A creepy set up for a truly twisty tale! Steph is alone in the marital home after her husband has left her and her children are grown and gone. Then strange happenings begin - who is doing this? Who wants her to move along? And of course there is the new tenant so we're off and running!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

I really enjoyed The Guest Room by Rona Halsall. It had plenty of twists and turns throughout and just when I thought I had it figured out something happened that dashed my theory completely. I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

The guest room by Rona Halsall.
When Steph’s husband of thirty years, Andy, walks out with barely a word of explanation, she’s left alone in the family home. Both of her children moved out years before. And although her daughter visits often, it’s not enough. Her house doesn’t feel like the warm, happy, laughter-filled home it used to be. Then she begins to hear noises in the night, finds open windows she knows she left closed, items moved. None of it feels right. She wants to believe it’s all in her imagination. After all, who would want to scare her? She’s never hurt a person in her life. But then her front window is smashed, and a young man named Noah helps her fix it. He’s fallen on hard times and Steph impulsively offers him a place to stay. He reminds her so much of her beloved son, and she wants to help him. Also, if he is there, she won’t be home alone. Before long Noah is living in her daughter’s old bedroom, paying rent, and getting his life back on track. Andy and her daughter are furious. But Steph feels secure at last, and that’s what matters. Until the strange things start happening once more. And Steph realises that someone is out to scare her…
She doesn’t feel safe, not safe at all.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Steph. At first I didn't trust Noah. I was shocked when I found out who it was. A twisty and suspence and tense. 4*.

I loved this book from page one! Rona Halsall created a fabulous twisted plot with characters you’ll instantly bond with. Many times a thriller will leave you suspicious of everyone and their possible guilt or role in the demise of another character. What I liked about this story was that I felt that there was no way anyone in this story could be guilty!

First, Steph seemed like a middle aged woman going through a tough divorce while learning ways she could gain her independence. She has an admirable job helping the homeless get on their feet. She doesn’t want to sell the house she shared with her husband so she’s working on finding a way to keep it.

Then, Andy…her ex seems to have suspected Steph of an affair leading to their demise as a married couple. He wants to sell the house and get his share. I mean other than being a nuisance about it, he doesn’t really seem too suspicious of anything other than being kind of a jerk.

After Steph lends a hand to a young homeless boy, Noah, who reminds her of her estranged son, she takes him under counsel on a wing and a prayer that she made the right decision.

Weird things happen in the house and it seems like someone keeps intruding but she has no reason to suspect anyone.

Bee her daughter is worried about her mom and tries to convince her mother to move in with her.

It seems like everyone’s intentions are good but it doesn’t seem to answer the big question about why anyone would be trying to scare Steph out of her house! When you learn how all of the pieces fit together, you’ll love it!

This is a great thrilling read that will definitely keep your guessing until the end.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall is one of those books that starts slow but does just enough to keep the reader interested before heading off into crazy territory. In other words, stick with this one!
The premise is familiar: woman (Steph) is determined to stay in the family home (of 30+ years) while her ex-husband (Andy) and daughter (Bea) want her to move due to the change in the neighborhood.
Anyone who has been forced to make difficult decisions against the wishes of family will relate to Steph’s dilemma.
That does not mean that Steph is an entirely sympathetic character. She is stubborn and thinks that she knows what is right even as she doubts her own choices. There were a few times that I was annoyed by her wishy-washy perspectives.
When strange things occur in her house, the author moves things along enough and throws just enough hints out that make the reader question whether Steph is losing it or if there is a nefarious plot to get her out of the house.
Given that her ex-husband and daughter want her to sell, it is not out of the realm of belief that one of them is behind some of it. But the author also wisely throws in another possibility in the form of a homeless man who Steph takes in as a boarder.
What a perfect fall guy. Or is he?
The second half of the book moves along much faster than the first half, and I am grateful for that because parts of it did drag. And there were times I felt Steph should have been smarter.
Ultimately, there are enough red herrings and false clues to keep it all interesting. And the ending does really go gonzo, which I actually appreciate. The author keeps the guessing going right up until the very last paragraph – and I love it when that happens.
So, as I said at the outset, stick with this The Guest Room because the pay-off is worth it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it certainly kept me turning the pages to find out what happened.

The story is about Steph, suddenly single after her husband Andy leaves and with an estranged son, Max whom she misses terribly. She has her job at the homeless shelter, which she adores and her loving daughter, Bea, who is always there for her, but feeling lonely, she decides to get a lodger. This sets off a decidedly creepy, strange turn of events that leaves Steph fearing for her safety.

The underlying tension was cleverly crafted and, there are plenty of red herrings here, meaning you never quite know who to believe. Although I did suspect who was behind the incidents, this didn't spoil my enjoyment, as I wanted to keep reading to find out if I was right!

I recommend this book to anyone who likes creepy, domestic type psychological thrillers and am looking forward to reading the authors next book.

Thanks to author, Rona Halsall, publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Rona Halsall knows how to write a knock-out thriller. Her latest offering, The Guest Room, is another gripping, twisty and morally complex tale that will pull you in, mess with your mind and then spit you out when it’s done. I thought I knew what was happening and where it was heading, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. My jaw hit the floor when Halsall pulled the rug from under me and turned everything I thought I knew on its head in a spectacular finale that I’m still reeling from.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s go back to the beginning…

Steph is trying to put her broken life back together and embrace a new beginning after being left by her husband of thirty years. But her new beginnings don’t mean acquiescing to her ex and agreeing to sell her home, which is her comfort and safety as well as the place where all her precious memories are held. Although lately it hasn’t felt so safe with all the strange happenings and break-ins that have occurred. She decides to take in a lodger, offering shelter to a young homeless man named Noah, much to the anger of her ex and their daughter. But Noah makes her feel safer. Or at least he does at first. Soon strange things begin to happen again and Steph is certain that this is personal. Someone is out to get her. But who is it and what do they want?

As with all of Ms. Halsall’s books, this is well written and evocative, Steph’s fear, loneliness and isolation leaping from the page and giving me chills as she is terrorised in her own home. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next and trying to figure out who she could trust. Was her ex-husband really trying to force her out of their home? Or is someone else behind it all? I had my suspicions. And they were completely wrong. I don’t think I would have guessed where this was going if I’d had an infinite number of guesses.

I really liked Steph and felt an immediate kinship with her, having also found myself adrift after the end of a marriage at one time. I really felt for her as she grappled with all of her new decisions and responsibilities while trying to come to terms with a new life that she never wanted. I could understand why she was holding onto her home at all costs; it’s her anchor, her familiarity, and a way to stand up to the man who walked out and took away the life she loved. My heart went out to her as she wondered if she is paranoid, imagining things or over sensitive when things begin to happen and then doesn’t know who to trust as she becomes sure someone is out to get her. Where do you turn when you don’t know who is after you?

Compelling, tense and utterly riveting, The Guest Room is an outstanding thriller. And Rona Halsall is an author all thriller fans should be reading. Don’t miss this book.

My first book by this author & it certainly won’t be the last.

Steph finds herself living alone for the first time in over 30 years. Her husband unexpectedly walked out on their marriage, her daughter is married to a wealthy football agent & her son joined the army ten years ago & has never been in contact since.
She faces this new section of her life with trepidation but starts to spread her wings. However, separate incidents start to occur around her & her home; for a variety of reasons she invites a homeless man, Noah, to stay in her guest room as her lodger. This would give her some much needed extra income & also make her feel safer.
The incidents keep happening despite Noah’s presence. Things don’t add up. Who is persecuting her?

The Guest Room is a true psychological thriller with many plausible suspects. Not quite the full set of stars from me as I did guess the perpetrator & felt their storyline a little rushed towards the end. That being said, I really enjoyed this book & have no hesitation in recommending it.

I really enjoyed this and it really was fast paced and a page tutnee. I did work it out but loved working out the how and why..
Definitely recommend.

I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

Sadly this story did not engage me at all. It was obvious from the beginning who the culprit was, and I found the book quite boring.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall is a thriller novel. The story in The Guest Room is one that is told mainly from one point of view but there are a few changes to the point of view along the way.

Steph at one point that she had it all, a loving husband and two wonderful children and their lovely home. However, after thirty years of marriage Steph’s husband wants out and has left their home and her son rushed off to begin his own life in the military without a word and Steph’s daughter has married leaving Steph on her own.

When strange things begin happening around Steph’s home and with some worries of money Steph decides she needs to take in a lodger. When Steph met Noah her reminded her so of her son and with Noah homeless the idea of him moving in sounded like the solution to both their worries.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall was a fast paced thriller that kept the pages turning after picking this one up. There is plenty of suspicion thrown around to all those close to the protagonist to keep one on their toes although I will admit to figuring out the culprit fairly early on. Still an entertaining read all throughout for me despite figuring things out and definitely stayed engaged until the very end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

“Home should be an anchor, a port in a storm, a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love.” — Elder Marvin J. Ashton

Steph's home has not felt like a refuge or happy place since her husband of thirty years has left her. He wants to sell their shared home; she wants to stay. But things have been going bump in the night. There are strange sounds, when she tells others, her daughter, Bea thinks her mother is imagining things.

But then closed windows are left open, someone has broken in and Noah, a young man fixes her window and Steph impulsively invited him to live with her. She will safer, wont she? She won't be alone; she will have someone looking out for her. Steph is happy with the arrangement, but her estranged husband and daughter are not. Who can blame them? If a loved one told me that he/she had invited a random person who just did a home repair for them to live with them, I would be upset as well.

This proved to be a fast read for me. Like other reviewers, I figured out whodunit very early on. But I didn't mind as I enjoyed the journey of the culprit being discovered. There are a nice number of twists and turns along the way.

If you are looking for an enjoyable fast read which doesn't disappoint, look no further. This is entertaining, a great escape, and fun to read.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Your life was always full of activity. You had a good job, a loving husband and two children you loved to the moon and back. What is there still to wish for? Nothing, because you feel like you have everything.

Unfortunately little by little your dream life starts crumbling down and you find yourself alone. It feels really lonely, but you try to cope the best you can until someone thinks it’s a great idea to try and scare you away.

Who is behind all this? Is it someone you know? Is it just some youth who are bored? It seems like a good plan to find a lodger to end all this pestering. Well, you might think it’s the perfect solution, but some people do not agree with that at all.

Can you trust your lodger though or are they the one causing you all this heartache. Did you just invite evil in your own home?

Thank God there is one person who is always there to help you out and to come to the rescue. What you want the most is to live your life and be independent…

A great story where I started to suspect everybody which was of course the author’s intention. 😊 After a while though there was someone who could not fool me any longer and they moved to the top of my list and yes, my radar spotted the right person.

I loved this book and I think I was as scared as Steph. The author created really creepy moments.

5 stars

Thank you

You think you're safe in your own home...you're wrong.

Steph has always thought she a pretty good life with husband Andy but after almost thirty years together and a multitude of rows fraught with misunderstanding, Andy walks out filing for divorce soon after. Her grown-up children, Bea and Max, have long since flown the coop so, now in her fifties, Steph finds herself living alone for the first time in her life. And she intends to make the most it.

But living alone isn't all it's cracked up to be. For Steph is a nurturer and she thrives on helping others and being there for them. But now she suddenly finds herself on her own and she isn't quite sure what to do with herself. She works at a local homeless shelter where she feels she is most needed...an environment in which Steph thrives. But it doesn't provide the money she needs to take out a mortgage to buy Andy out of his share of the house. And no amount of discussion with Andy will shift her stance on remaining in this house, where all her memories are...not to mention her son Max. What if, after leaving abruptly in the middle of the night ten years ago to join the army, Max finally comes home only to find they've moved? But Andy is intent on selling and finds every opportunity he can to try and change her mind. But Steph is adamant. She is staying.

And then strange things begin to occur. Returning home from work she finds clear signs there has been an intruder. The stale smell of cigarettes. A window left open she knows she had closed. And a cigarette butt on her living room floor. The feeling that someone has been in her home....and yet nothing was taken. The police are called, a report is filed and she is given a crime number. End of. Until a few days later a brick is thrown through her front window. Steph feels uneasy. Someone is trying to frighten her. But who? Andy wants her out but surely he wouldn't stoop to this...would he?

When she stumbles upon young Noah in her shed, she offers him a feed if he helps her board the window until the glazier can come the following morning. Steph recognises Noah from the homeless shelter and having fallen on hard times after dropping out of university, she impulsively offers him a room. He'd be doing her a real favour actually. The security of having someone there will make her feel less vulnerable plus the rent will help her towards taking out the mortgage she needs to pay Andy. However, the problems don't go away but merely increase and Steph is really beginning to feel scared. Who would want to frighten her so much?

A real page-turner, THE GUEST ROOM is a chilling and disturbing read highlighting the vulnerabilities of the main character, Steph. I had to shake my head at some of her impulsive decisions and although I understood her motives they were borne out of naivete and idealism. Not everyone can be taken at face value yet that is just what Steph does. I was sympathetic to her plight even if I wanted to shake her at times.

There is a real sense of foreboding and a creepy atmosphere throughout where the tension is clearly palpable. I was sitting on a knife-edge waiting for the heart-pounding tension to dissipate and yet the twists keep coming. Although there were many suspects, I had two clear ones in my mind as I sifted for clues throughout the debris that was now Steph's life. When the reveal came, it was with a slow build that the reader became suddenly aware at the moment Steph did, though I sat there thinking..."At last the penny drops!!" No, I wasn't surprised but it was indeed a shocking twist...and yet it wasn't even the last one either.

The jaw-dropping twists that pepper throughout make THE GUEST ROOM an engaging and compelling read you won't want to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I did find the start a little slow with the constant domestic disputes between Steph and Andy. I can't wait to see what Rona has in store for us next!

Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers such as Ruth Heald, Shalini Boland and Lisa Jewell.

I would like to thank #RonaHalsall, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGuestRoom in exchange for an honest review.

Everything seems to be changing in Steph’s life. After a thirty-one year marriage, her husband walked out on her and wants to take away the only house she’s called home. Even though she feels like it isn’t as safe anymore and something seems off, her daughter Bea thinks she is over reacting. However, the last straw is in when her house is broken into and her front window is broken. To try and help save the house as well as a stay safe, Steph brings in a boarder, Noah, a young man who has been living in her back shed. But then, even with Noah living in the guest room, Steph still continues to feel unsafe when strange things continue to occur. Who is behind this and trying to drive Steph out of her house?

This one kept me guessing until the end and then it hit me! I love when book keeps me going like that. Steph was a likable character, who sometimes let her big heart get the best of her. This had a nice build up to that “aha moment” in the plot. I haven’t read anything else by this author, but based on this book, I absolutely would go pick something else up by her.

This book is out on the 31st, so if you are looking for a captivating psychological thriller, put this one on your list!

Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for this advanced copy in exchange for my review.

On the Cat Scale:
😸😸😸😸

The Guest Room is a great psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns along the way proving yet again that she excels in this genre. Yet another 5 star read from Rona Halsall.

This was a thrilling read and very creepy but, sometimes I wanted to shout “no, don’t do it”! A wonderful roller-coaster of a read and I just couldn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting and cut myself from the outside world so I could finish it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Oh my word this book wasn’t just good it was absolutely brilliant. A domestic suspense thriller that I couldn’t put down. Once I finished a chapter I just had to carry on reading. I thought I’d everything worked out one minute and next thing I changed my mind and suspected someone else. My theories were always wrong. There isn’t one single thing I didn’t enjoy about this book. A massive 5⭐️ read for me.

The latest psychological thriller from Rona Halsall and well worth a read. So well written with lots of red herrings thrown in to keep the reader guessing. Some great characters. Steph is a little naive but a kind soul and deals bravely with the issues she’s facing whereas her daughter Bea is quite domineering and single minded.

Briefly, Steph is a mother of two with a family history. Her husband has left her, her son vanished 10 years ago and her daughter is married to a wealthy football agent. However not well. Strange things keep happening around the house and she is knocked down and breaks her leg. Steph works for a charity that find accommodation for the homeless. When she meets a young homeless man , Noah who reminds her of her son she offers him her daughters room on a temporary basis. However, more incidents occur and her list of possible suspects is growing…

The story peaks with a fire at her house and the subsequent revelations left both me and Steph dumbfounded. Although I had an inkling about who was targeting Steph how the author got to the reveal was brilliant. This is not just an excellent thriller but also brings home the issues and problems faced by the homeless. I could not put the book down so certainly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a great read.
Steph is trying to find her independence after separating from her husband but she starts to feel unsafe in her home, now she’s on her own.
Initially she thinks it could be her ex damaging her property but with the Police involved, things still keep happening.
Steph makes some decisions that her daughter and ex husband are not happy with, but Steph wants to stand on her own two feet.
Soon events take a frightening turn and Steph’s life is in danger.
I really felt for Steph as she was trying to make things work and stay in her home but someone has other ideas.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.