A review by lilifane
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I haven’t read this kind of mystery in a long time, and I really liked it. There were a lot of characters and points of view at the beginning, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to remember everyone and keep them apart. But they all had their distinctive voices and background stories that it was actually easy. I just didn’t care for anyone in particular.

The atmosphere of an isolated hotel during an ice storm was really well done. The hotel descriptions sounded cozy at first but got more dark and creepy. And I liked the tension that built up over time. 

I have to say that I had the correct suspect early on, and so I spotted all the subtle hints. The revelations in the end were a little boring, though. It was still satisfying to be correct. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings