The Guest by B.A. Paris had so much promise in the premise – the house guest that won’t leave with secrets and lies galore. And while this was compelling enough to keep me going, it was such a slow burn, that upon finishing it didn’t feel like the payoff was enough to say it was worth it.

Iris and Gabriel return from a holiday to find their friend, Laure, at their home distraught. She has had a fight with her husband, Peirre, and asks to stay a few weeks. While initially being supportive, Iris and Gabriel start to feel a smothered by Laure’s presence. With her unpredictable moods and no sign she is looking to go home, secrets and lies start to surface.

I don’t want to say to much about the storyline in this one as I think unravelling it was what made me keep going with this one. It was compelling and intriguing but there were so many repetitive passages and word for word conversations that it became annoying. And while the twist was satisfying, I can’t believe having to wait for the epilogue – literally the last few pages - to feel like there was any action.

I’ve seen lots of love for this one so maybe I’m just in the minority but my overall feeling about this book is annoyance. I’ve continued reading this author since picking up her debut, Behind Closed Doors, in 2016 and loving it (5 star read for me!). But to be honest, I haven’t had that same feeling about one of her books since (I’ve read 5 more) and I think The Guest may be my last attempt.