The title on Amazon states, “The Last Guest House: An absolutely unputdownable and gripping BRAND NEW thriller”. I am usually leery of books with such bold declarations; that’s a lot to live up to. But I won this book through NetGalley, and it is fairly short, So I gave it a try. And the benefit of the doubt.

The premise is alluring: During a severe snowstorm, Matt, Nicola, and wee George wind up at Loch House where there are already several other guests. They check the reviews and are hard-pressed to find any positive ones (which goes against the first part of the cover blurb under the title (“Your Perfect Escape”). They are all stranded due to the storm. The elderly proprietors give them several rules that they must all abide; two of which are the sticking points: no phones, and no leaving the building after 9 pm. They are locked into Loch House (get the word play?), and blithely give over their phones. They are never given a reason; the couple being cagey and obtuse (multiple times throughout the book there is basically the same conversation). Even when a crisis occurs, the guests never push for answers.

This is a frame story. The events at Loch house told through the points of view of Matt and Nicola (he wants to marry her, she doesn’t like him), and Elita (an unknown quantity to the guests), alternating with podcast banter between Alex and Matt (who are giving us some background information that will eventually bring the mysterious happenings at the Loch House, and a seemingly unrelated case history). For me, their banter and insincerity was painful to read.

Nicola is a police officer, but doesn’t know how to act like one. Matt is pathetic but believable (the only character who is). There is the obligatory twist at the end which I found silly.

I wish I could be more positive.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Nicola, a police officer, her boyfriend Matt and her six year old son George have travelled to the Isle of Skye to see the Northern Lights. Unknown to Nicola, Matt has booked a luxury suite in the hotel and intends to pop the question. However, something went wrong with his booking and they end up having to stay in the Loch House, an isolated guest house.

The Loch House is old and run down and the couple running the guest house, Henry and Dorothy are also very odd. And very odd are the rules of staying there – no smoking, no loud music, no phones and no leaving the premises after 9pm. However, with heavy snow falling, Nicola is just glad to have a bed for the night, although Matt is less happy that his plans for a romantic getaway have been scuppered.

There are other guests at the Loch House, not all of them who they say they are. After a surprisingly good dinner, they gather in the guest lounge and talk turns to the unsolved mass murder that happened at the Loch House ten years ago to the day. Dorothy and Henry’s daughter who ran the Loch House then was one of those killed.

This is a pretty creepy, atmospheric mystery from Caroline Mitchell. Between chapters there are transcripts of a podcast reporting on a crime in a showbiz family in London, although its relevance is not apparent until later in the book. The tension builds as the night wears on and strange events start to unfold and the reader can only wonder if any of them will get out of there alive. With quite a few themes, this is an unusual dark and spooky locked room that will appeal top fans of psychological suspense.

Told from three different perspectives - plus transcripts from a true crime podcast - The Last Guest House is a locked room thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. DC Nicola McKenna is on vacation with her boyfriend, Matt, and her six-year-old son, George, to see the Northern Lights. But a mistaken hotel reservation forces them to go stay at a creepy inn with a violent past.

I found the switching of perspectives and the inclusion of podcast transcripts to be effective, and I liked how atmospheric this novel was. I read it in almost one setting, so it definitely fits the bill for a tense, quick read. Some of the decisions made by the main characters are incredibly frustrating - I was definitely internally screaming "no!" at some of their choices, and I saw some of the twists coming. Nonetheless, this was an entertaining read, and I'd pick up another novel from Caroline Mitchell in the future.

A totally gripping psychological thriller set on the Isle of Skye on a bleak, wintery night .......
Nicola, her young son George, and her boyfriend Matt are away for the weekend on what was supposed to be a luxury break to see the Northern lights. What unfolds soon turns into an absolute nightmare when they discover that their fancy hotel has double booked and with nowhere else available, they check into a dilapidated guest house with the weirdest of Guest rules.
The moment the front door closes and is bolted shut by the eccentric hosts you can just feel the atmosphere building as the snow storm means they are now totally cut off from the outside world 🫣
What happens next is absolutely chilling 😱🫣

My Reflections ~ The novel opens with a chapter from a young girl called Elita, and I was curious straight away as we then move from Elita, to Nicola to Matt and then we have a short podcast scene which somehow catches the pace and adds to the tension ~ I loved the way the podcasts were used to give a bit of fictional history to the area and the guest house plot 😳
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Contemporary/suspense thriller at its absolute best 😱
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There is so much more that I haven't touched on because I don't want to spoil anything but the suspense kept me reading well into the early hours and is definitely a must-read for 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Release date 16th April 2024
"The Last Guest House"
By Caroline Mitchell
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Thank you @netgalley & @EmblaBooks for sending me this e-arc for review consideration~ All opinions are my own
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What a fun, creepy book from an author I like a lot. With Rocky Horror vibes, Nicola, her son, and her boyfriend have to take shelter in a creepy guest house by a Scottish loch. The hosts are weird enough not to look out of place at a carnival, and the dilapidated mansion is full of gothic furniture and spooky portraits. They feel like they’re being watched, and they must follow some rules that make no sense. They obviously understand the bans on pets or smoking but, why can’t they leave after 9? They are also forced to give up their phones so when stuff starts happening, they have no way to call for help. At least Nicola is a police officer so she should know what to do but, when her son is in danger, she stops thinking like a cop and starts behaving like a hysterical mother. Her boyfriend Matt is there to help but he may not be as perfect as he makes himself out to be. The rest of the guests also seem suspicious and, oh yes, did I fail to mention that it’s the 10th anniversary of a horrific, unsolved murder? I loved all the characters, especially the excentric owners. The chapters are told by Nicola, Matt and a mysterious third person. There is also part of a true crime podcast that discusses the old murder at the Loch House, as well as another, seemingly unrelated crime. And this was the weak spot, in my opinion, since the recaps necessary to podcasts are a little repetitive for a fiction novel. That said, I was hooked and enjoyed this read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Embla Books.

Caroline Mitchell is a definite go-to author for me and I have read many of her books. This is a locked room, atmospheric thriller. The story takes place at an old, remote inn in Scotland during a snowstorm, with a cast of weary, snowbound travelers at The Loch House. This is a good book and I recommend this and all of Caroline Mitchell’s books!

I’m a big fan of Caroline Mitchell but this book was not really for me, despite me really being hooked in by the classic mystery trope- stranded in a storm in Scotland and a locked room mystery.

Positives: I find Mitchell’s writing style really easy to read; you feel like you are on par with the characters- it’s a very down to earth kind of tone and I could feel that in this book. I felt Nicola was really easy to like and yet she wasn’t perfect either. I liked that the book flitted between different POVs and I enjoy a bit of police procedural.

Negatives: although I liked the different POVs I found the podcast transcript really dry, boring and quite wooden. I also found a lot of needless repetition in this book about many different factors… perhaps this was to build tension/highlight relationships but it made the book drag for me when it didn’t need to. There were also a few discrepancies for me that irked me early on e.g. the house is described as a tardis (bigger inside than it appears out), yet a few paragraphs later it’s described as being bigger on the outside than the inside. I also found the overall plot quite far-fetched in terms of cults etc for my liking.

I can see why lots of people enjoyed this book, unfortunately it wasn’t quite for me.

When DC Nicola McKenna, her young son George and her boyfriend Matt arrive at a luxury hotel for a weekend getaway to the Isle of Skye (hint: Nicola plans this will be her “getaway” from Matt,) they discover that they’ve booked their reservation for the next weekend. There are no rooms available. In fact, the last room in the area is in the nearby Loch House. As if things weren’t bad enough, there’s a raging blizzard going on and the proprietors who greet them resemble Herman Munster and Raggedy Ann. Oh, and exactly ten years ago, the Loch House was the scene of a multiple murder that has never been solved. Nicola’s police senses are on high alert. Good thing. She’ll need them.

The Last Guest House combines horror, mystery and police procedural. Nicola and Matt share narration although their story is interrupted by a crime podcast that seems totally unrelated to the couple’s situation. If you like horror and crime fiction, this locked room thriller is for you. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Embla and Caroline Mitchell for this ARC.

DC Nicola McKenna is meant to be resting following her last case, so she lets her boyfriend to take her to the Isle of Skye for the weekend. But what's meant to be a getaway to see the aurora borealis soon turns into a nightmare when they discover that their hotel has double booked. In desperation, they check into the only hotel with rooms available nearby, The Loch House. And that's where the craziness begins! This book was definitely a bit different! It had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, crazy cults, and a few crazy twists and turns! The storyline was interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I will recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

When hotel reservations go sideways, policewoman Nicola, her boyfriend and her 6 year old find themselves off to a strange guest house in Scotland as they look forward to the Aurora Borealis. This house is creepy and the more she learns about it, the more time she spends there- the worse it is.

This is a page turner for sure - a locked room mystery in a snowstorm with lots of secrets swirling about. And early on we meet a mysterious character whose role will get murkier before it gets better.

I really enjoy the first half of this book, but my issues are:
1. The podcasts are plot crucial but are completely tell-don't-show. They are boring to read but also where the twists are.
2. It strains more and more credulity as the story moves on to the point of pure silliness.

I enjoyed this book but it is definitely a popcorn thriller with a better "hook" than actual story.
Thank you NetGalley and Embla for the early review copy;

Starting off with a rest for Nicola turns into a suspense full nightmare that is full of fear and danger.

Nicola finds herself going for a weekend away with her six year old son George and her boyfriend Matt. What should be a lovely time away is under threat when there is a mix up with their booking and the only place that has availability is The Loch House. It’s also clear that a weekend away with Matt is the last thing that Nicola wants or needs.

The setting for this story couldn’t be anymore perfect in a secluded part of the Isle of Skye. The guest house is an old building that has been run down and the hosts, I think in Matt’s own words, are like an English version of the Adams family! I instantly got shivers up my spine and would have turned straight back in the car and driven away but with a bad snowstorm, Nicola and Matt have no option but to check in and stay.

Along with what is going on in the guest house, there are chapters from a true crime podcast that run alongside it. I wasn’t sure how it all ties in but it does and when things become clear but it does. The podcast chapters are like little teasers and I was as desperate to get back to them as I was for what would happen next in the house. With a closed off setting and a small cast of characters, it ramps up the suspense and mystery.

I would go as far as saying that The Last Guest House by Caroline Mitchell is her best novel yet. With so much tension on every page I turned, I could hardly sit still in my eagerness to know what secrets the building holds. There are so many unexpected twists that I hardly had time to pick my jaw up off the floor before it was back down there again. Dark, eerie and so grippingly good!

This books starts off strong with my favorite setting of blizzard conditions and a locked room atmosphere. A young couple and her son try to have a weekend getaway at resort in Scotland, but the wrong weekend was booked and the only place with a room during the storm is run down guest house up the road. In desperation, they head into the storm and to the guest house where they are greeted by two eccentric hosts with an odd set of rules such as no phones and no leaving the premises after 9:00 pm. With little choice they take the room but feel like they are being watched. At dinner they meet the other guests and learn that 10 years ago this very weekend the prior host and the guest were murdered and the killer or killers never found. This sets the stage for a mysterious evening where you do not know who is the telling the truth. All the while, every so often the transcript for a true-crime podcast in interspersed detailing a totally different crime in England. As the book progresses we begin to see the correlation in the crimes as we hurtle to the explosive ending.

"The Last Guest House" by Caroline Mitchell is an atmospheric psychological thriller told in the first person from the perspectives of three main characters: Nicola, Matt, and Elita. We get to know them and what makes them tick, and find ourselves rooting for some of them.

Nicola, a police officer, is going with her boyfriend, Matt, and her son, Georgie, to the Isle of Skye to see the northern lights. However, not everything goes according to plan. Due to Matt booking the wrong dates and the hotel being fully booked, they cannot stay there. They are forced to spend the night in the Loch House, which surprisingly has some vacant rooms.

The Loch House gives off odd vibes and enforces peculiar rules: "No smoking in the rooms. No loud music. No phones. No leaving your room after 9 pm." With no other options, Nicola and Matt decide to spend the night there. Other guests are present, none of whom are pleased with the rules. Nerves fray, and tension escalates once the guests discover the gruesome history of the hotel. The eccentric behavior of their hosts only adds to the already intense atmosphere. As night falls and the snow intensifies, it becomes clear that danger is afoot.

The book exceeded my expectations. It was much better and more original than I anticipated. Overall, I found the plot successful in propelling the story forward despite the slow start. The author excels in setting the scene from the very first page. The writing is taut and suspenseful, with the author expertly building tension and atmosphere throughout the book. Segments of a true crime podcast are smoothly interspersed throughout the narrative, heightening suspense and filling in details. Although I'm not a fan of podcasts, I appreciated how the author used them to drop clues to the reader about the events.

The main characters are well-drawn, each with their own distinct personality and backstory. I liked the eclectic mix of characters. I particularly liked Nicola and Elita, finding them relatable and engaging. However, I disliked Matt due to his overly controlling and overbearing nature. The story is tightly plotted, albeit a bit slow-paced. The ending was fitting, and there were some format issues—such as the author's name being inserted every couple of pages—so another round of editing wouldn't hurt. With themes of cults, abuse, religious fanatics, birth defects, and fallible human nature, the author has woven a tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. I recommend the book to lovers of the genre seeking a refreshing tale. This is not a story you've read before.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I just wasn't sure about this one. If I don't like a main character I have a hard time finishing a book and I didn't care for Nicola. I kept reading because the the podcasts were intriguing and I wanted to know how that figured in to the Loch House. There were so many twists at the end of this book! I loved it!! A completely original idea, which is hard to find.

Probably my least favourite of Caroline Mitchell’s book. I really did not enjoy until the last thirty pages when explanation of characters occurred and events escalated to be somewhat exciting .The bulk of the book had characters searching for six year old George in a house that reminded me of a spook house at a carnival . I found the book repeated information that the reader was previously aware of . The book did discuss important topics like cults, spousal abuse, religion, birth defects , and most importantly the love and support of family.

Oh, this was good!

First of all, it’s legitimately creepy. I felt like I was stuck in that hotel with no way out.

And I trusted no one – not even our main character.

Now, I get sooooo tired of books using true crime podcasts as a plot vehicle. It was clever the first billion times, right? But just when I swear to never read another one…comes this book. The author used the podcast so cleverly! Rather than being tired of it, I was eagerly reading each podcast entry in order to ferret out the clues the author drops there. The author absolutely did this right.

The book is atmospheric, the plot clever, and the characters fully realized. This was simply a fabulous read!

• ARC via Publisher

Another great book from Caroline Mitchell.
Thoroughly enjoyable. Dark and twisted with excellent characters.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Please note this is a 3.5.

This book manages to build really good atmosphere inamongst the rest of the content, with a strong mystery connected to the guest house and the caretakers. The group that are all drawn to the guest house are an interesting collection of people, and the story is very successful in keeping the reader guessing. I enjoyed the context changes, even though they were rapid and perhaps a little confusing sometimes, however, I do think that some of the writing could have been a little stronger in places. This book would really benefit from less of a focus on the face value traits of the characters in places, like the career and personality trait pieces.

I do think that the ending could have done with a little more love too - there is a huge build up but less so on the delivery. This is a really good mystery book to curl up with on holidays on a rainy day, and it's certainly evocative - it just could have been taken a little bit further for me for it to be outstanding.

I have already read the Slayton thrillers series by Caroline Mitchell and loved each of them so when I saw a new book being released I just had to get my hands on it early.

From the first chapter this book provided the dark, creepy atmosphere that I have come to love and expect from Caroline Mitchell.

If you’re looking for a who done it ending, twists and turns, cults and so much tension look no further than this book. It had everything I hoped it would have and more.

The book was well written including podcasts which added to the excitement as I tried to work out the link between the two story lines.

This book definitely deserves 5 stars.