Shari Lapena is definitely one of my favourite thriller authors. Her writing always delivers and keeps me hooked! Just fantastic!

A super twisty, locked room typ book set in a remote hotel with a killer on the loose. Gripping and a real page-turner.

So off they go into the depth of the woods in a forest. It’s wintertime, it’s snowing.

They stay in a lodge, on their own. Great retreat for an author.
Great retreat for husband and wife to reevaluate life, marriage and future.

Scene set for a bit of skiing maybe.

Quiet peaceful time.

Time to reflect.

Just them in the book.

Going to be boring....right?

No!

I don’t quite know how Shari Lapena does it, but she did.
Every single word, every single sentence, every single paragraph, I was hooked.

Listening to this on audio meant I could go about my daily chores, drive to the store etc and still be able to listen to this book.

I cooked dinner too listening to this book.

Once it finished I was astounded at such a “simple” book with such a background, not many characters (unless they were dead) in this book.

This is a “whodunnit “ at excellent exceptional talent with a brain that has come up with a remarkable concept.

The plot? Exceptionally wonderful keeping me very busy gasping.

The characters? Although few had me guessing all the way through.

I love this authors way of writing.
It leads you but yet, you go astray!

It’s simple and straightforward to read and understand, yet you get confused so it makes you think twice.

Loved it.

Ok, so I’m the first to admit that I didn’t really enjoy The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena so whilst I was curious to read more of her work I wasn’t holding out hope that I would love it. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying this a lot more than I expected and actually towards the end I could not put it down.

It’s a bit of a page turner!

The book is set in Mitchell’s Inn, a small hotel in the middle of nowhere. Several different characters have battled through a snowstorm to spend a relaxing weekend in a charming hotel deep in the woods.

Except the storm gets worse, the power goes out and bodies start appearing.

Now I’ve never read any Agatha Christie ( I know, I’m sorry!) but I HAVE seen Murder on The Orient Express (the remake, again sorry about me!) and this gave me the same sort of vibes. Several people trapped, no one can get in, no one can get out. A body appears so is the murderer amongst them?

The claustrophobic setting gave me the chills and not just because it was set in the middle of an icy storm. Descriptions of walking around dark staircases with flickering oil lamps and all the different nooks and crannies is the perfect setting for a murder mystery. At one point I felt like it was a written game of Cluedo…it was Mr Peacock in the library with a candlestick!

This book had a lot of characters and a lot of secrets to unravel. It really did keep me guessing the whole way through. I didn’t guess the killer until it was practically staring me in the face and I particularly enjoyed the very final twist at the end even if it was slightly far fetched.

This is definitely my favourite Shar Lapena novel I have read so far and am looking forward to checking out her other 2 books at some point.

I give this book 4/5 stars

Wow, wow and wow again! I've been a HUGE Shari Lapena fan since The Couple Next Door and so the prepublication marketing frenzy that surrounded this, her third novel, made me desperate to read it. Described by early reviewers as an homage to Agatha Christie, An Unwanted Guest is a brilliant "closed room" mystery that reads like a cross between The Mousetrap and And Then There Were None. It would make a fabulous film so if anyone reading this knows Reese Witherspoon then please press this book into her hands and make her sign up for the film rights! There's one of the characters who would suit her perfectly so a starring role could be on the cards for her too!!
Shari Lapena slowly builds up the tension here by taking her time setting her scene so that by the time the guests are alerted to a sudden death by a scream, I had the perfect picture of Mitchell's Inn in my head. She has cleverly crafted a sense of place for her thriller to unfold in and then sat back to let the characters carry her plot. The gradual unraveling of the backgrounds and personalities of the staff and guests at the inn set the ideal pace for the narrative and I was sucked into the claustrophobic atmosphere of Mitchell's Inn.
As with any decent murder mystery, there were plenty of red herrings but I do have to admit to picking up on the same clues that one of the guests did (not telling you which guest though!) so I had my suspicions from about half way through as to who the murderer was. I was nearly right as I got the who but not the why and there were a few twists along the way that fooled me but ultimately I was reading with my mouth open as I raced towards the final page.
I adored An Unwanted Guest! It's an easily read book that you won't be able to put down. Shari Lapena writes an involving and addictive storyline that will slowly envelope you, trusting no one as you play detective yourself. I'm sure it's going to be a HUGE bestseller and deservingly so!

A rather dull book on 10 apparent strangers that head to a ranch for a weekend away that turns murderous. The power goes out during a wild snow storm that blocks access to the ranch and when a guest is found dead after the first night there, nothing and no one is what it seems.

A good concept for a story but I found this book to be rather simple and a little far fetched at times. While the characters had nice little back stories that kept me guessing who did it, I found myself a little bored while getting to the crux of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant book - could not put this down! Shari Lapena has an amazing knack for writing thrillers full of twists & turns. You never know what’s coming next. Loved it!

Sorry, but I found this ot be an attempt at a modern take on an Agatha Christie novel, which didn't quite hit the spot. Not my cup of tea.

Shari Lapena is fast becoming an author that people look out for and await her new release with anticipation

This book is such a good read there are quite a few characters and once you get used to them it’s a book you can’t help but to keep reading

This book has a twist near the end which is quite good but the little gem is the final twist on the last couple of pages I really didn’t see that coming

Loads of characters with secrets and a bunch of people getting murdered on a weekend away - get the kettle on and make sure you have a good few hours free

Highly recommended

Well what can I say other than An Unwanted Guest is such a twisty story and I loved it! The whole atmosphere in this book had such a heavy and dark feeling along with a brilliant tension that felt as if it might snap at any moment. It had that edge of your seat feel to it and made me ever so nervous while reading! From the isolated location, the lodge itself to then add in a storm and murder well you really do end up with a winning formula.

Even though there were a few characters to follow they each had their distinct personalities so it was very easy to get to know them without getting confused. Not all were likeable and I pretty much suspected them all at one point with me constantly changing my mind as each new revelation surfaced. There were secrets, mistrust and a few surprises along the way which really helped keep both the momentum and tension all the way through. I loved not knowing what would happen next as you get to experience the guests becoming more nervous, scared and agitated. Shari Lapena really makes the reader feel apart of the story or at least that’s the way I felt.

I love a book that even when you aren’t reading it you are thinking about it and this is exactly what I found with An Unwanted Guest. The story has a classic feel to it which also really appealed to me. Every character plays their part well and Shari Lapena takes the time to draw out their personalities all the while hinting at a possible darker edge. I thought that the ending was very cleverly done and I may have not figured it all out but I had realised one thing and I think it made for the perfect ending!

An Uninvited Guest is intense, dark and has a very cleverly crafted plot!

Once I'd read the synopsis I was desperate to read this - I love a book in the style of And Then There Were None! The story is very atmospheric and well-described. There is a good build up of getting to know the various characters and everything such a story needs: a country house hotel, a swirling snowstorm, a power cut and trapped strangers - and then the first death occurs... There are a couple of intriguing subplots and some great moments of suspense and tension. I enjoyed the plot and I did not guess whodunnit. I will be interested to see Shari Lapena's next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC of An Unwanted Guest.

Geez what a great read, so a group of guests book into the Mitchell Inn for a weekend away from everything, they end up snowed in with no phone signal or wifi, and the next day they find a body dead at the bottom of the stairs, just what you want on a nice weekend away lol

So whodunnit???

I didn't guess who it was, and I usually do so well done Shari...full of red herrings and twists and turns and packed with suspense this is a great book for anyone who likes being on the edge of their seats, a must read for 2018!!!

Bored and underwhelmed was how i felt reading this book. The novel had a great premise but honestly didn't measure up. The tension just wasn't there for me.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It has a fantastic cast of characters – each with their secrets, issues and problems, and the setting perfectly creates tension. I have read, and enjoyed other novels by this author. Loved this one too

When 12 guests arrive at the remote Mitchell’s Inn, they are all looking forward to a relaxing weekend away deep in the forest. However, with a violent snowstorm raging, the group find themselves cut off from the world and unable to escape. The first body is found, and the horrifying truth comes to light that there’s a killer among them and nowhere to run.

What I really enjoyed about this book was that it was full of suspense; Lapena told the story through the viewpoint of each guest. This meant that as a reader, you had a backstory to each character and each of their interpretation of events, allowing you to create judgements for yourself.

My only criticism is that it is based upon an Agatha Christie classic, which meant that despite unexpected twists, the basic premise of the book was simple to figure out and follow, as it has been done many times before. I also felt as though the ending to the novel was disappointing due to the detective basing her conclusions upon one small clue which drew the story to a swift end.

Lucy

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

When guests are trapped in a mountain lodge hotel by a storm, the weather becomes the least of their problems when there's a murder. This means there is a murderer amongst them. This heightens the tension. Who is it? It was interesting how the guests interacted, their stories and later their reactions to the dilemma. I thought it was quite scary and was relieved to be at home! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House. UK

Plot: A collection of guests arrive at an isolated mountain lodge hotel in the Catskills in the middle of a winter storm and are almost immediately cut off by the weather. Each guest has their own backstory, from the couple attempting to rekindle their romance after many years to an author working quietly on her book and friends reconnecting. Then suddenly one guest turns up dead and the book plunges into a “whodunnit” murder mystery as more and more guests are picked off. All they can do is wait out the storm and try to stay safe from the murderer in the midst.

My thoughts: I love a good murder mystery on TV, and this style of whodunnit was so similar to the stories we often watch like Midsomer Murders, Father Brown or Lewis, as in, it had that element of being slightly ridiculous and amusing at the ways and predictability of how people were dying, but also entertaining, in only that strange way murder mysteries can sometimes be. It wasn’t anything brilliant, but at under 300 pages with a cozy and almost romantic snowed-in setting, it was a quick, fun read that was difficult to put down as you sped through it to find out the killer.

An isolated luxurious hotel in the mountains, assorted secretive people who have come to spend a weekend, away from it all. All is great until an ice storm hits, cutting them off from civilisation, then all hell breaks loose. Reads very much like an Agatha Christie type of book, so great for people who like “whodunnits” with a slightly sinister feel. Sadly the way it was written really let the story down - it was stilted and awkward and with so many people having their say, a bit muddled. I read it all as I enjoy murder mysteries but I was left feeling disappointed by this book.

A perfect getaway to a beautiful, remote hotel turns deadly in this claustrophobic, pulse-pounding and unputdownable thriller from the author of The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie, this is a hugely clever mystery with a compelling plot, perfect pacing and simmering tension. Don’t miss it.

This book reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel, captivating from start to finish. I read it in one sitting and was kept guessing until the very end - and even when you think it's all come out in the wash, there's yet another twist!

Definitely one to read with the lights on - and not when you've got a trip to a remote hotel planned...