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2.69k reviews for:

The Christmas Guest

Peter Swanson

3.56 AVERAGE

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Dark, mysterious, ghosts

Perfect twisty dark novella for a winter night.
dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
dark mysterious fast-paced
dark mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark mysterious tense slow-paced

 
I love a wintery crime story, when an icy backdrop sets you up agreeably for chills to run up and down your spine. Even better if it is set at Christmas, when the sparkle of the festivities contrasts beautifully with dark hearts and devilish deeds. Swanson takes this winning premise and goes one better in this delicious little novella by fashioning a classic, country house crime story, and combining it with his own brand of contemporary thriller in a way that is eminently satisfying.

The story begins in 2019, in a snowy New York, with a woman leafing through the pages of a journal. The action then moves back to 1989, as young American art history student, Ashely Smith, arrives at the Cotswold manor house of her classmate Emma. Ashley's narrative takes us through the days leading up to Christmas as she tries to navigate her way through the dysfunctional relationships of Emma's family, and Swanson does an excellent job of conveying her loneliness, desperation to fit in among these odd people, and the way she falls under the spell of Emma's handsome brother Adam. 

From the moment of Ashley's arrival, the chill of the manor house, the emotional distance of this family, and the remote village setting all set your nerves on edge. Something is off about this situation, and the slow burn build up of tension is fuelled by whispered conversations, rumours of a murder connected to the family, and Ashley's increasing recklessness as her emotions get the better of her. 

There is an inevitability to the violence that eventually ensues (and a subtle little clue early on in the proceedings), but the truth behind these events only really becomes clear in the second part of the tale, which throws you back to 2019, subverting the nostalgia filled tropes of classic crime, and blending them with elements of Swanson's more typical thriller fare. This combination works incredibly well, and makes for a story that really stays with you. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this unsettling gem, and its shades of Patricia Highsmith. Fingers crossed this might be the start of a new Christmas tradition from Mr Swanson, as I could definitely develop a taste for his brand of festive treat. 
mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Saltburn but make it family friendly and straight!

I feel like the author is rubbing his hands being like yeah, I'm gonna get 'em. Watch this plot twist! Then the twist ends up being so lackluster and stupid, that if you think about it for more than a few seconds, it falls apart. The whole rest of the extremely long-feeling novella is the explanation of the twist, lest we forget just how clever and cool the author thinks it is. Also, I'm not sure the author has ever met a woman based on how they speak in this book.