It has been a year since Leah lost her niece Amy in a tragic drowning accident near the family-owned luxury holiday resort on Lake Garda. She hadn't been back for the funeral and is shocked to find that her sister and the rest of the family seem to have erased most of the evidence that Amy even existed. Despite some very suspicious circumstances around the drowning they insist that it was an accident. When Leah starts to dig a little deeper she doesn't realise how many toes she is treading on. Upsetting people who will do anything to keep the truth under wraps.

In Derby a university councillor called Joanna leads a quiet life following a surprise break up with her partner late last year. She hasn't been ready to throw herself back into the dating pool again but a handsome bartender persuades her to give him a chance. After a hit and run accident where he is seriously injured she invites him to recover at her home. It is only when he is sharing her small terraced house that Joanna realises that she really doesn't know him at all.

The Other Guest is the first book that I've read by Helen Cooper and I don't know what I was expecting but this is a very atmospheric rollercoaster ride switching between three different points of view: Joanna in Derby; Leah in Italy and also Amy in Italy in the run up to her death. It does mean that it can take a little while to get your head round who is who and what exactly is happening. It is definitely worth persevering though as once Leah starts to unravel the truth about the uber luxury holiday resort all the threads come together and you realise what has really happened. Pack it in your suitcase now for a twisty sinister holiday read.

Supplied by Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review.

The Other Guest by Helen Cooper is a slow-burn mystery. Till about 70% into the story, I felt like reading two stories in parallel. Joanna is a student counselor working at the university and recovering from a broken relationship and then there is Leah whose niece died in a tragic accident a year ago and she is recovering from the trauma of that loss. So there we go, following the lives of these two women who do not seem to have anything in common, Joanna is forming a friendship with a new guy in her life, and Leah is hell-bent on tracing the final moments of her niece’s life at the family-owned resort regardless of the danger and warning signs being thrown at her.

The story develops slowly as we see how these random lives get interconnected and the author has developed the plot excellently though, I wonder if she left the twisty surprise a little too late. I do love a slow burn mystery, but here at most times in the story, the thrill of the chase or a big reveal waiting to be unraveled never materializes, so in effect, the reading was easy but I never did get engaged into the plot.

The Other Guest had several characters each of them having a fair amount of growing up to do and I loved how Il Mandrino, the resort becomes an integral element of the story. The setting of the resort was good, and it provided a claustrophobic experience. The grief and trauma of losing a loved one were conveyed in excellent fashion, each one of them suffering in private unable to share the pain that haunts all of them in equal measures.

The writing by the author is captivating though I would have loved to feel more of a ‘gripping and thrilling’ effect in the untangling of the mystery. Surely, I am looking forward to reading other works by the author.

3.5 stars!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Hodder & Stoughton, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

The two separate story-lines of “The Other Guest” were both compelling in their own right. For several chapters I just couldn’t imagine how the stories were connected. The light finally dawned for me at almost the halfway mark. Clever.

The twin settings of Derby, England and Lake Garda, Italy were very distinct, so made it easy to discern which story-line you were reading. The characters were vividly portrayed – and sympathetic, so I was invested in their fates.

With themes of guilt, familial loyalty, megalomania, and keeping up appearances, this novel is ingeniously plotted and I was absolutely immersed throughout the entire book. The ending chapters were suspenseful and riveting.

Highly, highly, recommended to those readers who enjoy intelligently plotted thrillers.

On the shores of Lake Garda, Leah is visiting her sister and family who own a luxurious resort. Leah’s twenty-one-year-old niece, Amy, mysteriously drowned there twelve months ago and Leah has gone there to dig into events then. Meanwhile, in Derby, England, Joanna is struggling following a break-up with her boyfriend. Not wishing to be alone one evening she goes out a meets a barman named Callum. Initially, the two women, Leah and Joanna don't seem to have a connection but ultimately they get into dangerous situations thereby revealing their link.

The story has plenty of twists to keep your interest. I could not anticipate the denouement and I really enjoyed it. Helen Cooper's writing displays skill and I would be happy to read her future work.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Other Guest follows two seemingly separate stories - one in the Italian Lakes where Leah is visiting her sister and family, the owners of a glamorous resort where everything must be perfect. The previous year Leah's niece drowned on the lake and dual timeline unravels what happened whilst Leah is trying to discover this herself. Alongside this storyline, Joanna in Derby, is trying to piece her life back together after the breakdown of her relationship and needs to work out who the mysterious man is she seems to have inextricably involved with.

The dual story line, together with a dual timeline, means there is a lot going on and a lot of plot to keep the reader on their toes whilst they try and fit the pieces together and keep you guessing until the end. The descriptions of the resort and its owners need for perfection provides a sinister atmosphere and backdrop to the mystery.

A great holiday read and another great mystery from Helen Cooper.

I loved 'Helen Cooper's The Downstairs Neighbour', and so was looking forward to this and it didn't disappoint! Told from two different points of view, Joanna in England and Leigh who travels to Italy to find out what happened to her niece who died there. I had no idea what the link between the two women was which intrigued me and kept me reading, plus I liked both women and enjoyed their stories. Leigh's family in the villa are strange and intriguing and there was lots to keep me reading, it was a fast paced read and the conclusion was satisfactory. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The Other Guest is structured with two separate linear storylines, with a third point of view included at times too. The connection between the main two characters is a mystery until quite some way into the book. This is what kept me reading. I probably would have given up otherwise, because I found the pace of the book rather slow and did not care for any of the characters in Italy.

The author has good descriptive powers; I could picture the resort in Lake Garda. She mostly sustained the tension and mystery but I think the book could do with further editing to tighten up the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an arc of 'The Other Guest'. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery thriller. It's told in dual storylines, set in a stunning location and has a plot that will hook you in and keep you guessing. An enjoyable holiday read that gets my vote. I look forward to more from Helen Cooper.

The book is told by two women, Joanna and Leigh. Joanna lives alone, and meets barman Callum, who moves in after an accident.
Leigh travels to Mandarino luxury holiday village, owned by her sister Charlotte and her husband Gordon.
Everything on the island is very strange, and Leigh is trying to find out the background of her neice Amy's death.
All the stories are interconnected and mysterious.
The book is very well written, a real page turner and a great mystery. What do the Special guests need? What happened to Amy? Who is Callum? Brilliant!

I adore Helen Cooper- her debut was fantastic and this eagerly anticipated gem really hasn’t disappointed.

This book really is a gem and hasn’t disappointed in the slightest. I’ve been completely pulled in and devoured this book in just hours. This is multi-layered, has a mix of characters but also a beautiful setting.

Cooper is brilliant at developing and creating the atmosphere. Despite having two separate storylines, they connect perfectly and I have been left stunned by this one.

The characters are mixed, some you feel sympathy for and others you dislike. Cooper has really shown the awkwardness in Italy and I have definitely been able to sense this as I’ve read.

This is definitely a slow burner but there are so many reasons to keep turning the pages. The dynamics and tensions between the characters alone makes gif crave more information.

This has been a perfect late afternoon read and one that I have no regrets in devouring. Helen’s debut was fabulous and this is definitely just as brilliant.

Helen is an author who will always be on the go to list. The book just never disappoints and this one has been so good I have been enthralled. there is nothing to dislike about this book. It is well-written, interesting and intriguing.

A definite for the TBR AND A MUST READ!

Leah returns to her sister’s luxurious Lake Garda home a year after her niece’s untimely death, but her sister, brother-in-law, and other niece seem to have erased all traces of Amy from their lives.

Joanna is in Derby, recovering from a recent break-up and with a busy and emotionally difficult job, goes to a pub to drown her sorrows and meets barman Callum.

There is also a third narrative from Amy, prior to her death.

Leah and Joanna appear totally unconnected but, of course, they’re not and it’s gripping to find out the connection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up

Leah arrives in Il Mandrino, a luxury holiday village on Lake Garda owned by her sister and brother in law. A year ago Leah’s much loved niece Amy tragically drowns and she is astonished to find that all traces of Amy seem to have been airbrushed out but why?? In addition to this strangeness the dynamics in her sisters family are also odd seeming both strained and distant. Leah’s scepticism over Amy’s death is now amplified. Meanwhile in Derby, Joanna is trying to recover from a very sudden break up of a long-term relationship. She has no desire to be alone one evening and so calls in at a pub where she meets a kind and friendly barman, nothing out of the ordinary there except that a week or two later she finds herself drawn into something most unexpectedly .

There are two seemingly disparate storylines and it’s a good puzzle trying to see how they could possibly connect and for a long time I don’t see how but the author does draw it together well. The atmosphere that is created is really good especially in the Lake Garda setting (and Derby is just, well, Derby!) and the holiday village is utilised very effectively in the plot.

The dynamics are good, you feel a strange awkwardness in Italy, it feels forced in several directions and there is an undercurrent of volatility and a distinct chilliness especially from Leah‘s brother in law.

However, it’s not especially fast paced and in fact initially it’s quite slow and the plot seems to be quite busy which makes it a tad confusing on occasions. It picks up really well in the last third and from there on it becomes a fascinating and compelling read. Although the characterisation is good there is no one to particularly like or root for.

Overall, I did enjoy this but not quite as much as the authors last book however I am looking forward to the next one!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This book had me guessing from start to finish; told from multiple perspectives, I was curious as to how the two seemingly separate stories would overlap. An interesting tale of family, and how death affects us, and how questions linger under the surface until people dare to talk. The ending was absolutely one I didn’t see coming and I thought the whole book was really clever!

The Other Guest by Helen Cooper
•••••• out 16th June 2022••••••••••
Highly recommended 5 🌟
A dark and creepy atmospheric mystery told in two seemingly unrelated stories. One set in Italy 🇮🇹. A perfect summer psychological thriller x

I really enjoyed this author's first book, and was excited to get a copy of this one. Maybe it is a bit unfair to compare this book with the high standards set by the first book, but this one just didn't grab me in the same way. It was okay, not a bad book. It was a bit of a slow burner for an impatient reader like myself, and I just didn't really connect with it .I think it was okay, but can't rave about it I am sorry to say.

A slow burn thriller that had me confused initially as I wondered how the two women Leah and Joanna would be connected to thrill me. That happened in the mid-book. There were a few turns that kept me engrossed in the story, though the final reveal was the best shocker. With multiple POVs, it took me time to get invested in the story, though I was not emotionally connected to the characters, I thought this was a solid thriller in its own right. An enjoyable read.

After a shocking death in a luxurious Italian resort, two very different women take it upon themselves to attempt to cover the lies. Leah’s niece Amy drowned in a lake and Leah has finally returned to her sister’s beautiful home in Lake Garda to deal with her grief. Though what she finds on arrival shocks her. Her sister, brother in law and surviving Bruce seem to have removed all traces of Amy and are determined to uphold the police finding of accidental drowning. Yet Leah believes there’s more to this than she’s being told.

Meanwhile in Derby Joanna had her own problems. Recovering from a recent breakup, she’s swept off her feet by a barman but soon realises their meeting may not just be coincidence as she discovers he is on the run from something in his past.

I enjoyed this book, it was a bit of a slow burner at first but as the plot unfolded it kept my attention. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my advanced copy of The Other Guest by Helen Cooper, in exchange for my honest review. As this is my first book by author Helen Cooper I had no expectations or preconceived notions as to what I was about to read. What I discovered was a brilliantly written thriller full of deceit, cover ups and conspiracies.

One year after her niece, Amy, drowned at her families Northern Italian resort, Leah returns to see her family. For some reason Amy’s death seems suspicious and Leah senses some sort of cover up. Leah makes it her mission while at the resort to try and figure out how her niece drowned and who was responsible. But the closer Leah gets to uncovering the truth the more she ruffles feathers. Someone is not happy and Leah starts receiving threats and her room is robbed. It is clear that Leah is no longer welcome at the resort. .

Meanwhile back in England Joanna is recovering from her recent separation from her long time partner Luke. She is really struggling and is now having problems at work. To drown her sorrows Joanna heads to a local pub where she ends up meeting the handsome yet elusive bartender, Callum. Joanna senses that Callum is not being truthful about his past, but when Callum is seriously injured in a hit and run, she has no choice but to open up her home and let him in.

At first I was confused about the two parallel and seemingly unrelated narratives, but eventually it all came together and made sense. It was fun for me to try and figure out the connections regardless of how wrong I was! The Other Guest is a slower paced thriller that builds in anticipation and full of lots of entertaining twists and turns that suck you in. I throughly enjoyed reading The Other Guest and highly recommend you grab a copy when it’s published July 26th, 2022.

This is a Mystery/Thriller. I have mixed feelings about this book. At the beginning of this book I had a lot of trouble following and putting together what the h*** was going on. I found the middle come together, and I started to be able to follow what was going on. I still did not love the middle of this book. I loved the ending of this book. Some parts of this book I found very unbelievable. In the long run, I just found this thriller just ok. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (G.P. Putnam's Sons) or author (Helen Cooper) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is scheduled to be released on July 26-2022.

Rating: 2.3/5

I much admired Helen Cooper's debut novel, "The Downstairs Neighbour", which I felt was a well-crafted, suspenseful thriller. Consequently, I was eagerly anticipating this author's next book. Unfortunately, although "The Other Guest" has its moments, it is disappointing by comparison.

One year earlier 21 year old Amy died at her family's luxurious holiday resort in northern Italy in circumstances that were never fully explained at the time. The narrative for this story is primarily provided from the viewpoints of Amy's auntie, Leah, in Italy and of Joanna, a seemingly totally unconnected individual in Derby, England. These two accounts both take place in the current time-frame, while there is also a third point of view, written in the first person, from Amy at the point immediately prior to her death.

One of the things that struck me about Helen Cooper's debut novel was that there was no slow burn. This second book is very, very different in that respect. There is a long, protracted set-up and it isn't until the 60-65% mark that events start to gel and the pace begins to gather momentum. This long build-up in itself is not necessarily an issue. I have read other novels where the author has taken a similar approach, but where it has worked well, held my attention and gradually drawn me into the evolving storyline. However, in this instance, it is less successful. The story really took a long time to hook me and draw me in - in fact, I am not sure that it ever really did. As a reader, you know that the two threads of the apparently unconnected accounts of Leah and Joanna are going to fit together at some point, because that is just how these things work - but it all seemed a little clumsy. Some of the events and developments, particularly those involving Joanna, struck me as more than a touch contrived. Readers who don't like loose ends will potentially appreciate the author tying the strands together in the closing stages, but even this aspect left me feeling less than satisfied.

Some other early reviewers have posted positively about this book, but for me it was really no more than okay and something of a let-down after the author's impressive debut.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.