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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very short, and the author focused on the least important things. Not Christmas-y at all. Feels like they were just jumping on the xmas bandwagon but with little reason to.
I may or may not be running slightly behind on my reading goal for the year so this was the perfect quick read. It kept me gripped (not hard to do when it's only 124 pages!) and my jaw genuinely dropped at some of the twists.
A fun, Christmas-trope filled Novella. From romance to cozy cottage to murder, it has it all! 4.5 stars, only because I wished it would’ve been longer!
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson is a novella marketed as a thriller, but it feels more like an intriguing story shared over drinks than a pulse-pounding mystery. While Swanson’s writing is solid, the story falls short of delivering the tension and suspense one might expect from the genre.
The story follows Ashley, an American “orphan,” who is invited to spend the holidays with her college friend’s family in England. Amid the cozy setting of the holiday season, Ashley learns about a local murder that occurred just three months prior. Her detailed diary entries weave the narrative together, offering insight into her thoughts and experiences during her visit.
Emma Chapman, the main character, is relatable in her deep devotion to her sibling, but as with many novellas, the limited length doesn’t leave much room for full character development. The storyline is cohesive, but it lacks the layered plotting and tension-building that would elevate it from an enjoyable read to a standout thriller.
If you’re looking for a quick, cozy mystery to enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa, this book fits the bill. However, readers seeking a gripping or emotionally charged thriller might find it underwhelming. The Christmas Guest is perfect for fans of atmospheric, holiday-themed stories with a touch of intrigue.
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Fast paced, easy christmas murder mystery
I really enjoyed this book and the twist at the end left me shocked! The keeping up with whos who was a bit confusing at first but once you get to grips with it, the story line was unique and really intriguing.
Before reading, I didn’t have a lot of high hopes for this one as I thought how gripping can it be being such a short read? but I was wrong. There are so many twists and turns and you’re constantly trying to work out who you may think the killer is and the author does well to put you off until the twist is revealed. The ending was great and I didn’t see it coming at all. It tied up everything nicely but I did feel a little conflicted at the end but in a good thought provoking way.
Highly recommend this read for a fast paced, easy Christmas thriller that will keep you on your toes and get you thinking!
I really enjoyed this book and the twist at the end left me shocked! The keeping up with whos who was a bit confusing at first but once you get to grips with it, the story line was unique and really intriguing.
Before reading, I didn’t have a lot of high hopes for this one as I thought how gripping can it be being such a short read? but I was wrong. There are so many twists and turns and you’re constantly trying to work out who you may think the killer is and the author does well to put you off until the twist is revealed. The ending was great and I didn’t see it coming at all. It tied up everything nicely but I did feel a little conflicted at the end but in a good thought provoking way.
Highly recommend this read for a fast paced, easy Christmas thriller that will keep you on your toes and get you thinking!
I really enjoyed this novella.
It’s a Christmas murder mystery set in London. A young college student, Ashley, is invited by her friend, Emma, to spend Christmas with Emma’s family. Ashely is from the US and really has no family of her own. So, Ashley takes Emma up on her offer.
Ashley meets Emma’s family, including Emma’s brother, Adam, whom Ashley finds she has a crush on. Adam was a focus for police as a suspect for a local girl’s murder. Adam leaves the family’s estate early due to an argument with his father, and this is where bad things start to happen.
Ashley and Emma get attacked in the woods, and Ashley ends up murdered. Emma escapes. Turns out that Emma and Adam planned everything - they wanted to murder Ashley because she slept with Emma’s crush, and it would take the heat off Adam (as he was being considered a person of interest for another murder). So Adam goes away to a friend’s so that he’ll have an alibi, and Emma murders Ashley by hitting her in the head repeatedly with a rock. Emma then hits her own self in the face with the rock so that it will look like she was attacked as well.
They get away with Ashley’s murder. Emma assumes Ashley’s identity and moves to the US herself. Many years later, Emma and Adam are no longer close and haven’t spoken in 30 years. Adam continues murdering women in a variety of ways and locations. Emma decides one day to write an email anonymously to a reporter who had covered these women’s murders, and suggests she look into Adam more closely as a suspect. As the focus goes back to Adam as a suspect, he commits suicide at his family’s home. Emma is working at a non-profit type of organization that helps victims of violence at the end of the story.
I enjoyed that the story was so short - I knocked it out in one sitting. It got into the mystery and suspense really quickly. I liked the twist of the murderer being Adam, but Ashley’s murder being committed by Emma. I wish Emma and Adam had stayed close after Ashley’s murder - that was the only thing I disliked about this book. I didn’t like that they just went their separate ways and disconnected. You’d think that committing this crime and plotting together would bring them even closer as twin siblings. But this is a book I would definitely recommend if a reader wants a quick thriller.
It’s a Christmas murder mystery set in London. A young college student, Ashley, is invited by her friend, Emma, to spend Christmas with Emma’s family. Ashely is from the US and really has no family of her own. So, Ashley takes Emma up on her offer.
Ashley meets Emma’s family, including Emma’s brother, Adam, whom Ashley finds she has a crush on. Adam was a focus for police as a suspect for a local girl’s murder. Adam leaves the family’s estate early due to an argument with his father, and this is where bad things start to happen.
Ashley and Emma get attacked in the woods, and Ashley ends up murdered. Emma escapes. Turns out that Emma and Adam planned everything - they wanted to murder Ashley because she slept with Emma’s crush, and it would take the heat off Adam (as he was being considered a person of interest for another murder). So Adam goes away to a friend’s so that he’ll have an alibi, and Emma murders Ashley by hitting her in the head repeatedly with a rock. Emma then hits her own self in the face with the rock so that it will look like she was attacked as well.
They get away with Ashley’s murder. Emma assumes Ashley’s identity and moves to the US herself. Many years later, Emma and Adam are no longer close and haven’t spoken in 30 years. Adam continues murdering women in a variety of ways and locations. Emma decides one day to write an email anonymously to a reporter who had covered these women’s murders, and suggests she look into Adam more closely as a suspect. As the focus goes back to Adam as a suspect, he commits suicide at his family’s home. Emma is working at a non-profit type of organization that helps victims of violence at the end of the story.
I enjoyed that the story was so short - I knocked it out in one sitting. It got into the mystery and suspense really quickly. I liked the twist of the murderer being Adam, but Ashley’s murder being committed by Emma. I wish Emma and Adam had stayed close after Ashley’s murder - that was the only thing I disliked about this book. I didn’t like that they just went their separate ways and disconnected. You’d think that committing this crime and plotting together would bring them even closer as twin siblings. But this is a book I would definitely recommend if a reader wants a quick thriller.
It took me entirely too long to get through this 100-page book. I think a big problem for me was the lack of chapters. It's part 1 and part 2. Part 1 ran on forever, maybe 60 to 70 pages or so, with no breaks and no chapters.😭
Part 1 is told through diary entries of an American student spending her Christmas break with the family of a girl she met a school in London. The friend, Emma's home, is a manor in the English countryside. The diary is filled with long rambling entries of Ashley's stay with the family in detail with very little excitement to propel me through the pages.
Part 2 does pick up. The twist got me. It was the one thing that was very well done. I think I would recommend this book although I usually wouldn't for books that are less than 3 stars. It's a mindless Christmas thriller that can help you get to your reading goal at the end of the year, and it's free on Kindle Unlimited.
Part 1 is told through diary entries of an American student spending her Christmas break with the family of a girl she met a school in London. The friend, Emma's home, is a manor in the English countryside. The diary is filled with long rambling entries of Ashley's stay with the family in detail with very little excitement to propel me through the pages.
Part 2 does pick up. The twist got me. It was the one thing that was very well done. I think I would recommend this book although I usually wouldn't for books that are less than 3 stars. It's a mindless Christmas thriller that can help you get to your reading goal at the end of the year, and it's free on Kindle Unlimited.