Book: The Guest Room
Author: Rona Halsall
Pub Day: Jan 31st 2022
About the Book:
You think you’re safe in your home. You’re wrong.
Steph used to think her life was perfect. A happy marriage, two wonderful kids, and a home she felt safe in and called her own. But now her husband has walked out after thirty years, her daughter Bea is married and lives miles away, and Steph’s estranged son hasn’t made contact in years. Home doesn’t feel like the safe haven it once did.
When she begins to hear noises in the night, at first she thinks she’s imagining things. But then she finds open windows she knows she left closed, and a strange smell in the kitchen – and she knows none of it feels right.
Then her front window is smashed, and a young man named Noah helps her fix it. He’s fallen on hard times and Steph impulsively offers him a place to stay. He reminds her of her missing son, and as a mother she finds herself wanting to help him. Also, if he is there, she won’t be home alone.
Before long Noah is living in Bea’s old bedroom, paying rent, and getting his life back on track. Steph’s ex-husband and Bea are furious. But Steph feels secure at last, and that’s what matters.
Until the strange things start happening once more.
And Steph realises that someone is out to scare her…
Someone who will stop at nothing to make her never, ever feel safe again.
The most twisty and unputdownable thriller of the year – perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Mark Edwards and Gone Girl.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Guest Room' by Rona Halsall.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Rona Halsall, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 31st January 2022.
This is the fourth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'Her Mother's Lies', The Ex Boyfriend' and 'The Liar's Daughter' and highly recommend them all.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis. I am also a huge fan of Rona's previous books and if this is half as good as her previous books it is sure to be great. It also stated in the synopsis that this book is 'The most twisty and unputdownable thriller of the year – perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Mark Edwards and Gone Girl'. I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl', Lisa Jewell and Mark Edwards so am looking forward to see if it lives up to this. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 46 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.
This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Steph. The benefits of third person perspective especially with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
Wow!!!! Well done Rona on another amazing success!!! An absolutely fantastic unputdownable psychological thriller. Extremely well written as are all Rona's books I have previously read with vivid descriptions that absorb you into the storyline.
The storyline is chillingly realistic and it kept me on the edge of my seat and then in the edge of my bed until late at night as I just could not out it down!!! There isn't just the one storyline but all the smaller ones which blend in nicely without any confusion but ensuring there's always something going on. I would never have worked out any of the explosive secrets that were planted throughout and I loved the suspense it creates. Well done Rona as I am getting harder and harder to shock but you definitely managed it!! I was captivated throughout and the storyline was absolutely rammed with secrets, loss, love, desceiot, suspense, tension and red herrings all the way up until the very perfect ending.
The characters were also very realistic and well developed. I enjoyed getting to know each of them and loved finding out about their true stories. Eva and Nancy are both very strong women neither of which give up and I do love a book with a strong female lead. I am glad that the storyline went into their background as it showed the reasons they each did what they did along with their character development throughout.
Congratulations Rona on what promises to be another HUGE success and for, yet again, manage to shock me when many fail. This would make an epic movie and I look forward to your next novel.
Overall an addictive, page turning psychological thriller that will shock you.
Genres covered in this book include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense and Psychological Thriller amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Girl on The Train', Lisa Jewell, 'The Family Upstairs', Mark Edwards, 'Gone Girl' and any fans of Rona Halsall and those who enjoy a surprise twist.
292 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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Author Bio
Rona is the author of bestselling psychological thrillers published by Bookouture. Her challenge in writing is to find domestic storylines with twists that her readers will never guess. She was born in Nottingham, grew up near Blackpool and went to college in Leeds. She then moved to Snowdonia, North Wales where she brought up her family while working as a business mentor. She now lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and two guinea pigs. She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful glens and beaches on the Island while she's plotting her next book. She has three children and two step-children who are all grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories. To find out more about Rona and her novels, visit her website: ronahalsall.com Social Media
Website: https://ronahalsall.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronahalsallauth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronahalsall
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B09KY7NWB2social
Apple: http://ow.ly/G2aW50GFVwT
Kobo: http://ow.ly/wh3A50GFVv1 Google: http://ow.ly/brQ050GFWnZ
