Review: The Guest

The Guest by B.A. Paris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

A betrayal was a betrayal, whether it lasted a few hours, a few months or a few years

Iris and Gabriel appear to live a charmed life, nestled in the idyllic British countryside with a daughter contentedly working in Greece and their dear friends, Laure and Pierre from Paris, often joining them for vacations. However, their tranquility shatters when Gabriel stumbles upon a tragic accident in a nearby quarry, becoming the unwitting witness to the young man's final words, leaving him burdened by guilt.

As Gabriel grapples with the trauma, their world takes an unexpected turn as Laure, dealing with her husband's revelation of fathering a child with another woman, moves in with Iris and Gabriel. They offer her solace, but Laure's presence becomes increasingly unsettling. She starts imitating Iris, donning her clothes, shadowing her every move, and obsessively questioning her about the recent death of the young man.

Amidst this fraught atmosphere, the arrival of a new couple expecting their first child seems to offer a breath of fresh air. However, their gardener brings with him a shadowy past.

With their relationships fractured and secrets piling up, the question becomes whether Iris and Gabriel's marriage can withstand the weight of the unsettling circumstances surrounding them.

As an avid fan of B. A. Paris, I came into this book with certain expectations, knowing the author's signature style. While this story may have felt a tad slower in pace compared to some of her other works, it more than made up for it with its rich character development and depth of storytelling.

In this particular book, you embark on a six-month journey alongside Iris and Gabriel, and you genuinely feel the weight of their trials and tribulations during this period. It's as though you're right there with them, navigating the complexities of their lives. There's an abundance of intricacies woven into the narrative, keeping you thoroughly engaged throughout the tale. B. A. Paris has a way of delving into the human psyche, and this book is no exception.

If you're a fan of her previous works, you'll appreciate the psychological depth and character-driven narrative of this story, even if the pacing might be a bit different from what you're used to. It's a book that pulls you into the lives of its characters, making their journey, struggles, and secrets feel all the more real.

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