Heather Gudenkauf has never let me down, and her latest novel, The Perfect Host, is the perfect example of why she’s one of my go-to thriller authors! This 5++ star domestic thriller is original, brilliantly crafted, and kept me guessing from start to finish.

I genuinely suspected every single character at some point—the plot was so intricately mapped out that I couldn’t tell who I could trust and who was hiding secrets (which I absolutely loved!). The twists and turns kept piling on top of each other, and by the end my head was spinning in the best possible way.

If you’re searching for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller that you won’t be able to put down, The Perfect Host is the one for you. Once again, Heather Gudenkauf proves why she’s a master of the genre, and I’m already counting down the days until her next masterpiece!

The setup was clever, and kept me guessing. The pacing was well balanced, though there were a couple of moments where I wanted more depth into the hosts’ backstory because it would have made their motivations even stronger. The ending tied things together neatly. Overall, it’s sharp, suspenseful, and delivers

Are we all sick of seeing these extravagant gender reveals on social media??? If so this is the perfect book for you where everything goes horribly wrong but you get to sit back and enjoy watching the crash and burn from a safe distance given that these set of characters definitely deserve it 😂😂😂 who would imagine a gender reveal to result in ass casualties and multiple deceased 😆

I looooove Heather Gudenkauf books! I was so excited to read this and it was such a satisfying read! Also the book cover illustration is just perfect!

The pacing was fast and excellent at keeping your attention throughout, the characters were very well fleshed out and interesting and there was a lot of twists you won’t see coming!

Thank you to HTP books for the netgalley gifted copy!

Publish date : November 4th .. take note and set a reminder, you won’t want to miss this one!

This was an enjoyable quick read with a couple of surprising twists.

Madeline Drake and her husband Wes host a gender reveal party at their farm that goes awry when an explosion kills one and injures several other guests. ATF agent Jamie Saldano returns to the town years after his sister disappears to investigate the cause of the explosion and uncovers more secrets that he expected.

I liked the pacing of this and the characters were well done. The story kept me interested throughout. I would define my recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade publishing for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is now the fifth book I've read by Heather Gudenkauf. I have loved all of them but sadly this was probably my least favorite of them all. Still, definitely not a bad read. I just predicted a lot of the twists. I loved the setup and the beginning. A gender reveal goes chaotic, and there's a death but was it an accident? The start really pulled me in as Heather's books usually do. I think It was just missing the shock and surprise that I was expecting. I do think this will still be good for people who love a popcorn thriller.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Heather Gudenkauf’s The Perfect Hosts opens with one of the most entertaining thriller premises I’ve seen in a while: a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party at a wealthy couple’s ranch that ends in chaos when the celebration turns deadly. I was immediately hooked and flew through this book in just two days.
The novel is fast-paced, atmospheric, and full of small-town secrets. I especially enjoyed the setting of the horse ranch and the way the author explored themes of privilege, power, and the illusion of perfection — particularly in families who believe their wealth can shield them from consequences.
While I liked the main character and found some of the additional cast compelling, the story often felt overstuffed with twists. Gudenkauf definitely wanted readers to suspect everyone, but at times the web of misdirection became a little too convoluted — with characters framing each other, stealing from one another, and planting evidence in ways that didn’t always pay off.
As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, I saw most of the reveals coming, so this may not surprise seasoned thriller fans. That said, for readers newer to the genre, the mystery and shifting suspicions could land more effectively.
Overall, I loved the concept of a gender reveal gone wrong (such a sharp and almost darkly funny starting point), and the novel’s quick pacing makes it an easy binge read. While this wasn’t my favorite Gudenkauf book — I’ve really enjoyed her work in the past and had high hopes — I still think fans of Freida McFadden-style thrillers may enjoy the dramatic, twisty ride.

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf is PERFECT in every way. It's no secret I am a huge fan of this author, and this one was so powerful! Literally, bang!

What starts as honestly an absurd gender reveal party ends in dead bodies and multiple casualties.
The theme is Pistols and Pearls, yeah, the pistols' part didn't work out so well. There was a huge explosion. This had me hooked from page one!

I loved the multiple characters and multiple POV. The characters were well written, well rounded, drawn out, complex, and flawed. I didn't know who I could trust, and I loved that. Though I was rooting for Jamie and so interested in his story.

The twists and turns kept coming and I was all there for it, even with a little whiplash.

The plot was fantastic. Perfectly paced with an incredible setting, I highly recommend this one!

Don't miss it!

Heather Gudenkauf does it again with The Perfect Hosts, a chilling, tightly wound thriller that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go.

From the first page, Gudenkauf sets an eerie tone that builds steadily into a storm of psychological suspense. The characters are expertly crafted, relatable, flawed, and layered, and you’re never quite sure who to trust. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, the story goes in a new direction. It’s unsettling in the best possible way.

What truly sets this book apart is how it blends slow burn tension with moments of sheer intensity. Gudenkauf’s prose is sharp and immersive, and her sense of pacing is masterful. Every chapter ends with that perfect blend of dread and curiosity, making it nearly impossible to stop reading. I devoured it in one sitting.

If you're a fan of smart thrillers with jaw dropping reveals and morally complex characters, The Perfect Hosts is a must-read. Heather Gudenkauf proves once again why she’s a queen of psychological suspense.

Ahhh....this book just wasn't for me. There was a lot going on and I couldn't finish it. This author is hit or miss but I loved The Overnight Guest. But this one just fell flat for me. Thank you NetGalley for the sneak peek!

A very well done, well written psychological thriller, told in multiple perspectives, with multiple suspects as a gender reveal party goes very wrong. It was done much better than the average book with a similar type of story. Lots of secrets and inter connections and no one is exactly as they seem. Kept my interest from start to finish. 4.5

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I’m honestly torn on how I feel about this book. I didn’t really like the style of writing, some characters should have just been weeded out - in the sense of world building I understood their purpose, but they did very little to further the plot, and too many storylines were trying to intersect (it was becoming messy to follow). However, I was wrapped up in the who-done-it of it all. The bones are there for this to be a really good story, it just needs fleshed out.

I felt so lucky to read this book early!
4.5/5
The book started slow but the second half was a wild ride. The way it ended, I hope she continues this into a second book.

This was great. You really don’t know who to trust or who’s doing what (or didn’t do what) and it really kept me on my toes. Super entertaining!

It’s no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Heather Gudenkauf so when I received an ARC of The Perfect Hosts I knew I had to clear my calendar and dive in.

This book was jam packed with secrets, lies and drama with a totally shocking and twisty ending. The cast of characters were SO fun to get to know (and maybe dislike sometimes) and I loved the dual POV chapters. As usual, and not surprising in any way, Heather delivered everything I love in a thriller and I am so honored to have had the chance to read an advanced copy. The Perfect Hosts comes out on November 4th and I promise this is one party you will NOT want to miss!

I always love Heather Gudenkauf's writing, and this book delivered! She does such a great job of creating well-rounded characters and settings in her books. I was captivated right away and loved the suspense and mystery of the story. The ending was great and so well-done!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. The Perfect Hosts was more like a slow burn that quick twists but it was very enjoyable. A couple's over the top reveal party turns deadly and Agent Jamie Saldano is tasked on solving the murder. He has a past with the town and some suspects. Is the past connected with the present? A very enjoyable story.

I love Heather Gudenkauf, but this was the first novel of hers I've read, as opposed to listened to. I really enjoyed the experience!

I inhaled this book! There are multiple layers to the plot, multiple POVs, and many sinister intentions. The question is… who’s at fault here? Is anyone who they seem to be? Can anyone be trusted?

The Perfect Hosts is a well-written suspense thriller, and my only critique is that I wish some of the characters’ storylines were more fleshed out at the end of the story.

It took me less than a day to finish it, simply because I needed answers!! Gudenkauf’s writing is easy to follow and natural to read. I’m excited to see what else she puts out!

Thank you to Park Row books and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Lots of characters, lots of secrets and a lot of lies turn a gender reveal party into a nightmare for ATF agent Jamie Saldano as he tries to find out who planted the bomb that killed one person and injured many more. Gudenkauf does a great job hiding the truth and teasing you with tidbits of information taken out of context, so you don’t know what to believe. The ending was definitely not something I would have predicted.

Heather Gudenkauf is one of my all time favorite authors and I was honored to be approved to receive an ARC of The Perfect Hosts. Once again, she doesn't disappoint!! I absolutely LOVED this book and couldn't put it down! This was an easy 5* read for me!