The Overnight Guest
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“Fully realized, wholly absorbing and almost painfully suspenseful…The journey is mesmerizing.” —New York Times
A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf.
True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.
As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.
And don’t miss these other great stories by Heather!The Weight of SilenceThese Things HiddenLittle MerciesMissing PiecesNot a SoundBefore She Was FoundThis is How I LiedEveryone Is WatchingThe Perfect Hosts
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“Fully realized, wholly absorbing and almost painfully suspenseful…The journey is mesmerizing.” —New York Times
A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf.
True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.
As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.
And don’t miss these other great stories by Heather!The Weight of SilenceThese Things HiddenLittle MerciesMissing PiecesNot a SoundBefore She Was FoundThis is How I LiedEveryone Is WatchingThe Perfect Hosts
Blythe s. –
Must read!!
I love this author. This book was so good I had a hard time putting it down. I think I was reading it while I was taking my puppy outside because i had to read what happened next. I’m a sucker for a good snowy thriller and this one delivered!! 100/10!!
Kelly P –
Good story
The story jumps between various time periods, but easy to follow. Kept my interest throughout the book.
Valarie Harrison –
Great book!
Really enjoyed The Overnight Guest! The flow of the story was perfect and I had a hard time putting it down. Loved the way it all came together at the end.
Mon –
What lay before them was no animal. It was a little boy, frozen to the ground.
What lay before them was no animal. It was a little boy, frozen to the ground.Heather Gudenkauf’s “The Overnight Guest” is a suspenseful story that kept me glued to the pages while a billowing storm raged outside my own window. The chilling atmosphere of a secluded farmhouse during a snowstorm paired with a mysterious guest and a decades-old murder is a recipe for a gripping read. The way Gudenkauf weaves together the present-day narrative with glimpses into the past kept the story dynamic and suspenseful.While the shocking twist ending was well-executed, I have to admit it fell within the realm of possibility for an avid mystery reader like myself. Perhaps that’s a testament to Gudenkauf’s skill in building suspense and planting subtle clues throughout the narrative. However, even if I predicted the major reveal, the journey of uncovering the truth alongside the characters remained highly engaging.What truly impressed me about “The Overnight Guest” was the seamless blending of storylines. The past and present narratives intertwined effortlessly, creating a complete and cohesive picture. Gudenkauf’s writing is crisp and engaging, effectively conveying the chilling atmosphere and the emotional turmoil of the characters.Overall, “The Overnight Guest” is a well-written and suspenseful thriller. While the twist might not surprise seasoned mystery readers, the journey of discovery and the chilling atmosphere make it a worthwhile read.
Morgan –
Sets up way more thrill than it pays off
This book has some fun little moments in it and keeps us reading in the hope of payoffs to some interesting set-ups. But the bland, boring American farmland setting, instead of being incorporated in an artful way (as other novels set on far land–or on the English moors or in rural towns–create compelling atmosphere from bleak, spare landscapes, extreme weather and tight-lipped, stoic characters), makes for too joyless and featureless a world to invite us to invest much in our characters.The relationships, characters and premise had potential. But readers find ourselves inventing deeper nuances and more interesting twists than the book ever delivers. The plot feels like a crossroads with every path forward looking so much more fun and dark and beautiful than the plain dirt road our author tugs us ploddingly along.”The Overnight Guest” also suffers from that trick–disrespectful to the reader–used in too many thrillers to create unearned suspense: Inviting us into a protagonist’s thoughts and memories, but with our heroine somehow never acknowledging (or even thinking about, in passing?) the most pertinent piece of information about them:Unlike with a fun, artfully-unreliable first-person narrator, whose skewed POV is character- and plot-driven and playfully invites readers’ own insight and detective-work, the nonsensical-withholding device employed here is artificial and gives the reader nothing to do but wonder why the pertinent piece if info was kept from us.It’s a bulky piece of plot machinery kept under a tarp that our author can rip off at whatever point in the story her editor recommends a surprise-reveal to keep us reading. “Oh. Yep; I thought that’s what was under there,” and “But why tho?” is all the feeling evoked in the reader.Other scattered lil twists can be guessed early and easily; then it’s the slog of waiting for characters too obtuse to be believable, as they stumble around in the dark long enough to finally trip over obvious realizations, such as *literally recognizing people from their lives*. Do they all have concussions, or face-blindness, or what?The climax has characters making so many dumb, weak decisions and failing to take the only sensible action in so many life-or-death moments that we cease to care what happens to them, as they don’t seem overly concerned with survival.Sadly, the tame, treacly resolution has us wishing for anything juicy or interesting: a darker twist that’s actually well set-up, but never arrives, or a creative new life-arrangement for our story’s survivors; even. moment of beauty or insight borne of the relationships or characters’ memories: anything that could make us feel something.
Jenni K –
This one is a good one.
This is one of those reads that you desperately want to know everything but also never want the book to end because good thrillers like this one don’t come along that often
Cliente de Kindle –
No recuerdo porque comore este libro, creo que porque leí de libros de terror o algo así en un correo que me envio la empresa que publica el libro, que bueno que le di la oportunidad, el libro muy bueno, hay varios giros en la trama que si te imaginas que vienen pero cuando los lees no te sientes decepcionado, sino feliz de que todo encaje y que la historia sea tan buena. Lo recomiendo mucho su quieres una historia rápida y buena!
Client d’Amazon –
Meh, pas mal mais pas dingue. Ça démarrait bien et puis ça s’est assez vite essoufflé. La magie n’a pas opéré de mon côté mais je comprends qu’il plaise.
Lorraine O’Byrne –
I absolutely loved this book, it was so well written, with great suspense, intrigue, and excitement. I highly recommend this author. The pace is good, it is full of twists and the storyline is unpredictable. A thoroughly enjoyable read that will keep you hooked from the start!
Garden Girl –
WOW, did this novel ever grab me from page 1, my fingers madly flipping thru the pages to the exciting end!I KNEW from the first chapter, I would love this book…fast paced, great chapter length, compelling characters, rapid plot thickening, great twists!After I finished the last page and closed my book, I just said, WOW, what a great story, fabulous read. This book was highly recommended on a book forum I belong to, everyone loved it, and I too will be raving about it, as well.A new to me author, whose work I will be buying more of!
Charlie –
This is a very good and entertaining thriller. The only disappointment comes, as often with thrillers, at the end, with a very cliche finale.