Monday 30 March 2020

Book Review: THE HOUSE GUEST by Mark Edwards

Author: Mark Edwards
Publisher: Amazon Publishing UK
Read: March 2020
Expected publication: 3 June 2020
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2



“There is usually a simple explanation for everything.” (except in Mark Edwards’ books there isn’t)


Book Description:


When British twenty-somethings Ruth and Adam are offered the chance to spend the summer housesitting in New York, they can’t say no. Young, in love and on the cusp of professional success, they feel as if luck is finally on their side.

So the moment that Eden turns up on the doorstep, drenched from a summer storm, it seems only right to share a bit of that good fortune. Beautiful and charismatic, Eden claims to be a friend of the homeowners, who told her she could stay whenever she was in New York.

They know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers—let alone invite them into your home—but after all, Eden’s only a stranger until they get to know her.

As suspicions creep in that Eden may not be who she claims to be, they begin to wonder if they’ve made a terrible mistake…



What attracted me to this book:


I have long since come to appreciate Mark Edwards’ books as good entertainment – he comes up with the best premises where (in his own words) “scary things happen to ordinary people”. Last time, the houseguests refused to leave. This time, the houseguest poses a different threat altogether!


My musings:


THE HOUSE GUEST delivered on its promise of being a fast, entertaining read that had me frantically turn the pages wanting to find out how this latest disaster would end. It is fortuitous that we are in quarantine at the moment, because after reading Edwards’ last two books, I would be too scared to have any houseguests anyway!

Here, our two hapless main protagonists are Brits Ruth and Adam, who are house-sitting in Manhattan for a couple they met on a cruise. One night, a young woman turns up on the doorstep, claiming to be a friend of the owners. Being trusty and openhearted people, they let her in. Do you hear the alarm bells ringing yet?


Yes, from here on in the two Brits are marching towards their own doom. The how and when you will have to find out yourself. In typical Mark Edwards’ style, the premise is all the more terrifying because the couple are so relatable, so ordinary, so much like you and I. Could this happen to us? Perhaps some parts of the book were just a bit farfetched, but then again, maybe not. Living in my rural Australian bubble, I don’t profess to know how things are done in NYC. In any case, THE HOUSE GUEST made for another fun read. It’s the type of book you want to pick up when you don’t feel like anything too deep but want a type of bookish Netflix binge that will sweep you away in a tidal wave of entertainment (and terror). I’m not giving anything else away!


Summary:



In summary, I recommend you pick up THE HOUSE GUEST when in the mood for a fast, entertaining read with ordinary, everyday characters who stumble headlong into misadventure in the fashion Mark Edwards is famous for. There are plenty of elements to this thriller that will satisfy lovers of the genre who are looking for a bit of intrigue, a few bad guys, some fast paced action and a rising body count. I really enjoyed it and it provided a welcome distraction.


Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

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