The House Guest by Alison James
Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 16th November 2023
Published: 1st November 2023
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
She thinks she can steal my perfect life. But I know her secret…
I open the creaking oak front door of my beautiful country house to see a woman with glossy red hair and flawless make up. She introduces herself as Alexis and tells me she’s a distant relative. My husband Hugh welcomes her in. Because everything has been so tense between us lately I feel I can’t say no…
We drink wine and Alexis shares the truth about her sad childhood. Her green eyes are mesmerising and I can see Hugh is being drawn in by her story. Then she asks for our help. I should feel sorry for her but I don’t trust her. There’s something about her perfect smile that makes my stomach flip. Before I can speak, Hugh invites her to stay. I’m suspicious. Why does he want her here?
I’ve never completely felt at home in this luxury world that’s so different to my old life. But Alexis seems made for it – swimming carefree in our outdoor pool and cosying up to Hugh. She’s pushing me out and making me feel like I’m stranger in my own home – in my own marriage. Did she plan this all along?
But nothing is as it seems. And Alexis has underestimated me. Because I’ve uncovered her secret. I’m not just going to let her steal the life I’ve worked so hard for. I’ll do whatever it takes to stop her…
An absolutely addictive and unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page. For anyone who loves Ruth Ware, Freida McFadden and Claire McGowan.
MY THOUGHTS:
OK firstly, scrap the book's description because quite honestly it's nothing like how the story goes at all. There is no DNA test result and the red haired beauty on the doorstep doesn't ask for help and the narrator of the piece does not open up to her suggested. And then what is this secret that is discovered? I have to wonder if the proofreaders have read the same book I have because the descriptions are often way off course.
Secondly, you're going to need to suspend belief when reading this tale. And I mean REALLY suspend belief. It all starts out innocuously enough but then it just gets nuts and I mean really way-off-base-never-going-to-happen-in-a-million-years in all probability. Once you take this on board, you're in for a fast paced entertaining, if not idiotic, ride.
Mullens End. It's a beautiful 18th century Queen Anne stately home in which Juliet and her husband Hugh reside. Hugh is the last of a thin line, a very thin line, of Mullens and while he is not the last branch on the tree he is the last on his branch. The home was built in the 1700s but purchased by Hugh's great grandfather in his attempt to stake his claim in the landed gentry and in doing so, crafted a will in which Mullens End is not entailed (much to his ancestor's chagrin) but is tightly bound in a legalese version of such in that only direct descendants of the Mullen line can inherit Mullens End with a life tenancy. Meaning Mullens End can never be sold. And then there is the fact that it is Grade 1 listed meaning no alterations can be made without permission. Thankfully, there is a trust which pays for the exorbidant costs of running a stately home attracts.
So Juliet and Hugh live rather comfortably albeit modestly at Mullens End. The plan was that Juliet provide Hugh with an heir to inherit the grand home as the trust dictates but alas that was not to be, leaving Hugh the last Mullen perched on his branch of the family tree. But their life is good, even amidst the dreaded Open Days such as the one at the beginning of the book that had Juliet dreading. But everyone loves a stately home and their stunning gardens which have been kept immaculate thanks to their gardener Pete. And thankfully it's only once a year they have to open their gardens up to the public.
It's at a dinner party Juliet and Hugh are hosting that they receive an unexpected knock on their door. On the doorstep is a young red haired beauty who introduces herself as Alexis Lambert, the heir to Mullens End, and as she's between flats at the minute has popped in to introduce herself, wheeling her large suitcase in behind her and plonking herself down at the dinner table. As Juliet awkwardly presents the roast lamb to their guests, Alexis informs them that she's vegan which sends Hugh off looking for something veggie for their unexpected house guest.
If you think that's awkward, stick around for the rest of the mucky story because it gets a whole lot more convoluted and murky than that! Again, that whole believability thing. Still the tightly-woven plot makes for plenty of twists (believable or not) and a compelling read that is both entertaining and suspenseful.
The characters are a crafty bunch. None of them are particularly likable. Even Juliet, who is probably the most likable, is so rigid and practically unemotional it's hard to connect with her. And Hugh is so self entitled and spoilt, he expects everything to fall into place according to what he wants. Alexis is naturally devious. And Belinda is decidedly shifty. What I love though is the narratives are divided into seven parts throughout and four separate perspectives with each character becoming the protagonist in their own narrative, and therefore allowing each one of them to develop with the right amount of depth and authenticity. This only adds to the complexities within the already complex plot. And makes for such delicious reading.
There is, however, a downside. Unfortunately I must make mention a TRIGGER WARNING here with the death of a beloved dog. And not just a death, but a cruel one, which I find unnecessary to any story and I always down-rate one that includes one. Granted, it wasn't prolonged or mulled over for long and passed within a page or so but it was mentioned within three separate narratives from their respective perspectives, and I had to relive the poor dog's cruel demise all over again.
But that aside, THE HOUSE GUEST is a fun an entertaining thriller that you really do have to suspend belief but it's such fun who cares at the end of it? I did love the ending which was so much more than satisfactory. If not for the dog death, this was a close 5 star read.
I would like to thank #AlisonJames, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheHouseGuest in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Born in the Cotswolds, Alison spent most of her formative years abroad. She studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, Alison worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.
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