Title: An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
The twisty new thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House
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.
Review:
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena is an atmospheric murder mystery set at a secluded inn in the Catskills.
Ten guests arrive for a weekend at Mitchell’s Inn in the midst of a winter storm which leaves them cut off from the outside world. Inn owner James Harwood and his son Bradley are short-staffed due to the storm but they creatively provide for their weekend guests. The first evening is off to a festive beginning as each of the visitors enjoy one another’s company. But there is a layer of unease that runs beneath their interactions with some of the attendees taking an instant dislike to some of their fellow guests. Others notice that things appear to be a little off with some their companions. At the evening’s end, everyone adjourns to the rooms for the night, but morning brings a shocking surprise. One of the guests is found dead at the base of the stairs and it quickly becomes apparent that the death might not be an accident. With the wind howling, no electricity and no way of contacting the authorities, tensions mount when the killer strikes again. With no apparent motive for murders or connection between the guests, everyone is soon casting a suspicious eye toward the remaining members of the group.
Gwen Delaney is hoping the getaway is just what her college friend Riley Shuter needs to recover from her years of reporting from combat zones. Although both women were journalism majors in college, Gwen works for PR firm. Their friendship has survived through the intervening years and while Riley knows Gwen’s darkest (and most shameful) secret, she is not as forthcoming about the troubles she is experiencing from her career.
Lauren Day and her companion Ian Beeton are looking forward to spending the weekend together. Lauren is sharp-eyed and observant while Ian is more friendly and outgoing. Although Lauren is a bit restless as she ponders her future with Ian, the couple are enjoying their weekend getaway. However, as the weekend progresses, they are dismayed to learn they do not know one another as well as they would like.
Dana Hart and her fiancé Matthew Hutchinson are in the midst of planning their upcoming wedding. Matthew is hoping the break will provide Dana the opportunity to relax and recharge since she is wound a little tight as they enter the homestretch of wedding planning.
Beverly Sullivan is convinced the weekend away will put the spark back in her twenty year marriage to Henry. They have grown apart over the years and with their kids almost ready to leave the nest, she knows it is time to rebuild their connection. However, she is dismayed to discover that Henry is not too keen to spend time with her but she is undeterred as she continues with her plans.
Candice White is an author who is taking advantage of her time away from her caretaker duties to work on her current novel. She does not interact much with the other guests but she is extremely observant as she joins them for meals. Candice continues to keep to herself even after the discovery of the first victim.
David Paley is a defense attorney who has a lot to mull over during his stay at Mitchell’s Inn. He is immediately drawn to Gwen but Riley is not exactly his biggest fan. After the discovery of the first dead body, he becomes the de facto leader due to his experience with the criminal justice system.
Rounding out the cast of characters are Bradley and James. Bradley is in his early twenties and he yearns for a life away from the isolated inn. James is a widower whose concern for Bradley intensifies over the course of the weekend. He notices little things about his son’s behavior that make him a little uneasy since Bradley was involved in a spot of trouble in the past.
An Unwanted Guest is a very clever and well-written mystery with a wonderful old-fashioned storyline. The cast of characters is diverse but some of them downright impossible to like. The setting is absolutely outstanding and the isolation leads to some very stressful situations as suspicions mount among the survivors. Shari Lapena brilliantly keeps the perpetrator’s identity and motive the murders under wraps until the novel’s twist-filled and jaw-dropping conclusions. This spellbinding whodunit is sure to be a hit with readers of the genre.
