Shari Lapena | AN UNWANTED GUEST

Plot (via Goodreads):

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:

I loved THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR and I liked A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE. I was extremely curious to see what Shari Lapena's third novel would be like. I was not let down. Lapena has created this masterful mystery similar to AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie. Since around middle school, that novel by Christie has been somewhat of a formula for the kind of stories that really intrigue me. The 90s slashers, the murder mysteries, the Clue vibe on screen. There's something extremely chilling and yet blissfully entertaining about having a certain number of characters and one is pure evil while the rest are pure victims.

I loved the way Lapena began this novel. I mean it is a snow storm in upstate New York. I can definitely relate to that. Growing up near the Canadian border, I've definitely had my fair share of snow storms. Outside they are a disaster, but once you're inside and all of the howling and the gusts of snow are on the other side of a wall it's beautiful and serene. Well Lapena grabbed that feeling, spun it around, and threw in something ominous and chilling in the mix of it all. Not only does this story feature excellent characterization, an eerie atmosphere, but every single aspect of this novel was right on the mark for me.

The character introductions were unique, thoughtful, and effective. I couldn't get enough of these amazing people! While some, I would've been glad to hit in the face with a snowball, Lapena did a fantastic job of delivering these personalities without overwhelming me and not wasting anytime before letting the bodies hit the floor. What I particularly found enjoyable was that I really got a feel for who each character was (whether they were likable for not), so when the first victim did hit the floor, I knew more would follow soon after. Lapena toyed with my head. My favorite characters were those I worried for, the suspicious ones I side-eyed, and everyone in between were sitting ducks.

I loved the pacing to this novel as well. The thing I enjoy about reading a Shari Lapena novel is that they are relatively short. Not that I wouldn't read a lengthier novel by Lapena, but there are no fillers or parts that slow down the real reason you are there as a reader. This novel starts off atmospherically chilly and slowly transitions into suspense and terror. It is like reading a slasher movie featuring complex adults and it is all in book form. Win, win if you ask me. I was thoroughly entertained by dazzling characterization, brilliant pacing, an effective and brutal atmosphere, and an ending that left me not only satisfied, but crept under my skin and lingered for days after.

Special thanks to Pamela Dorman Books for providing me with this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5