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The House Guest
The House Guest is another diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller from Hank Phillippi Ryan—but which character is the cat, and which character is the mouse?
After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.
And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.
But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.
After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.
And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.
But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2023
420 people are currently reading
14308 people want to read
About the author
Hank Phillippi Ryan
47 books2,633 followersHank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of sixteen award winning novels of suspense. National reviews have called her a "master at crafting suspenseful mysteries" and "a superb and gifted storyteller."
Watch for ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS coming September 9 from Minotaur: Is a debut author’s blockbuster bestseller about to ruin her life? A glamorous book tour becomes a deadly cat-and-mouse chase in this new and captivating thriller!
(Jeneva Rose says: I absolutely loved it! This is Hank Phillippi Ryan at her best!”)
Don't miss ONE WRONG WORD, now in paperback. BA Paris says: "A gripping rollercoaster of a read!"
Her 2021 thriller THE HOUSE GUEST (Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise) now in a second printing!
Hank is also an award-winning investigative reporter at Boston's WHDH-TV. In addition to 37 EMMYs and 14 Edward R. Murrow awards, Hank's won dozens of other honors
for her ground-breaking journalism.
She is co-host and co-founder of The Back Room, co-host of First Chapter Fun, and host of CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze.
Her previous thriller, HER PERFECT LIFE, received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, calling it "Stellar."
Her earlier psychological thrillers include,THE FIRST TO LIE (with several starred reviews) an Agatha Award and Mary HIggins CLark award nomination) and THE MURDER LIST, which won the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the year, and was ]an Agatha, Macavity and Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee, a number one legal thriller on Amazon, and a USA Today Bestseller.
Her first psychological standalone, TRUST ME (now in paperback) , is an Agatha Award nominee, and was named BEST of 2018 by the New York Post, Real Simple Magazine, BookBub, Crime Reads, and PopSugar. Mary Kubica says: "Dazzling!" and Lisa Gardner says "Mesmerizing!"
The Booklist *starred review says "...it's a knockout. First-rate psychological suspense."
Her thriller SAY NO MORE, is a Library Journal BEST OF 2016. And this just in: it's a nominee for the AGATHA AWARD and the MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD! And now, breaking news, it is also a DAPHNE AWARD nominee! Associated Press calls it "stellar" and Publishers Weekly calls it "thrilling" "unflinching" and "gratifying."
Her 2015 book, WHAT YOU SEE, is a Library Journal BEST of 2015, an ANTHONY and AGATHA Award nominee, and a Top Pick!, dubbed "exceptional suspense." It received a starred review from Library Journal which says: "Readers will find themselves racing to the finish!"
Her 2014 book, TRUTH BE TOLD, won the AGATHA Award for best mystery, and is a Library Journal Best of 2014. It received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal, which says, "Drop everything and binge read!"
THE WRONG GIRL won the Agatha Award and the Daphne Award, and is a seven-week Boston Globe bestseller and Anthony Award nominee.
THE OTHER WOMAN won the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was listed as a Best Book of 2012 by the Kansas City Star, the Sacramento Bee, Suspense Magazine, and The Boston Globe, won the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was the only novel nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, Shamus and Daphne awards for Best Novel of 2012.
Her first four mysteries, beginning with the Agatha Award-winning PRIME TIME, feature Charlotte McNally, a Boston television reporter. FACE TIME was a BookSense Notable Book, and AIR TIME and DRIVE TIME were both Anthony and Agatha Award nominees for best novel of 2009 and 2010. They are now available in all new editions.
Her journalism work work has resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in refunds and restitution for victims and consumers. She's been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate and an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone Magazine, working with Hunter S. Thompson, Richard Avedon and Richard Goodwin.
A sought-after keynote speaker and teacher, Hank is a
Watch for ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS coming September 9 from Minotaur: Is a debut author’s blockbuster bestseller about to ruin her life? A glamorous book tour becomes a deadly cat-and-mouse chase in this new and captivating thriller!
(Jeneva Rose says: I absolutely loved it! This is Hank Phillippi Ryan at her best!”)
Don't miss ONE WRONG WORD, now in paperback. BA Paris says: "A gripping rollercoaster of a read!"
Her 2021 thriller THE HOUSE GUEST (Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise) now in a second printing!
Hank is also an award-winning investigative reporter at Boston's WHDH-TV. In addition to 37 EMMYs and 14 Edward R. Murrow awards, Hank's won dozens of other honors
for her ground-breaking journalism.
She is co-host and co-founder of The Back Room, co-host of First Chapter Fun, and host of CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze.
Her previous thriller, HER PERFECT LIFE, received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, calling it "Stellar."
Her earlier psychological thrillers include,THE FIRST TO LIE (with several starred reviews) an Agatha Award and Mary HIggins CLark award nomination) and THE MURDER LIST, which won the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the year, and was ]an Agatha, Macavity and Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee, a number one legal thriller on Amazon, and a USA Today Bestseller.
Her first psychological standalone, TRUST ME (now in paperback) , is an Agatha Award nominee, and was named BEST of 2018 by the New York Post, Real Simple Magazine, BookBub, Crime Reads, and PopSugar. Mary Kubica says: "Dazzling!" and Lisa Gardner says "Mesmerizing!"
The Booklist *starred review says "...it's a knockout. First-rate psychological suspense."
Her thriller SAY NO MORE, is a Library Journal BEST OF 2016. And this just in: it's a nominee for the AGATHA AWARD and the MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD! And now, breaking news, it is also a DAPHNE AWARD nominee! Associated Press calls it "stellar" and Publishers Weekly calls it "thrilling" "unflinching" and "gratifying."
Her 2015 book, WHAT YOU SEE, is a Library Journal BEST of 2015, an ANTHONY and AGATHA Award nominee, and a Top Pick!, dubbed "exceptional suspense." It received a starred review from Library Journal which says: "Readers will find themselves racing to the finish!"
Her 2014 book, TRUTH BE TOLD, won the AGATHA Award for best mystery, and is a Library Journal Best of 2014. It received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal, which says, "Drop everything and binge read!"
THE WRONG GIRL won the Agatha Award and the Daphne Award, and is a seven-week Boston Globe bestseller and Anthony Award nominee.
THE OTHER WOMAN won the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was listed as a Best Book of 2012 by the Kansas City Star, the Sacramento Bee, Suspense Magazine, and The Boston Globe, won the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was the only novel nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, Shamus and Daphne awards for Best Novel of 2012.
Her first four mysteries, beginning with the Agatha Award-winning PRIME TIME, feature Charlotte McNally, a Boston television reporter. FACE TIME was a BookSense Notable Book, and AIR TIME and DRIVE TIME were both Anthony and Agatha Award nominees for best novel of 2009 and 2010. They are now available in all new editions.
Her journalism work work has resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in refunds and restitution for victims and consumers. She's been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate and an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone Magazine, working with Hunter S. Thompson, Richard Avedon and Richard Goodwin.
A sought-after keynote speaker and teacher, Hank is a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,136 reviews
February 17, 2023
Twist into twist into another twist! You don’t know who you can trust! In the middle of the cat and mouse game, everyone is a suspect and each of the players has different motives for betrayal. You keep guessing who’s the big bad wolf and who’s fooling who till the end! I love this smart execution, riveting and absolutely interesting mystery!
Poor Allyssa suffers from the betrayal of her sadistic husband who acts like Charles Boyer from the movie: Gaslight, keeps playing mind games and putting her into several tests to make sure she’s the best wife he can have! And now he decides to divorce her without proper reason after eight freaking years.
She’s at the end of her thirties, without kid cause her husband never wanted, shunned by their mutual close friends. She’s lost and lonely. She’s sacrificed a lot to be with this man. She even gave up her own name Alice, changed into Allyssa.
Now she finds herself befriending young Bree, a banker who is suffering from possessive man’s secret threats ( a husband, a fiancée, boyfriend, a boss, Allyssa doesn’t know her entire backstory) .
She meets Bree at the bar and at their second meeting she invites her to stay at her guest house. During her stay she helps her new makeover look. She pushes her to check her ancestry results as like her recently deceased mother requested.
Bree finds out she has a brother and the person who keeps harassing her on the phone has important information about her brother. That man’s name is Dez. He involves into those two women’s lives and offers his help.
In the meantime Allyssa gets a visit from a FBI agent who wants to put her husband into prison and if she doesn’t help them, she may also lose everything she cares!
Allyssa finds herself connected with those people, thinking harder to understand who’s fishing her and who’s telling the truth.
Overall: the last quarter was mind bending and conclusion was great. I can honestly say this is the best book Hank Philippi Ryan has written.
I definitely recommend to twisty thriller lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/ Forge for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Poor Allyssa suffers from the betrayal of her sadistic husband who acts like Charles Boyer from the movie: Gaslight, keeps playing mind games and putting her into several tests to make sure she’s the best wife he can have! And now he decides to divorce her without proper reason after eight freaking years.
She’s at the end of her thirties, without kid cause her husband never wanted, shunned by their mutual close friends. She’s lost and lonely. She’s sacrificed a lot to be with this man. She even gave up her own name Alice, changed into Allyssa.
Now she finds herself befriending young Bree, a banker who is suffering from possessive man’s secret threats ( a husband, a fiancée, boyfriend, a boss, Allyssa doesn’t know her entire backstory) .
She meets Bree at the bar and at their second meeting she invites her to stay at her guest house. During her stay she helps her new makeover look. She pushes her to check her ancestry results as like her recently deceased mother requested.
Bree finds out she has a brother and the person who keeps harassing her on the phone has important information about her brother. That man’s name is Dez. He involves into those two women’s lives and offers his help.
In the meantime Allyssa gets a visit from a FBI agent who wants to put her husband into prison and if she doesn’t help them, she may also lose everything she cares!
Allyssa finds herself connected with those people, thinking harder to understand who’s fishing her and who’s telling the truth.
Overall: the last quarter was mind bending and conclusion was great. I can honestly say this is the best book Hank Philippi Ryan has written.
I definitely recommend to twisty thriller lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/ Forge for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
February 10, 2023
**Many thanks to Tor and Hank Phillippi Ryan for an ARC of this book via NetGalley! Now available as of 2.7!!**
You see her at the end of the bar. She looks lonely...just like you. Is this kismet...and could a new best friend have walked into your life JUST when you need one the most?
...Or was this no accident?
Alyssa Macallen is ready to find out. Trudging her way through an ugly split from mega-rich power magnate husband Bill, she doesn't know what lies ahead. The life she pictured has evaporated before her eyes and the resulting divorce is set to leave Alyssa adrift: financially, socially, AND emotionally.
Enter Bree Lorrance, dealing with romantic troubles of her own. She's all too willing to open up to Alyssa, as well as lend her ear, and the two form an instant bond. Alyssa feels so confident in her newly formed friendship, she opens her home to Bree: well, her Guest House anyway. Once they settle in, Bree gets a pretty significant piece of news that could change EVERYTHING...and could possibly turn the tide for Alyssa too. The catch being that a certain soon-to-be-ex husband might end up as collateral damage. Has Alyssa found the Thelma to her Louise? Or is Alyssa a carefully placed pawn in a much BIGGER game of chess...where BREE is queen?
I'm new to Hank Phillipi Ryan, but I've heard so many rave reviews about her thrillers that I was so excited to be able to start with this one! I appreciated that while this plot seemed like it could be simple, I was ruminating and attempting to settle on one of about FOUR potential possibilities cooking at any given moment. The fun thing about these sort of wealthy and powerful (and yes, often somewhat evil!) characters is watching them get into complicated tangles and then watching them try (and sometimes it's even MORE fun to watch them fail) to get out!
My favorite thing about this particular tale was that Alyssa was presented as a POTENTIAL unreliable narrator...but in a sneaky and subtle way. There were just enough clues, red herrings, and twists sprinkled throughout to keep me guessing and to leave me unsure as to whether I could (and more importantly, SHOULD) root for her or not! There are sections of the narrative that got a bit bogged down for me and obviously some suspension of disbelief is required...but it is ALL worth it! The last 20% of the book, especially, is packed with the perfect one-two punch style ending that almost COMPLETELY threw me...and just when you think it's over...ONE more twist to finish out the ride!
I'm a roller coaster girl through and through, but even I needed a breather after that last loop-the-loop! 🎢 But just as a reminder...remember to keep your hands and arms inside the car at all times and secure all loose articles...this one gives "hold on to your hat" a WHOLE new meaning! 😉
4 stars
You see her at the end of the bar. She looks lonely...just like you. Is this kismet...and could a new best friend have walked into your life JUST when you need one the most?
...Or was this no accident?
Alyssa Macallen is ready to find out. Trudging her way through an ugly split from mega-rich power magnate husband Bill, she doesn't know what lies ahead. The life she pictured has evaporated before her eyes and the resulting divorce is set to leave Alyssa adrift: financially, socially, AND emotionally.
Enter Bree Lorrance, dealing with romantic troubles of her own. She's all too willing to open up to Alyssa, as well as lend her ear, and the two form an instant bond. Alyssa feels so confident in her newly formed friendship, she opens her home to Bree: well, her Guest House anyway. Once they settle in, Bree gets a pretty significant piece of news that could change EVERYTHING...and could possibly turn the tide for Alyssa too. The catch being that a certain soon-to-be-ex husband might end up as collateral damage. Has Alyssa found the Thelma to her Louise? Or is Alyssa a carefully placed pawn in a much BIGGER game of chess...where BREE is queen?
I'm new to Hank Phillipi Ryan, but I've heard so many rave reviews about her thrillers that I was so excited to be able to start with this one! I appreciated that while this plot seemed like it could be simple, I was ruminating and attempting to settle on one of about FOUR potential possibilities cooking at any given moment. The fun thing about these sort of wealthy and powerful (and yes, often somewhat evil!) characters is watching them get into complicated tangles and then watching them try (and sometimes it's even MORE fun to watch them fail) to get out!
My favorite thing about this particular tale was that Alyssa was presented as a POTENTIAL unreliable narrator...but in a sneaky and subtle way. There were just enough clues, red herrings, and twists sprinkled throughout to keep me guessing and to leave me unsure as to whether I could (and more importantly, SHOULD) root for her or not! There are sections of the narrative that got a bit bogged down for me and obviously some suspension of disbelief is required...but it is ALL worth it! The last 20% of the book, especially, is packed with the perfect one-two punch style ending that almost COMPLETELY threw me...and just when you think it's over...ONE more twist to finish out the ride!
I'm a roller coaster girl through and through, but even I needed a breather after that last loop-the-loop! 🎢 But just as a reminder...remember to keep your hands and arms inside the car at all times and secure all loose articles...this one gives "hold on to your hat" a WHOLE new meaning! 😉
4 stars
December 16, 2022
Hmmm… Once again I think I may have read a different book than everyone else!🤷🏻♀️
I’ve read plenty of this authors’ works and enjoyed (most) of them. So after seeing such glowing reviews and high ratings for this latest I quickly moved this one up my TBR list and jumped right in.
But then came the overwhelming thoughts of what am I missing here that everyone else is raving about?
Alyssa is heartbroken. Her husband has left her and she never saw it coming! No explanation. All communication is strictly through the divorce lawyers. However, one major stipulation is that he cannot enter their home without her permission. Alyssa begins to set small ‘traps’ if you will, to determine if he breaks the contract. I’m thinking a nanny-cam would work just as well…but that’s just me.💁🏻♀️
Drinking her sorrows away in a lowly, cross-town bar she befriends a fellow lonely woman and in a drunken stupor proceeds to take her home. What ensues from there is just 🙄🙄
I struggled with this one (as you can see), Alyssa had no common sense whatsoever. The storyline itself never seemed to go anywhere (except in circles) until the final 80%. I thought Ooh, now it’s going to get juicy! And did... for a moment until it just went too OTT for me by the end.😫
So…since I am truly an outlier in this read take a look for yourself at the many five star reviews and hope you’ll have a much better experience.
2.75⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge.
I’ve read plenty of this authors’ works and enjoyed (most) of them. So after seeing such glowing reviews and high ratings for this latest I quickly moved this one up my TBR list and jumped right in.
But then came the overwhelming thoughts of what am I missing here that everyone else is raving about?
Alyssa is heartbroken. Her husband has left her and she never saw it coming! No explanation. All communication is strictly through the divorce lawyers. However, one major stipulation is that he cannot enter their home without her permission. Alyssa begins to set small ‘traps’ if you will, to determine if he breaks the contract. I’m thinking a nanny-cam would work just as well…but that’s just me.💁🏻♀️
Drinking her sorrows away in a lowly, cross-town bar she befriends a fellow lonely woman and in a drunken stupor proceeds to take her home. What ensues from there is just 🙄🙄
I struggled with this one (as you can see), Alyssa had no common sense whatsoever. The storyline itself never seemed to go anywhere (except in circles) until the final 80%. I thought Ooh, now it’s going to get juicy! And did... for a moment until it just went too OTT for me by the end.😫
So…since I am truly an outlier in this read take a look for yourself at the many five star reviews and hope you’ll have a much better experience.
2.75⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge.
March 16, 2023
EXCERPT: She patted her face dry with a fluffy white towel, monogrammed, and wondered if she could somehow cut all the monograms off. She reached out to pull down the blue-and-white striped duvet, then paused, arm in mid-air. She had never been in this bed alone.
Now she stared at it, a thing suddenly from another life. The elaborate headboard had been crafted from local driftwood, buffed and painted a bleached blue, like a stone tumbled by the waves and left in the sand. Blue-striped linens, thin white matelassé blankets, and an oversize almost threadbare antique quilt of pale blue and white diamonds draped across the foot of the bed, so lavish that both ends draped on the floor. Bill's favourite ship model, the Cutty Sark, he'd explained, still sailed to nowhere atop three steamer trunks, stacked like unpacked Russian Dolls in the corner. She had half a mind to throw the thing over the balcony and onto the grass below, and it gave her chills, thinking about destroying Bill's possessions. Destroying what he loved, just the way he'd destroyed her.
ABOUT 'THE HOUSE GUEST': After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.
And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.
But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.
MY THOUGHTS: Yeah, nah, maybe . . .
Sometimes reading this was like wading through molasses, or being caught in a whirlpool, going round and round and round in circles over and over again. At other times it was intriguing and engaging.
The story started well with Alyssa meeting another down on her luck woman in a bar and taking her home to stay with her. Shortly after this the story gets a bit bogged down and repititious, not really becoming interesting again until the final 20%.
During the middle period my mind ran over all the possible scenarios and I was 90% correct with my predictions. Which isn't a criticism, but had I been fully engaged and living 'in the moment' of the storyline, I wouldn't have had time for my mind to wander . . .
None of the characters, with the exception of Mickey, are particularly likeable. And I was kind of rooting for Alyssa throughout but, for such a smart woman, she made some remarkably dumb decisions.
The plot is clever, but I never became fully invested. I have previously read books by this author and loved them. Had I gone into this not knowing who the author was, I never would have picked it to be Hank Phillipi Ryan.
A story of love, betrayal and revenge that isn't up to the author's normal standard. But I adore the cover.
⭐⭐⭐.2
#TheHouseGuest #NetGalley
I: : @hankpryan @macmillanusa
T: @MacmillanUSA
#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #friendship #psychologicaldrama
THE AUTHOR: Hank Phillippi Ryan is an American investigative reporter for Channel 7 News on WHDH-TV, a local television station in Boston, Massachusetts. She is also an author of mystery novels.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The House Guest by Hank Phillipi Ryan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Now she stared at it, a thing suddenly from another life. The elaborate headboard had been crafted from local driftwood, buffed and painted a bleached blue, like a stone tumbled by the waves and left in the sand. Blue-striped linens, thin white matelassé blankets, and an oversize almost threadbare antique quilt of pale blue and white diamonds draped across the foot of the bed, so lavish that both ends draped on the floor. Bill's favourite ship model, the Cutty Sark, he'd explained, still sailed to nowhere atop three steamer trunks, stacked like unpacked Russian Dolls in the corner. She had half a mind to throw the thing over the balcony and onto the grass below, and it gave her chills, thinking about destroying Bill's possessions. Destroying what he loved, just the way he'd destroyed her.
ABOUT 'THE HOUSE GUEST': After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.
And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.
But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.
MY THOUGHTS: Yeah, nah, maybe . . .
Sometimes reading this was like wading through molasses, or being caught in a whirlpool, going round and round and round in circles over and over again. At other times it was intriguing and engaging.
The story started well with Alyssa meeting another down on her luck woman in a bar and taking her home to stay with her. Shortly after this the story gets a bit bogged down and repititious, not really becoming interesting again until the final 20%.
During the middle period my mind ran over all the possible scenarios and I was 90% correct with my predictions. Which isn't a criticism, but had I been fully engaged and living 'in the moment' of the storyline, I wouldn't have had time for my mind to wander . . .
None of the characters, with the exception of Mickey, are particularly likeable. And I was kind of rooting for Alyssa throughout but, for such a smart woman, she made some remarkably dumb decisions.
The plot is clever, but I never became fully invested. I have previously read books by this author and loved them. Had I gone into this not knowing who the author was, I never would have picked it to be Hank Phillipi Ryan.
A story of love, betrayal and revenge that isn't up to the author's normal standard. But I adore the cover.
⭐⭐⭐.2
#TheHouseGuest #NetGalley
I: : @hankpryan @macmillanusa
T: @MacmillanUSA
#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #friendship #psychologicaldrama
THE AUTHOR: Hank Phillippi Ryan is an American investigative reporter for Channel 7 News on WHDH-TV, a local television station in Boston, Massachusetts. She is also an author of mystery novels.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The House Guest by Hank Phillipi Ryan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
February 11, 2023
Perhaps, it is never a good idea to invite a person, (any person) who you met at a bar, back into your house. However, Alyssa Macallan is at her wit's end. She's terrified that her uber wealthy husband is going to divorce her and he is out for revenge. Revenge for him seems to be leaving her without money and set adrift in the world of the poor.
As she meets Bree Lorrance and they hit it off, over drinks, she invites Bree to live in her guesthouse, and then things get interesting. Of course if you have seen the movie Strangers On The Train, you will get the drift of this book. However, there are so many twists that one becomes enmeshed in the story as the author keeps the reader guessing and wondering what is going on.
The clues are there, but the story is riveting so perhaps one would miss the elements that brought this book to its ending.
I very much enjoyed this thriller. It was intelligent and well written with a definite flair for the unexpected. Who really are the bad guys and what can be behind their somewhat evil plans? If you love being in the dark until the final days of this story, this is the book for you.
Many thanks to Hank Phillippi Ryan, Stephanie Willing, the narrator, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for a copy of this intriguing book, due out on February 7, 2023.
As she meets Bree Lorrance and they hit it off, over drinks, she invites Bree to live in her guesthouse, and then things get interesting. Of course if you have seen the movie Strangers On The Train, you will get the drift of this book. However, there are so many twists that one becomes enmeshed in the story as the author keeps the reader guessing and wondering what is going on.
The clues are there, but the story is riveting so perhaps one would miss the elements that brought this book to its ending.
I very much enjoyed this thriller. It was intelligent and well written with a definite flair for the unexpected. Who really are the bad guys and what can be behind their somewhat evil plans? If you love being in the dark until the final days of this story, this is the book for you.
Many thanks to Hank Phillippi Ryan, Stephanie Willing, the narrator, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for a copy of this intriguing book, due out on February 7, 2023.
February 18, 2023
You guys… I love @hankpryan books but I am going to say this is my favorite one yet!!! She KILLED it!! This book is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 5 stars!!⭐️
You are happily married.. until you are not..😬..Bill is mega rich.. handsome and charming..😉…in fact - he is always the life of the party..and well now he is packing 🧳 up and leaving with no explanation.🤷♀️ 😳
So you decide to hit the bar 🥂🍸🍷..yes all alone… and then you meet her.. Bree..she appears down on her luck.. and well misery loves company..🤷♀️… so you invite her to your home.. to stay in your guest house…WHAT??? 😳 Girl.. who does that??? 🤦♀️What are you thinking Alyssa?? 🙄 I literally wanted to scream at the book… NO ….NO…Step away from the bar…BAD IDEA Alyssa!!! One too many drinks!! 🥂🍸🍷…However apparently Alyssa didn’t agree with me! SO let the games begin! 😏
I swear this is @hankpryan's best book yet in my opinion!! The game of cat 🐈 and mouse 🐭 that ensues was fantastic!! Yet who was the cat and who was the mouse?? 🤔🤔🤔 It was so twisty that I kept changing my answer to that question!! 😂 Which is the best kind of thriller in my opinion! 😉
Thank you for my gifted copy!!
You are happily married.. until you are not..😬..Bill is mega rich.. handsome and charming..😉…in fact - he is always the life of the party..and well now he is packing 🧳 up and leaving with no explanation.🤷♀️ 😳
So you decide to hit the bar 🥂🍸🍷..yes all alone… and then you meet her.. Bree..she appears down on her luck.. and well misery loves company..🤷♀️… so you invite her to your home.. to stay in your guest house…WHAT??? 😳 Girl.. who does that??? 🤦♀️What are you thinking Alyssa?? 🙄 I literally wanted to scream at the book… NO ….NO…Step away from the bar…BAD IDEA Alyssa!!! One too many drinks!! 🥂🍸🍷…However apparently Alyssa didn’t agree with me! SO let the games begin! 😏
I swear this is @hankpryan's best book yet in my opinion!! The game of cat 🐈 and mouse 🐭 that ensues was fantastic!! Yet who was the cat and who was the mouse?? 🤔🤔🤔 It was so twisty that I kept changing my answer to that question!! 😂 Which is the best kind of thriller in my opinion! 😉
Thank you for my gifted copy!!
December 18, 2022
3.5stars
Alyssa was dumped out of the blue by her powerful husband, Bill. In love one day, out the door the next! She meets Bree while drinking in a bar one night and feels a connection to her. Bree is having issues all her own, being tormented by a man she had a past relationship with. One drink leads to another, and Alyssa invites Bree to stay at her guest house. The two become friends and are constantly together which is nice for Alyssa as Bill appears to be muscling Alyssa out of everything- money, home, country club, etc.
Enter the FBI stage left. What is going on???
For a portion of the book, I thought Alyssa was making one bad judgement call after another. Inviting someone to live in her guest home, then helping her follow up on a DNA/ancestry database which led her in a roundabout way to Dez, who was trying to track Bree down. I thought how convoluted can this be? Now Dez is a constant in their lives and hanging out. Who lets virtual strangers in their home(s) and in their lives quite so fast? A lonely woman is who. Plus, that woman doesn't seem all that angry at Bill for ending things drastically. Why-are-you-not-angry????
Then as I got closer to the end, the book kicked into high gear for me, and I began enjoying it. There are quite a few twists and there was a bit of entertainment. Was this my favorite book by Ryan? No. But I did enjoy the twists and the pure entertainment of it. It was a no-nonsense cat and mouse thriller which was quite entertaining. I enjoyed shaking my head at some of the discussions and choices made. This was pure escapism reading for me. This had me wondering if the author was a Desperate Housewives fan. It had that kind of vibe to it.
I used to watch Hank Phillippi Ryan on the news when I lived in MA. I even saw her speak at my local library there and have enjoyed her books. She is a very intelligent woman, and I would love to see her write a book with an intelligent and powerful female protagonist.
Thank you to Forge Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Alyssa was dumped out of the blue by her powerful husband, Bill. In love one day, out the door the next! She meets Bree while drinking in a bar one night and feels a connection to her. Bree is having issues all her own, being tormented by a man she had a past relationship with. One drink leads to another, and Alyssa invites Bree to stay at her guest house. The two become friends and are constantly together which is nice for Alyssa as Bill appears to be muscling Alyssa out of everything- money, home, country club, etc.
Enter the FBI stage left. What is going on???
For a portion of the book, I thought Alyssa was making one bad judgement call after another. Inviting someone to live in her guest home, then helping her follow up on a DNA/ancestry database which led her in a roundabout way to Dez, who was trying to track Bree down. I thought how convoluted can this be? Now Dez is a constant in their lives and hanging out. Who lets virtual strangers in their home(s) and in their lives quite so fast? A lonely woman is who. Plus, that woman doesn't seem all that angry at Bill for ending things drastically. Why-are-you-not-angry????
Then as I got closer to the end, the book kicked into high gear for me, and I began enjoying it. There are quite a few twists and there was a bit of entertainment. Was this my favorite book by Ryan? No. But I did enjoy the twists and the pure entertainment of it. It was a no-nonsense cat and mouse thriller which was quite entertaining. I enjoyed shaking my head at some of the discussions and choices made. This was pure escapism reading for me. This had me wondering if the author was a Desperate Housewives fan. It had that kind of vibe to it.
I used to watch Hank Phillippi Ryan on the news when I lived in MA. I even saw her speak at my local library there and have enjoyed her books. She is a very intelligent woman, and I would love to see her write a book with an intelligent and powerful female protagonist.
Thank you to Forge Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 4, 2023
I picked this up despite the dreaded face cover when I kept seeing people all over Instagram giving it high ratings and saying “Hank Phillipi Ryan does it again!!!” To which I now say does what again? Writes one of the stupidest things I’ll read this year and bores the crap out of me in the process? Way to go!
The premise here is Alyssa meets Bree at a local hotel bar. After one drink Alyssa offers up her guest house to this complete stranger so already it’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever laid eyes on. Then nothing happens for about eleventy-seven pages aside from Bree making it with another complete stranger who also ends up over at the house all the time. Then the big secret is revealed and Alyssa gets a happy ending . . . . even though if it were real life she would end up destitute because the Feds would have seized all of her assets. The end. I award you zero points and someone smack me if I ever pick up another book by this author again.
November 10, 2023
2.75⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ February 7, 2023
Est page Count ~ 317
Audio length ~ 10 hours and 46 minutes
Narrator ~ Stephanie Willing
POV ~ 3rd
Featuring ~ secrets, lies, gaslighting
Alyssa and Bree have just met and Alyssa is already offering her a place to stay. Who in their right mind would invite a stranger to live with them? Crazy birds that's who.
Meh, I wasn't overly thrilled with this one. I can't think of one character I liked. It was on the slow side for quite a while, but then eventually picked up a bit. Repetitiveness galore ~ I felt like I was hearing 'soon to be ex-husband' or 'we're separated' a bazillion too many times. I might have zoned out for a few minutes because I am not even sure if the loose end of Tammy (I think that's the housekeepers name) was tied up. I'll round up to 3 since I didn't see a twist coming. This is my first experience with this author and while I wasn't thrilled I will read another one to see if she's for me.
Narration notes:
While the narration was done well, I think I might have liked it better if I read it, but I'll never know because I'm not a re-reader.
Nothing to do with anything, but I like how the lipstick matches the author's name on the cover.
*Thanks to the author, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ February 7, 2023
Est page Count ~ 317
Audio length ~ 10 hours and 46 minutes
Narrator ~ Stephanie Willing
POV ~ 3rd
Featuring ~ secrets, lies, gaslighting
Alyssa and Bree have just met and Alyssa is already offering her a place to stay. Who in their right mind would invite a stranger to live with them? Crazy birds that's who.
Meh, I wasn't overly thrilled with this one. I can't think of one character I liked. It was on the slow side for quite a while, but then eventually picked up a bit. Repetitiveness galore ~ I felt like I was hearing 'soon to be ex-husband' or 'we're separated' a bazillion too many times. I might have zoned out for a few minutes because I am not even sure if the loose end of Tammy (I think that's the housekeepers name) was tied up. I'll round up to 3 since I didn't see a twist coming. This is my first experience with this author and while I wasn't thrilled I will read another one to see if she's for me.
Narration notes:
While the narration was done well, I think I might have liked it better if I read it, but I'll never know because I'm not a re-reader.
Nothing to do with anything, but I like how the lipstick matches the author's name on the cover.
*Thanks to the author, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
February 26, 2023
I'm so disappointed. I had been hearing so many good things about Ryan and been told many times I should read her stuff. I picked this one up and just finished it and am actually upset! It was so boring, unoriginal and very predictable, and the way she wrote the protagonist, and all of the conversations between characters were so annoying! I became incredibly irritated by the empty back and forth between characters that seem to do little more than fill space, and the protagonist, on top of everything, seemed to be incredibly unrealistically dumb, especially for someone that at one point was a law school student! There's a small twist towards the end but it was so predictable I just rolled my eyes. Maybe I'm being harsh, I'm not sure. I know my expectations are high and it's getting harder and harder for a thriller to feel original and intriguing but they are definitely out there! This just wasn't one of them, unfortunately. I had to force myself to finish this one! Maybe this is an anomaly for her, idk, but I'm fairly certain I'm done reading this author!
March 23, 2023
After over eight years of marriage, Alyssa Macallan is faced with the harsh reality of starting over after her soon-to-be ex-husband, the manipulative and controlling Bill, walks out the door of their opulent Massachusetts home. Known to get everything he ever sets his sights on, Alyssa is not surprised when every item in their possession now stands to be split in half. Or, as she fears, much less than half. If her now non-existent list of friends are proof of anything, it’s that her husband’s power and privilege has long arms. All she can now hope is that the rest of her lifestyle doesn’t follow suit.
Avoiding her depressingly empty home, Alyssa finds herself in a bar one night. It is there that she runs into the type of woman she would never have graced with her friendship in the past. But Alyssa needs an ally just as much as she yearns for friendship. And Bree Lorrance fits that bill to a tee. For she is currently running from her own dangerous relationship, hiding out in the somewhat sleazy hotel attached to the bar where Alyssa found herself that night. Offering up the safety of her guest house, Alyssa is soon escorting Bree back to her home, confident that she’s helping out someone who needs a helping hand.
Over the following days, the two become close companions and begin to swap stories of the relationships they’ve recently walked away from. Suddenly, Bree has a brilliant albeit extreme thought. What if they could solve each other’s problems? After all, who else could possibly understand the difficult situations they now find themselves in better than each other? But does Alyssa know her new friend as well as she thinks she does? Or is Bree merely pretending to be her close confidante?
Wowzers. The House Guest was so much more than I even expected! Jam-packed with clues, red herrings, and epic twists, it certainly kept me guessing until the very end. Playing the happy armchair detective, I was sure I knew exactly what the big secrets were and what they were hiding, but I was 100% wrong. And that left me jolly to be sure. Even better, however, was that just when I thought it was all over, there was just one more amazing twist to be had. I always love when that happens.
By far my favorite aspect of this entire book, however, was the potentially unreliable narrator at the center of the plot. An intriguing combination of possible paranoia and beaten down housewife, Alyssa was the perfect character for anyone and everyone to take advantage of. The entire time I was rooting for her to stand her ground and take back her power. Does it happen? Guess you’ll just have to read this one to find out!
There was only one teeny, tiny flaw that I could find. Unfortunately, I can’t saw much about it, but the central topic matter was intermittently confusing. Don’t get me wrong, Hank Phillippi Ryan did an excellent job explaining everything, but here and there I found myself lost in the descriptions of what could have happened. By the end, it didn’t sully the book and I quickly moved on. But I am known for my even-handed reviews, so there it is.
By the end, I found myself thoroughly enamored. From the thick blanket of secrets and lies to a perfectly crafted plot that offered steadily ratcheting suspense, I honestly think this book was just as successful as Her Perfect Life. And that’s saying something. Ryan is simply one of the masters of the thriller genre and I’m yet to be disappointed by one of her books. Just be forewarned that the synopsis is just the start of what you’re in store for and there is so much more to discover. Perhaps that’s why this review was so hard to write. If I let slip even the overarching ideas that the second half of this book revealed, I would certainly ruin what is an excellent plot and I’d never forgive myself. So instead, I’ll simply implore you to run out and grab a copy of The House Guest. I’d be absolutely shocked if you regret it! Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger warning: acrimonious divorce, financial crimes, gaslighting
Avoiding her depressingly empty home, Alyssa finds herself in a bar one night. It is there that she runs into the type of woman she would never have graced with her friendship in the past. But Alyssa needs an ally just as much as she yearns for friendship. And Bree Lorrance fits that bill to a tee. For she is currently running from her own dangerous relationship, hiding out in the somewhat sleazy hotel attached to the bar where Alyssa found herself that night. Offering up the safety of her guest house, Alyssa is soon escorting Bree back to her home, confident that she’s helping out someone who needs a helping hand.
Over the following days, the two become close companions and begin to swap stories of the relationships they’ve recently walked away from. Suddenly, Bree has a brilliant albeit extreme thought. What if they could solve each other’s problems? After all, who else could possibly understand the difficult situations they now find themselves in better than each other? But does Alyssa know her new friend as well as she thinks she does? Or is Bree merely pretending to be her close confidante?
Wowzers. The House Guest was so much more than I even expected! Jam-packed with clues, red herrings, and epic twists, it certainly kept me guessing until the very end. Playing the happy armchair detective, I was sure I knew exactly what the big secrets were and what they were hiding, but I was 100% wrong. And that left me jolly to be sure. Even better, however, was that just when I thought it was all over, there was just one more amazing twist to be had. I always love when that happens.
By far my favorite aspect of this entire book, however, was the potentially unreliable narrator at the center of the plot. An intriguing combination of possible paranoia and beaten down housewife, Alyssa was the perfect character for anyone and everyone to take advantage of. The entire time I was rooting for her to stand her ground and take back her power. Does it happen? Guess you’ll just have to read this one to find out!
There was only one teeny, tiny flaw that I could find. Unfortunately, I can’t saw much about it, but the central topic matter was intermittently confusing. Don’t get me wrong, Hank Phillippi Ryan did an excellent job explaining everything, but here and there I found myself lost in the descriptions of what could have happened. By the end, it didn’t sully the book and I quickly moved on. But I am known for my even-handed reviews, so there it is.
By the end, I found myself thoroughly enamored. From the thick blanket of secrets and lies to a perfectly crafted plot that offered steadily ratcheting suspense, I honestly think this book was just as successful as Her Perfect Life. And that’s saying something. Ryan is simply one of the masters of the thriller genre and I’m yet to be disappointed by one of her books. Just be forewarned that the synopsis is just the start of what you’re in store for and there is so much more to discover. Perhaps that’s why this review was so hard to write. If I let slip even the overarching ideas that the second half of this book revealed, I would certainly ruin what is an excellent plot and I’d never forgive myself. So instead, I’ll simply implore you to run out and grab a copy of The House Guest. I’d be absolutely shocked if you regret it! Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger warning: acrimonious divorce, financial crimes, gaslighting
March 16, 2023
The House Guest by Hank Philippi Ryan
Mystery thriller. Contemporary.
Alyssa is divorced and believes her ex husband is gaslighting her. She thinks he’s enters the house when she’s not there and moves things just to scare her. Or to make her think she’s going crazy because she can’t really prove he’s doing anything. Even if she calls the police, he could say it’s his house. Alyssa meets a woman that seems to be going through something similar or at least enough that Alyssa feels the need to support her. She invites Bree to stay in her guesthouse and soon Dez follows and they believe they can help Alyssa win against her ex.
Can they though? Is this too much of a coincidence?
It’s a convoluted twist and turning of friends and questions of what might be the true situation. Is it real. Can anyone be trusted?
Intriguing and suspenseful. I was suspicious.
🎧 I listened to this on an audiobook narrated by Stephanie Willing. I believe the audio book added a height of tension that may be missing by reading the book. Voices tended to be a bit the same and confusing at times but paying attention makes it easy to follow the story and characters. I listened at speed 1.5.
Mystery thriller. Contemporary.
Alyssa is divorced and believes her ex husband is gaslighting her. She thinks he’s enters the house when she’s not there and moves things just to scare her. Or to make her think she’s going crazy because she can’t really prove he’s doing anything. Even if she calls the police, he could say it’s his house. Alyssa meets a woman that seems to be going through something similar or at least enough that Alyssa feels the need to support her. She invites Bree to stay in her guesthouse and soon Dez follows and they believe they can help Alyssa win against her ex.
Can they though? Is this too much of a coincidence?
It’s a convoluted twist and turning of friends and questions of what might be the true situation. Is it real. Can anyone be trusted?
Intriguing and suspenseful. I was suspicious.
🎧 I listened to this on an audiobook narrated by Stephanie Willing. I believe the audio book added a height of tension that may be missing by reading the book. Voices tended to be a bit the same and confusing at times but paying attention makes it easy to follow the story and characters. I listened at speed 1.5.
November 22, 2023
A slow burn that makes you wonder who is telling the truth. Clearly the husband is a horrible guy, but are the new friends in on his devious schemes, or is our protagonist lucky enough to have a friend who will help find a way out of the drama the man left behind? Ryan is a solid author, and I usually enjoy the premise of her books. Sometimes the writing can be a little too simple or tell rather than show, but generally the characters are intriguing and multi-dimensional. Two women meet at a bar. They help each other reflect on a difficult situation, and within a day or two, their lives are a bit entwined. Inheritances. FBI investigations. Mysterious death. Which crime will be pinned to which one?
May 6, 2023
So your wealthy husband leaves you and you are feeling devastated and alone. You are also suspicious of your soon to be ex. Is he trying to scare you using 'gaslighting" tactics, or is it just an over active imagination. Feeling distraught and confused, you meet an intriguing stranger at a bar. This mysterious woman may also need rescuing. What do you do? Invite them to move into your life and take center stage, of course. Really?? The main character Alyssa, frustrated me with her impulsive choices. I understood that she was going through a lot, but many of her decisions were questionable. I did enjoy the relationship between Alyssa and the alluring Bree, even if it seemed rushed and reckless. The ending was satisfying and bumped my rating up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Overall this was an okay thriller. The narration of the audiobook was entertaining and added a layer of suspense. Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my audiobook.
April 13, 2022
In THE HOUSE GUEST, Hank Phillippi Ryan expertly leads you down one path only to spin you on your head and send you down ten others. With red-herrings and twists and turns galore, you’ll be switching allegiances from one moment to the next, and you still won’t guess the ending. Compulsive and absorbing, this is a fast-faced, highly intriguing and binge-worthy read.
November 17, 2022
Another great book by Hank Ryan - this one will keep you glued to the pages! I did not see the twists coming!
December 29, 2022
A very entertaining, if not entirely believable, romp about Alyssa, a recently separated woman, and Bree, a down on her luck woman Alyssa meets in a bar. The narrator of the audiobook does a fantastic job of distinguishing the characters and making them interesting, while Hank Phillipi Ryan as always brings the fun twists and turns, zippy writing, and expert plotting. Those of you who don't like suspending your disbelief too much may not relate to this one, but, as for me, even though I had a sense from the beginning of the unbelievable way this was going to end, I had a great time going along for the ride. The ending is a little over-explainy, but it kind of has to be that way with the complicated plot. I enjoyed the book all the way through and had fun with the red herrings and misdirection. Hank Phillipi Ryan remains one of my go-to suspense authors and this is an extremely well-done audiobook that you will be likely to gobble up in one or two sittings as I did.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this well-written and well-narrated audiobook.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this well-written and well-narrated audiobook.
December 18, 2022
The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan (book review)
There's no denying that The House Guest is a banger! This book has it all: money, divorce, lies, and greed. It checks all the boxes for a fantastic thriller. I enjoyed this book to the fullest. It's a cat-and-mouse game you don't want to miss.
Synopsis:
In addition to being beautiful, Alyssa Macallan is also terrified. As she and her emotionally abusive husband separate, a devastating divorce unfolds. Alyssa realizes he is trying to leave her destitute.
Alyssa is shocked when the FBI knocks on her door. She wonders what her husband has gotten himself into. It's nice to have Bree, a new friend who can help her, but will Bree prove trustworthy when she moves into the guest house?
The House Guest is available on February 7th.
5/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge (Forge Books) for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan
There's no denying that The House Guest is a banger! This book has it all: money, divorce, lies, and greed. It checks all the boxes for a fantastic thriller. I enjoyed this book to the fullest. It's a cat-and-mouse game you don't want to miss.
Synopsis:
In addition to being beautiful, Alyssa Macallan is also terrified. As she and her emotionally abusive husband separate, a devastating divorce unfolds. Alyssa realizes he is trying to leave her destitute.
Alyssa is shocked when the FBI knocks on her door. She wonders what her husband has gotten himself into. It's nice to have Bree, a new friend who can help her, but will Bree prove trustworthy when she moves into the guest house?
The House Guest is available on February 7th.
5/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge (Forge Books) for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan
April 8, 2023
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Hank Philippi Ryan always delivers! Her psychological thrillers are always a treat to read and The House Guest certainly kept me on my toes until the very end.
This is a story of 2 women, Alyssa and Bree. They meet in a bar when they are both having a rough time of things. Alyssa takes pity on Bree and invites her to come stay in her guest house until she gets back on her feet. She is happy to help and could use the company after her husband left her, a move that she did not see coming. But both women have their secrets.
There is so much going on with this book… friendship, trust, love, money, lies, deceit, betrayal, and so much more. Thriller lovers will devour this one like I did.
A big thank you to Macmillan Tor for my advanced copy to read from a NetGalley. An absolute page turner
Hank Philippi Ryan always delivers! Her psychological thrillers are always a treat to read and The House Guest certainly kept me on my toes until the very end.
This is a story of 2 women, Alyssa and Bree. They meet in a bar when they are both having a rough time of things. Alyssa takes pity on Bree and invites her to come stay in her guest house until she gets back on her feet. She is happy to help and could use the company after her husband left her, a move that she did not see coming. But both women have their secrets.
There is so much going on with this book… friendship, trust, love, money, lies, deceit, betrayal, and so much more. Thriller lovers will devour this one like I did.
A big thank you to Macmillan Tor for my advanced copy to read from a NetGalley. An absolute page turner
May 7, 2023
I recently finished reading The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan, marking the fourth novel of hers that I have had the pleasure of reading. I appreciate her writing style and find it quite timeless. While this book had a slower pace than her usual works and repeated certain aspects more than necessary, I was still invested in the story and thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected twists that emerged in the final quarter of the book. The ending was satisfying, and I particularly appreciated experiencing events solely from Alyssa's perspective. Although I didn't feel particularly attached to any of the characters, I appreciated the author's ability to keep me guessing about the outcome of the story. The book ultimately ended up being more thrilling than I initially anticipated, and the conclusion was a complete shock to me!
Stephanie Willing's exceptional narration in the audiobook of The House Guest had me hooked. Her delivery was spot-on, and Alyssa's character was perfectly portrayed. I highly recommend the audio version to anyone who enjoys them. With a thrilling plot of deception and greed, it was hard to determine who the good guys were. Hank's books always leave me fulfilled, and I was thrilled to find a signed copy at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Arizona. If you're in the area, make sure to check them out. I'm already looking forward to the next book from this talented author.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Stephanie Willing's exceptional narration in the audiobook of The House Guest had me hooked. Her delivery was spot-on, and Alyssa's character was perfectly portrayed. I highly recommend the audio version to anyone who enjoys them. With a thrilling plot of deception and greed, it was hard to determine who the good guys were. Hank's books always leave me fulfilled, and I was thrilled to find a signed copy at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Arizona. If you're in the area, make sure to check them out. I'm already looking forward to the next book from this talented author.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 12, 2023
“You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.”
Hold onto your hat for this crazy, electrifying ride! The House Guest is filled with twists, lies, and secrets that will pull the rug right out from under you. And good luck guessing who can be trusted!
Alyssa is a cliche. Poor girl falls in love with a rich older man, marries, becomes a trophy wife, and expects to live happily ever after. Except Bill decides to take a break after eight years. A separation agreement is made through lawyers and Alyssa is left in limbo. Bill doesn’t stick to the arrangement because rules don’t apply to him. Instead, he goes out of his way to taunt Alyssa and make her more miserable than she already is.
She goes to an average bar. One that Bill and his friends would never show their faces in and meets Bree. She’s having issues of her own so Alyssa eventually invites her to stay in her guest house. She enjoys having someone around until things start getting weird. First, the FBI shows up. Then Bree offers to help her get rid of her husband. She’s not sure who she can trust.
Sincere thanks to Macmillan Audio, Forge Books, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own!
#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan #macmillanaudio #forgebooks #netgalley #edelweiss #audiobook #honestreview #crimeandcocktailsbookcrew #mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #lovebooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecommendations #bookreels #igbookreels #booksbooksandmorebooks
Hold onto your hat for this crazy, electrifying ride! The House Guest is filled with twists, lies, and secrets that will pull the rug right out from under you. And good luck guessing who can be trusted!
Alyssa is a cliche. Poor girl falls in love with a rich older man, marries, becomes a trophy wife, and expects to live happily ever after. Except Bill decides to take a break after eight years. A separation agreement is made through lawyers and Alyssa is left in limbo. Bill doesn’t stick to the arrangement because rules don’t apply to him. Instead, he goes out of his way to taunt Alyssa and make her more miserable than she already is.
She goes to an average bar. One that Bill and his friends would never show their faces in and meets Bree. She’s having issues of her own so Alyssa eventually invites her to stay in her guest house. She enjoys having someone around until things start getting weird. First, the FBI shows up. Then Bree offers to help her get rid of her husband. She’s not sure who she can trust.
Sincere thanks to Macmillan Audio, Forge Books, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own!
#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan #macmillanaudio #forgebooks #netgalley #edelweiss #audiobook #honestreview #crimeandcocktailsbookcrew #mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #lovebooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecommendations #bookreels #igbookreels #booksbooksandmorebooks
February 27, 2023
This is my first Hank Phillippi Ryan read. I got my ARC through Netgalley. I've learned not to judge a writer by just reading one of their books. There are exceptions for this rule, of course. Now, this book was not my cup of tea at all. Will I try one more of Ms. Ryan's books? Absolutely! Because there were moments when I felt that this writer is good, but the book itself is disappointing. I got to a point where I literally said out loud, "Enough with the cracker crumbs with people flapping them off their clothes." I think there was no need for dissecting the book into chapters. Every chapter was always beginning from what the previous one left off. And the endings of the chapters were not suspenseful enough to mark the end of each chapter. Alyssa, the heroine, with her constant wonder of how things came down to whatever they were, was kind of pathetic. The dialogue in this book is unrealistic to a painful degree. The plot is not thrilling, which makes me question the blurb and the testemonials that raved about The Guest House. The story is dragging and boring. There were points where I thought the book could go somewhere, but that thought was always stopped in its tracks. Will definitely try one more of Ms. Ryan's books, because I have a feeling there is more to this writer than what's shown in this book.
July 7, 2023
I really thought I was going to like this one, but it was sooo boring to me. I couldn’t finish but got halfway. Seems I keep getting some titles like that.
February 7, 2023
The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Book and audiobook review
Audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Willing
There's no denying that The House Guest is a banger! This book and audiobook has it all: money, divorce, lies, and greed. It checks all the boxes for a fantastic thriller. I enjoyed this book to the fullest. It's a cat-and-mouse game you don't want to miss.
Synopsis:
In addition to being beautiful, Alyssa Macallan is also terrified. As she and her emotionally abusive husband separate, a devastating divorce unfolds. Alyssa realizes he is trying to leave her destitute.
Alyssa is shocked when the FBI knocks on her door. She wonders what her husband has gotten himself into. It's nice to have Bree, a new friend who can help her, but will Bree prove trustworthy when she moves into the guest house?
The House Guest book and audiobook are available on February 7th.
5/5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan - Tor/Forge (Forge Books) for sharing this book and audiobook with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan #audiobooks #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #blogtour #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
Book and audiobook review
Audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Willing
There's no denying that The House Guest is a banger! This book and audiobook has it all: money, divorce, lies, and greed. It checks all the boxes for a fantastic thriller. I enjoyed this book to the fullest. It's a cat-and-mouse game you don't want to miss.
Synopsis:
In addition to being beautiful, Alyssa Macallan is also terrified. As she and her emotionally abusive husband separate, a devastating divorce unfolds. Alyssa realizes he is trying to leave her destitute.
Alyssa is shocked when the FBI knocks on her door. She wonders what her husband has gotten himself into. It's nice to have Bree, a new friend who can help her, but will Bree prove trustworthy when she moves into the guest house?
The House Guest book and audiobook are available on February 7th.
5/5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan - Tor/Forge (Forge Books) for sharing this book and audiobook with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan #audiobooks #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #blogtour #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
March 16, 2023
It is not the money that is bad; it is how people use it.
“The House Guest” introduces characters by dangling the past, reviewing the present, and hinting at things to come. Everything Alyssa thought would make her life wonderful and happy, well, it didn’t. Her life was like that of a lobster -- living in comfort and luxury, about to be boiled alive. She was comfortable and clueless. First her husband left, and then her life became just one disaster after another. That is, until a strange thing happened; she met someone one night in a bar.
The story unfolds in a conversation driven narrative. Chapters are labeled with the day to make following the progress easy. Readers know some of what people say to each other, and some of what they say to themselves, but not everything. There are plenty of secrets hidden from others and concealed from readers.
Details paint a vivid picture of the environment. The headboard is crafted from local driftwood, painted a bleached blue, and buffed like a stone tumbled by the waves. The phone’s green charging light and the moon’s May brightness give the room a pale glow.
Alissa encounters more than her share of unexpected connections and unanticipated influences. There are casual gatherings, intentional encounters, and meetings that turn out very differently than originally planned – or perhaps they were planned that way from the start. Alissa knows that in real life, no one gets away with killing anyone, especially husbands -- in real life, but eventually nothing seems real to her. Things are not what they seem on the surface, and perhaps there is an evil that runs deep.
“The House Guest” is an elaborate deception. Things should be one thing, but turn out to be something very different. The characters are complex; the action is non-stop, and the ending is unexpected. Readers think, “I am glad it is not me!”
I also listened to the audio version of “The House Guest” narrated by Stephanie Willing. Willing has a multi-dimensional voice. At times the tone is melodic and reassuring; at other times there is urgency in the narration with a tone of anticipation and dread of what is to come.
I received a review copy of “The House Guest” from Hank Phillippi Ryan, Stephanie Willing, Macmillan-Tor Publishing, and Macmillan Audio.
“The House Guest” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries, and anywhere you get your books.
“The House Guest” introduces characters by dangling the past, reviewing the present, and hinting at things to come. Everything Alyssa thought would make her life wonderful and happy, well, it didn’t. Her life was like that of a lobster -- living in comfort and luxury, about to be boiled alive. She was comfortable and clueless. First her husband left, and then her life became just one disaster after another. That is, until a strange thing happened; she met someone one night in a bar.
The story unfolds in a conversation driven narrative. Chapters are labeled with the day to make following the progress easy. Readers know some of what people say to each other, and some of what they say to themselves, but not everything. There are plenty of secrets hidden from others and concealed from readers.
Details paint a vivid picture of the environment. The headboard is crafted from local driftwood, painted a bleached blue, and buffed like a stone tumbled by the waves. The phone’s green charging light and the moon’s May brightness give the room a pale glow.
Alissa encounters more than her share of unexpected connections and unanticipated influences. There are casual gatherings, intentional encounters, and meetings that turn out very differently than originally planned – or perhaps they were planned that way from the start. Alissa knows that in real life, no one gets away with killing anyone, especially husbands -- in real life, but eventually nothing seems real to her. Things are not what they seem on the surface, and perhaps there is an evil that runs deep.
“The House Guest” is an elaborate deception. Things should be one thing, but turn out to be something very different. The characters are complex; the action is non-stop, and the ending is unexpected. Readers think, “I am glad it is not me!”
I also listened to the audio version of “The House Guest” narrated by Stephanie Willing. Willing has a multi-dimensional voice. At times the tone is melodic and reassuring; at other times there is urgency in the narration with a tone of anticipation and dread of what is to come.
I received a review copy of “The House Guest” from Hank Phillippi Ryan, Stephanie Willing, Macmillan-Tor Publishing, and Macmillan Audio.
“The House Guest” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries, and anywhere you get your books.
March 1, 2023
Ok, ok, ok….so you’re telling me your filthy rich husband says he is leaving you and you decide to a)roll over and let it happen while whining about the lavish life you’re about to lose b)not go to his work or any place you know him to be (or even call…?) and just whine and repeat “I don’t know where he is!” for an entire book.
The rest of the book is you allowing not one but two complete strangers to come into your home to take over like two teenagers eating all your food, drinking all your booze, leaving and or neglecting their jobs but feel redeemed by asking “are you ok?” every other sentence, buying you take out (no WE INSIST), offering to kill your husband (and this doesn’t bother you more because…?), and giving you fodder to wonder if they might be banging behind your back.
WHAT WAS THIS BOOK!!??
The rest of the book is you allowing not one but two complete strangers to come into your home to take over like two teenagers eating all your food, drinking all your booze, leaving and or neglecting their jobs but feel redeemed by asking “are you ok?” every other sentence, buying you take out (no WE INSIST), offering to kill your husband (and this doesn’t bother you more because…?), and giving you fodder to wonder if they might be banging behind your back.
WHAT WAS THIS BOOK!!??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2022
Alyssa Macallan’s world is turned upside down when she is dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a divorce on the way, things start to spiral for Alyssa and just when really needs a friend, one appears. Alyssa meets Bree in a bar and they become fast friends. Bree is fleeing an abusive relationship and Alyssa agrees to help her out. As their relationship develops, it is clear that both have their secrets.
I’ve read several book by Hank Phillippi Ryan and she always blows me away with her twists. This was another exciting read that I was unable to solve the final twist. If you’re looking for a great weekend read, I highly recommend adding THE HOUSE GUEST to your list.
Many thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Forge Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog @coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
I’ve read several book by Hank Phillippi Ryan and she always blows me away with her twists. This was another exciting read that I was unable to solve the final twist. If you’re looking for a great weekend read, I highly recommend adding THE HOUSE GUEST to your list.
Many thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Forge Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog @coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
April 30, 2023
A mediocre thriller with a boring plot and an idiot for a main character.
February 9, 2023
Check out my fun #AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Hank!
Rock-star bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan (a favorite, with more Emmy Awards than you can count) and the queen of cat-and-mouse thrillers returns following Her Perfect Life with her latest sizzler—THE HOUSE GUEST —where no one or nothing is as it appears.
Who is the cat, and who is the mouse? Who will wind up in the mouse trap? You will be guessing—until the final page —with twists so sharp you are liable to get whiplash!
Alyssa (Alice) Westland Macallan —is an almost-divorced thirty-five-year-old. She dropped out of law school and gave up her identity (even her name) when she married Bill (15 yrs older) eight years ago.
Bill, a big-time charity fundraiser, turns out to be keeping some of these funds for himself—naughty, naughty—She was Bill's possession.
He has decided to leave Alyssa, and she is left in the big house, setting traps to ensure he does not enter while she is away. Plus, she has the funny imaginary dog barking alarm and the hidden closet — She no longer trusts him even though they have an agreement. He is manipulative and charming.
She has no friends because Bill's friends are loyal to him, especially the Weston, MA, country club set. She never knows when her card will be declined—since Bill pulls all the strings. She is still determining if she will have any money.
Lonely, she goes to Vermilion, a local bar, and meets a thirtysomething woman, Bree Lorrance. She is staying in a hotel (a banker) and running from an abusive relationship and a horrible boss.
Alyssa acts impulsively and offers Bree to stay in her guest house. She does not know her, but they may become friends. She will keep her company.
Someone calls Bree's cell phone from an unknown number, and Alyssa encourages her to answer and see who it is. She also encourages her to follow up on a DNA/ancestry database her mom gave her. This leads her to Dez, an attorney who has been trying to track her down.
Then FBI agent Hattie Parker comes knocking at her door.—Most of Bill's fundraising(turns out) for charity went to lining his own pockets, and the FBI thinks Alyssa knows more about it. Can she trust the FBI agent? Is she being set up?
She and Bree become BFFs, but can she trust her?
Every story had a secret, and every storyteller had a motive.
Life with Bill had shown her the destructive side of affluence. It bred only the relentless desire for more of everything. And the constant terror loss. What will a wife do for her husband, even an ex-husband?
Alyssa turns to her old friend, Mickey, now an attorney, for help. Is she being set up by Bill, Dex, Parker, or Bree? Who was Collin Whishaw?
Dex and Bree become engrossed in all aspects of Alyssa's life. From unreliable narrators to back-and-forth twists, where your loyalties will change more than a ball in a tennis match. Then there is Bill.
Trust NO ONE! Who is being duped? Kickbacks. Illegal. Forfeiture. Inheritance. Extortion. Twenty-two million dollars.
THE HOUSE GUEST —is a fiendishly clever standalone thriller of psychological manipulation that explores the dark heart of marriage and friendship—Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise. A whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the final page from the rock star of cat-and-mouse suspense. You do not want to miss this one!
You do not know where Hank is taking you, but trust me, get on board—do not concern yourself with the destination, but enjoy the journey—it is one wild ride! All will become clear with the wicked satisfactory conclusion.
THE HOUSE GUEST is an insanely intense ultimate rollercoaster reading experience. From fun, Hitchcockian movie references (Gaslight, The Birds, Strangers on a Train, Rear Windows, and Thelma & Louise) to twists and jaw-dropping surprises. No one does clever, twisty, intelligent, diabolical cat-and-mouse thrillers better than HPR!!
Thank you to #ForgeBooks and #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC and the beautiful promotional monogrammed House Guest Pashmina Shawl wrap! I love it.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
#AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Hank
Pub Date: Feb 7, 2023
My Rating: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars
Feb 2023 Must-Read Books
Rock-star bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan (a favorite, with more Emmy Awards than you can count) and the queen of cat-and-mouse thrillers returns following Her Perfect Life with her latest sizzler—THE HOUSE GUEST —where no one or nothing is as it appears.
Who is the cat, and who is the mouse? Who will wind up in the mouse trap? You will be guessing—until the final page —with twists so sharp you are liable to get whiplash!
Alyssa (Alice) Westland Macallan —is an almost-divorced thirty-five-year-old. She dropped out of law school and gave up her identity (even her name) when she married Bill (15 yrs older) eight years ago.
Bill, a big-time charity fundraiser, turns out to be keeping some of these funds for himself—naughty, naughty—She was Bill's possession.
He has decided to leave Alyssa, and she is left in the big house, setting traps to ensure he does not enter while she is away. Plus, she has the funny imaginary dog barking alarm and the hidden closet — She no longer trusts him even though they have an agreement. He is manipulative and charming.
She has no friends because Bill's friends are loyal to him, especially the Weston, MA, country club set. She never knows when her card will be declined—since Bill pulls all the strings. She is still determining if she will have any money.
Lonely, she goes to Vermilion, a local bar, and meets a thirtysomething woman, Bree Lorrance. She is staying in a hotel (a banker) and running from an abusive relationship and a horrible boss.
Alyssa acts impulsively and offers Bree to stay in her guest house. She does not know her, but they may become friends. She will keep her company.
Someone calls Bree's cell phone from an unknown number, and Alyssa encourages her to answer and see who it is. She also encourages her to follow up on a DNA/ancestry database her mom gave her. This leads her to Dez, an attorney who has been trying to track her down.
Then FBI agent Hattie Parker comes knocking at her door.—Most of Bill's fundraising(turns out) for charity went to lining his own pockets, and the FBI thinks Alyssa knows more about it. Can she trust the FBI agent? Is she being set up?
She and Bree become BFFs, but can she trust her?
Every story had a secret, and every storyteller had a motive.
Life with Bill had shown her the destructive side of affluence. It bred only the relentless desire for more of everything. And the constant terror loss. What will a wife do for her husband, even an ex-husband?
Alyssa turns to her old friend, Mickey, now an attorney, for help. Is she being set up by Bill, Dex, Parker, or Bree? Who was Collin Whishaw?
Dex and Bree become engrossed in all aspects of Alyssa's life. From unreliable narrators to back-and-forth twists, where your loyalties will change more than a ball in a tennis match. Then there is Bill.
Trust NO ONE! Who is being duped? Kickbacks. Illegal. Forfeiture. Inheritance. Extortion. Twenty-two million dollars.
THE HOUSE GUEST —is a fiendishly clever standalone thriller of psychological manipulation that explores the dark heart of marriage and friendship—Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise. A whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the final page from the rock star of cat-and-mouse suspense. You do not want to miss this one!
You do not know where Hank is taking you, but trust me, get on board—do not concern yourself with the destination, but enjoy the journey—it is one wild ride! All will become clear with the wicked satisfactory conclusion.
THE HOUSE GUEST is an insanely intense ultimate rollercoaster reading experience. From fun, Hitchcockian movie references (Gaslight, The Birds, Strangers on a Train, Rear Windows, and Thelma & Louise) to twists and jaw-dropping surprises. No one does clever, twisty, intelligent, diabolical cat-and-mouse thrillers better than HPR!!
Thank you to #ForgeBooks and #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC and the beautiful promotional monogrammed House Guest Pashmina Shawl wrap! I love it.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
#AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Hank
Pub Date: Feb 7, 2023
My Rating: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars
Feb 2023 Must-Read Books
April 21, 2023
2.5 Stars
The book is described as a "diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller". Which I don't agree with at all. There wasn't much thrill to this thriller. I was never on the edge of my seat or felt like the protagonist's life was ever in danger. The pacing was slow and there wasn't much going on. Most of the novel was just the protagonist bonding with two random strangers. Not to mention, the ending was predictable, well for the most part. I did like the final twist at the end, but that's about it.
Overall, it was an okay read. Wish there were more to the story.
***I would like to thank NetGalley, Hank Phillippi Ryan (the author), and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
The book is described as a "diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller". Which I don't agree with at all. There wasn't much thrill to this thriller. I was never on the edge of my seat or felt like the protagonist's life was ever in danger. The pacing was slow and there wasn't much going on. Most of the novel was just the protagonist bonding with two random strangers. Not to mention, the ending was predictable, well for the most part. I did like the final twist at the end, but that's about it.
Overall, it was an okay read. Wish there were more to the story.
***I would like to thank NetGalley, Hank Phillippi Ryan (the author), and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,136 reviews