inducing. I will give it 3.5 stars at best. This is simply nothing like Donna Tartt whom I have read all of her books. It is shameful to market it comparing it to her because that is why I requested it. You might love this, I however found myself struggling more with this one and one more and I am taking a hiatus from this. It pains me to not enjoy reading because I love doing it more than running and I love running. I don't like false marketing. I can't get over how so many people read this and say that the action takes place during a dinner. I must have read something different!

Publication Date: April 1, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, BP Walter and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and *honest* review. All opinions are my own.

#TheDinnerGuest #BPWalter HarperCollinsUKOneMoreChapter #NetGalley

Four people round a dinner table; Charlie, his husband Matthew, their son Titus, and their friend Rachel. By the end of the meal, Matthew is dead from a stab wound and Rachel is holding the knife. But is all as it seems? This was a hugely enjoyable thriller read, full of morally grey characters, secrets and lies. I was thoroughly engrossed by this, really enjoying the multiple perspectives and timelines. I think you're better off going into this pretty blind, but it's an excellent examination of class, privilege and expectation versus reality..

This has been such a terrible enjoyable read. From the beginning I got the feeling that I was being transported into a Desperate Housewives-esque setting and the tension was amped up to the max. I don’t really understand how some people might have DNF’ed this since the structure that B. P. Walter undertook serviced for the whole novel to be a mystery until the end. Without to spoil anything B. P. Walter sets himself up as being one of the best authors who manages to tease its reader by giving them a piece of information and then straight away not giving it to them. 🙊

I enjoyed this book, and read it quickly. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try, and I'm very please I did.

Charlie lives an amazing life with his husband and teenage son, Titus. They have a beautiful house, are well off and life is just fab.... Until a chance meeting with a Stranger who ends up becoming very involved in their lives.

Rachel isn't a likeable character but I suppose she isn't supposed to be, to be honest none of the characters are likeable, but as the story goes on it makes more sense. It's one of those books, that once you start reading you need to have all the details. The ending left a lot to the imagination too. I'd highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/ One More Chapter for sending me this eARC in exchange my honest opinion!

Such an enthralling read! I could not put it down!

This is a dual POV book set across two timelines that slowly converge. This structure kind of reminded me of Vicious, by V. E. Schwab, which I LOVED.

This follows Charlie and Matthew, the perfect couple, with their adopted son Henry. They stumble into Rachel at a bookshop, then suddenly their lives are intertwined. We start the story with Matthew dead at the table, while Rachel calls the emergency services, bloody knife still in hand.

As it's a thriller, the less you know about it, the better. I started this book confident in my guesses of the murderer, but as I kept reading, I kept getting hit by plot twists one after the other. It was such a thrilling ride and I really enjoyed it.

I highly recommend this book to all lovers of this genre!

4.5 stars

This book starts strong and doesn’t falter all the way through. It’s one of those books that I feel is best to go into blind. With a great cast of unlikable characters it’s hard to know quite who to root for in the end, but that only makes it better! Told in alternate voices of a short time before until after, the reader is never quiet sure if either is reliable until much much later as the story unfolds. Totally engaging, this was a very good read.

I thought I was going to be disappointed in this after what sounded like a book right up my alley in the mystery/thriller field because it seemed fairly obvious who the culprit was…but then there were surprises so I’m glad I stuck with it to the end. If you like surprises twists this is a book for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love these kind of books. It's a slow burn read but it's packed full of secrets and betrayal. Matthew has been murdered and someone has confessed, but why did they confess when they didn't do it? I enjoyed the characters and getting to know their backgrounds. I loved how the story jumps from past to present. Lots of twists and surprises. I didn't guess who did it!

Wow!!...Wow!!...Did I say wow?! Let me just say this novel should be on everyone’s want to read list! And the good news is the release date moved up to April 1, so you won’t have to wait long! The Dinner Guest is told from points of view between two primary characters, Charlie and Rachel, and covers the time periods from well before to well after that fateful dinner night. I found myself immediately absorbed into the characters’ worlds and couldn’t wait to keep reading to see what happened. Lots of layers to unfold and just when you think it’s over, it’s not. This is one novel that will sit with you long after it’s over. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC!!

This is a domestic suspense/classic murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end 😃 The characters are filthy rich, posh, snobby and to be honest, quite unlikeable, and the way the story pulls you into the world of the wealthy, we begin to realise that not everything is as ‘glamorous and perfect’ as some may think their lives to be.

I really had no idea what to expect when it came to the murder, and my biggest question was “but... why did she do what she did?” So it was an intriguing read as the background story built up to answer this for me, and big secrets are revealed that made me think WOW!! (One particular character was harbouring a lot of secrets, I don’t know how he did it!!) I also really felt for another main character, Charlie, because he really had no clue to the secrecy surrounding him, the poor thing!

This is a great suspense that fans of psychological thrillers will really enjoy. It was unique in the way it was done, which made it different to the typical murder mystery so I liked that about it. Overall, an enjoyable book and fantastic weekend read. Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an ARC of this exciting and suspenseful book. I loved it!! 😊

The Dinner Guest had me hooked from the outset, Matthew is murdered at a dinner where he his husband, Matthew, their son, Titus and their friend, Rachel, are present. Who killed Matthew and why? Rachel confesses, did she actually kill him? If not, why would she confess? If not her, then why would his loving husband or 15 year old son kill him?
The book is so utterly gripping, each chapter made me want to read more. At every point something more is divulged to add to the picture of the jigsaw and I had to read on to reveal the remaining pieces (I really couldn’t guess the whole picture until reading the very final page of the book!).
The book is written from the point of view of Rachel and Charlie. Each take turns of written a chapter. The chapters are also written before or after the murder. This works really well. Both characters have distinct voices and I enjoyed reading both perspectives. The differing timelines were also really easy to follow.
I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fast paced thriller
Which you will want to read in one sitting
Well written and different

Who killed Matthew and why?

Only one way to find it out

READ IT ....................

Thank you netgalley, B P Walker and Harper Collins UK for allowing me to read and review this book

This story starts out with a huge surprise with a murder of Mathew at a dinner party which was also a book club which was attended by Mathew, Rachel and Titus. Rachel standing with the murder weapon in her hand, calls the police and confesses. But did she really do it?
This story goes back and forth in time told by two different points of view.
I felt this book though starting out strong, lost its momentum and just went flat afterwards. I lost interest
I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to have this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thankyou to BP Walter, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for this ARC of The Dinner Guest.

The Dinner Guest starts with a bang - Matthew is murdered - stabbed to death at a dinner party with only 3 other guests - his partner Charlie, their teenage son Titus and their new friend Rachel - a stranger who recently joined their book club after a chance encounter in a book store.

Rachel confesses to Matthews murder - but did she really kill him. and if not, why would someone confess to a murder they didn't commit?

The Dinner Guest is told through varying timelines - before the murder and after the murder, from both Rachel and Charlie's perspective. We learn about the history and build up, including the secrets, lies, relationships and privileges involved in their lives up to this moment.

In this book its fair to say nothing is what it seems and this murder is the ultimate revenge. Whilst I didn't expect the final reveal - it fell a little flat for me. With only 3 main suspects to the murder, it felt like the ending lacked some of the impact I was craving and I struggling to fully understand the killers motive as it all felt a little on the extreme side!

Overall a good read I just struggled a little with the changes of pace and would've perhaps liked to have heard from other perspectives (such as their son's) too.

3.5/5

A good well written fast paced thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed and was a good page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

I can recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins OMC for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

The Dinner Guest by B.P Walter is a book that grips you right from the start and makes you want to stay up all night reading. You can safely assume I enjoyed this book and I really did. The characters, the plot twists and that ending.

We start the book off with the murder of Matthew that has already taken place. Charlie, Titus and Rachel are all in attendance on the night of the murder. It has us thinking many times throughout the storyline. Did Rachel kill Matthew or was it someone else?

I enjoyed the writing style of The Dinner Guest. It went from before and after the murder of Matthew. I really enjoyed reading both Charlie and Rachel's perspectives and of course learning more about them.

If you love a good murder mystery this book will be right up your alley.

Publication Date: 1st April 2021

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book gripped me straight away, I couldn't put it down! I was constantly trying to figure out the twists and I didn't have a clue where it was going. This book is filled with secrets, betrayal and revenge - it is a whirlwind of a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I genuinely loved this book and would 100% recommend.

Matthew is dead, there is a confession and 2 witnesses, but all is not what is seems. Facts can sometimes be twisted around lies and misconceptions. But who is telling the right story?

I really found this a difficult book to review. I liked the mystery aspects of the crime with the drip, drip of the point of views of Charlie & Rachel and the switching time periods to fill in the events that led up to the murder and the frantic after effects. However, as the book progressed, I found it becoming more & more too fantastical to be enjoyable and actually started to irritate me. I think the main problem for me was the class barrier that somehow felt too forced. The upper class characters didn’t feel believable, and it seemed more like a sketch to me.

Sadly this novel wasn’t for me but having read a previous book by Walter that I did like, I certainly wouldn’t be put off from trying his next novel.