The Guest Room by Rona Halsall #bookreview #thriller

Title: The Guest Room

Author: Rona Halsall

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Publication Date: January 31, 2022

Page Count: 311

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

You think you’re safe in your home. You’re wrong.

Steph used to think her life was perfect. A happy marriage, two wonderful kids, and a home she felt safe in and called her own. But now her husband has walked out after thirty years, her daughter Bea is married and lives miles away, and Steph’s estranged son hasn’t made contact in years. Home doesn’t feel like the safe haven it once did.

When she begins to hear noises in the night, at first she thinks she’s imagining things. But then she finds open windows she knows she left closed, and a strange smell in the kitchen – and she knows none of it feels right.

Then her front window is smashed, and a young man named Noah helps her fix it. He’s fallen on hard times and Steph impulsively offers him a place to stay. He reminds her of her missing son, and as a mother she finds herself wanting to help him. Also, if he is there, she won’t be home alone.

Before long Noah is living in Bea’s old bedroom, paying rent, and getting his life back on track. Steph’s ex-husband and Bea are furious. But Steph feels secure at last, and that’s what matters.

Until the strange things start happening once more.

And Steph realises that someone is out to scare her…

Someone who will stop at nothing to make her never, ever feel safe again.

The most twisty and unputdownable thriller of the year – perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Mark Edwards and Gone Girl.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall is a thriller novel. The story in The Guest Room is one that is told mainly from one point of view but there are a few changes to the point of view along the way.

Steph at one point that she had it all, a loving husband and two wonderful children and their lovely home. However, after thirty years of marriage Steph’s husband wants out and has left their home and her son rushed off to begin his own life in the military without a word and Steph’s daughter has married leaving Steph on her own.

When strange things begin happening around Steph’s home and with some worries of money Steph decides she needs to take in a lodger. When Steph met Noah her reminded her so of her son and with Noah homeless the idea of him moving in sounded like the solution to both their worries.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall was a fast paced thriller that kept the pages turning after picking this one up. There is plenty of suspicion thrown around to all those close to the protagonist to keep one on their toes although I will admit to figuring out the culprit fairly early on. Still an entertaining read all throughout for me despite figuring things out and definitely stayed engaged until the very end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /   Amazon*

About the author:

Rona is the author of Best Selling psychological thrillers published by Bookouture. She loves puzzles and her challenge is to find domestic storylines with twists that her readers will never guess.

She was born in Nottingham, grew up near Blackpool and went to college in Leeds. She then moved to Snowdonia, North Wales where she brought up her family while working as a business mentor. She now lives on the Isle of Man with her husband and two dogs.

She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful glens and beaches on the Island while she’s plotting her next book. She has three children and two step-children who are all grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories.

To find out more about Rona and her novels, visit her website: ronahalsall.com

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