As soon as I read the premise of this book, I knew I had to read it. Set in Northern Italy at an opulent resort, it had the makings of an unforgettable and intense domestic suspense. Unfortunately, it fell quite a bit short of that. Pattison does a very good job of building the tension, suspense and paranoia in the story. I felt the despair that Grace did as she grew to realise she was trapped in the village and that everyone was against her. I also did not expect the ending AT ALL. There were no clues whatsoever, so I was incredibly surprised. As the storm rages on, phone lines are down, transport links cut off. Grace is desperate to leave, but Charles remains unaffected by the eerie stillness of the house. Is it just Grace's imagination or do the owners, and Charles, have something to hide? The Milton’s, though are not above everything so no amount of their money or status could make them immune to tragedy, to unhappiness for some of them and there are some heartbreaking moments. This started out a little slow for me, but then I found that I was so pulled in by wanting to know all of the things that had happened to get to the present day where the grandchildren of Ogden and Kitty Milton are in disagreement over what to do with the island. I was pulled in by the writing as I was in a previous novel by Blake , The Postmistress. There was one chapter, Chapter Twelve that depicts the house and the island and the family over the years so beautifully that I found myself highlighting long passages.

The synopsis describes this book as a cat and mouse game. I didn't get that vibe at all from reading this, mostly because it was such a slow burn. While I tend to enjoy a slow burn, this was so slow it became tedious.A domestic noir with a simple story that oozes nuance and fine detail. Have you dreaming of summer, despite the mystery that will occupy your attention' Crime FM The dynamics are good, you feel a strange awkwardness in Italy, it feels forced in several directions and there is an undercurrent of volatility and a distinct chilliness especially from Leah‘s brother in law. The Other Guest has got it all: unexplained tragic death, family secrets, romance, and two women on a quest for the truth. Oh, and as an added bonus, it takes place on a gorgeous lake in Northern Italy, so there’s that too.”– LovetoKnow.com

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!Metcalf, Mitch (November 14, 2018). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.13.2018". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018 . Retrieved November 14, 2018. An unforgettable love story, a novel about past mistakes and betrayals that ripple throughout generations, The Guest Book examines not just a privileged American family, but a privileged America. It is a literary triumph. The most richly accomplished of the brothers’ pairings to date—and given Connelly’s high standards, that’s saying a lot. A large part of The Other Guest revolves around an aunt of Amy, who was a particular friend of hers, Leah, as she travels to the luxury hotel to be with her family after Amy’s death. Things are not quite right within the family. They are behaving strangely, and Leah becomes enmeshed in something that she does not understand, but feels is very dangerous, and so the mystery of what actually happened to Amy begins. Some strange connections start to materialise at a pace which is slow and tantalising, and which makes the book very hard to put down.

I highly recommend this book and have marked May 27th on my calendar to get my hands on a physical copy. A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy. I really enjoyed the plot twists, how the author played fair with her clues and how much she made me care for Grace. The was a visceral scene in the book that brought me to tears, in a good way. Sinister and beautifully atmospheric, The Other Guest lures you with the promise of a luxury island before revealing its darker, claustrophobic side. I loved it.”– L V Matthews, author of The TwinsThis is a dark and creepy read. Grace and Charles are heading to St Ives on their honeymoon but their journey is cut short due to the weather. They stop in Stillwater, a place Charles is familiar with as he used to holiday there with his parents. The only place they could get a room was at The Anchorage where Charles also stayed with his parents. On their first night Grace hears a child crying, but there's no children staying in the guesthouse. the book is descriptively written. It's told from Charles, Grace and a mystery persons perspectives. Grace did annoy me with her constant moaning. This is quite a haunting tale. Metcalf, Mitch (December 12, 2018). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.11.2018". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018 . Retrieved December 12, 2018. Laila and her husband James have arrived in Greece at a luxury resort for a make or break holiday. After several years of failed IVF treatment, James has said that he can no longer go through the painful process, leaving Laila’s dreams of motherhood in tatters. Both of them know that they have spent the last five years drifting apart, so this break from reality is desperately needed. Unfortunately, I felt a little bit let down by this book. The cover and the title really caught my eye, but I didn't really get how they tie in with the book itself.