As a big fan of Mark Edwards I was really looking forward to sitting down with The House Guest. And it did not disappoint. Read it in two days..
I won’t go into the plot, as would not want to give away spoilers, and many others have given plot outlines.
I so wanted to give this five stars. Certainly after the first third of the book I was engrossed, but have to say, middle third just lacked credibility, and the final third, even more. Still, it’s a great read, so four stars.
Mark Edwards really knows how to write, and I will certainly devour his next book, and those that follow, but The House Guest, was not one of his best in my humble opinion. It’s still a lot lot better than most so called psychological thrillers you’ll find on any bookshelf.
I DO recommend it, but just wish it could have gone in a different direction after the brilliant opening, and that the conclusion was more satisfying.

Thriller with a twist.Some not very likeable characters and a weird storyline.Kept reading to the end tho.

When Adam opens the front door of the home he and his girlfriend Ruth are house sitting he finds Eden, literally and metaphorically. The young woman at the door tells him she’s a friend of the homeowners and she needs a place to stay. There begins his line of decisions, does he let her in or does he send her on her way? Trying to return the generosity shown to him he lets her in and the ‘serpent’ weaves her way into his life. Then one morning he wakes up sick, severely hungover with no memory of the night before, and finds Eden and Ruth both missing. Finding them and finding the truth about Eden leads him on a scary path not knowing who to trust and who is lying.

Mark Edwards is a gifted writer who will keep you on the edge of your seat. I look forward to seeing more of his work.

THE HOUSE GUEST
Mark Edwards
Thomas & Mercer
ISBN-13: 9781542094030
Trade Paperback
Thriller

We are barely into June and we already have what is certain to be one of the year’s best beach reads --- even if your beach is your backyard --- of the year. THE HOUSE GUEST by Mark Edwards will never be mistaken for deep literature, but it is full of twists, turns, and suspense, making it the perfect escapist book for your vacation.

The premise of THE HOUSE GUEST is simple enough. Ruth and Adam are a British couple somewhere in their twenties who are staying in New York for the summer. Ruth, an actress who had a part in a popular cult film, is in rehearsal for an important play which is all but certain to be a stepping stone to bigger things. Adam is an aspiring playwright who may have topped out at “aspiring.” That said, kismet enabled them to housesit for Mona and Jack Cunningham in their tony home in Williamsburg. All is going well --- at least for Ruth --- until there is a knock on the Cunninghams’ door on a rainy night. There is a young woman standing there who tells Adam and Ruth that her name is Eden and that she is a friend of the Cunninghams, who had told her that she could drop in anytime that she was in the area and stay with them. Eden seems to know Mona and Jack very well, and she is soaked, so...Ruth and Adam let her in. Things go well for a few days until Ruth, Adam, and Eden have a drunken party of sorts shortly before the Cunninghams are to return home. Ruth and Eden are gone when a very groggy Adam awakens the next morning. The house is a total mess as well. Adam straightens things up in time for Mona and Jack’s arrival. As the reader expects, the Cunninghams say that they have no idea who Eden might be. They know a police detective, who talks to Adam and seems to take an instant dislike to him, one that intensifies with each encounter. The cop seems to think that Adam might have something to do with Ruth’s disappearance as well as an unexpected murder. Meanwhile, Adam discovers that Ruth has been fired from her play for failing to show up for rehearsal. He has no idea where she is, just as he has no clue as to who the gray-headed man is who seems to be following him. It’s a bit of a fish-out-of-water story, as Adam, who is anything but a native New Yorker, follows a couple of slender clue threads while trying to find Ruth, or at least discover what happened to her. He gets help from a somewhat unexpected source who has some secrets --- and not very good ones --- of their own. The answers take Adam to some unexpected places. By the end of THE HOUSE GUEST, Adam may wish that he had left well enough alone.

There are a few elements in THE HOUSE GUEST that might give one pause, but Edwards is a terrific storyteller who keeps things moving fast enough that you either won’t notice or won’t care about the occasional hiccup. There are also a couple of chilling moments toward the conclusion of THE HOUSE GUEST that will leave you wondering what happens after the story’s final page. This is a book that is definitely worth packing in or picking up.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2020, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

I'm not sure how he does it every time, but each book keeps getting better and better! I'm always a bit sad when it ends because I have to wait for his next book to be released. Now I'm off to buy the audiobook and really enjoy it as it was meant to be.

Thanks to the publisher and Mark Edwards for an advanced copy. I loved it so much I bought a physical copy and the Audible version.

An accelerating, invigorating thriller, where each character comes under suspicion until your head spins.

The story is set in the United States, complete with Americanisms such as 'garbage', 'stoop', 'bathroom' and 'store', just to give a feel of the place. An English couple have the opportunity to house-sit for a couple they met on a cruise. When a woman turns up to stay, claiming that she knows the owners, it opens up a whole host of weirdness. Pretty soon she is missing along with the narrator's English girlfriend.

As the mystery unfolds there are beautiful people, glamour, murder and intrigue with a smattering of kookiness and folk who 'freak out'. All this enveloped by the nuances of behaviour, paranoia and insecurities within relationships, a sense of belonging and belief.

In America things are settled with guns, that's one of the reasons I'm not keen on American thrillers or adventure books so much. And Edwards, out of his normal habitat, still has to conform to that reality. So it was a nice touch to read this: 'A gun? I shook my head. "I'm English."'

Recommended.

Where do I start??? Ok… I frigging love the books Mark Edwards writes. Ever since I read The Magpies what feel like many years ago, I’ve needed/craved a fix from the proverbial Edwards pen. But this year’s offering is a little different, it’s based totally and utterly Stateside. Does this make a difference I hear you ask?

Well…. for me, there was a slightly different feel but not a bad one. Maybe it was the sunny backdrop of New York that played a trick on my mind that pulled me into a different sense of unnerviness (yes this is a word, well it should be). Maybe not. But nevertheless, the location plays a part in the atmosphere of a story and the picture of The Big Apple Edwards paints adds to a je-ne-sais-quoi of The House Guest.

The cast created by Edwards is vast, each playing their part impeccably. The aspiring couple of Adam and Ruth loving the life NYC has to offer, despite the gruelling Broadway schedule Ruth is facing. The mysteriousness of Eden and the man with the grey hair. And then…. oh wait no…. I’m not going to mention anyone else because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone #nospoilers.

I, like many have at these strange times we find ourselves in, have been struggling with my reading. I’ve been distracted and not really concentrating for any length of time (stress with work hasn’t helped). But I devoured The House Guest in a day…. well an afternoon, out in the sunshine. Edwards has a way of drawing me into the believable world he’s fashioned and keeping me captive there. My mind is captured into another version of reality that I couldn’t and wouldn’t want to escape from.

Edwards has yet again written an addictive and unnerving book that grabbed me and threw me right into the action. The whole point of a psych-thriller is the unnerving feeling you get reading it and the fact you are questioning everything even the protagonist leading you through the whole affair … Edwards has this down to a T. The House Guest is packed with intrigue, suspense and that key unnerving questioning WTF feeling that ticks all the boxes (well for me anyway). The big question is: do I have to wait another 12 months before I get an Edwards literary fix??!

The Houst Guest by Mark Edwards
⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Ruth and Adam are housesitting in New York when a stranger, Eden, shows up saying she is friends with the owners. The couple invites Eden to stay with them until the owners of the house return. Ruth and Adam begin to enjoy Edens company for the next several days but not everything has a happy ending.

I was very intrigued by the description of Mark Edwards new book. I really enjoyed The Retreat by him and have been wanting to read another of his books. This ended up being good but not great though. I was so invested half way through and couldn't put it down. The last quarter however, was not as shocking as I thought it could have been. I still thoroughly enjoyed this though and will recommend to anyone! I look forward to more of his books in the future.

For anyone who has read his past books, where should I start?

Have you read any of Mark Edwards books?

What is your favorite thriller?

Thank you @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review

#booksbooksbooks #bookcommunity #bookstagram #thehouseguest #netgalley #bookreview #bookrecommendation #thriller #psychologicalthriller

3.5 stars rounded up. I liked this book. It was a quick read with a nice slow burn that really built up tension and suspense. I knew something was off but I definitely didn’t predict where this book ended up going. Just don’t invite strangers into your home or house sit for people you barely know! Stranger Danger! I look forward to more of Mark Edward’s books!

This is the latest of many Mark Edwards books I have read and I am a huge fan. This one did not disappoint. The creepy factor is put in place early on when a mysterious stranger shows up at a house in New York that an English couple is watching for friends. While everything seems innocent enough, Mark has a way of putting in a few words or sentences in innocent situations that throw you off and put something in the back of your mind that it's just not right. If you're a horror/thriller fan, this is the kind of thing you want when reading and it makes it so exciting.

I don't want to give anything away because it's one surprise after another. But I loved this book and was shocked at the end as always.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
A young couple are in America, Ruth is an up and coming actress and Adam is a writer. They are living in a remarkable house, free from rent, loaned to them by a couple they met on cruise. Everything is going well, until Eve, appears on the doorstep one wet evening. They then embark on what is a nightmare journey when it looks as if they could both end up dead.
Very entertaining. Highly recommended.

OMG!!

So, Adam and Ruth rent this house in New York, and everything is peachy until Eden shows up at their door, claiming to be friends with the house’s owners. Adam and Ruth want to be friendly and accommodating, so they invite her in out of the rain. Well, Eden is enthusiastically delightful, and the three quickly form a bond. The next thing we know, Eden is going to stay with them for a little while, and everyone lives happily ever after........

Yeah, not this time.

Things get hinky. There may be a stalker, definitely a mugging, and most assuredly missing chunks of memory. Oh, and did I mention that Eden might be a little temperamental and, dare I say, psychotic?

And that’s just the beginning.

Guys, this book moves at lightning speed. Not just because the pacing is spot-on, which it totally is, but also because you HAVE to keep reading to see what’s actually happening. The author teases you with breadcrumbs, but you have to keep following him into the darkness to get your payoff. We, the readers, are the mice to Mr. Edwards’ cat!! And it’s delicious!

You want a thrilling mystery? Check. You want tension? Double check. You want twists and turns? Triple check.

Read the book guys! Just never, for the love of all that’s holy in the world, talk to strangers! NEVER!!

If you love a creepy psychological thriller then pick this one up. It is packed full of twists and turns with an ending I did not see coming! Looking forward to the next book. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The House Guest

Absolutely LOVED this book. Was so well written.
I don't want to give any spoilers as the reveal mid way through really surprised me & I really enjoyed it.
The subject matter is relevant & something I had read about in alot of detail recently...& I enjoyed piecing it together.

It's hard to say much without spoiling it ..you just need to go along for the journey.

I wish the ending had been more rounded but that's a slight criticism in an otherwise beautifully written & intriguing story.

Thanks to the author, publisher & Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Adam and Ruth are house-sitting in New York for a couple (Mona and Jack Cunningham) they met on a cruise. For Ruth, an actress, this is an opportunity to work for a play at Broadway. Enter Eden, who claims to be a friend of the Cunninghams and convinces Adam and Ruth to let her stay till the owners return from their cruise.
Someone is watching the house, Eden behaves strangely at times. This is a start to a series of events thats tests Adam and Ruth's love and relationship. Many twists and some interesting mix of characters. There are a few loopholes in the end, but then, its an artistic freedom.

EXCERPT: Something had happened last night. Something I couldn't remember. I held on to the breakfast bar and waited for it to hit me, in the way that embarrassing memories always do after a drunken night.

Nothing came. Just a chilling sense of disquiet.

I tried to peer back through the fog in my brain. I remembered sitting on the chair, the two women on the sofa. I remembered Eden telling us something. A story.

A spasm of nausea hit me and I doubled over, just managing to stop myself from throwing up.

Eden had told us something last night. A secret.

Something about a friend of hers . . . a girl who had died. Or disappeared? It was unclear. I remembered Eden getting upset. We had all hugged, hadn't we? I had a vague recollection that my stomach had hurt.

And then nothing.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: When British twenty-somethings Ruth and Adam are offered the chance to spend the summer housesitting in New York, they can’t say no. Young, in love and on the cusp of professional success, they feel as if luck is finally on their side.

So the moment that Eden turns up on the doorstep, drenched from a summer storm, it seems only right to share a bit of that good fortune. Beautiful and charismatic, Eden claims to be a friend of the homeowners, who told her she could stay whenever she was in New York.

They know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers—let alone invite them into your home—but after all, Eden’s only a stranger until they get to know her.

As suspicions creep in that Eden may not be who she claims to be, they begin to wonder if they’ve made a terrible mistake…

MY THOUGHTS: The House Guest had so much potential...but somewhere along the line it fell flat for me. Mark Edwards usually does suspense so well...but this time, I didn't feel it. But that ending? That ending made reading the whole book worthwhile. Damn! It is good, and I would give Edwards the full five stars for the ending alone . . . but only three stars for the remainder of the book, so a 3.75 rating overall.

Even the characters are like cardboard cutouts. I didn't relate to any of them, felt nothing for them. We don't really get to know them at all.

I wanted to feel the suspense, the thrill, but it eluded me. I think the label 'psychological' thriller, isn't really accurate here. This is a little lightweight and superficial compared with Edward's other writing. I was expecting something grittier, darker. Something I could get my teeth into. Or something that would get it's teeth into me. I didn't get it.

This was a quick, easy read.

***.5

THE AUTHOR: Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people.

He loves love hearing from readers and always responds.

Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The House Guest by Mark Edwards for review. all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system, pleas refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

4.5 stars
A British couple, Adam and Ruth are both housesitting for their friends in New York, who went to a retreat in New Mexico. One rainy day they receive an expected knock on their door. Eden. A gorgeous blond supposedly a friend of the homeowners who, supposedly, received an open invitation to stay with them anytime she wishes.

Well, Eden has nowhere to go now, and when Adam tries to contact the inviting couple to ask them about all of it, they are unreachable. What are the chances?

The house guest is a fast-paced psychological thriller with an unlikely-to-guess ending.
I love everything about this book, and it's definitely hard for me to write a review without at least talk about the major plot spoiler of the entire story. But what I can guarantee is that the story has so many unexpected twists and turns, maybe some were a little bit improbable? But the entire thing was fantastic! I absolutely recommend it to all thrillers fans. You will not get bored that's certain.
The writing is perfect! The storyline is intriguing and well written. And the ending was ideal for a mystery thriller. In sum, I really enjoyed reading it!
This is my first time reading author mark Edwards and I'm fascinated by his writing style. I've already started another one of his novels.
Many thanks to netgalley, Amazon publishing Uk, and the author for providing this brilliant book, to read and give an honest review.

Another great read by Mark Edwards. I felt the book was very cohesive from beginning to end and I enjoyed the plot and characters. After I finished the book I was still shaking a bit from the pinnacle action sequence as well as the final parting words for this story. Something I really find attractive is how this author always leaves a little gift for his loyal readers which ties into some of his previous books.

I read this last night since the book is out today. A thriller with an exciting premise of what do you do when a stranger rocks up at the house you're house sitting in, claiming to be a friend of the owners. The weather is so bad, you let her stay. A stranger. Is she who you thought she was?

Well of course she isn;t.And I have to admit I didn't guess at all how this story was going to play out. I can't say anymore as this will spoil things for you. I have to say it wasn't my ideal cup of tea in that it seemed just a little TOO far fetched and weird.

Exciting premise and beginning but the party got a little too much for me so whilst I did enjoy it, I wasn't that sorry to leave.

Eden has just shown up at the front door of the home in which Ruth and Adam are housesitting for Mona and Jack. Claiming to know the owners, Eden is disappointed they aren’t there to offer her a place to stay. Since it’s raining very hard, they invite Eden to have some wine with them as they wait for the rain to stop. As they all discuss how they know the owners, they realize the rain has stopped and Eden needs a place to stay. So they offer her the spare bedroom.

Ruth and Adam are in New York because Ruth is acting in a play. Adam is a writer and hopes that Ruth doesn’t become so successful that he will lose her.

As they spend time together, they enjoy one another’s company. One night, Eden goes for takeout and brings back some tequila too. Knowing that it is an alcohol that doesn’t agree with him, Adam goes along with the girls and starts drinking way too much. When he awakens, he is ill and both Ruth and Eden have gone missing. Where are they?

OK. Enough with the teasers. This is a story that you might not expect, but it’s compellingly written with lots of angst and action. I can honestly say that I learned a lot from it as well. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.