'An Unwanted Guest' by Shari Lapena is a classic murder mystery set in a remote mountain lodge during a snowstorm. A group of strangers find themselves trapped with no power or contact with the outside world, as bodies start piling up, suspicion and fear rise among the guests. The plot alternates between characters' perspectives, keeping readers guessing until the end, with a cleverly crafted atmosphere of isolation and tension reminiscent of Agatha Christie's style.

Characters:

The characters are diverse and complex, each harboring secrets, which adds depth to the mystery but can make them hard to empathize with.

Writing/Prose:

The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, with a focus on creating suspense and intrigue through multiple perspectives.

Plot/Storyline:

The story unfolds in a remote inn where guests are trapped during a storm, leading to a murder mystery that escalates as the story progresses.

Setting:

The setting is a secluded inn during a snowstorm in the Catskills, which enhances the suspense and tension among the characters.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slow as characters are introduced but picks up significantly as the plot progresses, especially during the murder reveals.

The road curves and twists unexpectedly as it leads higher and deeper into the Catskill Mountains, as if the farther you get from civilization, the more uncertain the path. The shadows are deepening, ...

Notes:

The book is set in a secluded inn in the Catskills during a winter storm.

Ten guests arrive for a weekend getaway but quickly become trapped due to severe weather.

The inn loses power, leaving the guests cut off from the outside world with no cell service or Wi-Fi.

The sudden death of a guest at the inn raises suspicions of murder rather than an accident.

As tensions rise, more murders occur, with each guest becoming a suspect.

The main character relationships explore friendships, strained romances, and personal secrets.

Candice White is an author who uses the getaway to work on her novel, but she remains mostly isolated from the other guests.

David Paley is a defense attorney who takes on a leadership role amidst the chaos after the first murder.

The book has been compared to Agatha Christie's works, especially 'And Then There Were None', in terms of plot and atmosphere.

The setting contributes significantly to the story, creating an eerie, suspenseful mood.

The plot features twists and turns, challenging readers to question each character's motives and backgrounds.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers/content warnings include themes of murder, psychological tension, emotional distress, and possibly trauma from past experiences of the characters.

From The Publisher:

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The twisty new thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House

A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away

It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing-maybe even romantic-weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity-and all contact with the outside world-the guests settle in and try to make the best of it.

Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead-it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.

Within the snowed-in paradise, something-or someone-is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm-and one another.

Ratings (43)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (17)
Liked It (15)
It Was OK (6)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (122):

Read It (43)
Want To Read (63)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (14)

3 comment(s)

Shayne

It Was OK

3 months

Excellent start which pulls you in with its great setup and atmosphere. However, it fails to keep up the momentum and falls short towards the end.

GamGriff

Liked It

3 months

3.5 rating really. Her writing style took a bit to get used to but overall it was a good read. As anyone knows the ending of a who dunnit determines everything and I thought it fell just short of earning that solid 4 stars.

fimbud315

Loved It

9 months

It was a surprisingly good book. I haven't read such a good old school crime novel in a long time. If I'm not mistaken, this is my first book by this author.

It's a mystery like ‘we're all suspects’ and ‘the murderer is among us’. And although I have read stories like this many times, including recently, I think that this one is exceptionally well written. A group of strangers are stuck in a hotel in the middle of nowhere when snow prevents them from contacting the outside world. The first victim dies soon after. Doesn't that sound like a classic Agatha Christie mystery?

In my opinion, it does. And the author was able to create an atmosphere of danger and closure in a masterly way. The individual characters are really interesting and really make you wonder which one of them is the murderer. Solving this mystery was quite satisfying for me. I liked the explanation, though perhaps it is not as impressive as the rest of this storyline.

I like a fast pace in my books, and this was it. Plus, all the characters seemed so normal, and some of them were likable. Of course, there had to be a murderer among them, but it was hard to believe that one of them could actually commit a crime. Of course, everyone had their secrets. I also definitely enjoyed the last chapter and the motives that guided this character. Although I admit that this is what I expected.

As I said, this is my first book by this author, but I think I should try her other stories as well. It was really great fun.

What can you read after
An Unwanted Guest?

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About the Author:

Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, and Not a Happy Family, which have all been New York…

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An Unwanted Guest

Shari Lapena