It has been thirty years since Ashley Smith, an American Art History student in London, spent her Christmas holidays at her classmate Emma Chapman’s family home in Clevemoor. Ashley, far from home and with no close family, was excited to have company during the festive season. Ashley is in awe of the Chapmans’ manor home and initially enjoys the company, trips to the local pub and the idyllic village, not to mention the attention she gets from Adam, Emma’s handsome twin brother whose company she particularly enjoys. However, Adam is suspected of having brutally murdered a local girl with whom he is said to have been romantically involved. Ashley also notices some strange occurrences around the house and is a tad confused with her host’s strange behavior. Needless to say, Ashley’s holiday might not be quite as idyllic as it seems.

The first half of the narrative is presented through Ashley's journal entries dating back to 1989 after which we switch to the present day where we get to more about the events from thirty years ago and the aftermath of the same.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson is an exceptionally well-crafted, atmospheric and absorbing read. The setting, gothic tone, complex characters and shocking twists kept me hooked till the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella and would not hesitate to recommend it to those who enjoy dark, twisty reads.

Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novella. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Christmas Guest was published on October 17, 2023.

Swanson tells us in the author’s note that he wanted to write a Christmas mystery that you could sit down and read in one sitting and he did just that. This novella has that classic mystery feel to it. He goes a little further at the end with a touch more of a horror element, but I really enjoyed it.

Set in the hauntingly atmospheric backdrop of the English countryside, The Christmas Guest is a gothic novella that I'd best describe overall as being dark and sad. I am a big fan of Peter Swanson's thrillers, but I was expecting more from this novella and because of this, it was just an okay read for me.

The story reads as diary entries, and as the story progresses, dark secrets are revealed, then years go by, and the reader uncovers the biggest secret of the story. I really wanted to love this novella so much more than I did....

Despite feeling a bit sad after reading this (it was kind of sad to me) I must say that I did feel that the ending hinted at the idea of redemption and the hope of having second chances in life. More specifically, being proactive in deciding to change for the better. I think this novella can also be described truly as a ghost story. Living with a ghost. A haunting.. A pretty sad holiday soul-searching cold-hearted haunting.

Thank you to William Morrow & Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Guest is a mystery set in England, revolving around Christmas, exploring class distinctions, morality. loyalty, and friendship. It was a fun read, and had a good ending.

This creepy, murderous, twisty novella was an absolute treat to read! I found myself wishing this was a full-length novel! It had all the Christmas and winter vibes but then had the dark twists that the author is known for.

In a small English village in 1989, a friend invites another friend to her home to celebrate Christmas with her family. Ashley’s diary of her week with Emma takes up about 50% of the book, then BAM, you’re hit with twist after twist. Highly recommend this short and thrilling read!

This one is short but packs a punch!! I am a huge fan of Peter Swanson and this one did not disappoint!

This is full of twists and surprises that are best discovered going in blind. So I am only going to say that this was a lot of fun and I really liked the story. A great Christmas read if you are tired of the usual happiness and fluff that the Holiday brings.

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars rounded to 4

Thank you to William Morrow for my eARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

If you are eager for a Christmas read that brings both cozy and gothic vibes, this is the novella for you! Written mostly in diary form, this is a quick read at only 112 pages.

Ashley is an American college student in England. With having no family of her own, she is asked by her friend, Emma, to come home to the Cotswolds for Christmas. Excited by the chance to be part of a family Christmas, Ashley agrees. She is taken with the large home, cozy Christmas decorations, and old manor's charm and develops a crush on Emma's brother. But Ashley soon learns about a local murder that occurred months before, and that Emma's brother is the main suspect.

I felt like the characters were a little flat but I understand that in a novella things have to happens quickly. I also thought there were a few things that didn't get explained even by the end. Overall, it was entertaining but wasn't super memorable.

I ended up really enjoying this! About halfway through, I was on the fence, but then it took a very dark turn toward the end, and I was hooked.

The Christmas Guest is a Christmas murder mystery novella. I loved the ghostly atmospheric Christmas vibes and can totally see myself making this an annual holiday read. The somber unearthly tones were great for a cold winter night, and it was short enough to read in one sitting.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Loved it!

If you like a little murder with your merriment then this is the book for you! 🎄🩸🔪

Ashley Smith is an American student currently living in London. She has tried to convince herself that being alone on Christmas won't be so bad. There are things she can do to pass the time.

Out at the pub one night she chats with Emma, another student and sort of friend, and she can't believe it when Emma invites her to spend Christmas week with her family at their Cotswold manor house. Ashley is over the moon in excitement. A real English Christmas experience is more than she could have ever hoped for.

Even better is Emma's brother, Adam. Handsome and charming, Ashley has developed a bit of a crush on him. Will romance be in the air, a kiss under the mistletoe perhaps? Ashley sure does hope so.

But, not everyone or everything is what it seems and I'm going to zip my lips right here! 🤐

I don't want to spoil this novella for any future readers.

Written almost entirely in diary entries worked beautifully here. Who doesn't want to take a peak into the pages of someone's private thoughts? I couldn't get enough. Swanson crafted such a great story that remained concise yet was super fulfilling. Part of me wished it were a little longer but Swanson did everything he needed to do with such a small page count (100 pages, thereabouts). Whether you're a lover of all things Christmas or Bah Humbug the Grinch you'll be rewarded with a fantastic murder-y holiday story! 'Tis the season! 4 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for my complimentary copy.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

This book is told in two parts, part one is dairy entries and part two is told in another character's pov. Ashley is invited to Emma's family's place in London during Christmas holidays. Emma's brother Adam is the prime suspect in the death of another girl that went missing months ago and the dead girl is a dead ringer for Ashley. As Ashley's stay progresses she falls for Adam and Emma and Ashley get attacked. Ashley runs into a creepy man while walking to the house after spending most of the night at a pub with Emma. Emma the next day sees the same man and they decide to see Adam at a pub on Christmas night and Ashley dies. Decades later Emma is now living Ashley's live in America and Ashley's ghost visits Emma during Christmas making her the "Christmas Guest". It is revealed that Emma and Adam made plans to kill Ashley in order to exonerate Adam from the other girls murder. Adam has been killing young blond women for years. Emma sends in a tip about Adam and he ends up killing himself after the news breaks and the police want to talk to Emma who disappeared to America.

Um, hi, I loved this novella SO MUCH!

It has everything I love when it comes to holiday books:
Cozy setting ✅
Romance ✅
Murder ✅

Definitely a top holiday read for me. I wish it was longer that’s how much I loved the story. Definitely put this on your Christmas tbr cause it’s a good one!

I love Peter Swanson's writing, and this quick little novella was the perfect taste of his writing to hold me over until his next full-length novel!

I love Christmas-themed books, but can't read back-to-back rom-coms without getting bored (especially when EVERYTHING coming out this year seems to be the same trope!). A Christmas thriller is just what I need to break up the monotony--still festive, but with the suspense and twists I love.

This is the ideal one-sitting novel to read in front of the fire!

Novellas can be a hit or miss for me, and unfortunately, I just wasn't into this one. In Swanson's classic storytelling style, there is a lot of character development in a book under 100 pages. I appreciated that it wasn't a mad-slasher, heart-pounding novella, but the first part of the book can be a little slow to get into. Since it's the journal entries of the protagonist, the font is italicized, which I had a very hard time reading and keeping my place on the page. By page 20, I switched to my Kindle to read it, but I couldn't change the font, so that was a bust. Just be forewarned it's hard to read.

Slow, but Well-plotted, and a Short read, this is an easy holiday book to read that's not all cutesy and feel-good.

I enjoyed this very short novella that was more dark thriller than Christmasy. It's a reminder that actions have consequences which may haunt you for the rest of your life. Part 1 was written almost exclusively in diary format, which I enjoyed. Part 2 started off with a twist that was unexpected and wrapped it up nicely.

Recommended for those looking for something quick that you can read in one sitting or for those who like a good thriller with gothic vibes and a Christmas setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC.

I typically quite enjoy Peter Swanson books, but I found “The Christmas Guest” to have been a bit confusing and underwhelming. For some reason, I couldn’t get into this brief story and this holiday mystery just didn’t work for me. 2 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

I've only read one book by Peter Swanson, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This novella is an excellent reminder that I need to jump back into his books. This is definitely not your typical Christmas story. It's more akin to a Gothic mystery that happens to be set around Christmas. In 1989, an American college student is studying in London for a year. When she's invited to the country home of an acquaintance she's surprised and delighted. But still she wonders - why was she invited? And the answer is the crux of the story. Told partially in the form of a diary, it's short, interesting and beautifully atmospheric. And there were a couple of nice "say what???" moments.
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

American native Ashley Smith is studying art in London. With no plans for Christmas, she is going to spend the school break alone. But when her classmate Emma Chapman invites her to spend it with her family in the London countryside, Ashley is beyond excited. The Chapman's home is magical to Ashley; adorned in Christmas decor, it is the perfectly cozy holiday she has been dreaming of. And Ashley is quite taken by Emma’s twin brother, Adam. But there is a darker side to Adam, as he is being investigated by the local police. And a stranger lurks in the woods by the Chapman’s property. Telling her innermost thoughts to her diary alone, Ashley begins to wonder what else is at play in the picturesque home.

I love Peter Swanson’s books (“The Kind Worth Killing” is one of my all time favorite thrillers), so I was beyond excited to see he wrote a Christmas novella. Told in dual timelines, the story seemed pretty straight forward - until it wasn't. I had to re-read a section because I thought I was misunderstanding, but no, it was just that clever! From the beginning, I got the sense that there was a secret here but couldn’t quite put my finger on what it could be. Combined with the creepy atmosphere of the dark countryside, Swanson expertly weaved a holiday thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley, William Morrow and Peter Swanson for the ARC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

I’m a huge fan of Peter Swanson and, while I’ve never had an interest in Christmas books, I decided to make an exception for this one. Swanson’s books are always so intricately crafted with twists that often have me on the edge of my seat. The intriguing mystery kept me hooked and as a novella, it was the perfect length. This may not be your typical Christmas story, but it is a great holiday read for any thriller fan.

The story starts with Ashley as a 50 year old who doesn't celebrate Christmas with her friends. Then it flashes back to 1989 - through diary entries, we see Ashley as an American student abroad who is invited to a remote English estate for Christmas to visit with her friend Emma's family. Ashley perceives the experience as magical as she starts to fall in love with Emma's brother Adam. As it gets closer to Christmas, it starts to become more of a Gothic mystery. After a crazy twist, the story is back in the present with Ashley divulging a lot of what made that holiday memorable....
Very dark read but well executed!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

Ashley wasn’t even sure the elegant Emma Chapman liked her, but an invitation to join her over the holidays at her families estate seemed like a charming way to solidify friendship. After arriving, more questions start to arise and Ashley might have to question if this village is charming and quiet or dangerous and foreboding.

This was an interesting novella that keeps attention gripped through the reader questioning if something sinister will occur, who can be trusted, and what to believe. Tension building was done well and twists were executed effectively. The ending threw me a bit.