Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of "The Guest" by B.A. Paris in exchange for an honest review.

Folks, B.A. Paris is BACK with another mind-bending read. Saying this read is WILD doesn't even begin to cover the ride I was on while reading this. A whole cast of characters full of selfish secrets, and well, I can't tell you what happens but buckle up friends!!

Speaking of characters, I loved Paris' complex characters. And since she's the queen of the plot twist, well, these complex characters get even more complicated. You'll be able to follow along just fine because the logic is top-notch. It's actually unbelievable that Paris is able to craft such a wicked tale and keep all the pieces together.

I can't wait for ya'll to read this one!

This was probably my least favorite BA Paris book, unfortunately. I can’t put my finger on it exactly. I don’t think the writing was her best. Many of the conversations in the book were very surface-y and felt like they were there to give you information and not to add to the story. I loved that the chapters were short but they took jumps (sometimes) and never really indicated how long it was. The epilogue was the longest chapter and it did so much telling and not enough showing. I appreciated how the epilogue tied everything up. None of the characters were likable nor did I enjoy not liking them. Overall, it was a disappointment because I’ve loved BA Paris books so much.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an early copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martins Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This wasn’t my favorite B. A Paris book by far but it was still a pretty decent read. I would agree with a lot of the other reviews that this is less thriller and more domestic drama (until the epilogue at least) so if you’re looking for something super mysterious this one is going to leave you wanting more. That being said I wasn’t totally disappointed in the book. It’s a quick read and I’d rate the predictability 50/50 so if you want something to while away a Saturday afternoon this is a good choice just be aware that it’s a little slower than her typical books.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Book: The Guest
Author: B. A. Paris
Genre: Domestic Thriller

Rating ☆☆☆.5

Overview: Long-time friend couples Iris and Gabriel, and Pierre and Loure have been in each other lives since they met many years ago while vacationing at the same resort.

One day, Loure shows up uninvited to Iris and Gabriel's home where she is in hysterics about Pierre. She has discovered some news about Pierre's past and can't cope with all of the destruction that is happening to their marriage with the coming of that news. She is invited to stay with Gabriel and Iris and suddenly strange things keep happening around them. People are mysteriously dying and circumstances are led to indicate that someone is behind all of the deaths. But what really happened will absolutely shock you.

Rating: The Guest is a decent read. However, it was a very slow read, and the story was drawn out and unnecessarily long. I understand the need to throw in extra characters to help hide the truth of all the mysterious deaths, but they felt out of place to me. Overall, the story is interesting and the twist is a little unexpected but also not surprising.

I would recommend this read to someone who enjoys an easy read, but it's a little flat for thriller fans neededing thay adrenaline rush.

I liked this book, but thought the story was way too long. I was all about the ending though, that was a major plot twist! I did not suspect this person at all during the story, so when it was revealed I was like "whhhaaattttt". I normally guess the person beforehand so this was a nice surprise.
This was the first time I listened to the narrator, Emily Joyce, and I would listen to more audiobooks narrated by her.
Thanks to Netgalley to letting me read this ARC.

The Guest is the latest thriller by B.A. Paris, an author of several previous books in the same genre. Fans of Paris will want to pick up this latest. And those who haven’t read a Paris book could certainly start here.

Iris and Gabriel return home from a vacation in Scotland to find their friend of 30 years, Laur, in their home. Laur recently found out some disturbing news about her husband, Gabriel’s best friend Pierre and has left him. Paris masterfully builds up the suspense, introducing additional characters who add layers to the story. The ending seemed a bit abrupt however the long epilogue made up for that.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Iris and Gabriel live a seemingly charmed life in the idyllic countryside but an uninvited guest is about to take their lives on an unexpected turn. The couple's long time friend, Laure, has recently left her husband after finding out he's fathered a child with another woman. Laure has invited herself to stay with Iris and Gabriel for the time being but after a few weeks turn into months, it seems Laure has no intention of leaving anytime soon and Iris and Gabriel may be in danger if she stays any longer...

Always a BA Paris fan and this book didn't disappoint!

B.A. Paris does not disappoint.....
Starts off a little slow, but once it kicks in...WOW

Iris and Gabriel return from a needed getaway. Gabriel is dealing with the death of a young man, Charlie. Gabriel discovers Charlie at the bottom of a quarry, dying from a bike accident. Charlies last words continue to haunt Gabriel. Iris is left not knowing how to help her husband deal.

Arriving home, they discover their friend Laure, an unexpected house guest. has been staying in their home. Laure, her husband Pierre, Gabriel and Iris are close friends. Laure breaks down, explaining Pierre had an affair, and a child is the result from his infidelity. Laure, unable to deal with the fact that Pierre, who never wanted children, makes the decision to have the child in his life. So Laure decides to take time away, staying with Gabriel and Iris. Laure becomes too comfortable, and overstays her welcome, adding more strain to Gabriel and Iris's marriage.

Iris befriends a new couple to the neighborhood, Esme and Hugh and their friend, Joseph. Joseph is a recovering alcoholic who has been hired to help renovate the home and garden before the arrival of Esme and Hugh's baby. Iris sees Esme's friendship as a relief from her strained marriage and Laure's presence.

As the plot begins to unfold, you will see how this group of old and new friends become intertwined. The lies, deceptions, and unexpected tragedies that will leave you guessing till the end. It seems everyone has their secrets, and some will stop at nothing to keep them from being discovered. The ending left me a little stunned at exactly what secrets were really being hidden.

Thank you to St. Martin's Presss and NetGalley for this ARC copy to enjoy. And thank you to B.A. Paris for another outstanding thriller.

This thriller was stressful, in the best way. This was a totally unique premise for me- I love the idea of Laure being someone they knew well, but suddenly also don't know at all. There are multiple unknowns in this story and the twists continued right until the end. BA Paris always delivers with the popcorn thrillers!

Oh WOW! What an epilogue 🤯

The Guest follows Iris and Gabriel as they navigate a houseguest, Laure, who overstays her welcome. Laure is reeling from a horrible fight with her husband Pierre and things spiral from there.

About halfway through the book, I was getting a little bored and frustrated. One of those books where you want to smack a few of the characters and tell them to stand up for themselves. The book does pick up big time and the payoff was SO worth it. I truly never saw the twist coming, and yet it wasn’t far fetched and ridiculous either.

This was, overall, a fun twisty read. I loved the short chapters and read through it pretty quickly. This is my second book of BA Paris and I definitely plan on reading her backlog.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgally and St. Martin's Press for an advanced audio arc in exchange for an honest opinion.


Normally, I enjoy this author's work and was excited to read this new release. Unfortunately, I found it to fall slightly flat for me.
Overall, the story is good, but the plot pacing is excruciatingly slow! Way too much monologue before things start to get interesting.

Also, it was difficult to connect with the characters as none of them were likable.

The saving grace was the short chapters and having a good twist at the end.

This is purely my opinion as Goodreads has much higher/ better reviews .
🤷‍♀️

Thank you to Netgally and St Martin's Press. All opinions are my own.

It was addicting. Page turner until the crazy ending. If you are a fan of B.A Paris you will love The Guest!

It is a whirlwind of a ride but you will not be able to get off the rollercoaster.

Get ready for the twists.

Thank you St. Martens Press for the ARC

Quite an interesting tale that kept me intrigued by the story. It did have a great "surprise" in its ending and made me think about the lengths one would go to in order to protect family, even at the expense of friends.

I kept on thinking that there seemed to be much ado about nothing, but then the big reveal cleared up my questions and wondering.

Thank you to B.A. Paris, and NetGalley for a copy of this tale due out in February.

First I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and B.A. Paris for my ARC of The Guest.

Gabriel and Iris return home from a very needed holiday. Gabriel is recovering from the death of his father, dog and a young man named Charlie. Gabriel had been out taking a ride on his bike when he found Charlie at the bottom of a quarry. He had apparently been involved in a bicycle accident and was barely alive. Gabriel phones for help but unfortunately Charlie didn’t make it. Before passing Charlie relays a message to Gabriel that haunts him still to this day.

Upon coming home, Gabriel and Iris to they have an unexpected house guest, Laure, the wife of Gabriel’s best friend Pierre. Laure reveals her and Pierre are having marital issues and she needed time away. Pierre has admitted to having an affair and having a child. Laure very quickly overstays her welcome. She becomes too comfortable in their house. She starts making it her own and a couple weeks turns into months of her staying. This puts a strain on Iris and Gabriel’s relationship.

Iris befriends Esme who just recently moved in down the road from the village her and Gabriel live in. She is married to Hugh and they’re expecting a baby. They have hired Esme’s friend, Joseph, to help renovate their house and garden. Joseph is a recovering alcoholic who lost his job after a DUI. Iris told Esme about Gabriel resurrecting their garden and she suggests hiring Joseph to help.

As time goes by and secrets come out Iris and Gabriel start to suspect that there’s more going on. When tragedy strikes Gabriel and Iris learn more shocking news with more tragedy.. Everyone has secrets and everyone will stop at nothing to keep them secrets.

This was my first B.A. Paris book but it won’t be my last! The beginning was a little slow but it picked up as the book went on. I did not see the end of this book coming! I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know how it ended! Great read!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Paris is the QUEEN of domestic suspense/domestic thrillers🙌🏻 and she is back with up-coming book, which I really enjoyed! I will say that this is a definite slow burn, so just go in knowing that. I promise that if you hang in there, once you finish it will be well worth it! I absolutely LOVED that ending🤯 Also, don’t go into it expecting it to be a thriller-this is definitely a domestic suspense/domestic thriller read filled with plenty of secrets, unlikeable characters, and just the right amount of twists. There are plenty of characters and side stories throughout this book, and although I didn’t necessarily enjoy the characters and found them all to be a bit annoying, I thought this was still a fun read overall.


𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Unlikeable characters
✦Slow burn suspense
✦A shocking and unpredictable ending



𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

3⭐️

I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors so I was interested to get into B.A. Paris’s newest domestic thriller.

Iris and her husband Gabriel arrive home from vacation to find an old friend, Laure, who needs a place to stay after discovering her husband’s infidelity. Iris and Gabriel, who are going through a rough patch due to some recent traumas, let her move in with them. What was supposed to be a couple weeks stretches into an indefinite stay.

Iris finds escape with new friends in the village, Hugh and Esme, who are expecting their first child. Hugh and Esme have their own houseguest in the form of Esme’s childhood friend-turned-gardener, Joseph. Their lives quickly become intertwined and several tragedies ensue.

If you enjoyed the tension and fast pace of Behind Closed Doors, you might find this latest offering a little lackluster. It’s much harder to get through… I kept waiting for the twist but the big reveal didn’t come until the epilogue, and the amount of info that was thrown at the reader in the last few pages made it feel rushed. It was a slick way to wrap up the story, but didn’t fully overcome the slog that the first 97% of the book entailed. I wish the author had woven more of that into the main story, to help crank up the tension.

Overall a solid book, but more domestic than thriller. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’m a huge fan of B.A. Paris! But this book dragged on…. It was good, but not great.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press!

A super engrossing read you will not want to put down!

I am a fan of B.A. Paris and so I was very thankful to receive an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review.

I will admit the book started out slow for me in the first few chapters, but once I wrapped my head around the characters and the connections between the couples, I got deeply engrossed to see where the multiple story lines were going. But the ending, holy WOW! I personally did not see it coming! I do not want to give away any spoilers, but the book begins with an explosion and ends with an explosive twist (plus a body count of 3)! If you enjoy domestic thrillers with a twist ending, this one is for you!
Publication Date: February 20, 2024. Rating 4.5 stars

B.A. Paris is the queen of psychological thrillers. This one had me at the edge of my seat anxious and guessing until the very literal last page… I’m talking epilogue last page. This seemingly idyllic family is rocked by a string of tragedies and one house guest who is overstaying her welcome… but in this novel there’s many untrustworthy characters and red herrings that will have you questioning everything and everyone until it’s explosive conclusion. B.A. Paris always writes incredible thrillers and The Guest is no exception.

Big fan of this author, so I was thrilled to get to read the story. It did not disappoint. Meet 3 families that lives intertwine and one “OMG of an epilogue” moment.
Can wait to recommend this to my friends.