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An Unwanted Guest: A Novel
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An Unwanted Guest: A Novel
Unavailable
An Unwanted Guest: A Novel
Audiobook8 hours

An Unwanted Guest: A Novel

Written by Shari Lapena

Narrated by Hillary Huber

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away

It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing—maybe even romantic—weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity—and all contact with the outside world—the guests settle in for the long haul.

Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead—it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.

Within the snowed-in paradise, something—or someone—is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 7, 2018
ISBN9780525532248
Unavailable
An Unwanted Guest: A Novel
Author

Shari Lapena

Shari Lapena was a lawyer and English teacher before turning to writing fiction. Her work has been shortlisted for the CBC Literary Awards and in 2004 she won the Great Toronto Literary Project. Things Go Flying was shortlisted for the 2009 Sunburst Award. She has been featured in The Dalhousie Review, The Globe and Mail and is an alumnus of the Humber School for Writers. She makes her home in Toronto. Please visit sharilapena.com, or follow Shari on Twitter at @sharilapena.

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Reviews for An Unwanted Guest

Rating: 3.746296 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

270 ratings49 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have really enjoyed the previous works by Shari Lapena, and will most likely read everything she comes out with. This was not my favorite of hers, but I still really enjoyed it. There were too many characters thrown your way right off the bat. I think we were introduced to nine different characters within the first few pages. I had to write them all down to keep track of who we were meeting so I would be able to keep them all straight. You really need to pay attention as each plays a role in the story. Once I got into the story I had no issues keeping track of everyone though.I loved the build up of the story and the little (or big) things that come out about all of the characters as you try to figure out Who Did It? I was not a huge fan of the big reveal but that is more of a personal thing than anything wrong with the story itself. Overall, this one was still pretty good though. I did not see every twist and turn coming, and I still enjoyed the authors storytelling.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    For me this was a one sitting book.It is almost a locked room mystery. A group of people staying in a remote boutique hotel, seemingly not knowing anyone except the person they arrived with. There is an engaged couple a few weeks away from their wedding, a man whose wife was murdered a few years before, a couple whose marriage has almost run its course, and yet another couple who have been together for a while but who in reality know very little about each other. Two women are lucky to have arrived after their car slid off the road on the ice. The hotel is cut off in a snow storm and there is no phone, and eventually no power. But two of them recognise someone they know among the others.The first body is discovered at the foot of the stairs the next morning, but the murderer is not obvious.A well constructed mystery and an excellent read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good read, similar to her others. Nice job Shari.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A handful of people are staying at a remote hotel when a body is found at the bottom of the stairs one morning. Most think that it was an accident but one guest, an attorney, believes that the person was murdered. To make matters worse, a winter storm hit causing the power to go out. What else could possibly go wrong? Here’s a hint: another dead body.This thriller will have you guessing till the end!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," An Unwanted Guest tells the story of 10 guests at a hotel (plus the hotel's owner and son). There is, of course, a snow/ice storm which cuts off power to the hotel. The hotel is so isolated no one has cell reception... and it's a matter of survival - literally.

    The bodies start to pile up before the police can arrive, and it's a question of who's the murderer and why.

    I didn't figure it out, I'll admit, which did make for a satisfying conclusion. I liked how it all came together, but it did bother me that there was no way that they could have notified the authorities and they were all stuck in the dark with a murderer for an entire night.

    The suspense was good. The point of view switched between all of the guests but didn't make anything obvious. A quick, light mystery.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Too many deaths, murderers and unsavory people. A bit far fetched
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was a perfect murder mystery with a beautifully creepy atmosphere. I love this authors first book, [The Couple Next Door], and thought that she couldn’t top that one…but I was wrong! I am probably the only person on the planet that only likes one of Agatha Christie’s books… but the more I read of this one the more it reminded me of Christie’s writing style with [And Then There Were None]. I didn’t want it to end. If you read all the reviews you will find a wide range of opinions among the readers of likes and dislikes… but this reader loved it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Agatha Christie did these country home mysteries so well, and as much as authors try to copy them, they just aren't the same. This wasn't a terrible book, and I did read it through to the end, but it wasn't show-stopping either. It might have helped if I'd even liked any of the characters, but I really didn't. No one can match Dame Christie. Many have tried, but unsuccessfully. This book is set in a country manor hotel in the middle of winter with a bad storm raging. The storm traps all the protagonists in the hotel without heat and power for a couple of days, but still people are dying all around. I had figured out the murderer early in the story, which is again unlike Agatha Christie. The book is okay, so some seem to have enjoyed it, but to a true Christie fan, it just doesn't measure up. Disappointed.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The setting and atmosphere are exquisite - a remote, cozy cottage where a dozen people are trapped due to an ice storm. They get to know each other a bit before the first dead body is found. It won't be the last. Lapena makes most of the characters distinct enough but I didn't particularly care for any of them. She drops so few solid clues, leaves out too many details, and throws in an abundance of red herrings. The story alternates between characters' perspectives and they each spend a lot of time speculating on things they can't possibly prove true or false, which is annoying.A clever ending but readers may end up feeling a bit cheated.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This isn't a genre I often read, but I received it as a gift and thought I'd give it a try. I have to say I really enjoyed it. The setting is a remote country inn where a winter storm has caused a power failure and blocked all roads. We meet the guests and hotel owners, each with a story, but when people begin to be murdered it's not clear who is doing the killing or why. The author did a great job in creating a atmosphere of fear with the setting and showing the perspectives of different characters. It kept me guessing until the end, and kept me turning pages. Well done!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Mitchell's Inn is a family-owned guest house in New York's Catskills. Although half the scheduled guests cancel their weekend plans due to the snowstorm, several others brave the weather for the weekend retreat promising no wifi. Most staff cannot get to the inn either, leaving the owner/chef and his son to serve the guests. An intended bride is found dead at the bottom of the stairs. Most assume she fell, but David, an attorney, recognizes foul play when he sees it and knows she was murdered. Suspicion focuses on the groom-to-be, especially since they were heard arguing. Soon another corpse is found. Guests are frightened, knowing a killer is in their midst. With power outages and no way to reach law enforcement, residents are on their own until help can be called. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Mousetrap, it's an enjoyable read. Some of the action seems a bit contrived, but it did not mar my enjoyment of it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A special thank you to Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.Lapena's debut The Couple Next Door was an instant hit and received rave reviews and I thought it was a solid effort. Admittedly, I was underwhelmed by her second book, A Stranger in the House, and was unsure if I was going to give this one a go. An Unwanted Guest is on par with The Couple Next Door and that was a 3 out of 5 stars. It takes place at a secluded hotel and what unfolds is a thriller that is reminiscent of a classic mystery—think Agatha Christie. Mitchell's Inn, nestled in the Catskills, boasts a cozy atmosphere. The stately rooms feature woodburning fireplaces and have just the right amount of nostalgia to be quaint, including no Wi-Fi or cell service. When a winter storm knocks out the power, all contact with the outside world is cut off. The guests try to make the best of the situation until one of them turns up dead. At first it appears to be an accident, but then a second guest dies and panic sets in. With everyone being a suspect, the guests have no choice but to weather the storm and each other. I liked how Lapena juxtaposed the violence of the storm against the violent acts of murder and thought the premise was very good. The atmosphere and description saved the book because I was simply tired of the repetitious thoughts about who the killer is—the reader does not need to be reminded that each character needs to figure out which one of them is the killer. Isn't that the whole point of the book? What baffles me is how removed Lapena is and this is the difference between 3 and 4 stars (to which she absolutely has the potential). Given that it is told from multiple points of view, this should be a character-driven novel because the characters ought to have enough depth and ultimately are responsible for propelling the narrative. But there is simply not enough distinction between their voices and for the most part, it feels like there is only one narrator.I haven't given up on Lapena yet—she does has a way of engaging the reader right of the bat. For the most part, her characters are well developed but their inner dialogues need work and she needs to ensure that they have a distinct voice if relying on their perspectives to tell the story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    An Unwanted Guest, Shari Lapena, author; Hillary Huber, narratorThis is a quick, creative mystery that holds the reader’s attention fast. Several groups of people travel to a beautiful, quiet, romantic inn to spend the weekend. One couple wants to salvage a marriage; another is looking forward to one. Each of them seems to have a hidden story in their past which causes them some kind of mental and emotional conflict. A snowstorm hits the area, and they are stranded at the inn without power or phone service. Only six of the twelve rooms are occupied because of the weather. When guests begin to die under suspicious circumstances, the survivors begin to panic and accuse each other. Who is killing the innocent bystanders? Is it a serial killer? Could it be one of the guests? As the tension builds, they are all forced to confess their sins. They are forced to wonder who among them is capable of murder, and then they wonder about what they could be capable of, as well. The finger of suspicion points to each in turn.The book is narrated superbly. It is as if the one telling the story is observing it from a distance, as a bystander, interpreting each character’s behavior, reactions and emotions perfectly so that none overlap and merge together. Each character develops on his/her own and is identifiable throughout. The guests represent a cross section of the population with regard to profession, past, sexual preference and wealth. Each has some personal problem they are struggling to resolve. Will this romantic getaway solve their problems or will it turn into a nightmare for them?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Totally loved this classic murder mystery! Lapena hit a home run with this one. A weekend at a cozy inn, in the middle of winter. The power goes out and guests start dropping like flies. A classic Christie-style mystery that will keep you guessing. Personally, I had the killer narrowed down to three people, so I wasn't far off from figuring it out, but it was so much fun trying to solve it. You can feel the tension of the guests as they wonder which one of them will be next, and the mountainous setting will chill you to the bone. I can't wait for her next one!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A group of strangers meet at the hotel they are staying at when a winter storm hits causing them to be stranded there for the weekend. One of them is found dead, believed to be murdered by one of the others.

    It was a fun murder mystery with some great moments. Was it an exciting thriller? Was I on the edge of my seat? No. Not really.

    That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. I did. It was definitely a fun read and the big killer reveal did surprise me. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fun thriller.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Murderer is revealed at the very end of the book. Not much development given to that character before he/she is shown to be the killer. You were kept guessing though and that made it interesting.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I felt the same way about this book as I did the author's first book, The Couple Next Door; as both were seriously, gripping page-turners, but then the endings just fell a little flat for me. This one has all the right elements with a snowed in hotel and the guests getting murdered one by one and the author's writing and pacing are on point to keep you turning pages very quickly, but for some reason the ending just felt a bit dull and anti-climatic. It seems to be the presentation though because I never guessed who the murderer was and the motive actually turns out to be really well plotted. But with all the great reviews - maybe it's just me... Thanks very much to Goodreads and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy to read in exchange for honest opinion.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I've really enjoyed Shari Lapena's first two books, but her latest, An Unwanted Guest, is now my favourite. I started reading with my tea one weekend morning and finished up that evening, with the to-do list still waiting.Mitchell's Inn is one of those cozy little family run hotels, perfect for a quiet, relaxing getaway. But for the latest guests of Mitchell's Inn, that's not going to happen. A winter blizzard knocks out the power. No wi-fi, no phones. The ice and snow makes it impossible to leave. Now here's the kicker....one of the guests turns up dead. It looks like she just may have accidentally fallen down the stairs. But then a second guest dies and this time there's no mistake - it is most definitely murder.What's not to love!? Isolated setting. No contact with the outside world. And lots of suspects - there's no way to know if the murderer is one of the guests or staff or if there's an unknown someone on the premises.Lapena has done a great job creating her characters. We meet the ten guests and get a feel for who they are. As things progress, we are privy to their inner thoughts - and secrets. Many of them have something in their past that they want to keep there. As the storm continues, the civility of strangers deteriorates. Suspicions and accusations are openly thrown about. And the body count continues.Delicious reading! An Unwanted Guest will bring to mind an Agatha Christie novel - And Then There Were None. Lapena has crafted her own take on the 'locked room' mystery. There are enough possibilities presented as to who the guilty party might be, that I really never guessed who it was before the final reveal. And then.....Lapena throws in a last minute gotcha - an absolutely perfect way to end the book.An Unwanted Guest was such a great read - I loved it!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    3.5 Atmospheric and entertaining. A diverse group of people arrive at a small in, just in time to find themselves snowed in, and with no electricity to boot. In short order, they find themselves in danger as the bodies begin to mount. But which one of them is the killer? Or is it someone hiding in one of the empty rooms.Thematically similar to Christie's, And then there were none, it was interesting to try to figure out who was the killer. I had in mind one of three, and it turned out to be one of the ones I thought. Had no e though, just something seemed a little off, and well mostly it was a lucky guess. At times this was repetitive, and some of the scenarios, motives, were a stretch, but the entertainment factor won out. Would be a brilliant read in Winter, after a snowstorm. A sisters read, and though we all found it entertaining, our ratings varied.ARC from Netgalley.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A gripping old fashioned 'whodunnit' style mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie, set in a remote hotel in the Catskill mountains. Ten guests check in but which way will they check out? A snow storm sets in, the power goes out and everyone is stranded, unable to leave. Then, the guests start being bumped off one by one......... I thoroughly enjoyed this atmospheric thriller where Cluedo meets a murder mystery weekend! Is the killer Miss Scarlet with a candlestick in the library or is it Colonel Mustard with a dagger in the study? The characters are really well developed and I could just picture them all creeping around the dark and creepy hotel hunting for clues. There is such a feeling of menace and peril! I loved trying to work out who the murderer was and why as all the guests seemed to have something to hide. This mystery has all the right ingredients for an entertaining and intriguing tale of suspense.Another exciting read via the Pigeonhole app. I will be reading more by this author.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A group of strangers are staying at the Mitchell's Inn. They are hit by a snow storm and become isolated when the power fails. It's not long before the first body is found.I loved this book. It's not the first time and won't be the last that this scenario is used. This story however was done really well. In an Agatha Christie style with the isolated setting and a body count the book is really quite enjoyable.From the beginning the story drew me in and I stormed through the book. I enjoyed everything about it including the ending, as I struggle with books with poor endings. I didn't work out who was the killer or even why. This book is just brilliant with its unlikeable character's each with a past, and the creepy feel due to the isolation. Highley recommended.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Bought this because of its good reviews and beibgbon best sellers list.Was disappointed in this read, xpected it to be better.Prose is ordinary.Story reminds me of one of Agatha Christie stories... plot at least.She did put in a final little twist which was good and inexpecting, but in my opinion doesn’t really make up for too common plot and just average writing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An Unwanted Guest is a book I kept hearing about all the time so when it became available to read on The Pigeonhole I jumped at the chance. This meant that I read a stave every day for ten days. I'm not sure this worked so well for me at first as I think I would have benefitted from getting more stuck into the book at the beginning, but once I was familiar with the characters I was engrossed.This is one of those very atmospheric reads, one where the setting and location is crucial. Extreme weather and huge wide-open spaces add to the sense of foreboding that I started to feel very early on.Mitchell's Inn is a remote hotel upon which a number of guests descend for what should be a relaxing weekend but ends up being anything but. There's snow, ice and a storm which cuts off the power, so pretty quickly the guests become more involved with each other than they would have done. Some of them are in couples, some are friends and some are there alone, but none of them know anybody else apart from the person they arrived with. Along with the owner of the hotel and his son, there are twelve of them altogether but then a body is found and that total starts to decrease. The first death could possibly be an accident but what occurs afterwards is most definitely not. Can you imagine being confined in a building with a murderer and not knowing who it is? That intense, claustrophobic feeling is what An Unwanted Guest is all about.I thought the characterisations were excellent. Along with the guests, I had no idea who the murderer might be and I suspected each and every one of them. In fact, I had no clue at all until very near the end when I started to get an inkling. I did turn out to be right but honestly, it could have been anybody and to maintain that level of mystery and not give away lots of pointers shows how talented Shari Lapena is. I haven't read her other books yet but I'm keen to do so now.This is a clever book. The author captures the way people feel when they're under threat, how they start to suspect and accuse other people, how they feel vulnerable and scared, how they begin to divulge things about themselves that they wouldn't have ordinarily. It's the perfect murder mystery.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Suspenseful, love books with twists and turns. Scandalous!!!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Well. That was really disappointing. Was looking forward to reading this because the premise seemed interesting, but the execution was bland and unnecessarily outlandish
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I don’t think this was as good as I thought it would be. It was just ok 3.5 stars
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good story some flaws,little more character development would had been great..but eventually a good read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lapena doesn’t let us down with this new novel! Several people go to a remote hotel for a weekend getaway, but when the weather gets bad, their weekend trip turns into a nightmare. One of the guests turns up dead and the rest of the visitors are put on edge, fearing there may be a killer amongst them.

    M
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I thought it was good! Reminded me of Ten Little Indians.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This author knows how to make you question how stable your female partner is. Wow!
    Is anyone who they say? When a person tells you something is it the truth? The whole story? Or just what they feel like saying.
    The author nails the setting, I caught myself shivering from the told. How would you react in a similar situation?
    This was a fantastic book, and the ending was completely plausible!