The Overnight Guest

Master Class In Suspense. Up front, this tale is told in three different timelines from three different perspectives - so if you're a reader that struggles with that... well, this is an excellent read and you should still try it, but I get it. :) That noted, what makes this tale so strong is that each of the three threads - present day, years ago, and unknown - could be separate books and still be equally compelling, and yet here Gudenkauf weaves them together so masterfully that they play off each other even better and produce an overall much tighter grip on the reader's mind. Yes, they all ultimately come together - and when they do, the finale is ultimately some of the best suspense of the entire book. Which is saying quite a bit, given just how good the parts before that are. This is another one that uses its setting in winter well, as well as its setting in the US central plains arguably even better than its winter placement of the present day timeline. Truly a remarkable work, and very much recommended.

Once you start reading The Overnight Guest, you better cancel all your plans. You will not be able to put this book down. I read it in less than 24 hours. It's a creepy, edge-of-your-seat read with characters that drew me into their stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy.

Take a look at my full review at https://theplainspokenpen.com/blog-tour-and-book-review-the-overnight-guest-by-heather-gudenkauf/

4.5/5 *ੈ✩‧₊˚

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ post-reading

february has been so kind to me with good reads. this book, was great. i was so invested in the characters, it was well paced, all the pieces came together at the right times, it was high stakes. sooo good. RTC.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ pre-reading

i was supposed to do my 24 hour challenge today but I didn't get any sleep and this was supposed to be part of it... so it's morphed into a 12 hour challenge!

UPDATE: i did not get to read all day because relationship drama and im very sad about it so i haven't finished this book yet - i will attempt the 24 hour challenge another time :)

I've been having awesome luck with audiobooks lately and this one didn't disappoint either. Great narrator and twisty thriller made for a fun way buddy listen and spend time with my new obsession...diamond painting.

It did take me a few chapters to get used to the jumping between past and present, but it eventually flowed better and I quickly got lost into the story.

I was confused as to what was going on and was wondering “what in the world” quite oftenBUT it all comes together towards the end, begins to makes sense, and then takes off like wildfire. Whew

[a:Heather Gudenkauf's 2875124 Heather Gudenkauf https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1694175158p2/2875124.jpg] “[b:The Overnight Guest 60164470 The Overnight Guest Heather Gudenkauf https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1642636788l/60164470.SY75.jpg 90048636]” presented a complex and engaging narrative that captured my interest from the outset. The novel interlaces two timelines and a “separate” point of view with a deft hand, and while at times the shifts between past and present required a bit of effort to stay aligned with the storyline, the overall effect added a rich texture to the reading experience.Wylie Lark, the protagonist, is a true-crime writer who finds herself trapped in a farmhouse, the location of a brutal event she's researching, during a snowstorm. The farmhouse setting in itself is one of the book's strengths: The author does an admirable job of painting a picture of the stark, wintry, partly desolate landscape. The house itself, with its history of horror, is so well depicted that it felt almost like another character – silent yet expressive. The atmosphere was sometimes as chilling as the narrative itself.Incorporating a parallel story of a mysterious young boy, the eponymous “Overnight Guest”, Gudenkauf adds an emotional dimension that intertwines with the main plot in unexpected ways. This element of the story was both compelling and occasionally heart-wrenching.It's important to mention that Gudenkauf handles the transitions between the timelines and points of view with care. As I progressed through the book, what initially seemed a challenging structure began to feel more intuitive, revealing its purpose in the broader tapestry of the narrative. All in all, “The Overnight Guest” was a thrilling, quick (albeit forgettable) read I enjoyed a lot - the farther I got, the less notes and highlights I took because I wanted to read, not prepare for this review!Four stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam