I usually enjoy this author's books but I was not really a fan of this one. An author secludes herself in order to write her next novel. A child shows up at her cabin. There are three stories told during this book but I really did not feel involved with the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Overnight Guest" by author Heather Gudenkauf. Told through three storylines - including one in the present and another from decades earlier, the current storyline is the story of writer Wylie Lark. Trying to finish her latest true crime book, she left her family behind and came to an old house in the country for the quiet she needs. In the middle of a blizzard, she finds a child nearly frozen to death outside the farmhouse. With no electricity and the phone lines down, she decides to care for the child through the night and get help once the plows can clear the roads. But unable to figure out how a small child got out in the middle of nowhere in the weather, she goes out to explore. What she finds will change her life forever.

The house she's staying at is actually the exact location of the crime she's writing about for her latest book. Decades before, a young teen girl was the sole survivor of a mass murder that killed her parents and brother. Another teen girl, who was there for a sleepover, disappeared that night as well. Wylie hopes visiting the house might lead to a clue as to where that girl went. When she learns the truth, it's unlike anything she could have imagined.

I loved the alternating storylines and I loved the main character Wylie. With her flaws, she's very realistic. She knows she's not the mother she wanted to be, as she practically deserted her son to come to the old house to work on the book. The secondary characters are all intriguing as well, including the police, the town residents, and even the dog. I think my heart even raced at several points in the story - I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

Any lover of thrillers will enjoy this novel.

THE OVERNIGHT GUEST garners high praise from me as a can't-put-down breathtakingly suspenseful mystery with two tautly convoluted parallel plots and well-achieved characterization. Reading it at seemingly breakneck speed was akin to hovering above two diagonal railroad tracks leading to one roundhouse and viewing two speeding freight trains simultaneously approaching that just-out-of-sight destination where the parallel tracks converge. You know it's going to be ugly, but you can't turn away.


THE OVERNIGHT GUEST possesses the same cutting edginess I mentioned in my review of WINTER CHILL: you think you're reading a cozy domestic thriller with the only way out-of-joint aspects being normal teenage rebellion, and oh yeah, the bad boy stereotype, the company your children shouldn't keep. Hah! You're in for a surprise, Gentle Reader, a whole barn-full of Surprise.

Writer Wylie Lark has retreated to a lonely farmhouse to finish her latest true crime book. A snow storm is on the way and she knows that it's going to be a bad one and she's prepared to be stuck inside for awhile. What she's not prepared for is the small child that she finds outside nearly frozen to death.

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf is powerful and quick-paced story about trauma and heartache. There are three timelines: Wylie in the present day, 2000 - when 12 year old Josie witnesses a terrible crime, and during an unknown time, then a small girl lives in a basement with her mother.

Like all good thrillers, everything twists and turns and weaves in and out. It's wonderfully mysterious and exciting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was super pumped for THE OVERNIGHT GUEST because I absolutely loved This Is How I Lied by this author. Sadly, this one was not for me. There’s three points of view in this book, and I didn’t really enjoy any of them. After the half-way point I ended up skimming and the story headed in the direction I thought it was from the beginning. I will definitely still read other books from this author.. this one just missed the mark for me.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! 3.5⭐ rounded up!

This is the 3rd book I've read by this author. I enjoyed her other 2, BEFORE SHE WAS FOUND, and THIS IS HOW I LIED, so was looking forward to this one. This one was a bit on the slower side for me, as it's told through 3 POV, and timelines. Really this book feels like 3 different books in one. I really enjoyed the current story about Wylie, an author who is snowed in at a cabin. She's there for quiet while she writes her book. While there, she finds a child out in the snow and brings him in fir safety and warmth. She's trying to figure out who this child is, and how he got there. This part of the story was really good and mysterious.

The other 2 parts of the book were on the slow side. One is about Josie who is having her friend sleep over, while her parents and brother are feuding. What happens during this is not what they were expecting for a fun night. The other is about a little girl and her mother, with the father who is very nasty. This part was hard to read and my least favorite. Don't want to give anything away, so I'll stop here.

There are some things I predicted would happen and others that surprised me. I did enjoy how atmospheric this book is. The author does a great job there. I thought it was a decent mystery that I read pretty quickly and think it's worth the read!

True crime author Wylie Lark moves into an abandoned farm to finish her new book. She doesn’t mind the isolation in the dead of winter. But when the storm worsens, she begins to feel trapped in the house where 20 years ago a family was murdered and a girl went missing. Then she discovers a frozen child outside. When Wylie brings the child inside and begins to search for answers, she realizes that there’s someone out there in the storm who might make sure they never leave.

This book is not at all what I think of when I see that a book has been published by Harlequin. To me, Harlequin mysteries are cute little things that involve cupcakes and cute little romance, which I won’t lie, I love. The Overnight Guest contains no cupcakes and no sweet romance. It is a true thriller that was perfect for the weekend that I read it since it also snowed here.
Thankfully that was as close as my night got to Wylie’s. Hers was the stuff of nightmares and those movies that you watch with the assumption that it’ll be a time killer but turns out to be so much better.
The Overnight Guest is told from 3 perspectives- the experiences surrounding the murder 20 years ago, Wylie’s, and an anonymous narrator. I needed to know what happened with Wylie and who the child was, but the part that I was the most interested in was the account of the murders and the disappearance of Becky.
It’s a little predictable. About halfway I realized the big twists, but as I say over and over, those don’t bother me,

*Special thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this one!
⅘ stars

This fast-paced thriller with a twist will leave readers breathless and heart pounding.

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Chilling, creepy story of the murder of several members of the same family and the disappearance of a young girl who was friends with the sole survivor of the family. When Becky has a sleepover with her best friend she has no idea the horrifying ordeal that will take place. Fast forward many years later when a true crime writer comes back to the farm house to try to piece together the details of the unsolved crimes that occurred there. When a snow storm hits the writer is trapped in the old farm house with no power and an unexpected house guest who may provide some answers to this mystery. Extremely scary and creepy story that will stick with you for a long time. I have already ordered several copies of this book for friends and family.

4.5 STARS - Picture it -- A remote century-old farmhouse where a horrific crime took place decades before. A raging snowstorm. No access to the outside world. An unexpected guest.

Get ready for a dark and chilling read.

The Overnight Guest is an atmospheric story that is told in two timelines by multiple POVs and is filled with secrets and murder. It follows True Crime writer, Wylie Lark who is staying in a remote old farmhouse with only the basic necessities so she can finish her latest book. But her plans derail when a massive snowstorm hits, she loses contact with the outside world and finds a child outside in the storm.

This dark and sinister story has an eerie locked room feel, an interesting cast and vivid descriptions of both the wintery setting and decades old murders. These combine to form a chilling, taut and atmospheric story that kept me madly flipping the pages. The story has two timelines and three POVs. The first POV is set in current day with Wylie trying to finish her book during a raging snowstorm. The second goes back to the summer of 2000 when tween BFFs Josie and Becky experience an event during a sleepover that changes their lives forever. There is a third POV and setting that I won't divulge but it reminded me of a popular book and added a malevolent feel.

The story has great pacing and even though I saw some twists coming, there were one or two that surprised me. The multiple timelines/POVs worked well and while the transitions between them occasionally got a bit muddled, I enjoyed how Gudenkauf brought the pieces of past and present together for a tense (if perhaps a bit drawn out) finish.

This is a delightfully ominous and unputdownable story to read this winter as the snow flies, the chill sets in and you're looking to hunker down with a hot bevvie and a book. Bundle up, my friends, and be prepared for this eerie story to keep you reading until the wee hours. Look for it in January 2022 or preorder now!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Park Row books for my advanced digital copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

Wylie Lark is a true crime writer. She left her ex-husband and teenage son back in Oregon to travel to a remote farmhouse in Burden, Iowa to finish her latest novel focusing on tragic events from August 2000. With an acquired dog, a broken cell phone, and a pile of firewood, Wylie settles in to look over her manuscript while a massive snowstorm brews outside. The electricity goes out, the landline too, and Wylie finds a child in the front yard, freezing and injured. What else is lurking in the fields surrounding the house?

This one felt like three books in one. We get multiple timelines and POV's. The 1st is Josie Doyle, 12 years old, and focuses on the tragic events that befall her family and best friend in August 2000. The next is the POV of a small child seemingly being held captive present day. And the 3rd is Wylie's perspective, also in the present. Even with multiple timelines and POV's the story is not hard to follow. Portions were a bit predictable, but still very enjoyable. This is a fast-paced thriller that you will easily read in one sitting. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

3.5 ⭐️

FROM THE SYNOPSIS:
“ True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.

As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside”

FROM THE ABOVE SYNOPSIS, I somehow thought that this book may have the Supernatural vibe, that I love to read about…boy, was I wrong!

Had I realized that a third of the book would have a narrative that I steer clear of, because I don’t enjoy it…I would not have requested this book. But, I did, so, I won’t give spoilers on what that part of the story is but it’s safe to share the other two narratives…

The Past-a double murder and two missing kids from the Doyle farmhouse just outside of Des Moines, Iowa.

The Present: The small child who turns up outside the “Murder House” where Wylie is TEMPORARILY staying to pen her True Crime novel about the events that occurred there, will “CONVENIENTLY” have a link to that will help her to solve those very same crimes.

What I did love?

The atmosphere! Author Heather Gudenkauf had me doubling up the blankets and searching for hot chocolate (with marshmallows!) as I read about the blizzard which kept Wylie and the child snowed in.

So, though I didn’t love the story as much as I had hoped to-and I had the “mystery narrative” MOSTLY figured out-there WAS a surprise at the end that I didn’t see coming!!

And, with all the mysteries I read-that is always a PLUS!

4 Blizzard Stars

Picture a remote farmhouse where a terrible crime took place years ago, a blizzard rages outside, and a true crime writer is settling in to finish her book.

Wylie Lark has left her ex-husband and angry teenage son behind to spend time at the scene of the crime, said farmhouse. She’s snowed in and then finds a nearly frozen and injured child outside. The boy won’t speak to her, and Wylie can’t seek help as the phone lines are out and the roads are impassable.

We learn more about the earlier crime from Wylie’s writing and things build to a fever pitch. All their lives are in danger, and I worried for these characters! I read this one in just one day, I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf. Thriller fans need to grab this book the day it comes out (January 25, 2022).
Wiley needs to finish her true crime novel alone so she goes to the “perfect” house to complete it. She soon becomes trapped in a snowstorm that adds a definite “chill” to the air and the story. The snow is coming down so fast that the snow plows can’t keep up and soon the heat and the electricity will be out. However, she soon has an unexpected guest, a little boy. Where did he come from and what is he doing out in this terrible weather. Wiley also starts to wonder if she is really safe.

The story switches back to 2000 when two girls sneak out of the house and end up in a mystery where two people are dead and Julie’s best friend Becky goes missing. Who is the killer? Julie worries that it is her brother Ethan, but is he?

The third part of the story is told in italics. It’s the story of a mother and daughter trapped in a basement and held captive by the young girl's father. The man often disappears and leaves them without any food. Why are they held? What part of this tangled weave a story do they play?

This chilling mystery kept me reading late into the night. Another great Heather Gudenkauf. If you’re a reader of her books you will NOT be disappointed. If you are not, it’s time to begin because this is a GREAT story.

Thank you HTP Books and Netgalley for this Early ARC.
I love Heather Gudenkauf
I thought this was a wonderfully Written thriller.
The twist and big turns we un-guessable. which for me is great.
I really enjoyed this fast past thriller.
While the Narrator was a little unreliable at points this was all in all a good books.

True crime writer Wylie Lark decides to leave her husband and son behind so she can finish her book. In the middle of nowhere she thinks she's the only one around but when a snowstorm strikes she find a small boy laying in her barn. The child is cold and hungry and Wylie knows he didn't walk there so she decides to go looking. She comes across a vehicle and a woman in very bad shape and wonders where and how she got here.
A good story for fans of Heather's although it isn't hard to figure out what's going on it's still an exciting read.

Ended up DNFing at 20%. It's honestly probably more of a me problem than anything wrong with the book, I was expecting more of a spooky thriller than a murder thriller, and that's on me.

This is the first book I’ve read by Gudenkauf and it won’t be my last! I loved the atmospheric feel of this one especially because I read it during a snowstorm! My favorite part of the book was the dual perspectives/timelines- this made the book unputdownable for me!

I had a feeling for one of twists in this story a while before it was revealed but still enjoyed it! The book was so well written and captivating!

Rating: 4.5; rounded up to 5!

I first became a fan of Heather Gudenkauf a decade ago when I read These Things Hidden and am always excited to see a new release from her so jumped at the chance to read The Overnight Guest and was not left disappointed at all.

Wylie is a true crime writer who has shut herself away in Burden, Iowa to write her latest book in the quiet, away from her husband and son back home. When a relentless winter storm hits she discovered an injured boy who seemingly appeared out of nowhere on her property nearly frozen to death and she takes him in. Who is this boy and where did he come from?

The Overnight Guest is written in three different perspectives from both past and present timelines. It did take me a beat to get me head wrapped around all the different characters and story lines but once my brain sorted it out I was hooked. Gudenkauf was great at making you feel the tension and fear these characters felt, the atmosphere was mostly eerie to say the least. I guessed a couple of the twists and turns but others left my mouth agape.

This is the perfect fast paced, captivating thriller to curl up by the fire with during a good snow storm this winter!

A true crime writer works on her latest book in an isolated farmhouse while a storm rages outside. She's all alone until she discovers a young child alone in the snow. There are three stories unfolding here and, because Wylie never once says or thinks anything about the book she's writing you just have to guess that at least one of the other two must be connected to her work.

I didn't care for this one. One of the big plot twists was only a twist because the author deliberately misled the reader. Wylie never felt like a capable protagonist and I was constantly questioning her decisions. Once or twice, I almost found myself holding my breath and wondering what was going to happen....but it was never enough to get me fully caught up in the plot.