An Unwanted Guest

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A] well-sculpted domestic thriller . . . highly suspenseful . . . Twists are subtly revealed with aplomb, taking the story to increasingly unpredictable levels.” This is an extremely clever and well played “Whodunit.” I was fascinated by all of the characters and the crazy twists and turns. While I guessed the ending, I was still quite impressed with how it all played out. A job well done for Shari Lapena! This is my first book by the author - it will not be my last. What the guests don’t expect is a blizzard that leaves them with no power or outside communication, no way to leave the hotel, and with a murderer among them. A big thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group and Shari Lapena for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I felt like I was playing an oral game of the classic board game, CLUE. It was one of my favorite games growing up. This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I found the premise and initial setup thoroughly intriguing. Just like the best Golden Age mysteries, there is a limited set of suspects, and everyone is acting questionable and hiding something. In fact, the cover of the book compares this to Agatha Christie, which is high aspiration indeed. An intriguing cast, an isolated location, a raging storm and the threat of death in every dark corner: An Unwanted Guest reads like Agatha Christie with a shot of adrenalin. Clear your desk before you start it because you won’t want to put it down.” This novel was great, it had a classic feel to it. The author did an excellent job with the imagery and the descriptions, I felt I was staying in with the guests during the devastating snow storm. The characters where interesting and compelling and the story maintained a suspenseful grip.An intriguing cast, an isolated location, a raging storm and the threat of death in every dark corner: AN UNWANTED GUEST reads like Agatha Christie with a shot of adrenalin."

I tried to fill in my reading with the audio version on a long drive and I don’t recommend listening to this one. The narrator has an odd robotic cadence and I agree with the reviewer who said it was like being read to by Siri. Each of the guests has a need for this weekend retreat. A romantic getaway for young lovers, a pre-wedding relaxation retreat, a last-ditch effort to save a marriage, a friendship struggling to survive the demons in their past, a writer looking for solitude to create, and someone looking to escape a secret. A group of unsuspecting guests arrive to a snowy, mountain inn for a weekend away from everyone and everything. Each has their own personal reasons for being there. Re-kindle a faltering romance, repair a once close friendship. Maybe even a working weekend. Whatever the reason, it was going to be a pleasant getaway. With a violent storm raging, the group finds itself completely cut off from the outside world. Nobody can get in - or out. And then the first body is found . . . and the horrifying truth comes to light. There's a killer among them - and nowhere to run. Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Not a Happy FamilyI started reading An Unwanted Guest on 11/3/18 and finished it on 11/17/18 at 3:36am. This book is an excellent read! I love how the story slowly reveals each person having a secret they want to keep hidden but at the same time very much wanting to unravel their peers' secrets. I enjoy reading each character's personal thoughts a lot. Lauren likes to size up other guests and right away decide who she likes and dislikes. Candace pays close attention to people's demeanor and Beverly notices body language when others don't realize. Many characters seems to be very observant, like David saying he can tell when someone lies. I have thought about annoying the guest by making them pay for their stay in my house. It may be a good idea. Let them buy the food by themselves if they eat a lot or contribute to your electricity bill. Try to convey that nothing is free and your kindness has limit. Don’t afraid to cost them a little of money. I think this way can work for you. 10. Assign Them Chores Tell them that other house guests will be arriving soon. For example, let them know that your in-laws are coming to visit and need to stay in the room they are staying in. Say “John, I’m so sorry, but my in-laws are coming to stay for a week starting Friday, we’ve got to have our guest room available to them.”