The Guest House - Robin Morgan-Bentley

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Jamie and Victoria set off on a remote, quiet getaway before the arrival of their miracle baby--one that doctors told them would likely never come. Before long, it becomes clear that something isn't quite right at the guest house of Fiona and Barry, and what should have been an idyllic escape for Jamie and Victoria turns out to be anything but.

Heart-pounding and wildly-entertaining right off the bat, "The Guest House" is a thriller that started out very strong for me and ended up losing some of its plausibility by the end of the story. Within the first several pages, readers are plunged right into a tense, suspenseful, and fast-paced narrative that's impossible to stop reading. The setting felt fresh, the alternating perspectives between Jamie and Victoria offered some layers to the story, and it was clear that a twist of some kind was simmering beneath the surface in the first quarter of the book. 

As the story progressed, however, there were a few key pieces of dialogue that really lost me by not feeling plausible or by feeling like they came out of left field; the plot line held my attention right up until the end of the story, but ultimately "the twist" left me with a lot of questions and left me wanting more. The execution wasn't clunky but it also wasn't perfect; and when we're talking about thrillers, it's as much the execution of the twist as the twist itself that makes a 5-star thriller. 

All in all, "The Guest House" is an entertaining (albeit forgettable) thriller that readers are sure to fly through in a few sittings; it makes a noble effort to offer up some complex characters and a unique twist, but for me personally, it fell just short on both accounts. 

Rating: 3 Stars

Publication Details: Out 9/13/22, Poisoned Pen Press 

Huge thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing my review copy!

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