The Overnight Guest is the fouth novel I have read from Heather Gudenkauf.  Pacing in this book is amazing. This book took your breathe away so many times. Being held captive and chased by your abuser just keep you going.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC which I received in exchange for an honest review! 

As a thriller fan, I was expecting to enjoy this book way more than I actually did which kind of sucked. I just thought this book was fine. Even hours after I finished the book, I could barely recall the name of the characters because they just didn’t stay with me at all. The twists and plot points were predictable and that’s something that destroys my enjoyment when reading a thriller.

Wylie Lark is a true crime writer, temporarily living in an isolated farmhouse while making the final edits on her new book. As a big winter storm barrels in, Wylie soon finds herself in the middle of a scenario not unlike the books she writes. Will the past come back to haunt Wylie in ways that she cannot imagine?

I am a fan of mystery thrillers and suspense, but I just could not get behind The Overnight Guest. Wylie has a history that makes her cautious and fearful, leaving her to overprepare in case of the unexpected. The one thing that she does not prepare for, which does not seem realistic, is the ability to reach out for assistance. A woman, on her own, would have more than just a cell phone in case of emergency. The deliberate use of the words woman and girl, in place of actual names, did nothing but to point a finger directly at who they actually are. The shifting timelines accomplished nothing but to throw off the pacing of the story.

Overall, I was not a big fan of the main character. I felt that her story, and those of the other characters, had been told before in other books. The Overnight Guest just did not stand out and, for these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by the publisher and NetGalley. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

The Overnight Guest is a must read!
An atomspheric trapped in the woods sort of book that leaves you guessing until the very end.

I love Heather Gudenkauf, but I could not get into this book, I found it confusing and too many perspectives. I finally had to just put it up because the more I read, the more I did not like it.

A crime writer lives in a house far away from anywhere. The house is quite isolated with a fireplace and a place to work on a new book.

When a child is found outside the search begins to find out how this child came to be alone in the winter storm.

Is this house really that isolated?

This story! There is a good deal of remembering the past and the unnamed woman with a small child. 

One twist and turn after another gets us to the meat of the story and who the culprit is. I have to confess, I didn’t see it coming. It felt like it was written this way for the shock factor. 

I enjoyed the story and recommend it.

Wylie Lark is a true crime writer and she has taken up temporary residence in an isolated farmhouse in order to finish her latest book.  As a blizzard moves in she discovers a small child outside, alone, and nearly covered in snow.  As she tries to identify the child the storm rages and backstories are revealed.

The Overnight Guest consists of three storylines that help to slowly unravel the identity of Wylie’s unexpected guest.  The characters are well-drawn and believable, the plot intriguing, and the atmosphere truly foreboding.  Heather Gudenkauf has woven together a terrific thriller that kept me reading well-beyond my bedtime – and with the lights on!  I enjoyed The Overnight Guest and look forward to more from this author.  

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

When I first read the synopsis, I was hesitant to read this novel because initially I wondered how interesting and varied the storyline could become with a singular main character stuck in the middle of nowhere. Boy, was I wrong. I read so many thrillers that I often forget what they are about after some time. I haven’t forgotten this one because the story is propulsive and addictive. A definite must-read.

This book has been a huge hit for the librarians and patrons at my library. Will be recommending as a great summer read.

4.5 out of 5

I could not put this book down! I started it with the intention of reading the first few chapters and picking it up the next day...three hours later, I finished it. 

Wylie Lark, a True Crime writer, is temporarily living in a remote farmhouse while she writes her new book / researching two murders which occurred in the same cottage. During her seclusion there is a winter storm which further isolates her until there is a guest at her doorstep, 

The first chapter contains three story lines which appear random however as you read further, you find that they fit together. The pace was perfect and the suspense was excellent. The end was a tad over the top for me, however this is minor when compared to how fantastic of a read this book was!

This book keeps you on your toes, it is intense, chilling, and makes you jump in the middle of the night. This is the type of writing I live for, I cannot wait for the author's next book!


Many thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for providing me with this digital book.

Three stories - a woman alone in a cabin during a storm with an unexpected visitor outside her door, a woman and a child seemingly trapped in a basement by their partner/father, a girl whose family is murdered - all connected. But how?

This mystery (not a thriller) was a bit slow for me. A lot of characters and timelines to keep track of and frustrating to wait for the stories to intertwine. Two of the stories converge a little more than halfway through the book, and the last around 75%. With how the writer introduced us to the main character, plus a lot of her (really stupid) choices, it was really hard too like her/connect with her/root for her. And when you find out why/get the payoff, it was just not enough. But it was a decent enough read - solid 3 stars.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve read a few of Heather Gudenkauf’s books over the years. And I have liked each and every one that I have read ( Before She Was Found, This Is How I Lied, Not A Sound and Missing Pieces). But I think The Overnight Guest might be her most twisted.

What I Liked:

The cover is completely spooky and sets the scene perfectly.

How the book is laid out- the story is told in past, present and then one section you, as the reader, are not sure when that section is being told. It ups the tension to INCREDIBLE heights.

When all the pieces click together. I think I gasped out loud.

 

Bottom line: This book was def filled with tense scenes and it hooked me!

I liked this one, but I didn’t love it. The concept was very dark and I’d definitely suggest checking trigger warnings before reading! 

It was face paced and an easy read! If you like thrillers, you’ll enjoy it for sure. I’d still recommend giving it a shot, it was good, just not my favourite!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to preview The Overnight Guest.  
There are there plots going on for an author who decides to write a book in an isolated cabin. 
Soon things are not what they seem and soon she won’t be alone at all. 
A lot of characters.  Too many for me and three plot lines slowed me down a few times. 
Not one of this authors best efforts.  3 stars

True crime writer Wylie Lark is staying in a remote farmhouse to try and finish the book she started. A massive snowstorm blankets the town and leaves her unable to leave which is perfect for her to finish her writing.

As the storm rages on, the sees a small child out in the snow. She brings the child in only to find out that there is more to the story than she initially thought. Bringing in this child rips open town secrets and secrets that Wylie also was hiding, all connected to this farmhouse.

I found the story interesting since it was from different points of view. I love stories like that and I think Gudenkauf did a great job of it. However, it can get confusing trying to keep everyone straight. But eventually, it will all make sense. 

I truly didn't like Wylie but I tried to push that aside since it is clear she has been through a lot of trauma. I found the story of the child and the mom absolutely fascinating and that is what kept my interest the whole time. 

Because I read A LOT of mysteries, I eventually figured out most of it in terms of the female characters but the actual culprit was not who I was expecting it to be. This will be a great read for people who like mysteries and multiple time periods and narrators. While I enjoyed the book and the story, it was hard to rate it higher since I didn't like the main character and it was way too slow. 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Overnight Guest had three storylines at once, which at first was confusing, but they all merged together. As the story progressed, I easily figured out what was going to happen and predicted most of it. However, that didn't take much away from the story. It was well-written and a page-turner.

In present day, Wylie is in a cabin in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm. Does it surprise anyone that the power goes out and there is no way for Wylie to contact the outside world? While she's stranded, she finds a boy curled up outside her house, practically freezing to death. She takes him in and he doesn't want to talk. He's ok but guarded.

In a separate storyline, a girl and her mother are being abused by their father. They are kept locked in a basement, deprived of food and fresh air.

In the third storyline, a teenage boy is suspected of killing his parents and kidnapping his sister's friend. The sister was shot and is tramautized and the town is trying to find out who has disrupted their peaceful lifestyle.

These storylines all merge together and it does make sense. All loose ends are tied up and everything makes sense in the end. It's a good read, even if it is predictable.

This book had me on the edge of my seat!  By the time I got to the end, my jaw was super clenched from the buildup of tension. Three storylines are craftily woven together in a scary, dark, quick-paced thriller. It's so full of suspense and tangled tension.

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf is a chilling thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is set in an isolated farmhouse where two people were murdered decades earlier and a girl disappeared without a trace. The woman who owns the house, true crime writer Wylie Lark, is snowed in and decides to stay in the house while she writes her new book. As the storm gets worse, Wylie discovers a small child in the snow just outside, she takes him in and begins to search for answers.

With  The Overnight Guest, Gudenkauf has crafted a taut, suspenseful thriller with plenty of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. This is also the first book I read by the author and it has made me interested in reading more of her books.

So much love for this book!  There are three separate story lines that are equally compelling, and for a while I was uncertain as to how these stories would come together.  But they absolutely do, and the ending is a fast-paced race for survival and justice.  Highly recommend for people who enjoy a strong sense of setting in their mysteries.