"The Guests" by Margot Hunt

 

"The Guests" by Margot Hunt is a story of poor choices, vengeance, and betrayal. A family besieged by a storm has to deal with the consequences of their actions.

Celeste, a Category 5 hurricane, is headed toward the small coastal town of Shoreham. The Davies family (Lee, Marlowe, and their 17-year-old twins, Tom and June) decide to brave the storm in their waterfront mansion. They invite Zack, Tom's best friend, and Isabel, Marlowe's assistant, to stay with them during the storm. With the help of their handyman, Mike, they are in the middle of putting storm shutters when a strange boat docks on their shore.

The strangers in the boat are the Brothers Jason and Bo, and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy. With no other alternative, the trio is invited to join the family during the storm. However, something feels off about them, nor does their reason for sailing forth ring true. As the storm advances and tensions increase, it is clear the trio has a hidden agenda. Thus, a worsening situation rapidly spins out of control, endangering them all.

The book is written in the third person, but each chapter focuses on a different character. It explores issues of family interactions, food disorders, infidelity, and survival. Overall, I enjoyed the book despite some issues that required the suspension of belief. People staying at home despite evacuation warnings, inviting strangers in, or acting foolishly. Another thing that didn't make sense was a killer that wasn't incarcerated, fear of dealing with an anorexic girl, or a boy faulted for the action of another.

While the book has its flaws, it did capture my interest. I will give it that. I was invested in the plot and cared about a few of the characters. A couple of twists caught me by surprise, and I loved the ending. I also enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of the weather. Luckily, I never lived through hurricanes, so I don't know how accurate its description is, but it convinced me.

To conclude, I enjoyed the book, flaws and all. I loved the pace of the book. It was a quick read with an interesting scenario that drew me in. Hence, I decided to rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4. This is my first read by this author, and certainly not the last. I recommend the book to those who enjoy a quick thriller and don't mind an implausible plot.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Guests" by Margot Hunt