Good psychological thriller about how well you really know those around you. I didn't expect the twists this one took and enjoyed Mark Edward's style and will look for more him in the future. Very quick and suspenseful read.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: I have always enjoyed Mark Edwards novels, so I was very excited to delve into The House Guest. The premise was intriguing and different from anything I'd read before - two house sitters are surprised when a friend of the homeowners shows up at the door, unaware that the owners are on an extended vacation. Do they invite her in, or do they turn her away...and how does their decision change all of their lives forever?

Adam (the protagonist who tells us the story in the first person in his chapters) and his girlfriend Ruth are house-sitting in New York City for Jake and Mona, two friends they met on an extended cruise. Both Adam and Ruth are British-born and raised, but he is a struggling writer while Ruth is a rising star - an actress who's moved up from Shakespeare at sea on the aforementioned cruise, to the lead role in a Broadway play. The timing of the role is kismet, as it comes when both Jake and Mona will be out of the country on a retreat and will need a house-sitter to watch over their very expensive home in Brooklyn. The English couple jump at the chance to have a place to stay while Ruth attends rehearsal and Adam works on his fledgling writing project.

The two are surprised when Eden shows up at the door in the middle of a terrible rainstorm, cashing in a favor she says Mona & Jake owe her. She's impulsively fled a nasty breakup in California and came to take them up on their offer of a place to stay on the East Coast, but she's bitterly disappointed to find out that they're not home. Ruth and Adam - clearly softer than the stereotypical jaded New Yorkers who surround them in the city - invite her in and offer her a room. Any friend of Jake and Mona is a friend of theirs, right?

But Eden isn't a typical California girl, and quickly starts to insert herself into Ruth & Adam's lives. It culminates when one night of drinking and unusually open conversations leads to the world's worst hangover....at least for Adam. He awakens upstairs, naked and on the floor of his bedroom, sick and miserable....and alone. Where are Ruth and Eden? Why is his girlfriend not returning his messages or calls? And why did Eden delete the photos she and Adam had taken together in a bar...the only evidence Adam even has of her very existence?

From here the plot gets twisty, in a good way. Adam meets new friends who will help him in his mission to find out where Ruth is, but he also runs into many people who are willing to risk their own lives to silence him forever...and it's not easy to see which is which. He must fight for his own life more than once, and can he even believe the truth once it's revealed to him? And for Ruth, whose plight we see in alternating chapters, her own life has changed dramatically and irreversibly...can she regain control to save herself? And...does she even want to?

This book was a fast read; the plot and constant energy kept me reading, and I finished the entire novel in less than 24 hours. With some very popular thriller authors (Ruth Ware, B.A. Paris), I can see a "plot twist" or spot a villain in sheep's clothing before I crack the 50-page mark...but Edwards somehow always avoids this tell. This story draws from very recent headlines, and any true-crime buff (and crime podcast aficionado) will be nodding their heads at the familiarity conjured up by the characters' circumstances.

Edwards always writes believable characters with complex emotions and nuanced relationships, and this book is a prime example of this. This book has heart and humor as much as it has murder and mystery, and it's an excellent read for a rainy night in. I'd recommend this to any thriller fan, especially if you enjoy British mysteries.

Another brilliant story from mark Edwards. Different to his others but that's the sign of a good writer for me.
Adam and Ruth are house sitting for Mono and Jack while they are away when a friend of the couple's turns up soaking wet on the doorstep. Adam and Ruth quickly become acquainted and decide to allow Eden to stay with them until Mono & Jack return. Then Ruth disappears ...

There are sinister feels throughout this book and it is fast moving. Really good and you never know who to trust. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Adam and Ruth, a young British couple, are house-sitting in New York City. She is in rehearsals for a Broadway play. He is a writer. One rainy night, the doorbell rings. A young blonde, Eden, says she is a friend of the owners of the house. She is invited to stay too. All goes well until one night Eden brings two bottles of tequila.
The best review of this book is a sentence at the end: "I should have been shocked, but my capacity for surprise had taken a severe beating lately."
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this book.

If I was to rate this book solely on the first third I’d rate it much higher as I really loved the first section and felt really engaged in the story from the start. Adam and Ruth are a British couple housesitting for new friends in New York when Eden turns up at the door and tells them she’s a friend of the owners. Adam and Ruth agree to let her stay which rang immediate alarm bells for me and you can tell from this stage that things are not quite as they seem.
I was however still really enjoying it until the storyline took a turn I wasn’t expecting and from there it just went downhill for me. It’s difficult to talk about these sections without giving away spoilers but personally it wasn’t a subject matter that I enjoyed and I found these areas of the book to be too far fetched, in particular the last few pages of the book.
I was really looking forward to this one but I’m afraid to say I just wasn’t a fan of the last 2/3. I do feel I might be in the minority here though as I’ve read lots of really positive reviews about it. The writer has a very effortless style of writing which I really enjoyed, it was just the subject matter that didn’t appeal to me so I would definitely try another of his books in the future. 2.5 stars from me rounded up to 3. Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Mark Edwards has become a favorite author of mine. He has a way of taking everyday characters (people like you or me) and putting them in crazy, but believable situations. This one begins just like that with a stranger that makes contact with a couple who is house sitting for some new friends. What seems like a new friendship quickly shifts into something else.
I love books set in New York City and this adds to the story by the notion everyone is a friend, or are they a stranger. The characters were excellent and had layers. I don't want to say too much about the plot, but it was tense and suspenseful. I didn't predict how this one would go or end up and it was a great ride.
Mark Edwards is so good at creating a mood. I highly recommend this (or any) of his books if you are looking for a book that makes you uneasy at the core and is impossible to put down.

British couple, Adam and Ruth are house sitting for the Cunningham's in New York. When Eden turns up claiming to be a friend of Jack and Mona Cunningham, they allow her to stay, even though she is a complete stranger to both Adam and Ruth...

I had a great time with this fabulous page turner. With its action-packed, fast paced, riveting chapters, I revelled in this totally absorbing read. Although the characters were mostly obnoxious and intolerable, this only served to enhance the story.

I totally adore this author’s work and I'm happy to read whatever he creates.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Wow!
Another great book by one of my favourite authors. The story, location & characters had me gripped from page 1.
Mark has a great way with words, his story telling is mesmerising & I am never disappointed. I am yet to read a book by this author that I have not enjoyed & look forward to his next new release.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced copy.
#TheHouseGuest #MarkEdwardsAuthor

Yet another author I am a huge fan of! I was delighted to be gifted an ARC of The House Guest for review.

Ruth and Adam, a 20 something British couple meet Mona and Jack, an older American couple on a cruise. During their chats, Ruth discloses she is going to be in NYC rehearsing for a play for the summer. Mona and Jack, who will be away, offer the couple their townhouse as a house sit while Adam and Ruth are in the city. A win win for both couples.

Until, during a storm a few days into the house sit, a mysterious woman, drenched through, appears on Mona and Jack's doorstep. She appears to know Mona and Jack well and tells Adam and Ruth the older couple offered for her to stay whenever she needed. Adam and Ruth are wary, but Eden appears to know a lot about Mona and Jack. Eden is very charismatic and eventually they offer for her to stay.

Soon after though, they begin to have their suspicions about the mysterious Eden, that she is not who she appears to be. Will they come to regret their hospitality and if so, what is it that she wants?

What a page turner! I read this practically in two sittings, staying up into the small hours reading "just one more chapter". But the chapters are short, suspenseful and full of tension, so much so that "just one more chapter" invariably turned into many! Impossible to put down and with great pacing throughout, this story will keep you on edge as you race with Adam and Ruth to find out just what is going on! 4.5/5🌟

Brits Ruth and Adam have been given the opportunity to house-sit in New York while the owners Mona and Jack. One stormy night, Eden turns up on their doorstep claiming to be friends with Mona and Jack. She says she was supposed to be staying with them and appearing to know them well, Ruth and Adam invite her to stay until they return home. As the days move on, it becomes apparent that Eden is not all she appears to be. Will they regret letting Eden into their lives?

I’ve read books by this author before and have found them to be gripping and filled with suspense. This one is no different, apart from the fact that it is based solely in New York! The story begins well, laying down the plot and building up the tension. It’s obvious from the start that Eden is not to be trusted but I just couldn’t work out why! The words ‘stranger, danger’ seemed to scream out from every page, and I just couldn’t believe how trusting (and possibly naïve) both Adam and Ruth were. As the story moves on, the pace builds up until you are in the middle of a plot line which will have you furiously turning the pages at every opportunity.

Needless to say, I can’t say any more about where the book goes from there but it does set off a catastrophic chain of events which twist and turns the story at every chance. The book was full of interesting characters, but not necessarily all likeable! I think the only ones I really connected with was Adam and Ruth, but mainly because it was them who bore the brunt of the consequences of letting Eden stay! The storyline really does keep you on your toes trying to work out what it going on and it certainly keeps you hooked until the very last page. Motto of the story…don’t trust anyone! Would definitely recommend!

Yet another fabulous read from this author, loved, loved, loved this book. Didn't want to put it down and thought the storyline was different and most enjoyable. Kept me on edge and as I thought I knew what was going to happen there was a wonderfully unexpected twist. Marvellous book. A must read!

I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting! A gripping page turner and very well written. Excellent read.

I loved story. It held my interest. Its definitely worth the read. I love the author. I purchased this book.

The initial part on letting a stranger into the house was impractical, but once that is crossed the plot picks up well. There was not much of any suspense or unexpected twists. Still the narrative was good and kept me finishing in one go. After the previous book Here to stay, this felt dull.

This book gets off to a great start, I was initially gripped. Then, after a particular point, which I can’t go into or it’d ruin the story for readers, I nearly gave up. I was so glad I didn’t! The story is fast paced, with many twists and turns. It would make a great holiday read.

4.5 stars. This was my first Mark Edwards read and it definitely won’t be my last if they are all like this! I was captivated by the very first chapter and it’s been awhile since I’ve had a book do that to me. Don’t talk to strangers and definitely don’t invite them into a house you are just house sitting for.

Don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just say twists and turns happen every few chapters in this book and I’m always a fan when cults become involved! The ending was a perfect way to let each reader decide the true fate of the characters which way a nice change to most thrillers I’ve read recently.

Thank you Netgalley, Mark Edwards and Amazon UK publishing for the e-arc of this!

This story! A real page-turner, that just builds steam as it races to the conclusion.
First off, the pacing of this thriller was terrific. The author’s ability to bring in characters and ideas, while continually building towards the conclusion was spot on. Well done.
The story itself begins with two couples who meet during a cruise. One couple is living in NYC and the other is from the UK. The English couple, Adam and Ruth are young, dating and each trying to improve their career standing. Ruth is an actress who is set to star in her first Broadway show and Adam is a struggling writer/playwright. The NYC couple, Jack and Mona, are married and planning a summer visit to a retreat that requires them to need house sitters. They offer their home to their new friends. All is going well until a young woman claiming to be friends with Jack and Mona comes to the door claiming that she was planning to stay with them. As Adam and Ruth befriend Eden, they offer to let her stay with them. Everything seems great but imagine how you would handle this sort of situation. It’s rather easy to think you would never allow a stranger into your home to stay. But most of us are fairly naive in this kind of social situation and may very well make similar decisions. This is a key ingredient for a great story.
There are twists and turns throughout. Who do you really know? Who can be trusted?
This is an entertaining and highly readable book. I highly recommend it.
Thank you for the early copy for review.
#TheHouseGuest #Netgalley #AmazonPublishingUK #MarkEdwards

A woman arrives on a very wet night and talks her way into Mona and Jack Cunningham’s house, they are away and she says that they have arranged for her to house sit!!! Amazing story full of twist and turns and intrigue, as only Mark Edwards can write. I read this over two days, I had to get to the end and find out what happened.

Great story, loved the suspence, love getting to know the characters throughout. Couldn't put the book down, thank god for lockdown where i could just spend time reading...
Great ending.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through net galley. This is my first Mark Edwards book and I put all my other books aside that I was reading once I got about 10 pages into this book. I thought the story was flawless, the characters were well developed and i really found myself really getting into the main characters (Adam) story and his struggle with being believed and finding his girlfriend.

Would highly recommend this book and have been telling people I know about this book.