The Guest by B. A. Paris is a fantastic thriller that I absolutely devoured.

The charactes were so well writtten, complex and fleshed out.

This book was so twisty and I absoultey loved the final reveal.

Twists and turns in all the right places propel this mystery forward. An idyllic christening party ends in a literal bang as there's an explosion across the village in The Guest's prologue. We turn back six months in time with the arrival of Laure, the titular guest, showing up unexpectedly at the home of Iris and Gabriel. Laure is distraught because her husband's revealed a secret that undermines everything she knows about him and their marriage.

This one kept me guessing. The clues are all there, and the big question of how well people really know each other is a recurring theme. Every element in this story is there for a reason. Clever, crafty. I'll be adding B.A. Paris' psychological thrillers to my TBR pile!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

The Guest follows Iris and Gabriel who have just arrived home from Holiday. When they arrive home they see one of their closest friends Laure in their house. Things become tense because it is clear that Laure is overstepping. She has just walked out her husband because he was having an affair and has a secret child. Iris and Gabriel are trying to be good supportive friends. But Lauren is over staying her welcome and has become moody and unpredictable. Soon secrets from the past start to come out and could become dangerous.

B.A. Paris is such hit or miss for me and this one was such a miss. The pacing of this book was so slow. It also very repetitive and kind of boring. No thriller vibes really happened until like the last 30 % of the book. Most of this book was the characters pretty much sitting around in circles, and just talking to each other with nothing really happening. I didn’t see the plot twist coming in this book. But by the time the plot twist came I didn’t care. I will keep reading books by this author but this one was not for me.

Short synopsis: Iris and Gabriel get home from a trip to find their friend Laure staying at their house. Laure soon overstays her welcome, because she’s left her husband she’s accused of an affair.

My thoughts: I did most of this on audio and really enjoyed the narration. This is definitely a fun psychological thriller, and the multiple POV kept the story rolling. This was completely bingeworthy and the twists kept me guessing until the very end.

It did drag somewhat in the middle to me, but the wrap up totally came out of nowhere and was completely unexpected. I recommend to those wanting a fun fast paced thriller.

Read if you love:
- Psychological thrillers with mystery elements
- Houseguests
- Multiple POV
- Quick paced story’s
- Secrets

There literally isn't a thing that B.A. Paris writes that I wouldn't read...so, you've been warned that I'm a fan.

Was this my favorite of hers? Nope. Nothing can beat Behind Closed Doors or the Breakdown for me, but was it good? Better than others in the genre? Uh, yeah. It's a B.A. Paris, people!

There was a good tug of war between the duty of helping a friend, being suspicious of neighbors, and trying to talk oneself out of feeling unease. I live for that stuff.

So, while it's not a 5 for me, it's a 4.5, rounded.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I’m a sucker for a good domestic thriller.

I flew through this in a couple of sittings. I do agree with reviews that some of the pacing was really off. Some events were super abrupt (looking at you Laure) and others dragged on. I will admit I didn’t see the twist coming, but that’s not surprising because I’m awful at guessing. If you are good at figuring out twists, you probably won’t love this.

3.5

Happy (belated) Pub Day to BA Paris and her newest novel, THE GUEST! I just read & listened to it in two days. It was hard to put down, and I think this one is her best yet although the end of Behind Closed Doors leaves me satisfied (I’m not sure if that makes me a psycho 🤷‍♀️). The end of The Guest left my mouth open— totally didn’t see that one coming. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the twists and turns.

Quick synopsis: Laure shows up unannounced to Iris and Gabriel’s home to get away from her husband for a few days after he confessed to a previous affair where he fathered a child. Laure overstays her welcome and starts inserting herself more and more into their lives and the lives of their new friends/neighbors. Meanwhile, they all have secrets that start to unravel. Some innocent secrets and some dark secrets.

If you’re looking for a good, riveting suburban drama/suspense, look no further. I enjoyed both audio narration and reading the book with my eyes. I was able to go back and forth between the two modes seamlessly. Many thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the galley and early audiobook!

This author's books are hit or miss for me. This one was just ok to start and picked up at some point with a hold my breath ending that made it all worthwhile.

You go on vacation and come home to a house guest. Albeit it is a friend but still. Family secrets. Death and sadness. A possible affair. So much happening to keep you turning the pages.

Sometimes you just hang in there and a book will take you by surprise. Make you hold your breath. Gasp out loud. This is one such book. That ending!!

Thank you #NetGalley, #BAParis, #StMartinsPress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts.

4 big stars.

B.A. Paris delivers once again! This gripping domestic thriller is expertly crafted with twists that will leave you breathless. Iris and Gabriel reluctantly welcome their friend Laure into their home after she flees her husband Pierre, who has dropped a bombshell about a secret child. Initially intended as a short stay, Laure's presence lingers, straining Iris and Gabriel's patience. Seeking solace, Iris befriends a new couple in the village, leading to shared confidences and unexpected complications. However, when tragedy strikes, the mounting coincidences and concealed secrets become too glaring to ignore. For fans of domestic thrillers, this book is an absolute must-read—it's flawlessly executed and utterly engrossing!

3.5 stars rounded up.

This book was definitely not my favorite. It was super slow, and ended up being predictable by the 2/3 mark. It was honestly more boring to me than anything and it became a quick read because I just wanted to know if I was right.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and author B.A. Paris for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

And you think you know what is going on when reading this book but guess again. Great twists involved. I was sure I knew the killer(s) but I was so wrong. Great read and the author knows how to keep you reading. You don't wanna miss this one.

I enjoyed this book better than the last one I read by her, which was “the therapist”. I will say there was parts that were really enjoyable and others that felt drawn out. Overall an easy page turner! Thank you NetGalley, B.A Paris, and publisher for the ARC!

This had all the makings of a great domestic thriller - characters with questionable morals and personality traits plus a bunch of secrets, suspenseful scenes that build slowly throughout the book and a twist ending that I never saw coming. I was invested throughout much of the book, but there were too many elements that got in the way and left me underwhelmed. The pacing was almost too slow and there was a lot of repetitive dialogue that just felt unnecessary. There were also a few too many plot lines and some of the ways in which they were resolved or explained fell short. I was so excited for this story but ultimately it didn't deliver for me.

{ review } The Guest by B.A. Paris

Pub: February 20, 2024 by St. Martin's Press

Thank you St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for the gifted arc to read and review.

B.A. Paris has been an auto read author for me since I read Behind Closed Doors and I always look forward to her new books!

The Guest is a slow burn domestic drama that centres on the power of secrets on relationships and marriage.

The book moved very slowly for me at the beginning, but I trusted that B.A. Paris was building up to something! The story spends a fair bit of time on the intricacies of Iris and George's marriage and the minutia of their daily lives. I would have loved to spend more time with Laure and Pierre in Paris. The ending ramps up the suspense and the epilogue totally explains some of the actions I had questioned earlier in the book.

Ultimately I always enjoy B.A. Paris books and The Guest is no exception. Behind Closed Doors is still my #1 by the author (read it if you haven’t!) and I will be eagerly waiting for her next book.

Iris and Gabriel are already facing struggles as a couple when their house is suddenly taken over by their best friend, who has left her husband after finding out he's had an affair resulting in a child. Let's just say I had no idea where this book was going, even through I thought I had it figured out a couple of times. Although I'm not entirely convinced I believe the motivations at the end, it definitely came as a surprise. For this, I recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

To Whom It May Concern at St. Martin's Press,

Your silence is unacceptable. As an influencer and reviewer I am deeply dismayed by your non-response in the face of the issues of safety and equity brought forward by the organizers of #SpeakUpSMP. Your failure to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian influencers and authors, as well as all BIPOC influencers and authors, is both disappointing and unacceptable.
Your silence not only disregards our valid concerns but also undermines the trust and partnership between influencers and St. Martin's Press. It is imperative that you acknowledge the demands for accountability and engage in a transparent and meaningful conversation with us.
I implore St. Martin's Press to break its silence and take concrete steps to address the issues raised by the boycott.
Non-response is not an option. Until there is a genuine effort to address these concerns, I will continue to withhold reviews for all St. Martin’s Press titles.

Sincerely,
Rosie
@RosebudReading

This book was okay for a domestic thriller. I found the plot and mystery aspect were overshadowed by the day to day lives of the characters.

Overall it was a good read, not my favorite of B.A. Paris but it was still enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

OMG!!! This book completely had me at the end! I was not expecting the twist, and I absolutely loved it! I love it when a book makes me so shocked that my jaw is left hanging on the ground!
This is definitely going to be staying on my mind, rent-free for a while.
I actually thought that some parts of the story were really predictable, but the ending turned everything upside down. We were only seeing one side of the story. I like how it wasn't until the end that we got to see the story unravel.
Overall, this was a pretty quick read that made your head spin when it was over.
I also liked how the story took place in the UK mostly, but also in Paris.
The characters in the story were okay. The only two likable characters were probably Gabriel and Hugh. They were also the most innocent.
I would definitely recommend this if you like a good thriller!

This authors is a must read for me! I enjoyed the twist, though had guessed some of it. I really liked the ending.

What to expect in this book:

-Fast chapters
-Slow burn
-Mystery/intrigue
-England setting
-Neighborhood/domestic drama
-Untrustworthy characters

Thoughts

Thank you to #NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review. This is my third book by this author and since I am a huge fan of neighborhood thrillers, I was excited to read her newest! The Guest surrounds Iris and Gabriel's sudden guest that appears at their home after a holiday. Iris' friend Laure seeks their home as a retreat after she has walked out on her husband. Laure's appearance begins a series of stressful events that lead to the unraveling of multiple secrets.

What led me to B. A. Paris were her psychological thrillers and this is definitely not that. I would categorize her newest novel as much more family/domestic drama than thrilling. While there is mystery and intrique, most of the major action does not happen until the last 10% of the book. The audio was very engrossing and I am glad that I switched over from physical about 20% in; it made the book much more interesting to me. I truly did not dislike this book at all, it just was not as captivating or surprising as I had hoped that it would be.

The epilogue and last chapter were enjoyable but really had me questioning if I actually liked the book or just the idea of the characters that I had in my head. and of course, everything is better with a British narrator. Overall, my favorite of hers is still Behind Closed Doors.