Paris tells a story about betrayal, lies and murder.

Sadly, this one didn't hit the mark for me. The story seems to take place in this tiny cul-de-sac setting in England, where there's apparently only one attractive man within a 20 mile radius and every woman is obsessed with him. :Insert eyeroll: After I met the 4th or was it the 6th woman who fell for Joseph, I mentally checked out of the book. Joseph just had to breathe and he was able to build a small harem of all the women in town. Why? No idea, Joseph was barely on page, he was just talked about by pretty much every female character.

To be completely honest, I felt as if this was a very surface level book. The only in-depth look we got of a character was in the Epilogue, and :sarcasm: shocking that was where the "Big twist" was. Yes, you heard me right, you had to get alllllll the way to the epilogue before anything of interest happens. Unfortunately by that time, I could have cared less. This book was not for me, but maybe it's for you! Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC.

Iris and Gabriel come home from a much-needed and lengthy trip to discover someone in their home...their friend, Laure. Laure has left her husband Pierre, and now Iris and Gabriel are stuck in the middle of their friends' turbulent relationship. They think they're getting a break from the increasingly overbearing Laure when she befriends a new mother in town, but not everything is as it seems.

This was a quick-paced domestic thriller that had a lot more dying than I was expecting! I don't want to spoil anything for future readers, but the intertwining of death, mysterious pasts, and how everyone is tangentially involved in one another's lives eventually comes together well in the end. Any books with lovers keeping secrets from one another is an easy way to draw me in, and this book has many secrets that are dying to come out.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this e-ARC.

The Guess explores perspectives of Iris and Gabriel after returning from a holiday following a distressing event that have impacted Gabriel. Their plans for relaxation after they returned home are disrupted by the unexpected visit of their friend Laure, who is navigating her own marital challenges and left her husband. Laure welcomed herself to their home, their bed, wearing Iris’s clothes, and rearranging their things.

Despite my high expectations, I found myself unable to continue past the 48% mark. The narrative leaned more towards domestic drama rather than a thriller. The pacing felt sluggish and struggled connecting with these unlikeable characters. While it may appeal to those seeking a slower paced / cozy read, it didn't resonate with me at this time. I’ve made several attempts to continue reading, but I simply couldn’t push through. Perhaps I will revisit in the future when I’m looking for a more laid-back reading experience. I might give her other books a try.

I am a big fan of B.A. Paris and have really loved her books in the past. This book, however, was a bit underwhelming. It is readable but it didn’t really keep me on the edge of my seat. The storyline was a bit all over the place and a bit repetitive. It didn’t really get interesting until the very end when everything came together.

I cannot pass up a good B.A. Paris thriller and The Guest was no exception.

This was a fast and fun thrill ride of a book, perfect for a weekend with no plans or a day on the beach. Would definitely recommend.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love a BA Paris thriller. This one was no exception. The plot was quick moving and suspensful. Although, I normally figure out the twist I couldn not with this book! It kept me guessing until the end.

I'm normally a big fan of everything that B.A. Paris writes, but this one just didn't grab me in the way that her other books have in the past.

Iris & Gabriel were living a happy enough life- until Gabriel, a GP, found Charlie Ingram moments away from death at the bottom of the nearby quarry. Since then Gabriel has been distant. In an attempt to relax, the pair spend the weekend away from their home, only to find that close friend Laure has moved in to their home following a shocking revelation from her husband, Pierre.

What follows is the story of Laure and Pierre, Gabriel and Iris, and their new neighbors Hugh and Esme. Sadly this book failed to grab my attention. It was well written, as all of her books are, but I never really connected with the characters. Even the twist- which I will say I did not guess- didn't leave me open-mouthed with shock like I was expecting it to.

Even though this one wasn't for me, I will still be reading everything that she comes out with. This one was just a miss for me.

I typically enjoy novels by B.A. Paris, and the Guest is no exception. The book follows Iris and Gabriel when they return home from their holiday, they arrive to find their friend Laure is staying at their home. From there they find out the circumstances of her visit and she prolongs her stay. The tension in their marriage is compounded by their unexpected guest. Iris also makes friends with a new neighbor and she finds a welcome respite in her and her husband. Before long all lives become intermeshed and a murder happens. The story takes you in one direction and a shocking twist at the end will leave you wanting more. Highly recommend for fans of Paris and readers of mystery and suspense!

B.A. Paris is an author whose style is hard to beat! The book is centered around a con artist so it also has a fun factor. It is a psychological thriller in my opinion but also has some romance in it. You can not go wrong with this author or book!

When you see a book by Paris being offered on netgalley, you jump on that opportunity! I enjoyed this book so much. It was a binge-worthy thriller that can be read in one or two sittings. The twists and turns were out of this world - nothing surprising when it comes to this author!

Thank you SMP for the gifted copy.

BA Paris is one of those authors that is hit or miss for me. The Guest is pretty decent - it kept me wanting to know more, wanting to know what was going on, what happens to the characters. Until the ending. I think I actually rolled my eyes. *I will say that a lot of reviewers liked the ending a lot - so make your own decision*

Iris and Gabriel are getting home from a vacation and they find out that one of their close friends, Laure, has been crashing at their place without them knowing, because she found out her husband has fathered a child and wouldn't tell her who the mother is. She decides to stay longer, and very much overstays her welcome. Iris and Gabriel are too nice to make her leave, but they're going through their own issues and Laure is really getting in the way of them figuring things out.

Things happen and I wanted to know they whos, whys, etc. The characters are very unreliable and unlikeable, and I didn't trust anyone.

I think fans of domestic thrillers will enjoy this one - it's a quick and engaging read. Not my favorite by Paris, but not my least favorite either. I will definitely read her next book!

This book was so good, I was hooked from the start. The relationship between the characters, the mysteries presented throughout, the maze of connections, and above all, the TWIST! Holy twister, I didn't see all of that coming.

B. A. Paris's writing really drew me into the story. The characters seemed like people I knew, and I could not believe what was happening to them. It was exciting and frustrating because you just wanted to be able to tell the characters what was happening, kind of like when you are watching a horror movie! I wish there were more B.A. Paris books that I haven't already read!

BA Paris has been hit or miss for me lately. I absolutely loved Behind Closed Doors, but felt her more recent books were a struggle to get through. After the Prisoner, I wasn't sure I'd read another book from her. I'm glad I did and picked up the Guest. This book kept me on the edge of the seat and Laure gave me anxiety each time she pushed boundaries with her friends. There's mystery and domestic drama to keep the reader interested. The twist at the end really got me. Highly recommend.

I'm always excited to read anything B.A. Paris writes, and The Guest did not disappoint!

The Guest follows Iris and her husband Gabriel as they return from holiday to find their friend, Laure in the house. As days and weeks go by, Laure's moods become erratic and her behavior unpredictable. It also seems less likely that Laure has any intention of leaving. In her search for an escape from the increasingly tense mood in her own home, Iris befriends neighbors Esme and Hugh. But they have a guest of their own, a family friend with a seemingly checkered past. As the story unfolds, secrets come to light and lies begin to unravel, with devastating -and deadly- fallout.

I had a hard time sticking with the story for the first half of the book. It seems to take a while for anything to *happen*. However, the building tension kept me engaged and once the action picked up, I was hooked. The end of the book is fast-paced and twisty and ultimately, I was glad that I stuck with it!

Another terrific, twisty, mysterious and sometimes creepy book from BA Paris. This author knows how to weave out a story with compelling characters you aren't sure if you should be scared of, or rooting for. Highly recommend! Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for approving me to read and review this ARC. I cant wait to read more from this author.

I’m sorry!! I couldn’t finish this book. It was impossible to get into, which is sad because I loved behind closed doors. I kept trying to pick it up again but had to DNF (which I almost never do)

*4.5 stars!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of The Guest in exchange for my review. The story follows Iris and Gabriel as they return home to find their friend, Laure, staying in their house. She is having issues in her marriage and does not seem to be in a rush to leave. Gabriel and Iris are trying to discover the reasons for her wanting to stay and the mystery unravels from there. I don't want to go into too much detail because I think it is more fun to go in somewhat blind.

Wow. This was such an enjoyable read. The twists and turns of this story were so well done, and I did not see them coming at all! I love when a book can surprise me and keep me in suspense like this one did. There are many characters so at times it was a little bit difficult to keep them all straight but they are all interesting and well developed. The ending was so shocking! Overall, I highly recommend this one!

*many thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC of #theguest by B.A. Paris which was published on Feb 20/24 in exchange for an honest review.
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My mother has an expression about houseguests - “having them is like having fish - after three days they start to go bad.” How Iris and Gabriel could host their friend Laure for weeks at a time is beyond me. Laure has left her husband in Paris after thinking he has moved on from her and has come to England to stay with her good friends. And as is to be expected- things aren’t as they seem.
There are a lot of characters and at times it was all so confusing. I also found this moved along rather slowly, having me say inwardly- “get on with it.” As is Paris’ style I do like how every character is surrounded in a bit of mystery and all have secrets - or do they? Cue the ominous music here. I was not expecting this ending! A bit of surprise there! This kept me engaged start to finish - an ok read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5 This story was a domestic thriller that kept me reading but also hoping for more. The prologue was such a twist I did not see coming and loved how it was all tied together! I personally prefer a darker thriller with more twists and turns throughout the book that have me at the edge of my seat. This was what I would consider a light thriller, slower paced, but a great twist! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book.