When we first meet them, Zach and Cara, along with their daughter Alexa, are just completing the last leg of travel to a luxury resort island in the Maldives. They really need a break as you will find out as the book goes on. As well as them, there are a couple of other guests with connection to them, but again, I am leaving you to discover them for yourself. We also have a couple of prominent resort staff who have their own agendas too. It's all a bit interconnected and convoluted plot wise and not at all easy to hint at without giving a sniff of a spoiler. Suffice to say that it turns out not to be the relaxing idyllic holiday that they were expecting as, well, even right from the off shenanigans ensue... Starting off mild but escalating exponentially as the narrative progresses.
It most definitely didn't mirror my own experience of the Maldives as I personally had a cracking time when I went there!
Its all a bit twisty turny all the way through, with secrets, lies and dysfunctional behaviour aplenty. Often skirting, occasionally crossing the line of credibility, it was nonetheless wholly entertaining and kept me wondering where the next over-the-top shenanigan was coming from, and who it would involve. It also got quite dark, very quickly, deliciously so.
Characters... well, what can I say... probably not much positively as they were all a bit awful in various ways that I can't detail here for fear of spoilers. Overreaction was rife and acting out of character too. But, as I already said, in a very entertaining way.
All a bit thrilling, all the way through, until the ending was delivered. An ending that sadly left me a bit flat and underwhelmed. And didn't quite connect back to the prologue properly. Shame really as it was racing towards a cracking five star rating all the way through.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Nikki Smith does it again. Another enthralling read- this time set in the beautifully picturesque Maldives with clear water, burning sand and a lot of unhappy people trying to escape from their problems. Unfortunately for the Hamiltons, their problems are never far away. Zach- the eco-businessman, his wife Cara and their teenage daughter Alexa all have stresses and the tension builds as they each plot and plan. Nikki is the expert when it comes to suspenseful holiday thrillers and this one does not disappoint. Whatever you think it going to happen, you’re wrong and the twists keep coming. A definite must-read summer thriller.

Not sure why but this book left me feeling flat,maybe the totally unlikeable and annoying characters didn’t help,I was irritated by them from the offset,whatever it was it was just an ok read and wasn’t really for me,apologies

I spent part of my honeymoon on an almost too perfect Maldivian island so my imagination was running wild with The Guests! It was a real page-turner containing a complex cast of characters with their own motivations, gradually revealed to the reader throughout the book. I loved that no-one was quite as they seemed - the person I thought would be the biggest threat to our protagonist turned out to be the one she had the least to worry about! The twists kept coming to the very end, which was great. I definitely need to grab more reads from Nikki Smith!

Great summer book about the Hamilton's who go on holiday to the idyllic Maldives resort. of Asana Fushi for a relaxing vacation where guests are pampered and stay in luxurious villas.
Loved the characters and their secrets and the setting is lovely I wished I was there a great page turner which involves greed and how far people will go to protect their secrets.
Highly recommend for a summer read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've loved this author since ive found her on netgalley and this didn't disappoint. They get better and better.

I adore Nikki Smith's writing. The Beach Party was a brilliant read and I think The Guests is even better.

The setting of this book is just divine, Smith manages to make you believe that you know what it's like to walk along the pristine white sands of The Maldives and dive into the blue waters there, without you ever having been. The characters were brilliant, you feel invested in them and how they are connected from the first few chapters. I loved this book, it's the perfect spring/summer read.

Thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a honest review.
I love Nikkis books so was excited to read this .
This will transport you from dreary uk to a tropical destination and through her writing you feel like you are there .

Packed with tension and suspense and characters who all on paper seem wonderful .
But secrets are exposed and as the island heats up so does the impending feeling something bad is going to happen .
Will have you turning the pages eager to discover the truth ..

Perfect beach read for summer 24

I really enjoyed this book and was totally gripped after the first few chapters.
A wealthy family head to the Maldives and cause absolute carnage, through lies, and leaving people dead and injured.
I really liked the characters, they were developed enough to get to know them, and most of them had an edge.

A great beach read! Would definitely recommend. Made me think back to my visit to the Maldives... Thankfully it didn't end like the book!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Loved the setting of this. This is very much alike other thrillers out there (exotic location, unlikeable characters, deadly secrets etc) but that still meant I couldn't stop reading. Highly recommend.

Wow this book blew me away and I could not put it down. 5* review from me!
I absolutely love a destination psychological thriller that flies me to an exotic paradise! Nikki Smith kept my attention throughout the whole book and I couldn't tear myself away. Centred around a family escaping to wind down after an awful event but secrets from the guests and staff cause twists and turns that hook you.
I would highly recommend this to anyone! And when I mean I ran to check out Nikki Smith's other books I RAN!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review!

this was such an intense thriller!! i devoured this so fast and definitely plan to read more by nikki smith. such a fast paced, high stakes book!!

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

This book was alright. I liked the twists. I was a hit frustrated with the terrible characters but oh well. Overall, not a bad story.

Happy to read more by Smith.

Join Zach, Cara, and their troubled daughter, Alexa, as they escape to a fancy resort in the Maldives for some much-needed family time. Amidst the beautiful setting, they encounter a cast of secretive guests, giving off vibes similar to classic mystery stories. As the plot unfolds, suspense builds, leaving readers eager for more. Special thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an early look at this intriguing tale.

I'm a longtime fan of Nikki Smith, but I think THE GUESTS is her best yet - the setting is divine and perfect for reading on a gray London day.

Huge thanks to the publishers for the advanced copy.

For fans of Alex Michaelides and Ruth Ware! Great story that draws you in and makes you feel you are there with all these awful people, with the sun burning your back, the sand hot on your feet and the luxury of the rooms making you want to be rich enough to afford to go there.

A gripping and tense story set in the beautiful Maldives, very much reminded me of a darker White Lotus. A great, well paced plot with well developed characters and full of twists and topical commentary on wealth and privilege. I'll definitely be looking to read more by Nikki Smith.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Luxury holiday location and edge of your seat thriller is usually my favourite winning combo but unfortunately this hit the mark.
I didn't warm to any of the characters which I find so important and it just didn't flow well for me. I especially didn't like the ending as I felt as well as it being extremely unbelievable I was slightly confused about 1 particularly thing. Why would those 2 people be together on screen? I must've missed something I guess? It just seemed odd. I hadn't realised it was the second of series either which I think would help you but not essential as it is explained, just a little too late for me.
Thank you #NetGalley for the copy. A generous 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for the beautifully described location

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin UK for the ARC. This review is voluntary.

Luxurious family getaway turned nightmare! We all dream about jetting off to the Maldives and escaping all our problems at least 5 times a day right? But for the Hamiltons some dirty laundry just can't be hidden away no matter how much money you throw at it.

I went into this book completely blind and I'm glad I did as I had actually no idea where it was going to go! The amount of twists and turns had me guessing all the way through and I did struggle to put it down at times. I think some discoveries were a little more anticlimactic than others, (maybe that's because nothing shocks me in this world anymore🤭) but I was still hooked and enjoyed the book all the same.

Nikki's writing well and truly transported me to the exotic and picturesque white sandy beaches. The perfect destination thriller to soak up on your summer holiday.

Get whisked away to a tropical eco-paradise where nothing is too much trouble for the obliging and overworked staff, on call 24 hours a day, under the management of permanently stressed Marc.

On the exclusive island getaway are Zach, Cara and their daughter Alexa, plus influencer Skye, and a scattering of other guests. Zach and Cara are trying to reconnect with Alexa, but Zach seems more concerned with his work emails and business deals than spending time with his wife and daughter. Cara and Alexa are overcoming something that has severely affected their relationship and their confidence, and Alexa would much rather be at home partying with her friends than stuck in the middle of nowhere with her family.

The book opens with a child innocently digging up a severed head in the sand- so you know you are in for some dark scenes ahead. We then meet all of the island's guests as they journey to the island and start to learn more about what their expectations and intentions for their holiday.

As we've come to expect from Nikki Smith, not everyone is who they seem on the surface, and as the story develops, we start to see what's underneath- and of course, they're not at all as squeaky clean as they'd first claimed. Its a race to see who can keep their lies going for long enough to reach the next milestone, or will the truth come out before they get there?

Fabulous escapist summer reading, pick it up asap