The Last House Guest

This book was exciting and well written. The characters were well written and each character has their own story that came together in the end. The story has an exciting twist at the end.

The last House Guest was a great read. Suspense, mystery and rich people, what more can you ask for? Kept me coming back for more. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I read this book for work, but I got to choose it from a list of unassigned books. I chose it because, well, I'm a thriller reader. Avid to the core. I read and write in this genre. There are good and not-so-good things about The Last House Guest. I'll compact them into two lists to better explain them. The Good 1. The plot moves quickly. I did not feel like I was stuck in a total quagmire, trying in vain to get out. The chapters are short enough and digestible for readers like me who have short attention spans. And, yeah, this is how a good thriller should be paced. 2. There are some relate-able characters. Faith is a minor character who plays an important role and comes off as infinitely more likable than the narrator, Avery. Connor is also relatively likable and believable. But we do not get to see a lot of Connor or Faith, Avery's two former friends. 3. The description of the scenery is vivid enough for me to get a clear idea of what fictional Littleport is supposed to look like. These passages are some of the best parts of the novel, in my opinion. On to the Not-So-Good Things 1. Some of the language gets repetitive. I don't think I've ever seen "fulcrum" used as often in a novel. 2. The language can get lofty. Even for an adult thriller novel, it comes off as excessive. I would suggest that the author tone down some of the word choices to make the book more accessible. Some readers might also find this to be a bit pretentious. 3. What the hell is with the concluding chapter?! First off, Detective Collins' demise is not at all fulfilling. The showdown between Avery, Parker, and Collins just feels like a blip, not a climax. Then to have Avery reveal she has been investing all along, setting herself up to survive her split with the Lomans... It didn't feel right. It kind of made me dislike Avery even more. At no point in the novel did I feel sorry for her, but I had hoped that she would leave Littleport for good in the end. 4. It's not that thrilling. The format feels repetitive. Avery goes somewhere she shouldn't. Avery hears odd noise. Avery sees shadowy figure. Lather, rinse, repeat. I'm divided on how I feel about this novel. Parts of it are really good, and parts of it are just... bland. I don't know. Maybe it caters better to a younger audience. But, if it is trying to do that, the elevated lexicon gets in the way.

I kept seeing this book on Instagram and had to see what the hype was all about. This mystery/thriller DIDNOT disappoint!! Avery has lived in Littleport, Maine her whole life. Her parents passed away in an accident years ago. Avery works for the prominent Loman family managing their properties. Avery and Sadie Loman become best friends. Until the end of one summer when Sadie turns up dead. The police rule it a suicide and close the case. But Avery had a feeling Sadie didn’t kill herself so she started to dig but what she didn’t realize was she was unveiling years of history about herself.

This is a great read, especially for autumn, when it all takes place as the summer season is winding down in Maine and the local workers hold their annual party at one of the cottages. But last year Avery’s best friend died at that party, and now everything has to be faced, which means uncovering what really happened that night. Soon Avery is all on her own as she tries to uncover the truth, and when the revelations start to hit, one after another, they leave you reeling with the character, to where she doesn't know who to believe or to trust. I have no idea if the author has worked in this position of looking after cottages, or if she’s ever navigated that tricky territory of a local person among affluent summer visitors, but she delivers much insight into that situation. The subtleties of gestures, expectations, boundaries, and fashion are all perfectly explored, without resorting to clichés. The narrator’s the outsider who can give us an honest view, and she pays careful attention. Chapter to chapter, past to present, everything is densely woven. Always pulling you on with new clues, mysteries, and details. As Avery tries to reconstruct what happened at a party through flashbacks, it gets a little repetitive, but each time more is revealed, with both the past and present shifting with each telling. And the twists keep coming, which keeps you reading, because now it matters even more.

Really really well written with crazy twists you don’t see coming! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

I enoyed the book. You have to read to the end but worth the read

An interesting interaction between people and some clever ending that can encourage women to take their lives in their own hands

In the seaside resort town of Littleport, Maine, the permanent residents and the summer crowd rarely socialize. The owners of the coastal houses, do not spend a lot of time with the folks that live there permanently. But the most well-known summer people are the Lomans, who own many waterfront properties. One summer, Avery Greer met Sadie Loman, and they became fast friends, much to the Lomans' chagrin. After years of friendship, Sadie is found dead in what could be an accident or a suicide or even murder. Avery makes it her mission to find out what happened to her friend, even though she now works for the Lomans, managing their many summer rental properties. There are plenty of suspects. This is a Reese Witherspoon Book Club choice, so you may even see it as a movie someday.

Reese’s Witherspoon club pick for august. Perfect summer reading to chill by the pool or at the beach. An absolute page-turner that I read in 2 days! Miranda sets the perfect ambience for a summer thriller. Although I have to point out I wont remember this book forever I have to say that it fulfills its function perfectly, it’s a great summer read.

It's a gripping novel with a surprised twist at the end. Wonderfully written and nicely paced. Must read.