Young British couple Adam (aspiring writer) and Ruth (actress staring in her first Broadway show) are staying at the house of an older couple, Mona and Jack who they met on a cruise. They answer the door to a young friend of Jack and Mona’s, Eden, who arrives in a torrential storm and blows into their lives as they take pity on her and allow her to stay. The young couple feel that as a friend of the homeowners what can go wrong?!
From the outset it is clear that Jack is struggling as an author to make it big and Ruth has already made a name for herself. The couple and Eden get along well and one night decide to eat and drink far too much tequila and when Adam wakes the next day Ruth and Eden are gone.
The plot is action packed and fast paced. There are some excellent characters, especially Adam who tells most of the story.
Without giving away the plot, and believe me this is an excellent unputdownable roller coaster of a read, there are twists and turns all the way. Who can you trust? Where is Ruth and who can be trusted?
Thank you to Netgalley For the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended.

It’s a hot, humid summer in New York City. British born Adam and Ruth are housesitting for wealthy Mona and Jack Cunningham at their large Brooklyn house while they are away. They met on a cruise where Ruth was acting in a production of The Tempest, she now has a lead role in a Broadway play, her career is taking off. Adam is an aspiring writer but is not as yet successful, so there’s an unevenness to their relationship. One night there a tremendous storm, there’s a knock at the door and there, soaked to the skin is Eden. They invite her in as their kind and she’s dripping wet. She says she knows Mona and Jack well and that they’d invited her to stay if ever she’s in New York. So Adam and Ruth do just that, after all the house is huge and there’s plenty of room. What can possibly go wrong? The story is told principally by Adam with some input from Ruth.

I’m going to say very little about what unfolds as it will spoil the journey for future readers but a lot of the plot is all too possible. There are perhaps one or two occasions where it strays into the zone of the far fetched but did I enjoy it? Oh yes!!! It’s a fast paced, seat of your pants, twist and turn kind of a read. It’s well written and exciting and just as you think you’ve figured a few things out there’s another revelation and ....you’re wrong!! Although not all the characters are very likeable they are well portrayed - Adam is very likeable and real.

Overall, a thought provoking and enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the arc.

Rating: 4 🔪
Author: Mark Edwards
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Release Date: 3rd June 2020
(Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the free early copy!)
Synopsis:
A perfect summer. A perfect stranger. A perfect nightmare.
When British twenty-somethings Ruth and Adam are offered the chance to spend the summer housesitting in New York, they can’t say no. Young, in love and on the cusp of professional success, they feel as if luck is finally on their side.
So the moment that Eden turns up on the doorstep, drenched from a summer storm, it seems only right to share a bit of that good fortune. Beautiful and charismatic, Eden claims to be a friend of the homeowners, who told her she could stay whenever she was in New York.
They know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers—let alone invite them into your home—but after all, Eden’s only a stranger until they get to know her.
As suspicions creep in that Eden may not be who she claims to be, they begin to wonder if they’ve made a terrible mistake…
The House Guest is the chilling new psychological thriller from the three million copy bestselling author of Here to Stay and Follow You Home.

My Thoughts:
This is my first ever Mark Edwards and wow what a first impression. I'll definitely be grabbing his other titles after this. So, what can I say? Mark Edwards has a great skill at writing a masterful psychological thriller. The book starts slowly, but not in a boring way... it's a slow, burning, suspenseful build up drawing the reader along expecting "something" to happen at any moment, not knowing where it will come from or what to expect... it's phenomenal. Then when the "something" happens it takes a while before the full severity of the "something" is revealed, but once it is - BANG!! - your socks are officially knocked off, 'what the heck' is all I could think.
The characters are wonderful. Adam and Ruth are really relatable, realistic characters with a beautifully flawed relationship and insecurities like everyone else. I found them such down to earth and lovable characters. I love characters that have human flaws and insecurities that make them seem more realistic, more interesting and more rounded. Edwards definitely puts all these qualities into his characters and even lesser characters such as 'Greybeard' and even Eden have these qualities too.
The book is a delight to read and does the slow-burn really REALLY well. I couldn't recommend it enough, and I can't wait to try more of Mark Edwards books in the near future.

Reading a new Mark Edwards is always a treat. The author has a wonderful way to pull the reader into the world of his protoganist(s) . This time around, the setting in New York city and the protoganist in an English scriptwriter called Adam and his girlfriend an actress, Ruth. They are housesitting for friends when a woman arrives on their doorstep, looking for the owners of the house. As it is pouring rain, they invite Eden inside for a few moments. This is their first mistake - and will prove fatal. But will them for someone else?
The story continues in a twist manner and it is difficult for the reader to determine if we can really trust Adam. Even as we listen to the story of what is happening to Ruth, there remain elements that do not make sense and our doubt remains.
As a fan, I wouldn't consider this the best of Edward's books but it is still worth reading - delightfully creepy and twisty.
I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It was nice to read a Mark Edwards’ novel that’s set somewhere other than the UK, especially as I have recently visited New York. I was gripped from the start and finished it in a matter of day. As always I loved that the short chapters switch between each characters story, constantly leaving you in suspense and wanting to read the next chapter to get back to their story again. I had figured out that Krugman must have something to do with the cult, but this didn’t spoil the story for me at all. There were plenty of other twists and turns to keep me guessing.

The connection with Mark Edwards’ book The Retreat towards the end was a nice touch, again linking all his stories together in an imaginary world. The Retreat was actually the first book of his that I read.

Also like his letter at the end of his books and the fact that a couple of characters are named after readers who have won a competition.

All in all another brilliant novel from one of my favourite authors.

Mark Edwards does it again...a book I couldn’t put down!
The subject took a turn I wasn’t expecting but is one of great interest in the world today. Everybody is looking for security and a sense of belonging and it’s easy to find someone or something willing to give these things to you. But at what price?

Ruth is on the threshold of a brilliant acting career when her and her partner Adam are offered the chance to house sit in one of New Yorks's most prestigious neighborhoods. All is going well until a young girl arrives and says she is friends with the owners of the house and that they have given her an open invitation to stay whenever she is in the area. Ruth and Adam can't contact the owners but they decide the girl is honest and no threat to them so they agree to let her stay. This is the beginning of events that overtake them and do untold damage to their relationship and much more. Another great psychological thriller from the master of this genre.

Mark Edwards has a knack for creating stories that are incredibly unique. This story was unlike anything I’ve read. He also has a way of creating a scene that almost feels aesthetic. The description of Mona and Jacks’s house was beautifully written and I could picture every aspect that was described. Mark has a way to transport you into his writings.

This was a quick read for me, as most of his books are. As much as I wanted to savor it, I found the plot was ingenious thus making the book unputdownable. Adam, the protagonist was very relatable and likable, as was his girlfriend, Ruth. I find it hard to enjoy a book when you aren’t able to connect with some of the characters.

This story, in a way, reminded me of something Jordan Peele would create. Something with a deeper meaning than what is on the surface. It reminded me of the Hollywood industry and how up and comings (and a lot of others for that matter) would do almost anything to get ahead and be successful. Scientology was mentioned in the story, and it had definitely had a resemblance. This topic (cults within the rich and famous) was always an interesting topic for me.

To reiterate, The House Guest was one of the greatest reads for me, this year. As being a big fan of Mark’s, it’s great to see his literary talents broadening and his story lines coming to America. It’s nice to have a familiar setting to read and picture. This story is unique, satisfying, and downright cunning. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

This is not my first Mark Edwards read. He still writes a super suspense thriller!

Adam and Ruth are house-sitting for their friends. A young woman arrives at the door - she says that she is a friend of the house-owners and hoped that they would be home. It is pouring rain outside, so Ruth and Adam invite her (Eden) in .They talk about Jack and Mona (the house-owners) and Eden is friendly. They invite her stay.
Stay Eden does...

A wonderfully written story with plenty of suspense. A true page-turner! Recommend!

Many Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK , Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a great read.

Another brilliant book from Mark Edwards, I absolutely loved it, could not put it down! Such a chilling story with plenty of twists, definitely worth reading!

Thanks to Netgalley for a preview of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed it & read it in a day.

Ruth & Adam are house sitting for friends of theirs in NYC.

Eden turns up on the door one there soaked from a summer storm. It is from there that things begin to change for everyone.

It is a thrilling & gripping read & has excellent twists. The characters are credible & the story line is fast moving & exciting. It is a great read & will keep you gripped.

LOVED this book, but in all honesty wasn't crazy about the ending, which is the reason for awarding four stars vs five. It was totally gripping and has all the components of a great read. Definitely recommend,

Wow! I am a huge fan of Mark Edwards and honestly believed he could not beat his Magpie series of books which I loved but wow I was surprised. This book is totally dark and twisted and with today’s newspapers full of stories of cults and secret organisations over the year this book brought it out in a fresh and scary way and makes me hope this get made into a film as I would love to see this story on the big screen. The main characters or Ruth, Adam and the mysterious Eve I found captivating and the story kept me hooked right to the last page. I’m quite sad the book had to end if I’m honest.

"A perfect summer. A perfect stranger. A perfect nightmare.

When British twenty-somethings Ruth and Adam are offered the chance to spend the summer housesitting in New York, they can’t say no. Young, in love and on the cusp of professional success, they feel as if luck is finally on their side.

So the moment that Eden turns up on the doorstep, drenched from a summer storm, it seems only right to share a bit of that good fortune. Beautiful and charismatic, Eden claims to be a friend of the homeowners, who told her she could stay whenever she was in New York.

They know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers—let alone invite them into your home—but after all, Eden’s only a stranger until they get to know her.

As suspicions creep in that Eden may not be who she claims to be, they begin to wonder if they’ve made a terrible mistake…"


This book took me on quite a ride! I have read several Mark Edward’s novels in the past, and I can safely say I am a fan. I enjoyed the story from the very beginning and I was fairly sure I knew where it was heading, but a third if the way through it went in a completely different direction than I was anticipating! The first of many plot twists. It got pretty dark and shocking at times, and I was 100% there for it! Edward's writes characters that are so believable and relatable that I could really feel the paranoia, desperation and frustration that Adam was going through. It really was a case of Trust No One!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing all the way until the end and the twists just kept coming.

If you have not read Mark Edwards before and want to try one on his other books out while waiting for The House Guest to go on sale, I recommend last years Here To stay and my personal favourite Because She Loved Me.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Amaon publishing for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* So this was a really good thriller BUT I read this book in two days and omfg I found myself so annoyed with so many characters!!!! just like ahh!! I felt like I was watching a scary movie where the whole time youre just screaming at them like NO STOP THAT. DONT DO TH-. OH YOU DID IT. NOW LOOK WHAT YOU DID. WHY. And I mean it wasn't really unrealistic bc that stuff DOES happen but just !!!!!!! tbh tho wasn't bad, was going to give 4 but id consider reading it again eventually and would recommend for sure.

The House Guest by Mark Edwards Thanks @netgalley @markedwardsauthor and @amazonpublishing for my arc
Publication date 3rd June 2020
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Mark Edwards couldn’t possibly get any better in my eyes but he’s done it again! The House Guest is another incredible modern day nightmare. No fear of spoilers here, I went into those book blind, going by the author alone, thinking it was going to great. And it really is. Fantastic. I highly recommend you read everything by this author. 🖤

Well written, unputdownable, and original. A chilling story that captured my attention and did not let go! I thought the character development was amazing! The plot original, tense, and chilling! Highly, highly recommend! Preorder today, do not want to miss this one!
Will make sure I buzz it up on all the different platforms!

The House Guest was an amazing read by I must say a brilliant author. Every book I have read is a page turner.The house guest is about a couple who house sits for a couple who has went on retreat. The house guest turns this couple lives upside down! I love the suspense I could not stop reading! I absolutely love the ending of the story. Showing exactly how everything unfolds! It's a MUST read.

Mark Edwards is one of my favourite writers and his latest novel did not disappoint! Ruth and Adam get the opportunity to house-sit in New York while also pursuing their dreams of success and fame. A girl called Eden turns up to the house one day claiming to be a friend of the house owners who told her she could stay in the house anytime. Ruth and Adam let Eden stay and start to become friends with her, but is she really who she claims to be or have they made a big mistake inviting her into the house and into their lives? What follows is a tense, chilling tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat and shock and surprise you. It is full of twists and turns and a lot of suspense, and will thrill you right to the end. Mark is such a talented writer and comes up with clever and gripping thrillers and interesting characters. I can't wait for his next book!

Always happy to get a new novel from thus author. I was excited to see it here on Net Galley.
Love his writing style and he just sucks you right in. Was a solid 4 star read from me. Interesting topic without giving anything away was another great book.



Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.