As a bit of an introvert, I found this domestic thriller to be instantly relatable- how do tensions and drama escalate with a friend overstays their welcome?

Iris and Gabriel have hit a rough patch, which is certainly not made better by an unexpected guest in their home. Laure not only turns their world upside with bombshell news, but also makes herself a bit too comfortable as tension and unanswered questions begin to build. As Iris and Gabriel also become close with the new neighbors, it becomes clear that everyone has secrets to hide.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s highly readable and goes by quickly. The author sprinkles in enough small twists and turns to keep the reader engaged in the mystery, and I found myself wanting to know what happens next throughout the entire book. Unfortunately, the end did fall a little flat for me. Although I think the ending was intended to be a pretty jaw-dropping twist, it felt a bit inevitable. Without spoilers, all I can say is that there were several character actions throughout that couldn’t have been explained by any other ending. However, the ride to the ending was enjoyable, and I would recommend it to others. Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

This was an interesting novel, definitely elements of suspense / thriller, but more a twisted domestic tale. Overall kept my interest but I didn't really feel connected to any of the main characters and in fact found them all fairly annoying

This was my first BA Paris and I don’t know if it was a great representation. It felt more like a drama than a domestic psychological thriller: it was fine but took me awhile to get into what was going on.

Twisty Psychological Thriller about three main character couples, had a hard time getting into this book. Begining of the book seems dawn out a little to get to know the characters . Usually a fan of B.A. Paris but had a hard time getting into this book.

This is the first book by this author I've read, and based on it, I will certainly read more.

Iris and Gabriel are going through a rocky spot in their marriage. The tension between them isn't helped when they return home from a vacation and find their friend Laure has left her husband Pierre and moved into their house. Laure is constantly underfoot and knows no boundaries, and as her stay doesn't seem to be ending any time soon, both fragile marriages are put to the test. Iris turns to her new neighbors for emotional support, but they, too, have a guest in the form of a mysterious gardener whose secrets Iris and Gabriel try to unravel. The tension continues to mount as the couple's lives become more intertwined.

Although not particularly fast-paced, this is an interesting story with secrets abounding. There are twists, but mostly, this is about the delicate nature of relationships. There are deaths, some of which I didn't find especially plausible. Overall, I found this to be a satisfying psychological thriller. 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 20, 2024.

Had a hard time getting started due to the slow pace. Not as fast paced as some of the other books written by B. A. Paris. Overall great storyline and kept me intrigued once the story sped up

As always, this book did not disappoint. I love stories where you suspect things, and are completely wrong. There was a part in the epilogue that had me shaking my head and laughing because I just thought it was a little extreme. Overall, it was extremely good. 4.5 stars ⭐️

After Gabriel and Iris arrive home from their trip, they find their friend staying at their house claiming her husband has had an affair and she has left him. As she starts to outstay her welcome and puts strain on Gabriel and Iris’s marriage, secrets start coming to light.

Wow! This is how you do a domestic thriller. I enjoyed all the characters and the pacing of the plot. While not rapidly fast, there is character development and escalating intrigue to keep you turning the pages. The ending is so satisfying and throws a twist you didn’t see coming.

The writing is well done and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

As always with B A Paris, The Guest is fast pace, edgy, and such a twisty suspense that had me fast turning pages. When I thought I had it all figured out the the twists came and left me wanting more!

It is rare when an epilogue ruins a book...but I think this one did just that. I was intrigued for the entire book but the ending was rushed and felt too easy. I will still read anything B.A. Paris writes but this one will not be on my list of favorites.

Iris and Gabriel were not expecting a guest when they got home from their vacation. Yet they find their close friend Laurel inside their house with a fantastic story about how her husband is the father to another woman’s child. Laurel needs space to process this information and asks to stay with Iris and Gabriel as she and Pierre work through their problems. But when Pierre becomes difficult to get ahold of and Laurel seems to have zero interest in leaving Iris and Gabriel’s house they are pushed to the limits of their hospitality. The longer Laurel stays it seems the more that secrets that were meant to stay buried become unearthed. Secrets so dark that murder seems to be the only way to keep them safe.
This is a fantastic story which does a great job of keeping the reader engaged. The characterization is extremely strong, and nothing is revealed until it needs to be. There are some pieces the reader will be able to figure out before the final reveal, but the big reveal is perfect and nothing I saw coming. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

The Guest is more of a domestic drama/mystery which is different from what B.A. Paris usually writes which is psychological thrillers. I felt this book felt flat. I had a hard time staying with the story as the characters were just talking about their problems and not much was changing from chapter to chapter. It was pretty slow. There was some intriguing parts with uninvited guests and mystery and the end was good. I rate this a good book.. 3 stars.

The Guest started out really good, a great premise with Iris and Gabriel returning home from holiday and finding an unexpected guest in their house. They have been friends with Laure and Pierre for 20 years and when either are traveling, they always offer their home for the other to stay in. Unfortunately, Laure shows up after finding out some devastating news about Pierre... and then she stays for weeks while dealing with her marriage drama. The middle of this book is pretty slow, although it was still captivating because as a B.A. Paris fan, I know there will be an unexpected twist. And I loved the final twist... the reveal was long, complex and unexpected. A great psychological thriller if you enjoy domestic suspense and drama with unsolved murders thrown in.

Just wow! In true B.A. Paris fashion, the twists and turns of this domestic thriller will have your head spinning! The beginning does start off a little slow, setting the scene of Iris & Gabriels life/marriage, and the visiting fried (Laure) who adds to their already existing struggles. Trust me though, stick with it & this book will not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press, & the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

oh my gawd, I can’t believe how, after reading loads of thrillers, I didn’t see the twist coming! How humiliating! So I’ll put that on the talent of the author!! The story was well written, not too rushed, which I appreciated! Iris annoyed me a lot, always complaining about the grief of her husband, and then it was Gabriel’s turn. The characters were well written, the plot too! It was a great book and I will certainly read more of this author!

Just finished my first BA Paris book. I'm a sucker for domestic thrillers with multiple perspectives and questionable neighbors/friends potentially doing bad things, and this one delivered. I was hooked from the beginning when Iris and Gabrielle return from a trip to find their friend Laure has not only moved in but also left her husband, Pierre.. Add some drama with new neighbors and a charming handyman – let's just say, not everyone is making the best life choices and not everyone is very likable . At times I found myself wanting to shake some sense into them.

It's a bit of a slow burn, but the short chapters had me flipping through like crazy. I had to know what secrets everyone was hiding! The final “act” caught me off guard, and it's presented in a way I hadn't seen before in my usual books. But the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the unique approach. Definitely adding more BA Paris to my reading list!

The Guest is a multi layered domestic drama/thriller. There are a few different storylines in this one:
First we have Gabriel & Iris, a married couple who get a surprise visit from Laure, a long time friend of theirs who has just found out her husband has a child with another woman.
Then, we have Gabriel & Iris's neighbors - expecting parents, Hugh & Esme, as well as their gardener, Joseph.
In addition, there is the storyline of Charlie, a young boy who recently died after a biking accident and Gabriel was the last person to see him alive...

Though I was intrigued by the story at first, I quickly lost interest as it's about 50% of the way through the book before things really pick up. I had a hard time with the dialogue between characters in this one. It seemed very stiff & unrealistic at times. The story also became repetitive as we would have a conversation between two characters, then one of the characters would recount the conversation to someone else, resulting in us reading the same thing over & over.

A lot of the plot was very slow as well, I wouldn't really classify this as a thriller since there weren't really any suspense/intense/thrilling aspects to it at all. A lot of the plot is filled with mundane tasks & conversations that do not hold any value to the plot. Personally, I felt the Charlie/Gabriel storyline was sort of pointless and doesn't really fit along with the rest of it, in my opinion. The book could do just fine without it.

Next, the prologue. I think having this was entirely unnecessary as it is just confusing more than anything. You are thrown into a random night & a random conversation with characters you don't know and given no context. Only for the same exact chapter word for word to repeat towards the end of the book.

aaaaannndddd, the epilogue. This is one of my biggest issues with the book. Without the epilogue, this is nothing. The book ends with no explanation & no conclusion except the epilogue which is extremelyyy long and takes you through the ENTIRE book ..one more time! As if it wasn't already repetitive enough. We are essentially taken through moment by moment and explained who the killer is, how they committed the murders, and why. I'm sorry, but I hate a mystery book that just tells you the explanation, rather than shows you, and I hate when the explanation is shoved at the end as if it's an after thought 🤦🏼‍♀️

I usually enjoy this author’s stories. This one was not one of those. The main part of the book dragged on and on and the big “twist” at the end did not feel like a twist at all. I didn’t like most of the characters, the plot (not that there was much of a plot), or the ending. This book missed the mark for me on all levels. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book without really knowing anything about it. And the prologue had me hooked right away!

Unfortunately, after a few more chapters, I found it had slowed down. A lot. While I was never bored or having thoughts of not finishing, it was not holding my attention quite like the prologue did or drawing me back in to find out what would happen next.

The burn was definitely slow with this one. It did start to build toward the end, but I found the chapter before the epilogue ended so abruptly and without revealing anything or leaving you on a cliffhanger. The epilogue just explained everything, which felt very drawn out and quite anticlimactic.

This one was a miss for me.

This is definitely more of a slow burn than a quick paced book but still kept my interest until the end. At the beginning, I was confused with all the different names and had to reread it a few times to get who was who. I did not see the ending coming but enjoyed it.