I ended up liking this book, though I had trouble getting into it for the first quarter or so. The story is told from 3 POVs: Amy (in past tense), who we know has died in a suspicious drowning accident; Leah, Amy’s aunt who is grieving and looking for answers; and Joanna, a young woman who initially is seemingly unrelated to the other storylines and is reeling from a surprise breakup with her long term boyfriend. The storylines eventually converge in a satisfying way.

I had a bit of trouble connecting to any of the characters. I felt that much of what happened could have been solved by the characters talking to each other rather than jumping to conclusions. That being said, they (for the most part) grew on me a bit as the book continued. I couldn’t figure out what Joanna’s storyline had to do with anything else but once it was revealed I was surprised that I hadn’t made the connection earlier.

I thought the ending of the book was very satisfying. There were a couple red herrings along the way. All of the loose ends were tied up nicely but not in a way that seemed too “happily ever after”.

Overall, this was a decent read with a good mystery. I’d give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publishing. I absolutely loved this book - great buildup of suspense, great characters and the ability to keep you engaged from page one! Can't wait to read more by this author.

I enjoyed this. The characters were multilayered and there was a lot to ponder as you try to figure out what happened to the murdered sister. The family dynamic was very interesting and even I didn't have figured it out before the end

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A really enjoyable travel abroad mystery with engaging storyline. Well paced, not necessarily easy to guess the outcome, and the multiple points of view well done, which added a little panache to the telling. A fun, read in one sitting that'll take you away to a gorgeous locale and leave you sleeping with one eye open around those closest too you. Highly recommended as a vacation read.

<b>Note:</b> I received an advanced copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam via NetGalley.

After a shocking death at a luxurious Italian resort, two very different women must question everything—and everyone—they love in order to untangle truth from lies in this twisty, captivating read.

One year ago, Leah’s feisty 21-year-old niece, Amy, mysteriously drowned in the beautiful lake near her family-owned resort in Northern Italy. Now, Leah’s grief has caught up with her, and she decides to return to Lake Garda for the first time since Amy’s death. What she finds upon her arrival shocks her—her sister, brother-in-law, and surviving niece, Olivia, seem to have erased all memories of Amy, and fought to have her death declared an accidental drowning, despite murky circumstances. Leah knows she must look beyond the resort’s beautiful façade and uncover what truly happened to Amy, even if her digging places both her family ties and her very life in danger.

Meanwhile, in Central England, thirtysomething Joanna is recovering from a surprising break-up when she is swept off her feet by a handsome bartender. But when she learns that he is on the run from something in his past, and that their meeting may not have been a coincidence, Joanna realized that he may just a bit too good to be true.

I liked trying to suss out the mystery of what really happened to Amy and how difficult her family was being. I liked Olivia's storyline a lot better than Joanna's. Joanna had a weird storyline that I did not think entirely fit with the flow of the book.

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! For some reason, I expected a standard thriller/mystery with a predictable plot and potentially forgettable characters but I was so wrong! I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this. I loved the gorgeous Italy setting. There are three separate storylines that share three different women's perspectives and I found myself instantly interested in all of them! It kept me guessing and I was enjoyed the twists and turns. Solid plot, great writing. Overall, a very good, quick read!

A gripping book of suspense that had me experiencing this beautiful island and resort and all its glorious sunshine while also understanding the family is keeping a dark secret. What happened that night to cause the daughter to die? Who was she really escaping from? I also loved the scenes in England where we eventually find out how the different people are connected.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Other Guest.

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy The Other Guest. I read the author's first novel and wasn't a fan but the premise of The Other Guest perked my interest and I was happy when my request was approved.

The narrative is told from two perspectives, Leah and Joanna, two very different women whose lives will intersect with shocking consequences.

Leah is the sister of Charlotte and an aunt still grieving over the loss of her eldest niece, Amy from a year ago. She's arrived at Charlotte's Italian resort for the first time since Amy's death, hoping to reconnect with her sister and remaining niece.

Joanna, still reeling from a bad breakup with her ex-fiancee, is charmed by a bartender. When he's injured in a hit and run, her heart and soul still wounded from heartbreak, she offers to put the bartender up at her home. Soon, she realizes he is not what he seems, and his past has a surprising connection to her present circumstances.

The first half of the book is exposition; how Leah is settling at the resort, her interactions with her somewhat estranged family and how they're all coping (or not coping) with Amy's death.

Joanna is a vulnerable women, confused about her engagement having ended, and the strange behavior her ex-fiancee is exhibiting, not to mention the stranger she's agreed to take care of and is resting at her home.

We're given insight into Amy's last hours, and I was able to figure out most of the twists.

I did like how the author ties everyone's involvement neatly; it all makes sense, including their motives and assumptions on what they all think happened to Amy.

The writing is good, the descriptions of the resort were beautiful and relaxing; I almost felt like I was there.

My main caveat was that I didn't really like anyone, not Joanna or Leah, though I did sympathize with Amy's little sister.

I understood the bartender's motives for tricking Joanna, though wouldn't it have been easier if he had just been honest with her? Then, there wouldn't be a book, I guess.

Not surprisingly, the most interesting character is Amy.

I think most readers would enjoy this and how everything wraps up in the end, with hope that things will get better.

In "The Other Guest", Leah's family runs an Italian resort. Her niece Amy died a year ago in a drowning. When Leah visits her family at the resort, she notices her sister, brother-in-law, and surviving niece have effectively erased all traces of Amy and went to pains to convince the authorities to rule her death accidental. Meanwhile in England, Joanna starts a new relationship with a bartender who may be more than he seems. The novel alternates between these story lines and made my keep reading to find out what was going on in each woman's life and how the two women's stories were connected. A well-written, suspenseful read.

Leah’s family owns a beautiful vacation resort in Northern Italy. One year ago tragedy struck when Leah’s young niece, Amy, drowned in a nearby lake. How this happened is completely unknown. Fast forward 1 year and Leah is now returning the resort for the first time since Amy died. Leah finds her family has literally removed all memories of Amy and have made sure her death was ruled accidental. Leah is now determined to dig deeper and find out the truth about Amy.

Joanna is living in England, upset about a recent break-up. She falls for a bartender that clearly has a checkered past. Will it catch up with him? Is Joanna somehow connected with Leah and Amy??

This was my first book by Helen Cooper and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The dual points of view and how they intertwined together was excellent. The story has plenty of twists to keep you hooked and entertained. I could not predict the ending, but I really enjoyed it. Helen Cooper is clearly a skilled writer and I would be happy to read her future books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Helen Cooper's new book, The Other Guest, was a fascinating read for me. If you enjoy a gradual build and the subsequent act of exploration this is the book for you. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for this advanced copy.

The first half of this book felt more like a slow, family drama. Once stories collide, however, the pace picks up and you're zooming through twists and turns. This was a good read that took a little getting used to but totally rocked in the end.

Against the backdrop of an Italian luxury resort, twenty-one-year-old Amy, daughter of the resort's owners, dies. A police inquiry decides her fate: it was an accidental downing, brought on by a storm.

But Leah, her aunt, feels something's amiss, and when she leaves England to visit her family at the Il Mandarino resort, she finds that her sister, brother-in-law, and surviving niece are acting strangely. It's like Amy never existed, or at least they're moving on with life as though their daughter and sister didn't meet a terrible fate. But Leah's not buying it, and is determined to uncover what happened to Amy that night, even if it means putting everyone in danger.

Meanwhile, back in England, Joanna is reeling from a sudden breakup when she meets Callum, a handsome bartender. But when Callum is seriously injured in a brutal hit and run, Joanna starts to uncover clues that tell her that Callum might be anything other than her knight in shining armor.

I found Helen Cooper's (The Downstairs Neighbor) second novel to be a captivating read. It reads a little slower than I usually like in a thriller, and at first it's hard to see how Leah's and Joanna's seemingly disjointed narratives fit together (though I enjoyed trying to figure it out), but I thought it worked nicely as family drama. So if you're more into the slow burn and the act of investigation afterwards (though there is a sense of menace at times), this is something you'd want to check out.

Special thanks to Penguin/Putnam, for giving me an opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

Oh I loved this novel! I could not predict or solve the puzzle until the very end.

Welcome to IL Mandarino --an opulent resort in Northern Italy that caters to the most wealthy of guests. Leah has traveled to the resort from the States to be with her family after the death of her niece.

When Leah arrives she notices something amiss. Something is wrong between her sister and husband and his threatening nature makes her question her intuition.

The story is intwined with another mystery in England as Johanna, recovers from a terrible breakup and begins to date a bartender. Things are not what they seem, and these stories are connected. Helen Cooper does a superb job of keeping the pace and describing he opulence. The Mandarino is almost gothic in nature as you can feel the absolute evil seeping through. If you love a vacation-gone-wrong, a mysterious connection, or are just ready for a terrific and unique thriller, read #TheOtherGuest #penguin #Putnam #netgalley #netgalley reads

#TheOtherGuest #NetGalley Thank you to the publisher and @NetGalley for the E-ARC copy of this book. The rating of this book is entirely of my own opinion.

THE OTHER GUEST is a twisty mystery told from a variety of points of view. Amy, daughter of Charlotte and Gordon, owners of the prestigious Il Mandarino, a fabulous resort on a small Italian island, has drowned. But how and why she drowned is a mystery that perplexes her Aunt Leah, because Amy was an excellent swimmer. And Charlotte, Gordon and Amy's sister, Olivia, are behaving so bizarrely that Leah grows more and more concerned. What really happened to Amy? Simultaneously, Joanna is mourning the loss of her relationship with Luke, her fiancé. But when she meets Callum, the bartender at her local pub, Joanna thinks things might be looking up. Callum's conduct becomes more bizarre, however, and Joanna begins to doubt his motives. Good twists, good characters.

This is one of those books that grabs you by the seat of your pants and holds you hostage until the very last page is read.
Our main characters are Leah and Joanna both completely different and don't know one another. I enjoyed each protagonists aspects and storytelling. Unique and honestly Helen did a great job not confusing the two.
This is a fast-paced, wildly entertaining book that is beyond incredible and totally unputdownable.

G.P. Putnam's Sons,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

An amazing thriller that really kept me interested. I was immediately drawn in by the characters in the setting. But the story kept me mesmerized. I absolutely loved it!