Book Review for The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan 

Genre:  Mystery Thriller

Publication: February 7th 2023 by Forge Books

 

Taken from Goodreads:  The House Guest is another diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller from USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan—but which character is the cat, and which character is the mouse?

After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.

And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.

But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.

My Thoughts:  WOW!  No one, I mean not a single character is who they seem to be.  (This is not a spoiler, it states it in the synopsis).   This book had me on the edge of my seat.   I could not wait to get home from work and read it and then I would read way past my bedtime.   I devoured every word, every page, every chapter. 

 

The House Guest is an amazing thriller where every character could be the one, even the main character, Alyssa, is not quite as she seems.  I loved that just as I thought I had some of it figured out another twist would come and I would be unsure again.   Until the very end, what an ending, I never had it quite right.  

 

This book… just go get your own copy!   It is one of the best thrillers I have ever read.  

 

Thank you Forge Books for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Meet Hank Phillippi Ryan  (Taken from her website):  Hank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of 13 thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors. Book critics call her “a master of suspense,” “a superb and gifted storyteller,” and she’s the only author to have won the Agatha in four different categories: Best First, Best Novel, Best Short Story and Best Non-Fiction. Her newest is Her Perfect Life, a chilling psychological standalone about fame, family, and revenge. It received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, calling it “a superlative thriller.” B.A. Paris says, “Shocking, suspenseful… kept me guessing until the end.” and Julie Clark says, “You will read this in one sitting!” It is now nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel. Her next is The House Guest, coming February 2023.

Hank is a founder of MWA University, host of CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze, and co-host of First Chapter Fun and The Back Room. Visit Hank online at HankPhillippiRyan.com, on Twitter @HankPRyan, on Instagram @hankpryan and Facebook at HankPhillippiRyanAuthor.