Another great read from Heidi Perks. Laila is lounging by the pool on holiday in Greece with her husband. While checking out the other guests Laila becomes obsessed with one of the families, a well off couple with two sons. When one of the sons is found dead in the pool by the family’s villa an investigation is launched. Laila thinks she knows the truth but is also a suspect The book is cleverly written with believable characters, twists and turns. This would be an intriguing book for your holiday bag. A gripping but easy read.

Very slow to get going and not really very thrilling. Couldn't quite take to the characters,not many surprises.

I really enjoyed the idea of the story.

Wasn't fast paced but a really enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages.

I was really enticed by the premise of a couple going on holiday and the wife people watching and I really enjoyed the novel but I like a bit of extra bite to my thrillers. A good read none the less and a gripping read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

I wasn’t enamoured by this book to be honest!
I felt like it was tad boring, repetitive and as if I was constantly waiting for something big to happen!
I also found the title and cover to actually not have that much to do with the book.
That said, I did want to keep reading and find out what happened, was just a tad disappointed when I did 😩😂 it won’t put me off reading other books by Heidi though and I’m sure my opinions will differ from others!

Thank you to @netgalley for sending it to me in return for an honest review.

A slow-burn suspenseful "vacation gone wrong" thriller. Not the most original novel, but fits the bill as an entertaining beach read.

She thinks she knows the truth. But what if she's wrong?
Laila and her husband arrive for a week's holiday in Greece in desperate need of a reset.
As Laila sits by the pool she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the other family staying in their resort.
Em has no idea who Laila is, or that she has been watching her and her teenage sons and husband so intently.
Five days later their worlds will be blown apart by a horrifying event.
Laila thinks she knows the truth of what happened. But in telling Em what she's seen, she stands to lose everything she holds dear.
And what if she's got it wrong?

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Wow! I love Heidi Perks novels and IMO this her best one to date! The story focuses on 2 women who have come to White Sands Resort on the island of Ixos in Greece; Laila who has come on holiday for a break with her husband James after their 5th failed attempt at IVF, and EM who has come on holiday with her husband Rob and her two teenage sons. On day 3 of the holiday there is a murder (no spoiler) and you, along with the guests) are left trying to work out whodunnit.

The way Heidi has written and described the venue really makes you feel like you are on holiday with the characters, especially as Laila (like me) is a people watcher!

I found this novel really difficult to put down and several times woke up in the morning with my kindle on my chest! I highly recommend this book, especially if (like me) you’d like to escape these gloomy February days for a couple of weeks but can’t afford a 5* holiday atm… have a 5⭐️ read instead!

A MASSIVE thank you to Century & Penguin Random House Publishing and NetGalley UK for ARC

The blurb and name seemed interesting but it’s a little misleading as it doesn’t quite fit in with the storyline. It’s described as thriller but it really didn’t live up to that. There are no real twists or turns. No build up or suspense. I found it dull and it never really got going. The characters for me werent likeable in any way with Laila being a little irritating. Story was a real slow burn and dragged out with an ending that was just meh. Not a favourite I’m afraid.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read #TheOtherGuest

The Other Guest by Heidi Perks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: 19/01/2023
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Laila heads off on holiday with her husband to a luxury resort. Too much time on her hands leads Laila to people watch, imagining how her life could have been and make assumptions about the lives of the others. As an horrific event tumbles into the lives of the holiday makers, Laila thinks she knows the truth of what happened, but does she?
This novel kept me gripped through the different parts and differing narratives. It instantly hooked me due to its opening chapter. I got equally immersed into Laila’s head and the views she was creating. I felt the ending was a little flatter than it could have been which is why I gave it 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Heidi Perks and Random House for this ARC in return for an honest review.
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#books #booknerd #bookworm #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstack #bookchallenge #booklover #reader #read #2023Reads #readersofinstagram #reading #bookswithcookandacuppa #NetGalley #HeidiPerks #TheOtherGuest

This one was fairly enjoyable. I liked the concept of the story and the contrast of the different characters within the book. The second half was more enjoyable but all in all this was still a decent read.

Laila is a people watcher. On holiday with her husband on a Greek Island, she is obsessed with another family, she cannot stop watching them. Then a tragedy occurs and the atmosphere in the resort changes. What happened?

I found this book too irritating,

2 stars

I love a good thriller, especially when they edge towards the domestic, and The Other Guest fits the bill wonderfully.

The book is set on a small Greek island and is mostly about one couple and one family holidaying at the all-inclusive, expensive and luxurious White Sands resort.

Laila and her husband, James, are on what is pretty much a make-or-break holiday to try and repair the damage to their marriage that the stress of several courses of IVF has caused. But it also appears the couple are harbouring some other secrets.

Laila is a people-watcher, something I can identify with myself. She cannot stop attempting to analyse the various people around the pool, and with this comes feelings of envy for Em and her two teenage boys, Isaac and Theo. A family is all she’s ever wanted.

When a tragedy occurs, Laila’s people-watching comes of interest to the local police. Does she hold vital information, or has she just made everything worse?

The book's first part is Laila’s account of the first few days of the holiday, and she’s a little unreliable as the reader doesn’t know how much is simply watching and how much is snooping, which she absolutely isn’t above.

Interspersed with Laila’s sections are chapters about the events after the tragedy is discovered. Of course, when a teenager is found dead in the swimming pool, all the guests come under suspicion, but which of them had the motive and the opportunity to commit such a crime?

Later we discover more from Em’s point of view, and gradually, the two strands of the story become intertwined.

Perks keeps the character list relatively small, and it’s great to see how, as they all become embroiled in the tragic events, their relationship dynamics change.

With a solid start, The Other Guest was a real page-turner. It was easy to read and kept my interest and intrigue even though the plot is a little predictable and the story a little protracted.

The Other Guest is ideal summer holiday reading, particularly poolside and cocktail in hand. 3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this proof copy in return for an, as always, honest review.

An exciting suspense story that has devastating consequences for both families. What should have been a relaxing break in Greece turns out to be their worst nightmare. There are no winners in this story. Heidi Perks never disappoints as we are left guessing so many things right until the end.

Heidi Perks is one of my favourite thriller writers and this, her latest book does not disappoint. She crafts a plot well and her characters are very believable and well drawn and are easy to feel connected to. This is told over a duel timeline and perspective. The setting in an upmarket hotel on the Greek island of Ixos, which adds an air of excitement to the story. When a teenager is found dead in the swimming pool all the guests comes under suspicion, but which of them had the motive and the opportunity to commit such a callous crime?
Laila and her husband James are on holiday after another failed attempt at IVF. James wants to give up on their plans for a baby and just enjoy their life as it is, Laila meanwhile wants to continue trying to concieve. Their relationship is now strained as they come to terms with their individual needs. Em, another guest is the mother of two teenage boys, the perfect family to all outward appearances. But like all families they have their own secrets that are kept well hidden. As they all become embroiled in the tragic event we see how their relationship dynamics change as they try to protect each other.
Heidi Perks keeps the reader guessing throughout. Her plots are full of twists and turns. This is a perfect beach read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy to review.

Set in a Greek luxurious resort The Other Guest tells the story of Laila and James who go on holiday to rekindle their relationship and relax after the strain of the IVF treatment that they had been undergoing. People-watcher Laila sees something when, partway through the holiday, tragedy strikes and it is unclear who is responsible.

The novel has clever plotting and it's big on relationship dynamics, with the character of Laila being totally believable. Engrossing and addictive.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Laila and her husband, James, arrive at a Greek island resort in a desperate attempt to save their marriage. After several unsuccessful IVF procedures, Laila becomes fascinated with watching other families, especially mothers with their children. Her attention is captivated by Em and her relationship with her teenage sons. Suddenly, the guests of the resort are shocked by a body found floating in the swimming pool...

The Other Guest is an unusual read. It is a crime story and a psychological novel at once. Written from multiple points of view, the narration gives deep insight into the thoughts and motivations of the characters. There are also long passages where Laila, fascinated by psychology, describes the behaviour of the other guests. To sum up, this is not a typical fast-paced crime story, but it has a few themes specific to the genre. For example, for much longer than I anticipated, we don’t even know who was killed, not to mention how or when.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for providing the arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

An okay read

Initially gripped, I had high hopes for this book, unfortunately, after the main event (which happened very early in the story), not a lot happened and sadly I found the ending quite disappointing.

Laila has been taken away on a luxurious holiday by her husband James. After many failed attempts at IVF, James has told Laila he no longer wants to try for a baby and hopes this holiday will be exactly what they both need.

Lying by the pool Laila likes to people-watch (don’t we all! 😂). However, she becomes a tad obsessed with another lady and her family, much to the annoyance of James who is starting to act strange and seems to be harbouring some secrets of his own! With a couple of other suspicious characters, there are certainly plenty of suspects when tragedy strikes at the resort just a few days into the holiday!

This was an enjoyable read and at no point did I not want to finish it, it just sadly didn’t tick the right boxes for me. I feel the cover, blurb and grab line are a little misleading. ‘She knows what she saw, but is it the truth’. I’m not sure that’s quite right as to what happens in the story.

After the tragedy near the start, the rest of the book is a bit lacklustre. The twists are there, but they didn’t blow me away. I really wanted to be shocked by the ending as that would’ve made this book great, but sadly it was a bit of an anti-climax and predictable in parts.

My thoughts could merely be down to the fact that I read so many thrillers that it takes a lot to shock and surprise me now. I really do appreciate the time and effort an author puts into writing a book and I’m a big fan of Heidi Perks’s books, I guess sadly we can’t love everything we read. Heidi is a great writer and I love how she set the scene in this book, making me dream of sunny holidays.

I’m possibly in the minority by not being overly struck on this one, so please do judge for yourself.

Thank you to Heidi Perks, Century and NetGalley for my copy of this book.

2.5 ⭐️ - Okay mystery set in a luxury Greek resort

So I was a little disappointed in this book. For me it just wasn't gripping enough and the plot felt a little boring. Couple go on expensive holiday after years of unsuccessful IVF, someone dies, lots of questioning by police, truth revealed.

I kept waiting for a big twist or something really sinister to happen but it never came. The setting is nice and the descriptions are good but the charterers irritated me and the ending was a bit lacklustre. I feel you might enjoy this more sat round the pool people watching like the main character.

Thanks to Century & Netgalley for the ARC

Heidi Perks does it again. The Other Guest takes you on a holiday that a couple can’t afford but desperately need to try and put themselves back together. Victims of the emotional toll IVF can put on a relationship this was their new start. But fate has other ideas.

I enjoyed the face that I really couldn’t predict the ending and had to keep reading sometimes late into the night to try and find the next clue. Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.