The Christmas Guest Book Review
Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog! I am back with another book review, and my first Christmas book of the season. So let's get into it!
Peter Swanson is one of my favorite thriller writers. I found out just recently that he released a mystery novella this year. Christmas + mystery + a novella = sign me up!
This was only about 112 pages, and I flew through it (obviously). I loved every second of it.
The book follows an American orphan, Ashley Smith. She goes to school in London and was planning on spending Christmas alone. Then Emma Chapman, a fellow classmate and acquaintance, invited Ashley to spend Christmas with her at her family's estate in the English countryside. While Ashley stays with the Chapmans, rumors start circulating about a murder that took place close to the Chapmans house. The police are looking into Emma's brother, Adam. The story is told partly through Ashley's diary, and you get to decided whether or not she is in a gothic romance or in the middle of her own mystery.
I absolutely loved everything about this. I loved the vibes, the characters, the gothic Christmas tones, the twists, everything. I was hooked from page one. The ending did take me by surprise in the best way possible.
One of the things I liked the most was the note at the back of the book from the author explaining why he wrote this novella. A novella is not something you see all the time and especially a Christmas mystery. Swanson explained that when he wrote this his ideal reader was someone who loved Christmas and mystery, and someone who would want to sit down on Christmas Eve, hot chocolate in hand, by the fire, reading a story in one sitting.
It's me, I'm the ideal reader.
I loved getting insight on how this story, this idea was formed. He thought of his ideal reader and also combined the two things he loved as well. I thought he did a fantastic job; this was truly the perfect book. Perfect for anyone who loves a thriller and wants a cozy book to read by the fire on Christmas eve.
Overall, I would rate this 5/5 stars, and I would definitely recommend!
Alright, folks that is all I have for this week! Come back next Wednesday for another blog post! As always, thank you for reading:)