I thoroughly enjoyed this. I'm not saying it was the best, or even most memorable, book I've read, but it was just what I felt like, a quick, easy and fun read.

The Weekend Guests is set in a dual timeline and revolves around a group of old friends who reunite years later. I have no idea why but I love this trope. The close-knit group of friends, care-free, covetous and heedless. Something terrible happens, everyone goes on with their lives, trying to make the best of buried memories. Memories that bubble and brew, seething under the surface. While for the most part it's best to leave old friends, lovers and shared experiences firmly in the past, it does make for a great read. (Have you read In My Dreams I hold a Knife? It's brilliant!) Resentment, jealousy and revenge, especially when they have had twenty odd years or so to ferment, make for a heady cocktail.

The Weekend Guests is peppered with excruciatingly awful characters. Golden girl Aline and her equally exemplary-in-every-way husband Brandon have invited a few friends over to their newly revamped (still in progress) house on the cliff. Ding! Alarm bell number one. These magnificent chrome and glass houses (they never seem like homes) are usually the setting for something deliciously untoward. No expenses spared, they seem to have it all.

Then there is Michael and Nicci (both rather pedestrian, and a little insipid in Michael's case). Rob - odious, truly the type of man I cannot stand. Sienna, a bit of a flake. Darryl, not really part of the group in the traditional sense of the word, is easily the most interesting character, although not any less dodgy than the others. In fact, he wins by a country mile. I found Phyllis chilling and a very, very interesting addition to the story. Although I do think that particular avenue could have been explored a little more. Then there is nanny Milly.

I love the descriptions of the surroundings. This is another favourite theme for me, when the place itself becomes a character, living and breathing and sometimes sinister and malevolent, sometimes protective and welcoming. Wild coastlines, tenebrous forests, shadowy lakes of deep black water...

I highly recommend it as a quick and easy read. 3 and a half rounded up to 4 stars.

A group of University friends & their families get together at a newly renovated house in Dorset. The story switches between now & when they shared a house. In Edinburgh they lived in the same house as Darryl - a deeply disturbed young man. When they were students they came to Dorset & something happened that they had never managed to forget. Now events are going to catch up with them.

The author dealt with the two timelines well. I loved the descriptions of Edinburgh, where I lived briefly. Some of the characters were really memorable- especially Darryl!(I did guess about Phyllis but thought she was larger!) Although I could maybe have maybe done without a couple as they seemed almost interchangeable! All in all it was a good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for letting me read & review this book.

The Weekend Guests is a twisty mystery with sinister undertones.

With more than a few red herrings, I enjoyed the gentle pacing and suspenseful building of tension. While a few of the characters seemed to blend together, the overall cast was interesting, and one character in particular was downright creepy, creating a truly discomforting experience that kept me guessing.

I enjoyed the alternating time points, and the juxtaposition between the insulated university flats and the wild decadence of the cliff side mansion. A good one to pick up if you like Lucy Foley, or Ruth Ware.

Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Love a crime novel like this with mystery and a whole new layer of intrigue. There's something about old friends getting together again for a reunion. Always pick a place that looks nice but adds drama haha
An assured novel to get stuck into.

Five previous university students, as well as their families, gather together for a weekend in a luxury house. Only once there, it isn’t the weekend they expected when past secrets threaten to come to light.

This is a familiar trope, one that although I have read a lot of, I generally enjoy. This was a quick, easy read with an interesting mystery to solve. Unfortunately for me, however, this was just ok. I found that too many characters were introduced and that was a bit confusing at first. I also found that these characters were a bit one dimensional, lacking depth. Due to these issues I struggled to fully engage in the story. I did enjoy the atmosphere though and think this was created well making it easy to picture. The writing itself certainly wasn’t bad and I wouldn’t be put off reading another by this author. I think there was a lot of potential to make this a fantastic read with a little bit of refinement. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This is the type of thriller that I love to read and overall I found it easy to read, I enjoyed exploring the timelines and felt drawn into the danger.

This author was new to me this year and I liked her first novel although I don’t really know why. I think this was the same for me. It was good but not great and it kept me interested. Would have liked more character development though.

Thank you for my advanced copy.

An easy to read book, done in a few sittings.
It has a split timeline with different chapters from 2002 to 2019.
I did enjoy it. I would have liked the get to know the characters a bit more, but it was still a decent read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When a group of university friends meet up for a reunion, secrets and grudges are revealed and the stage is set for murder. The story unfolds via dual timelines and I love the contrast between the 2 time periods. There is a large cast of characters which I found confusing at times.
Overall, an enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Old friend reuniting on an island, a premise I never get bored of, I absolutely love.
With great dual time line and plot this one is a winner for me
Great thriller!

A good intense thriller based around old friends re uniting on an island,yes this a theme all thriller lovers know by now but this was enticing re the characters and dual timeline and the plot
Well written and executed book that enjoyed,I did guess the ending but that did not spoil the read

Compelling..
Five friends and one reunion lead to unexpected results. As people gather at a house on the stunning Dorset coastline - seven adults, six children and a nanny - they are looking forward to lazy times, champagne flowing and beaches await. The trouble is that old grudges never die and before the weekend is out secrets will be revealed and someone will be dead. Compelling, immersive and pacy with a convincing plot populated with a cast of credible characters and a well imagined backdrop.

Another split timeline book, which I don't normally enjoy. However, the transitions between 2002 and 2019 were well defined and integral to the story.
I felt the characters were very shallow and perhaps would have benefitted from more in-depth exploration of their individual stories. To be fair, none of the main players had any redeeming features, and I found myself swaying between dislike of some to intense hate of others. Aline, the golden girl to whom everyone has pandered her whole life, was particularly loathsome.
The Phyllis storyline was creepy and again not explored fully. Daryll, although unlikeable in the extreme, was probably the most interesting character.
Glaringly obvious clues to the denouement are used throughout the book, so the ending wasn't entirely a surprise.
It was an easy read that I managed in two sittings. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a ride this book has been! I have to confess, I struggled a bit with the first few chapters—keeping track of the characters, their names, and who was friends with whom was a bit of a challenge. But I pushed through, and I’m so glad I did because... wow, what a great book!
The Weekend Guests is about a group of university friends who reunite years later for a weekend getaway, all at the request of one of their own. It’s clear from the start that they’re hiding a dark secret, but let me tell you, the secret wasn’t as obvious as I thought it would be! The storyline kept surprising me, with twists I didn’t see coming.
One particularly creepy character kept me on edge the entire time, and the suspense just kept building. The characters felt so real, and nothing seemed too far-fetched—it all just worked.
If you’re finding the beginning a bit slow, trust me, it’s worth pushing through. 4 solid stars from me! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Five old university students gather with their respective spouses, partners and children for a weekend retreat. They have been invited for a reunion, by the glamourous Aline, who has done very well for herself. The venue is a modern clifftop edifice. Tensions come to the fore immediately. Not only because each person appears to have a personal grudge against their fellow guests, but also because they are all hiding a grim secret from their university days. It is interesting how the decision to keep a secret can make people despise each other.
The book employs the dual timeline trope, alternating between the past when they were at university and the present day. This perspective is told from the points of view of most of the characters in the book, and in my opinion, this is a central flaw in the story. There are just too many characters and they don’t all have something pertinent to add to the story. Also, none of the characters are likeable and as the characterisation lacks depth, this doubles down on their shallowness.
I have to say the plot has a lot of merit. It builds tension and suspense nicely throughout. The introduction of ‘Phyllis’ though is a wasted opportunity. In my opinion, It has been inserted just to make the story have a creepy horror element and not for what it adds to the totality of the story and the plot.
The climactic ending was just a little silly and I felt this was a let-down after the excellent build-up.
Three stars for this; a shame because it could have been so much better.
My thanks to NetGalley, Liza North and especially Little Brown Books for the much appreciated ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC

A gripping and suspenseful thriller. It was fast-paced and I devoured it in one setting. I liked the twisty friendships and that you never could trust anyone. Perfect if you enjoy books by Lucy Foley

A gripping thriller that will keep you up all night!
Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for my ARC

#TheWeekendAway #NetGalley
An ok read.
FIVE OLD FRIENDS.
A REUNION TO DIE FOR . . .
A weekend on the wild, beautiful Dorset coast. Seven adults, six kids. A nanny: the ultimate special treat.
It should be perfect: old friends, a stunning house, champagne and windswept beaches. But it isn't.
Past grudges won't rest. Secrets won't stay put. And by the end of the weekend, at least one of them will be dead.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book UK Constable for giving me an advance copy.

This was a fantastic read I couldn't put it down

I flew through it

Thanks for the opportunity to review the book

The weekend guests was somewhat of a chore to get though. It felt like very little happened and not one of the characters sparked any interest. I didn’t care what had happened or what was going to happen to them. The pace was sedate with even the climax barely picking up speed. Certainly not one I’d read again.