Title: THE LAST GUESTS
Author: J.P. Pomare
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Read: June 2021
Expected publication: 28 July 2021
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Book Description:
Newlyweds Lina and Cain don't make
it out to their vacation home on gorgeous Lake Tarawera as often as they'd
like, so when Cain suggests they rent the property out on weekends, Lina
reluctantly agrees. While the home has been special to her family for generations,
their neighbors are all signing up to host renters, and frankly, she and Cain
could use the extra money. What could go wrong? And at first, Lina is
amazed at how quickly guests line up to spend a weekend--and at how much
they're willing to pay.
But both Lina and Cain have been keeping secrets, secrets that won't be kept
out by a new alarm system or a locked cupboard. When strange things begin
happening on their property, and a visit takes a deadly turn, Lina becomes
convinced that someone out there knows something they shouldn't--and that when
they come for her, there will be nowhere left to hide.
What attracted me to this book:
The concept of having hidden cameras
watching your every move whilst you are having a great time in a hotel or
Airbnb is not new, but it is no less terrifying, and I was excited to see what
unique spin JP Pomare would put on the theme.
My musings:
Lina (a paramedic) and her husband Caine (an
ex-soldier) have been struggling financially, so they are reluctantly
considering converting the house Lina has inherited from her grandparents into
an Airbnb, on the recommendation of close friends who are making a good income
from theirs. Whilst Lina has her reservations about letting strangers into her
childhood home, Caine is excited to collect some easy money. Things soon start
going wrong when one of Lina's past secrets is catching up with her in her
present life - and without giving too much away here, let's just say that it
involves the couple's new venture, some hidden cameras and a sinister online
community.
I really enjoyed the way Pomare
slowly ratcheted up tension as Lina's secret is catching up with her and she is
getting more and more entangled in her lies. It is painful to watch when
characters get caught in their own webs, but it also makes for some great
suspense if it is skilfully woven into the story, which was certainly the case
here. And whilst I was ready to judge Lina on her actions, her motives became
clearer later on and it was hard not to feel some empathy. The New Zealand
setting also added something unique to the story, which I really enjoyed,
especially the contrast between the idyllic lake landscape and the sinister
goings on in the lake house.
Pomare's writing flows and I was
soon caught up in the story, which held plenty of red herrings and a very
clever twist at the end that came as a total curveball and knocked me over. I
love it when a book surprises me!
Summary:
All in all, THE LAST GUESTS was a fast-paced
mystery which cleverly uses our fears of the dark side of technology and the
web to terrify readers and ensures that I feel like unscrewing every light
socket in every airbnb I will ever stay in to check for hidden cameras.
Pomare's characters are all flawed and complex and yet also relatable, which
made for a rich and enjoyable reading experience. The final twist added some
spice and set the story apart from others in the genre. I really enjoyed it and
look forward to reading more from this author in future.
Thank
you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the free electronic copy of this
novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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