A visit to a luxury island resort in the Maldives is just what Cara and her family need to reset their lives after a traumatic event at home. However it will take more than a holiday to mend the rifts in their lives.

What I liked about this book: I thought it was very cleverly plotted. The countdown to the climax was effective.

What I didn't like about the book: The characters were unremittingly horrible. Not a decent person among them. Everyone is grasping and greedy and out for their own benefit. It's fine to make unpleasant characters but there has to be some light in there too. The fact that I didn't like them meant that I didn't care what happened to them and this detracted from the plot which was good.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Escaping the trauma of a home invasion, a luxurious holiday in the tropical Maldives resort of Asana Fushi should be exactly the slice of paradise wealthy businessman Zach Hamilton, his wife Cara, and their daughter Alexa each need to heal and recharge.

Instead, the ripple effect of keeping their individual secrets- and accumulating more along the way, leads to increasingly catastrophic consequences for both the family and those around them, with a slice of holiday heaven becoming their own private trips to hell.

Proving that a perfect life often isn’t as it seems, eco-influencer Skye is also dragged into the fray. Whilst she’s there to expose some shady secrets, she gets far more than she bargained for as her experiences are documented for the world to see.

The book starts at the end of the story, before each chapter then counts down to how the characters got there. I found this a little trying at times, with the big reveal not being as revealing as I’d have liked in order to justify this approach. There were also some extra characters who seemed to add little to the storyline or reading experience. Whilst it’s dressed up as a loose but appropriate reminder of the need to preserve our planet, the book has some very fitting endings which cleverly illustrate several very satisfying morals to this story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

#TheGuests #NetGalley

Zach and Cara head off on a luxury holiday to the Maldives,along with their daughter Alexa.
This is following a break in at their home whilst Zach was away. The couple run an Eco company and unknown to Cara it was having financial problems. Although Zach is supposed to be relaxing , he cannot help but get dragged into work discussions with the manager of the resort and also a prominent You tuber hoping to push his business.
Alexa keeps having strops and avoiding her parents whenever she can , hanging out with the You tuber who she regards as a role model.Things are not always as they seem as the Eco resort is filmed dumping waste into the sea whilst Zach is on a fishing Trip with Marc the manager. Cara gets involved with Dewi the butler who then proceeds to blackmail her for medical fees for her daughter.Things come to a head after Cara finds a text from Victoria ,Zack's P.A with whom he is having an affair,and the couple visit a nearby island where Zach tells Cara that they need to disappear because he has borrowed money from the wrong people.. She abandons Zack there and heads back home with Alexa.

A very enjoyable read with twists and turns. A bit of a slow burner to start but once hooked I couldn’t put it down . The characters are well written, I hated Zach , so self absorbed but found that I felt for Alexa , a confused but spoilt teenager.

Having enjoyed this author’s first novel, I was really looking forward to reading this book. The chapters are given countdown titles, so you are aware from the beginning that there is going to be a ‘reveal’, and the further you get into the chapters, the faster you want the truth to be out there. There are lots of characters in the book (all thoroughly unlikeable in my opinion) and I honestly hoped they’d all get their comeuppance. I found the last quarter of the book underwhelming, but that could be because I honestly didn’t care about any of the people whose lives were tangled in such a mess. The ending left me with lots of questions, I wonder if a sequel is on the cards……..?
With thanks to NetGalley for an early copy.

What a breath of fresh air! Very glamour, exotic air at that. This book is so masterfully crafted. Its cleverly interwoven so many secrets and lies that the reader is constantly being shocked as things unfold. The characters are well written with such depth, dimension, personality and unique motivations. The setting is as picture perfect and glamorous as you can imagine and the overall narrative so perfectly laid out that you can almost feel the champagne bubble fizzing on your tongue as you read. Perfect for summer, do not miss this one

Loved this book! Zach takes his wife and daughter to the Maldives on a vacation after a devastating event occurs....the author does not tell you what that event is for quite some time. More secrets come out between this family about the event, why it happened, and how others in the book are involved with Zach and his business. Alexa and Cara are trying to cover their own butts while true intentions of every character come to light. Who will make it back from this vacation? This book held my attention well and I powered through it. The only thing that I didn't like was the whole book is counting down to something...and that something was like two pages long and kind of dumb. But other than that, it was really good and the ending was a shock!

The Maldvies is meant to be a holiday of a lifetime place to relax and enjoy yourself. Not in this page turning book by Nikki Smith where nightmare and hell seems to be the name of the game for this holiday. Set against one of the world's most beautiful places turn into such a nightmare.

Find out in Nikki's brand new book for June 2024 where a champagne picnics on those famous white sands is swapped for secrets galore. This is a must read for those lazy days around the pool with champagne in hand.

Nikki Smith's "The Guests" thrusts readers into a tantalizing blend of luxury and suspense as it unfolds within the breath-taking backdrop of the Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives. The promise of paradise takes a dark turn as the author skilfully navigates the complexities of each character's secrets, creating a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The story kicks off with the Hamiltons arriving at the seemingly idyllic resort, welcomed by the staff's promises of a dreamlike experience. The initial allure of champagne picnics on pristine sands, serene snorkelling adventures, and moonlit strolls sets the stage for a vacation filled with opulence. However, as the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that beneath the surface of this paradise lies a web of lies, and the guests are harbouring secrets that threaten to unravel the very fabric of their supposed utopia.

Smith's narrative craftsmanship shines as she intricately weaves together the individual secrets of the characters, creating an atmosphere thick with tension and intrigue. The promise of a once-in-a-lifetime trip spiralling into a holiday from hell adds a gripping layer to the story, and readers are kept guessing about the impending twists and turns.

The characters in "The Guests" are well-developed, each with their own motivations, flaws, and hidden agendas. As their secrets gradually come to light, the tension escalates, and the reader is drawn deeper into the psychological intricacies of the plot. The resort itself becomes a character in the story, with its opulence serving as a stark contrast to the darker undertones lurking beneath the surface.

The novel masterfully explores themes of deception, betrayal, and the consequences of hidden truths. Smith's evocative prose paints a vivid picture of the Maldivian paradise, creating a rich sensory experience for the reader even as the story takes a sinister turn.

"The Guests" is a thrilling page-turner that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Smith's ability to blend suspense with the allure of an exotic location makes for a compelling and immersive reading experience. As the characters grapple with the consequences of their secrets, readers are taken on a suspenseful journey that explores the fragility of paradise and the darkness that can lurk beneath its seemingly perfect surface.

This book is a mysterious read, it starts with a flash-forward and then goes back in time to when Zach, Cara and Alexa go on a family holiday after a series of difficult events happening in their lives.

Each chapter is named with a countdown which kept me engaged and interested in what was going to happen. The action starts around 25% of the way in; so I found it to be a slow starter but once it got going, it was a great read. The characters are well-written and the family are easy to identify with. The anticipation for the end of the countdown is probably the most fun aspect. It ends very quickly and you’re left wondering about so many things!

This is a great mystery/thriller book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the eARC of this book.

I liked the premise of this book being based on a sunny sandy island and begins by someone finding a skull on a beach on an island in the Maldives. The books flips to before where Cara and Zach are travelling to the island with their daughter Alexa for a holiday. They are staying at the Asana Fushi hotel run by manager Marc. The book is full of demanding guests, secrets and lies which I loved. Great storyline and plot. Great location. I will be recommending and looking out for more from Nikki

You are going to love this book! Tense, twisty and all too believable. Nikki Smith is the queen of the destination thriller!
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for my advanced read.

The Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives promises guests a holiday in paradise, but there is more than one serpent lurking in this particular Eden...

So many of the visitors have secrets they are hiding - some of them sinister - that it is only a question of time before things start going down in ways that have no place in the holiday of the lifetime.

The book is an entertaining read with characters that are interesting, and there is a classic Christie-style murder mystery vibe to the story. The elements of sustainable development and eco-tourism were a nice added touch. There are plenty of twists, and suspense is maintained throughout.

I'm an absolute sucker for thrillers set in exotic locations so this sounded right up my street. The location was glorious and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the island. I liked that the characters had lots of secrets to uncover, and the pacing was good.

I didn't have much of an emotional connection with the characters - Zach in particular was a bit lacking in personality. I did like Alexa though. There were also too many loose ends for my liking, I would have liked to have seen an outcome for some of the storylines.

Overall, this wasn't perfect but I did enjoy it so I would recommend it to others.

A fast paced thriller set in a glorious location. Who are the villains.....well without giving anything away practically everyone! A brilliant read full of suspense which would make an excellent holiday book. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy. Big five stars from me.

First - I want to go to that holiday resort!! Well, perhaps if I win the lottery.

This entertaining book proved to be an easy read. The characters, and location helped drive the development of the plot. I could definitely see this as a film or tv series.

The topical plot had a huge focus on the importance of ecological development. This scenario can also be seen as a business opportunity. The ability to make lots of money would undoubtedly attract a variety of interesting characters! Nikki Smith creatively produced a book that showed that to be true.

I was however disappointed with the ending - too many loose ends for me. My guess - book two will appear to fill any gaps. I look forward to reading it!

Great story set in a beautiful location. So many twists and turns and while the ending tied a lot of lines up, there were a few unresolved stories - another book perhaps?

A really great story with so many twists and turns. Whilst you get a resolution, there is so much more leaving you hanging and wanting that bit more!

What a read! A page-turner I couldn't put down. despicable people on a luxury island where your every need and whim is catered for. A great story with very well-drawn awful characters, a well-paced plot and perfect pacing. Fantastic!

A very gripping read - lots of twists and turns. Will enjoy reading more by this author. Thanks @netgalley for letting me read this.