My first book by this author that I've read and it definitely didn't disappoint. This had so many gasping, jaw-dropping moments that kept my attention the whole time and had me desperate to know what was going to happen next.

The story follows three different timelines; one follows Wylie in the current day who is holed up in an isolated farmhouse writing her next book. The atmosphere would be perfect except a grizzly murder occurred decades earlier in this very house with three people murdered and a young girl vanished without a trace. Then Wylie finds a child outside during a horrendous snowstorm. More events continue that make Wylie realize she's not as isolated as she thought and there's a sinister reason the child was outside.

The second timeline follows a girl named Josie in the past tense who loses her family in a heinous murder and also loses her best friend Becky who is presumed dead when she's never found.

The third timeline follows a mother and daughter who deal with an abusive father and husband every day of the their lives and must find a way to escape him.

Once I got past figuring out the three timelines the book became less confusing to me. At first I couldn't figure out what was going on and then realized the book is written in three different tenses. If that reason holds you back from reading this book, I promise, stick it out because you will not be disappointed.

The plot was extremely well developed and structured with so many twists and turns, it was one of the best suspense/thriller novels I've read in awhile. Besides the plot twists this story was also a very heartbreaking story that pulls your heart in and doesn't let it go. There were so many shocking moments throughout but the ending was even more shocking as it really tied everything together perfectly and was a heartwarming ending after all of the shocks.

*Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the gifted copy for my honest review!*

4.5 stars!

This is my first novel by this author, and it definitely will not be my last!

This was another thriller that I FLEW through this past weekend.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
True crime writer Wylie Lark needs a break. After deciding to take a trip to an isolated farmhouse to write, she gets snowed in, and is forced to extend her stay. This seemed like the ideal place to find peace and write, except that decades earlier, two people were brutally murdered in this house. Already dealing with that haunting past, Wylie then finds a small child, all alone and freezing, outside in the snow. Who is this child? Why is he in this secluded area.. and how did he get here?

MY THOUGHTS:
I was so intrigued by this atmospheric plot/story line. I LOVE isolated areas/settings in books, which is what immediately drew me to it. I am going to keep my thoughts short and sweet for this one, because I 100% recommend going in BLIND. That is what I did. I saw this cover and title, and KNEW I just had to read it, without even reading the back/synopsis. So thankful I did that, because this one was full of surprises!

I was amazed by Heather’s imagery throughout this novel. I felt like I could picture exactly what the location/setting was like, and picture myself in Wylie’s shoes; almost like I was watching the movie. This book was a whole experience for me!

While there was a part in the book that I suspected the (main) twist/outcome, there were so many other possibilities, that I definitely wasn’t certain- it was not at all predictable! This book does have MULTIPLE twists though, which always increases the pace and fun!

**Note: there are three different timelines in this book. This was a tad hard to get the hang of tracking at first, but I caught on quickly. Just wanted to warn readers, in case you pick it up and then are tempted to stop reading, because you feel like you will be confused.**

READ IF YOU LIKE:
- Isolated settings in thrillers
- Winter atmospheric settings
- Multiple POVs
- Dual timelines
- Feeling like you are a part of the story

I was so stoked to get this book as Gudenkauf is one of my absolute favorite authors. It all started with NOT A SOUND that I randomly picked up and read while I was visiting a friend overseas and completely fell in love with. From that point on, I was a huge Gudenkauf fan. This is my 5th book by her and while it may not have been *perfect*, I absolutely LOVED it and gave it all the stars because of how invested I became in the characters - mainly the kid, of course.
This is the second book in a row that has been placed in Iowa and it makes me want to visit this state about 0%... but really, I live in NYC and SO SO many psychopaths live here so really I'm spitting nonsense. But ANYWAYS.......... we basically have one past and two current day scenarios. I knew they were all going to intersect at some point and make sense (because duh, that's what books do), but I was dying to try and figure out just exactly HOW. I was so involved with the idiosyncrasies that when I figured it out RIGHT before it was revealed my mouth pretty much stayed in a perpetual 'O' shape... though I definitely get why I didn't see one particular part happen. And I do feel it's because something else was thrown in that I'm not sure was necessary but did keep me on my toes. Sometimes epilogues can kill the entire book but this time I was happy to see it included as I really did want to know where the survivors may have ended up in life. (I recommend lots and lots of therapy!)

One of the best things about this author's writing is just how atmospheric it is. I could feel myself getting frostbite. I felt the blood splatter. There was VERY few mentions of corn (that I remember) and I appreciated that so much compared to the last book I read 😉 #ifyky. I just couldn't put this one down and almost ran into walls in my apartment because of it. And for that, I give you full stars.

Wow! What a read!! I kept seeing good reviews and star ratings on Instagram, so bumped this one up on my list. I am so happy I did! There were 2 seemingly different stories we were following through the novel, and it was such a great twist to see how they became interwoven! I couldn’t stop reading, trying to figure out what was going on in both stories. I loved the ending and how the story ultimately wrapped up!

4.25 stars

Wow!!! What a page turner!!! This is one excellent thriller!!

A story related through three timelines. The past where a hideous crime happens. The present where a true crime author is choosing to go to an isolated cottage to write her novel. And, thirdly, the story of a lady and her child and the not so nice nor kind father.

Heather Gudenkauf has done an excellent job in writing a captivating book. The reader is drawn in the story from the first pages and then almost every chapter in left in a real cliffhanger making one needing to know what happens next.

I've really enjoyed reading this book! It was so good I've read it in one sitting!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read this excellent thriller!!

The Overnight Guest is my first book read by Heather Gudenkauf and holy sh*t am I disappointed in myself for not picking up their work sooner. The Overnight Guest was un-put-downable, with perfect pacing and full of intrigue leading up to a satisfying conclusion. I will be correcting my misstep and reading more from this author.

"𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫."

As y'all know my January has been thriller heavy, and while that repetition could lead to genre burnout, I luckily saved one of the best for last.

Gudenkauf's tension-filled mystery presents three gripping timelines to tell its grisly tale:

❄️ First, a multiple-perspective glance at the events surrounding a heinous crime that took place in August of 2020.

❄️ Second, the present-day POV from a true crime author that's writing about the gruesome murders in the very house they occurred in two decades prior.

❄️ And lastly, a little girl narrates life trapped in a basement by her abusive father in an unknown timeline.

Lots to process there, I know. And to be honest, it took a hot minute to figure out how these pieces of the puzzle fit together, but trust me when I say it's worth the effort.

This intense novel expertly weaves these three narratives into a story that both shocks and hurts. Gudenkauf delivered a handful of twists that actually surprised me, (which I loved), but surrounded these reveals with detailed depictions that could be unsettling, so please check out the TWs before diving into this one.

Between the surprises, atmospheric setting, and my enjoyment of 2 of the 3 timelines, this suspenseful novel was a solid, stress-infused saga. At times creepy and chilling, this one might be better suited for daytime reading.

I'd love to say more, but fear I'd spoil the secrets if I do, so hopefully this mini review got you hyped enough to check this one out!


Thanks to Park Row for providing me with an earc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Trigger Warnings: Murder, gun violence, kidnapping, car accident, miscarriage, death of a child, death of a sibling, death of a parent, child abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, and confinement.

I thoroughly enjoyed Heather's previous novels, Not a Sound and This is How I Lied. When I found The Overnight Guest amongst the offerings for Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row's winter reads blog tour, I downloaded it immediately.

There are quite a few characters in The Overnight Guest. The book is set in August 2000. Josie and Becky are best friends. Little do they know their lives will never be the same again...

The plot then skips to the present day. Wylie is a true-crime writer. She's looking to finish a book about events that happened years ago in Burden, Iowa.

Who is the little boy outside in the snowstorm? Should she invite him in?

The Overnight Guest had me hooked on its synopsis and the twists and turns are amazing, as with the other books of Heather's I have reviewed. The setting is atmospheric and the plot is engrossing.

Thanks to Heather Gudenkauf and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

I am looking forward to more books by Heather.

5 stars

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I had no idea what to expect going into this particular story - and I ended up being VERY pleasantly surprised! I completely loved the premise of this story, and I love any plot that leaves me feeling like I'm totally in the dark as the story progresses towards an ending that you only start to suspect moments before it's revealed to you.

I also adore a really well done, one room, closed door style mystery. A snowed in, remote farmhouse, during a horrific storm and no way to make contact with the outside world is bound to create tension, and when it's done this well, it also creates a book you can't set down because you want to know what happens next.

Definitely one for the thriller lovers out there, who enjoy a bit of a slower burn and some deeply disturbed characters

Another cleverly written title from the pen of Heather Gudenkauf! The present-day timeline is in the midst of an Iowa winter storm. The author's magnificently descriptive writing made it easy for me to visualise the two-storey farmhouse, the barn, and the livestock so clearly. A true-crime writer, Wylie Lark is at the heart of the story, staying in the farmhouse near Algona, Iowa whilst writing about a terrible night of crime that occurred there. A past timeline follows the day of the event and the immediate aftermath. A third thread is an account by an unknown narrator.
Wylie is a strong female protagonist and the twisty mystery certainly contains ample thrills and chills. The ending is great; you think you've figured everything out... until you realise that you haven't. A good choice of reading material when the wind is howling around and you're curled up on the sofa up in a snuggly blanket with a mug of tea. Dark, disturbing and very highly recommended.

A special thank you to Park Row Books and the author for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request received via NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Wylie Lark, a true crime writer, travels to Burden, Iowa to stay in the home that was the scene of the gruesome crime her newest novel chronicles. While she's there to finish her book she is also battling her own demons and running away from hardships at home. Everything is turned on its head when she discovers a little boy frozen in her yard during a dangerous winter storm. Once she discovers the child is alive she must find out where he came from- what she learns next will hit closer to home than she ever expected.

This is the second book I've read by Heather Gudenkauf. I really enjoyed her last book which is one of the reasons I decided to pick up her newest book as well. The Overnight Guest follows three different timelines: One being from August of 2000 when the original crime occurs, one being present day, and one unknown. These seemingly unrelated timelines slowly begin to merge as the story progresses and even though I did correctly guess most of the twists it was the execution that made this a great book. Gudenkauf expertly reveals important pieces of the puzzle at the perfect moments to keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Towards the end when most of the story is told in present tense the tension was ramped up to double speed and I couldn't wait to see where the story was going to go. This is also the first thriller to ever make me cry real tears. I was invested in the story of Josie and Becky and the gruesome crime surrounding them. It was truly heartbreaking. The atmosphere in this story was palpable- I could practically feel the August heat and humidity along with the remoteness of being so isolated far from other people. The same went for the deadly snow and ice storm that took place in the present timeline- the darkness, the cold, the fear- it all culminated to make for a very tense reading experience.

There were a couple of things that held me back from giving this five stars. There was a plot hole that really bothered me. Even though it was a relatively small thing it did change the trajectory of the story and it irked me. I would like to add that I read an advanced reader copy and this plot hole may have been caught and corrected in the finished copy. The second thing was a scene at the end that went a little too far for believability. Nothing that couldn't happen just an unlikely turn of events. There was also a misjudged character who was treated very poorly but after this person was found to be innocent that turn of events was glossed over and I expected there to be some kind of closure in that regard. All of these things are tiny criticisms and don't even hold up against the overwhelmingly positive things this book did, though.

The Overnight Guest is definitely one of the finest thrillers I've read recently. I haven't had much success in the genre lately and I'm tending to find that nothing really shocks or surprises me anymore so when one does it really stands out from the crowd. If you're looking for a good thriller that has the creep-factor going for it and a solid emotional punch than look no further. I totally stand behind this book.

CW: Physical abuse, emotional abuse
True crime author Wiley Lark settles into an isolated farmhouse in rural Iowa to conduct research and focus on writing her next book when she discovers a small child nearly freezing to death in her front yard during a brutal blizzard. As she attempts to help the terrified, silent boy, she realizes they are not alone. In an alternate storyline, taking place two decades earlier in the same small town, a family is murdered and a girl goes missing. As clues are revealed about the people and events leading up to the crime, the plot thickens leading to multiple twists in this intensifying and suspenseful thriller.

While one major "twist" was pretty obvious, I didn't see guess the ultimate reveal. Quick read that kept my attention. There were a lot of characters to keep up with, but by the end Gudenkauf made you familiar with them all.

Recommended for fans of Megan Miranda and David Bell.

Boon was wonderful, it kept me interested from the first page to the very last one. I love all of her books and in all honesty this may be my new favorite from her! I’d recommend most definitely it’s a nice easy read.

This book blew me away. One of the best novels I’ve read this year. Highly recommended for fans who loved, The dry by Jane Harper or The scent of rain and lightning by Nancy Pickard. I love atmospheric novels where the place is as much the story as the characters. The author kept me guessing until the very end of this one. A very well written, engrossing novel, one I won’t soon forget. Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this one! Adding Gudenkauf to my author list after this.

OH MY GOODNESS. This is my new favorite book, BRAVO. The Overnight Guest is phenomenal! I deeply enjoyed the slow burn tale that masterfully combined three story lines. I had no idea where it was going, but couldn't stop reading. Really fantastic book. I will be posting a full review on my instagram Ifyoucan_read_this in the upcoming days. WOW thank you for this copy, what a gem!

Just when I think author Heather Gudenkauf's last book was my favourite she surprises me! The Overnight Guest is now my all-time favourite!
This quick-paced, page turning story had me reading every chance I could.
True crime writer Wylie Lark retreats to a remote farmhouse, that was the site of a famous unsolved murder decades earlier, to finish her latest novel. As a snowstorm intensifies she discovers a child laying in the snow, almost frozen to death. As she helps the terrified child Wiley realizes they are not alone.
She then finds herself involved in a present day mystery and how it is connected to the past mystery she is working on.
Explosive plot twists, intriguing characters and a chilling setting had me hooked!
Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

When Wylie Lark escapes to an isolated, snowed-in farmhouse in Iowa to finish her true crime novel, the last thing she expects to find is a young child frozen in the cold outside. This farmhouse has its own chilling history—twenty years ago, two people were gruesomely murdered in the home, and two teenagers disappeared. With Wylie trapped in the house with this mysterious child, she searches for answers regarding the secrets of the past, and present.

Wow—this suspense/thriller novel was absolutely OUTSTANDING! The author tells the story in three timelines—past, present, and an unknown time—and I loved this format of the story. The structure of the story leads to a fast-paced, page turner you want to keep reading in order to see how these three storylines would converge. With a snowed-in locale, this book is literally the perfect winter mystery, so get your hands on it ASAP! 100% highly recommend this outstanding novel!

Thank you to NetGalley & Park Row Books for my gifted e-ARC!

{Huge thank you to @netgalley and @heathergudenkauf for this free book!}

•4.5⭐️/5

“Sometimes letting go is a good thing. Sometimes it’s the only thing left to do.”

Wow!! This book hooked me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down!…well except when I freaked myself out because I was home alone and it was dark! Haa!
This book was so good! This is one of those books that you’ll cruise right through because you won’t want to set it down. Such good flow and I had to keep turning those pages to see what would happen next. A great snowy setting and a story that I kept thinking about when I wasn’t reading.

There were just a couple tiny little things that I’d change to give it that extra half star but honestly this book is just so dang good as is!

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I’m not sure where I first heard about this book, but I was really interested in the plot. Thanks to @netgalley and @parkrowbooks for letting me read this ahead of publication.

💜 What I liked:
This book was an incredible journey told in 3 parts: The past, the present, and a side story of a little girl and her mom. How they connect comes together, the pieces like a puzzle slowly fitting together. There are major trigger warnings in this book and some slightly gory depictions of murder.

😱 What I didn’t like:
Because I got an uncorrected ARC of this book, there were a few things that gave pieces away that I think are changed in the final version. However, this book was so thrilling I couldn’t put it down.

🚦 My face at the end: 😬

💭 4 Reasons to Read:
1. Thrilling and suspenseful
2. Intricate puzzle
3. Childhood trauma
4. Nail biting conclusion


🕧 Mini-Summary:
Wylie has a troubled past and has come to a remote house to write her book. She encounters a lost child in the severe storm outside which sets off an intense journey of discovery.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

💯 For more details on the books we read, be sure to follow me on TikTok (@zaineylaney) or check out our Podcast - Elated Geek!

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A multilayered thriller dealing with how the past can resurface in the present.

THE OVERNIGHT GUEST is a taught, well-crafted tale weaving together the past with the present. Gudenkauf uses her character’s profession, the setting of a small town, and the present-day weather to create a web of suspense built around a crime from years ago. 

This dark and twisty tale brings together the horrific murder of one family, the kidnapping of a young girl, and the deep cuts left on those who were left in the aftermath of it all. Then, in the current timeline, the reader is thrust into the snow with Wylie as she tries to figure out what is going on with a young child and mother found out in a terrible blizzard. 

Within these pages, there are hidden secrets, truths untold, and a mystery once thought solved which now doesn’t resolved. Through the atmospheric tension built by the surroundings of both stories told, the characters telling their stories, and the mystery unfolding, Gudenkauf created one gripping and at times disturbing book.