AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ‘The Guest’ by B.A. Paris, narrated by Emily Joyce

Synopsis

Iris and Gabriel have just got home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their dearest friends, Laure, is in their house – sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris’ clothes, even rearranging the furniture. She has walked out on her husband – and their good friend – Pierre over his confession of an affair.

Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive. But as Laure’s mood becomes more unpredictable, her presence begins to unravel secrets in all their pasts – until things reach breaking point…

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My Review

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Iris is a self-employed interior designer, married to Gabriel, who works as a GP. Together, they have a daughter, Beth, who is currently volunteering in Greece at a dog shelter.

Gabriel witnessed a local teenager dying right in front of him, and because of this, he’s now on sick leave from work. His depression is noticeable to the point, where Iris and Gabriel go on holiday, so he can forget about what happened.

When they return, they notice that they now have a house guest, Laure.

She is a good friend of the couple and lives in France with her husband, Pierre, who never wanted children, and Laure went along with it despite secretly wanting to be a mother.

Laure is in a great state of distress and informs them that Pierre has discovered he has a child and wants to be a part of the child’s life.

Laure asks Iris and Gabriel whether she could stay with them for a bit, and they agree.

However, tensions will soon rise very high in the house as Laure makes herself very comfortable and starts being in the way.

Moreover, Gabriel doesn’t believe Laure’s story. When he tries to call Pierre, his calls go unanswered.

Why isn’t Pierre picking up? Is there more to the story than meets the eye? 

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller.

I am a big fan of B.A.Paris; her domestic thrillers are always a pleasure to read, and this one didn’t disappoint.

I was quite annoyed at Laure for always moping around and following Iris around the house and the village. At the same time, I tried to put myself in Laure’s shoes (it was hard, though!) as she suffered a terrible shock.

There are more characters in this story: we have Hugh and Esme, who just moved into the village. The two couples quickly became friends.

There is Joseph, the gardener, who goes between Hugh and Esme’s and Iris and Gabriel’s houses. Joseph is very good-looking and that causes a stir with the ladies…

You just have to read this book for yourself. I definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for approving my NetGalley request to listen to this audiobook.

Purchase links: https://amzn.eu/d/doUxaef (hardback)

https://amzn.eu/d/fs3Y0Za (kindle)

https://amzn.eu/d/3KxB9tL (audiobook – Audible)

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About the Author

B. A. Paris

B.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of seven novels including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors, and her latest thriller, The Guest.

Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Three of her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with films of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown and The Therapist in development.

Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris, who spent most of her adult life living in France, worked in finance as a trader before retraining as an English teacher. She and her husband then ran a language school together whilst bringing up their five daughters. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England.

Follow B.A. on Twitter and Instagram at @baparisauthor. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and BookBub. Sign up to her newsletter for teasers, giveaways and updates.