This one is really hard to review! I of course went into it with the highest of expectations and while it definitely didn’t hit all the markers a B.A. Paris book normally hits, it was still fun.

Firstly, I think this would be a GREAT book for someone just getting into thrillers. It was really easy to follow and had some great twists. Since I read so many thrillers it just kind of fell flat for me. I did somewhat enjoy the final twist but I did see it coming and I honestly hated all of the characters. Sometimes I think that really takes away from a story, when you don’t connect with anyone and aren’t really routing for anyone. It wasn’t even like they were all unlikeable characters, they were just blah! Overall this was a quick read, had a lot of twists and turns and delivered on the domestic thriller front. Out of all of her books, this wasn’t my favourite but I also don’t regret reading it and think a lot of people will enjoy it!

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐈𝐟…
✨you enjoy domestic thrillers
✨you’re looking for an easy read

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🚨Pub Date: Feb 20th, 2024
🫶🏻Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I’ve read almost all of B A Paris books. I will start out saying this wasn’t my favorite. But also, I didn’t guess the ending.

Reasons it wasn’t my favorite: the characters developments, relationships and conversations seemed unrealistic and detached. The flow of the story was very slow. The names used made me think at first the story was written for the timeframe of the early 1900’s. I personally didn’t enjoy the third person writing style switching between POV without really announcing who’s POV it was.
You follow 4 different families and how their stories collide in this spider web of multiple deaths. And trying to guess if people were murdered, committed suicide or experienced accidental death. It seems no one speaks the truth and they all have secrets. Everything is wrapped up in the story nicely but only way at the end in the epilogue.

It was a fine story. Just not my favorite.

This is the first time that I have read a book and was thoroughly convinced that I had everything connected and figured out, and then the ending hit me. I definitely did not see the twist coming and it completely threw me off. I am a huge fan of Paris and this book definitely followed through and did not disappoint.

5/5 stars

B.A. Paris does it again - a fast paced psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Iris and Gabriel arrive back to their home in England, after a quick holiday, to discover their friend has come to stay with them. Laure and Pierre, who live in Paris, have been their best friends for years. They are surprised to learn that Laure is having some relationship troubles with Pierre and they let her know that she can stay for awhile to give her some time to think. Meanwhile, a new couple moves in down the road from Iris and Gabriel, along with a friend of theirs. Things become interesting as it becomes obvious to the reader that there are some connections between characters that are speculative. The story is told from multiple character viewpoints, and you don’t really know the truth about everything until the end.

Although a bit far-fetched, I enjoyed this novel and it held my interest throughout.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacMillan for an eARC of #TheGuest by #BAParis in exchange for honest feedback. - 4 stars

Oh this is good. Like all B.A Paris books you can not predict what is coming. The people in this book are your typical rich folks. They travel, they have a nice home, they have careers but also somehow lots of leisure time. They also have rich friends.
When they get back from a trip they find their female half of their best couple friend staying in their home, in fact she is sleeping in their bed. Her husband Pierre has a child and she just found out. Really this is all his fault. The jerk!
And Iris' husband Gabriel is dealing with some major guilt, so he is just being all passive.
Also they have a new rich neighbor and she's one of those insta-besties we don't have here in America.
Like many divorced women, the friend (who won't leave), enters a ho phase and starts carrying on with men around them.
It gets super twisty but honestly I still wanted Iris' life because she gets to have food and health care and time not working.
It is a dream.
Thank you for the ARC. Please write more.

This book was another hit from the author. Each of the author’s books presents a new and interesting storyline. The book was filled with much mystery and suspense. Although the twists in the storyline were rather predictable, the book was a fun one to read. It is a book that I would recommend to others

B.A. Paris is always an automatic read for me, and this domestic drama/mystery had the author's usual sharp writing, yet it was missing that edge of my seat feeling I usually get with this author's work. . The plot was slow-moving and the characters were not that interesting. The main characters here are Iris and Gabriel, a couple that have been married over 20 years. The couple have a 19 year old daughter named Beth, who is taking a gap year and living in Greece at the start of the novel. We are told this couple have a good marriage, but it doesn't seem that way from the way they act toward each other.

Gabriel is a seasoned physician who found a teenage boy dying at the edge of a quarry. Gabriel was on a run and found the boy who could not be saved, but who lived long enough to tell Gabriel "Tell my Mum I love her but I can't forgive her for what she did." Somehow this encounter has upset Gabriel so much that he has to take off of work for several months, can no longer be intimate with this wife and has become depressed. A lot of time is spent on his dilemma on whether he should just tell the boy's mother about the I love you part, or tell her the about the rest. It seems a no-brainer to me that you wouldn't tell a distraught mother something that would make her feel worse, but Gabriel talks about this a lot. Then the couple come home one day to find a woman named Laure, a long time friend, in their house and bed, wearing Iris' clothes, Laure and her husband Pierre live in Paris and he has confessed to his wife that he was at one time unfaithful and recently found out he has a child by the other woman. There is a now a lot of discussion on whether Laure should go back with her husband and what she should do in the future.

Other characters are a couple who just moved into the neighborhood named Hugh and Esme, and Joseph, a young man who works as a gardener for both of the couples homes. As Laure continues to live with Gabriel and Iris we wonder along with the couple if she will ever leave and then Gabriel can't get ahold of Pierre making them wonder what is really going on. There are some mystery elements but it takes quite a while for them to happen. I did appreciate the big twist at the end but was hoping for more action throughout the story and less of Gabriel and his depression. Iris didn't have much personality either and I didn't like it that she admitted to not wanting to be close to her daughter. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

I never pass up a book by B A Paris. She is an author that is not only one of my favorites, but one I can count on for a. Twisty stay up all night to finish book. This one didn’t disappoint. Thank you Netgalley and Saint Martin’s press for providing the advance copy of this book

Oh my I did not see the ending coming at all. When Laure comes to stay with her friends after disturbing news about her husband having an illegitimate daughter, it seems like there are so many unconnected story lines. As the book unfolds those story lines start to intermingle and combine. Then the death of several important characters happen and it still seems to be hard to follow. In the end the murderer tells the unbelievable story of the murders. Great story line and amazing characters.

Another great read from B.A. Paris. I had a hard time putting this one down. I was pretty sure I had it figured out several times and then I got to the end and BAM, I was totally caught off guard by the ending. I love the twists and turns and the way it leads you to a conclusion and then all of a sudden you think maybe you missed something; she ties it all together so well at the end.

I had my suspicions throughout the book on who the true killer was but never figured it out until the end. After the first few chapters, it became a book I struggled to put down. I will say, some characters bothered me but that’s because of how we were perceiving them from the pov we were given. Overall, it was a great read, B. A. Paris is an author that’s an automatic read for me every time.

I love B.A. Paris - her books are always a wild ride. Her earlier novel, Behind Closed Doors, was one of the most thrilling and bone chilling books I've read in a long time. I was thrilled to be given an early copy of her latest, The Guest, for advanced review. Once again, Paris nails a twisting and turning plot where it's hard to tell who you can trust and what is actually happening. I thoroughly enjoyed THE GUEST and it kept me guessing until the very end. The last chapter was totally unexpected and perfectly executed... made me want to go back and read it from the beginning! Another five star entry for B.A. Paris - I can't wait for what's next!

Wow! B.A. Paris does it again! This new book is AMAZING! I was obsessed with it! I couldn't stop reading, because I had to find out whodunit x3. I loved the twist, because I didn't see it coming and I loved finding out the why and how. Such a great read! Definitely a new favorite!

This author is one of my very favorites for thrillers. The books are always guaranteed to hook me in! This one starts a bit slowly, so if you’re wanting to bail about 30% in… Keep going!

A series of deaths surround a husband and wife. Each time they start to move forward from one, another occurs. Are the deaths linked? Is someone coming for them next?

The twist at the end is a big one, you won’t really know what happened until the epilogue. That’s my one complaint about the book, it’s as though things have to get wrapped up too quickly at the end, after such an extensive set-up. I was definitely invested in the story and wanted to see how it ended, even if I only found one of the characters to be somewhat likeable.

This book kept me guessing the entire time. The beginning was a little slow to get through but then it really picks up. I loved how it all unfolded. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc of this book.

When Iris and Gabriel arrive home a day earlier than planned, they are surprised by an unexpected houseguest. Their good friend Laure has made herself at home in order to get away from her husband, Pierre, who claims to have a daughter with another woman. Laure is constantly around, so Iris finds some solace in visiting new neighbors. Gabriel is still healing from a recent traumatic experience but more misfortune seems to follow them, suggesting foul play from someone nearby.

I am typically a big fan of B.A. Paris’s work, and I did end up enjoying this one, though it is not my favorite of her work. This is very much a slow burn thriller and I found the pacing to be a little too slow until the epilogue which was almost too rushed. The characters aren’t very likable and there just wasn’t enough build up or plot twists throughout. However, I did enjoy the ending despite it feeling rushed. It was a great twist and tied everything together well. I think this book is a good read, just be prepared for a slower start.

Thank you to B.A. Paris, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and St Martins Press for the chance to read an advanced reader’s copy of The Guest by BA Paris in exchange for my honest review

This novel is a slow burn at first but trust me- it pays off in a big way.

Gabriel and Iris return from a much needed vacation to find an unexpected guest in their home. Laure, a long time friend, is looking for some help ; but her presence begins to cause cracks in the couple’s lives as she becomes increasingly more intrusive.

Iris finds an escape from her crowded house by spending time with their new neighbors - Esme and Hugh… who are completely lovely .. unless they aren’t ?

This one will keep you guessing the entire time - and is a really quick, fun read .

BA Paris has a gift for always finding a way to tell a story that’s never been told before . I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this one !

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of "The Guest" in exchange for my honest review.

This book - as all of Ms. Paris' books was absolutely brilliant! The twists and turns that lead to the explosive final chapter are the best ever. Ms. Paris has also crafted the world's most annoying houseguest in Laure - she chooses to enter a home where her friends are away, she sleeps in their master bedroom instead of one of the guestrooms, she wears Iris' clothes, rearranges Iris and Gabriel's kitchen drawers to how she prefers them, walks around in the nude, follows Iris everywhere and answers calls on her mobile and doesn't give Iris the messages.

The story starts at the christening of baby Hamish. 2 couples - Iris and Gabriel and Esme and Hugh (Hamish's parents) are celebrating when a loud explosion rocks the house. The story then picks up 6 months earlier and we learn that Gabriel a doctor found a young man, Charlie Ingram at the bottom of a quarry - still alive but died before help arrived. Gabriel is wracked with guilt because he lied about Charlie's final words. Arriving home from Scotland they find that there is someone in their house. Their friend Laure has left her husband Pierre because he claims to have fathered a daughter with another woman. We then meet Esme who along with her husband Hugh have just moved to the village and live in the house that Iris coveted. Joseph a young man who is also a recovering alcoholic is working as a gardener for Hugh and Esme. Pierre doesn't answer his mobile, return any messages that Gabriel leaves for him and this is not like him.

Laure finally goes back to Paris to talk to Pierre but when she can't find him at home, instead of waiting for him, she returns to England. When Laure disappears they wonder where she is. We also learn that Paris police have located Pierre. There are so many wonderful clues that misdirect the reader. You will be convinced of what happened and then another clue will lead you in a totally different direction. The story then arrives at the point where it started - the explosion and another body is found. With a body count of 3 in 3 months - the reader will finally find out what really has been happening in this book and it is a fabulously brilliant conclusion that I personally did not see coming.

This book is worth much more than 5 stars as B.A. Paris never disappoints!

I was issued this book by NetGalley for my unbiased opinion.

This is my second book by B.A. Paris. Like the first I read it caught me off guard. You think you have something figured out and poof!, it's gone. You think you have all the pieces in place and the ending changes everything. Both books are well written and while they seem to start out slow. They are just laying the foundation for what is to come.

I look forward to reading more from Paris in the future.

Enjoy this book, as I did.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave and B.A. Paris can do just that! The beginning of the story centers around married couple, Iris and Gabriel. Gabriel finds an 18 year old named Charlie right before his death and his final words upset Gabriel. This sets up the story until it pivots to another couple, Laure and Pierre. Laure finds out Pierre has fathered a child by another woman. Laure and Pierre separate with Laure staying with Iris and Gabriel. As the story begins to unfold, new neighbors are introduced, Esme and Hugh, along with their friend, Joseph. Now, it really gets going. The epilogue reveals all and is mind blowing!
Twisted, Page Turning and Brilliant Ending! 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!