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The Guest Room
Tess has a bad habit. She can’t stop snooping through her guests' belongings . . .
When Tess is forced to rent out her late sister’s old room to pay the bills, the urge to rummage through her guests’ belongings overtakes her every thought. Teasing herself with forbidden glimpses into the lives of strangers is a momentary thrill, but it’s the closest she’s felt to anyone since the mysterious death of her sister, Rosie.
After her newest lodger, Arran, takes the room, Tess finds his salaciously detailed diary, which chronicles his infatuation with a beautiful stranger. The diary, which appears harmless at first, slowly takes a darker, more menacing tone with each new entry.
Is this a crush or an obsession?
Her compulsion to know the truth leads to Tess shadowing Arran through the streets of London, hoping to catch a glimpse of this unnamed woman. And as she continues to peruse his diary, she can’t help but notice the similarities between the woman on the pages and herself, leaving her to wonder, Who has truly been watching whom?
When Tess is forced to rent out her late sister’s old room to pay the bills, the urge to rummage through her guests’ belongings overtakes her every thought. Teasing herself with forbidden glimpses into the lives of strangers is a momentary thrill, but it’s the closest she’s felt to anyone since the mysterious death of her sister, Rosie.
After her newest lodger, Arran, takes the room, Tess finds his salaciously detailed diary, which chronicles his infatuation with a beautiful stranger. The diary, which appears harmless at first, slowly takes a darker, more menacing tone with each new entry.
Is this a crush or an obsession?
Her compulsion to know the truth leads to Tess shadowing Arran through the streets of London, hoping to catch a glimpse of this unnamed woman. And as she continues to peruse his diary, she can’t help but notice the similarities between the woman on the pages and herself, leaving her to wonder, Who has truly been watching whom?
397 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2023
187 people are currently reading
17242 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 478 reviews
May 22, 2023
This one might be a big hit for fans of “You”, but don’t expect this book to be You 2.0. If THE GUEST ROOM was just a little shorter and more tightly edited, I think it would have been the perfect, creepy read. I did find the main character to be quite unlikable, but I think that’s the point here. Some great twists and turns, and impossible to put down once you hit the last quarter of the book. Recommended to those looking for a summer popcorn suspense novel.
April 24, 2023
I’m just not sure what to think about this debut novel. The characters were all interesting to read about, but in a train-wreck way - this book is definitely full of interesting characters, none of whom seem “normal”.
Tess’s sister, Rosie, was found murdered on the street, and her killer still hasn’t been found. Tess finds herself living alone, so she starts renting out her dead sister’s room to B&B guests. She gets a request from a man to stay for a month, and while she doesn’t like such long-term tenants, she agrees to let him in.
Arran is handsome, smart, a good cook and a tidy roommate. He’s also a writer of sorts - he has a diary that Tess finds while snooping through his things (something she does to all of her guests). This diary has him talking about his passion for an unknown woman, and as the book goes on, the diary keeps being written. Tess keeps reading, and soon finds herself stalking her new roommate.
This whole book is full of stalking - not just by Tess. Everyone seems to be watching everyone else, and the metropolis of London soon seems like a small place. Tess wants to find out who killed her sister. She wants to know who Arran is pining for. She wants to know why her neighbor and his on-again, off-again girlfriend are acting so suspicious. Basically, Tess needs to know it all, and she doesn’t mind getting dirty if she can get some dirt on people.
Like I said, the characters were all interesting, but over-the-top in their actions. The stalking almost became humorous after awhile, though I don’t think that was the intention. The ending was a surprise, but I didn’t care about it as much as the rest of the story. I’m giving this a 3.5, rounded up for being a debut.
(Thank you to Henry Holt & Co., Tasha Sylva, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on July 11, 2023.)
Tess’s sister, Rosie, was found murdered on the street, and her killer still hasn’t been found. Tess finds herself living alone, so she starts renting out her dead sister’s room to B&B guests. She gets a request from a man to stay for a month, and while she doesn’t like such long-term tenants, she agrees to let him in.
Arran is handsome, smart, a good cook and a tidy roommate. He’s also a writer of sorts - he has a diary that Tess finds while snooping through his things (something she does to all of her guests). This diary has him talking about his passion for an unknown woman, and as the book goes on, the diary keeps being written. Tess keeps reading, and soon finds herself stalking her new roommate.
This whole book is full of stalking - not just by Tess. Everyone seems to be watching everyone else, and the metropolis of London soon seems like a small place. Tess wants to find out who killed her sister. She wants to know who Arran is pining for. She wants to know why her neighbor and his on-again, off-again girlfriend are acting so suspicious. Basically, Tess needs to know it all, and she doesn’t mind getting dirty if she can get some dirt on people.
Like I said, the characters were all interesting, but over-the-top in their actions. The stalking almost became humorous after awhile, though I don’t think that was the intention. The ending was a surprise, but I didn’t care about it as much as the rest of the story. I’m giving this a 3.5, rounded up for being a debut.
(Thank you to Henry Holt & Co., Tasha Sylva, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on July 11, 2023.)
June 9, 2023
The Guest Room is the first novel by British author, Tasha Sylva. Four months after Rosie Hartley’s body was found on Hampstead Heath, her younger sister Teresa is living in her London flat. Although she works as a freelance translator, and does some shifts at the Barbican Gallery where Rosie used to work, financial pressures force her to bnb the best bedroom in the flat, Rosie’s.
Rosie’s mental state in the months before her death is in question: she inexplicably broke off with her boyfriend and began engaging in risky behaviour, wandering the streets late at night, alone. Numerous times, Tess would track her down and try to coax her back to her flat.
People grieve differently, and one of Tess’s ways seems to be to duplicate her sister’s risky behaviour: is she trying to draw out the person who might be responsible for her death? She also regularly harasses the police DS in charge of the case, much in a clutching-at-straws manner, every time she recalls another potential but probably innocent suspect.
And she can’t resist invading the privacy of her lodgers while they are out, going through all their belongings. Her latest lodger, Arran Cole keeps an intriguing notebook in which he details his attempts to find a stranger, a beautiful woman he saw in a café with whom he is clearly infatuated. Interspersed with Tess’s narrative is that of an anonymous person who seems to be stalking her.
As the story progresses, the number of potential suspects for what Tess believes is Rosie’s murder, increases: her ex, the rather creepy downstairs neighbour, the neighbour across the street, his one-time weird lodger, and a barman all attract her attention. Tess seems to do a lot of stalking, and she’s not the only one. There are lots of secrets and lies, and few characters who don’t behave a little strangely.
Is Tess an unreliable narrator? Her mental state does seem to be a bit erratic, and she’s not a terribly likeable protagonist. Is she being gaslit? The build-up to whatever is going to happen begins to feel interminable, and it’s only the train-wreck-like feel of watching her behaviour get more and more outrageous that keeps the pages turning until the final, riveting chapters. A twisty and, ultimately, compelling debut.
This unbiased review is from an unsolicited copy provided by Welbeck Publishing.
Rosie’s mental state in the months before her death is in question: she inexplicably broke off with her boyfriend and began engaging in risky behaviour, wandering the streets late at night, alone. Numerous times, Tess would track her down and try to coax her back to her flat.
People grieve differently, and one of Tess’s ways seems to be to duplicate her sister’s risky behaviour: is she trying to draw out the person who might be responsible for her death? She also regularly harasses the police DS in charge of the case, much in a clutching-at-straws manner, every time she recalls another potential but probably innocent suspect.
And she can’t resist invading the privacy of her lodgers while they are out, going through all their belongings. Her latest lodger, Arran Cole keeps an intriguing notebook in which he details his attempts to find a stranger, a beautiful woman he saw in a café with whom he is clearly infatuated. Interspersed with Tess’s narrative is that of an anonymous person who seems to be stalking her.
As the story progresses, the number of potential suspects for what Tess believes is Rosie’s murder, increases: her ex, the rather creepy downstairs neighbour, the neighbour across the street, his one-time weird lodger, and a barman all attract her attention. Tess seems to do a lot of stalking, and she’s not the only one. There are lots of secrets and lies, and few characters who don’t behave a little strangely.
Is Tess an unreliable narrator? Her mental state does seem to be a bit erratic, and she’s not a terribly likeable protagonist. Is she being gaslit? The build-up to whatever is going to happen begins to feel interminable, and it’s only the train-wreck-like feel of watching her behaviour get more and more outrageous that keeps the pages turning until the final, riveting chapters. A twisty and, ultimately, compelling debut.
This unbiased review is from an unsolicited copy provided by Welbeck Publishing.
March 22, 2023
This book was ok for me. It centers on Tess, who rents out a room in her murdered sister’s flat to make ends meet and snoops through their stuff. When her newest renter. Arran, leaves a diary where she can find it, she gets more than she bargained for and sets out to find out what he is really doing. Tess is not doing great overall after the sudden death of her sister and this is one of her many vices.
So I liked the storyline but I HATED Tess. I thought she was truly awful and obnoxious and couldn’t believe all of the other characters in this book could even stand to be around her. I would have liked the book so much more if I didn’t have such a viscerally negative reaction to her. I did like the end of the book and appreciated the surprise twist- the author did a good job of creating viable suspects and surprising me when it all was said and done.
Overall, good storyline but I just didn’t like the protagonist and couldn’t get on board with the fact that others liked her when I saw so few redeeming qualities. Solid mystery, though! Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So I liked the storyline but I HATED Tess. I thought she was truly awful and obnoxious and couldn’t believe all of the other characters in this book could even stand to be around her. I would have liked the book so much more if I didn’t have such a viscerally negative reaction to her. I did like the end of the book and appreciated the surprise twist- the author did a good job of creating viable suspects and surprising me when it all was said and done.
Overall, good storyline but I just didn’t like the protagonist and couldn’t get on board with the fact that others liked her when I saw so few redeeming qualities. Solid mystery, though! Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2023
Talk about missing the mark....
Everyone is stalking everyone, and there's no real plot. Tess, the main character, is out of her mind, and frankly, I don't know how anyone could stand to be around her. Her neighbors were weird. Her sister's ex-boyfriend is a jerk. Tess's lodger is a weirdo, and don't even get me started on his diary.
I think there could have worked had there been a stronger story. Tess's sister's unsolved murder was a good thread but everything else kept piling on top.
Overall, this is a pass for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Everyone is stalking everyone, and there's no real plot. Tess, the main character, is out of her mind, and frankly, I don't know how anyone could stand to be around her. Her neighbors were weird. Her sister's ex-boyfriend is a jerk. Tess's lodger is a weirdo, and don't even get me started on his diary.
I think there could have worked had there been a stronger story. Tess's sister's unsolved murder was a good thread but everything else kept piling on top.
Overall, this is a pass for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 29, 2023
I would have finished this book earlier but for another book getting my attention.
I was fully committed to reading this but I fear that the foundation of this plot was lacking in that, I couldn’t piece together the logic of some of it.
Tess was an interesting character that was in so much emotional turmoil over what happened to her sister (and rightfully so) I thought that was what was clouding her judgement and I excused her actions, until……..
Then towards the middle I sort of lost the momentum and although I wanted to know why she became a snoop in her guest bedroom I could never fathom it out….
The book I was listening to sort of took over…..I finished that one instead to take a sort of breather.
It’s not a bad book at all. I’d definitely read again from this author but I as a reader need foundations and why…..I got that all at the end like a summary but in conversation from the one who’s the guilty party….too wrapped up for me instead of gradual teasing for a reader to discover? If that makes sense.
I’ve read too many books that tie it up altogether in one room facing each other “discovering” the whys and the wherefore.
Like the way this author writes, need more thrills in my thrillers (if that makes sense)
Never be put off by me over a book. It’s how I felt and you may feel differently.
I was fully committed to reading this but I fear that the foundation of this plot was lacking in that, I couldn’t piece together the logic of some of it.
Tess was an interesting character that was in so much emotional turmoil over what happened to her sister (and rightfully so) I thought that was what was clouding her judgement and I excused her actions, until……..
Then towards the middle I sort of lost the momentum and although I wanted to know why she became a snoop in her guest bedroom I could never fathom it out….
The book I was listening to sort of took over…..I finished that one instead to take a sort of breather.
It’s not a bad book at all. I’d definitely read again from this author but I as a reader need foundations and why…..I got that all at the end like a summary but in conversation from the one who’s the guilty party….too wrapped up for me instead of gradual teasing for a reader to discover? If that makes sense.
I’ve read too many books that tie it up altogether in one room facing each other “discovering” the whys and the wherefore.
Like the way this author writes, need more thrills in my thrillers (if that makes sense)
Never be put off by me over a book. It’s how I felt and you may feel differently.
February 19, 2023
3.5* A compelling, twisty and incredibly readable thriller that had me hooked from the first page until the last. Although the ending was a little uninspired and the outcome predictable in places, overall this was an ultimately entertaining read with some major ‘You’ vibes.
July 24, 2023
3.5 stars
Tasha Sylva's debut mystery/thriller novel, THE GUEST HOUSE, is a lot of fun albeit a bit predictable at times. Our main character, Tess, is an unlikable snoop who has been renting out her spare room in her London flat to random tenants for the past couple of months. When the tenants aren't home, she spends her time snooping around through their belongings to learn about them. Tess' flat originally belonged to her sister but after her passing, Tess has moved in and claimed as her own while she tries to grapple with her sister's murder.
When her newest tenant, Arran, moves in she finds that he has a diary with some juicy secrets to investigate. She starts falling for her temporary roommate, but as this crush develops, Tess starts to realize that this is becoming an obsession and she needs to do something about it.
As I noted above, this book was a lot of fun. I knew immediately how it was going to develop and I would say I was 95% correct in how the story would develop, so this book may not work with a lot of mystery/thriller readers, but I think it's perfect for the beach or pool. I would definitely read more from this author and I hope we can continue to see her journey into this genre grow.
Tasha Sylva's debut mystery/thriller novel, THE GUEST HOUSE, is a lot of fun albeit a bit predictable at times. Our main character, Tess, is an unlikable snoop who has been renting out her spare room in her London flat to random tenants for the past couple of months. When the tenants aren't home, she spends her time snooping around through their belongings to learn about them. Tess' flat originally belonged to her sister but after her passing, Tess has moved in and claimed as her own while she tries to grapple with her sister's murder.
When her newest tenant, Arran, moves in she finds that he has a diary with some juicy secrets to investigate. She starts falling for her temporary roommate, but as this crush develops, Tess starts to realize that this is becoming an obsession and she needs to do something about it.
As I noted above, this book was a lot of fun. I knew immediately how it was going to develop and I would say I was 95% correct in how the story would develop, so this book may not work with a lot of mystery/thriller readers, but I think it's perfect for the beach or pool. I would definitely read more from this author and I hope we can continue to see her journey into this genre grow.
September 1, 2024
1.5 rounded up.
Every time the book felt like it was starting to get going, it would drag on again. A lot of repetitive sentences and themes (going to the police at any interaction her sister had with a man being a big one).
This one wasn’t for me.
Every time the book felt like it was starting to get going, it would drag on again. A lot of repetitive sentences and themes (going to the police at any interaction her sister had with a man being a big one).
This one wasn’t for me.
July 27, 2023
Happy Friday Eve!
I don't know about you but I have some mixed emotions going into this weekend. I turn 38 on Sunday, which is a hard pill to swallow. It also concludes July which means Summer is almost over (Im crying over this) but I will be surrounded by friends and family who will be visiting our beach house for the weekend.
The only downfall is I'll have minimal time to read, which is why I have soaked it all in this week.
The Guest Room, delivers.
Tasha Sylva, has hit the ground running with this stunning debut. From the title, to the cover to the brief description, I knew this one would be a shoe in for a five star read, and I was right!
The constant suspense and fear that built up with all of Tess' snooping had me holding my breath the entire time I was reading. No, I didn't die, but I sure did feel the fear!
You don't want to miss this one folks! Head on over to your favorite place to purchase books (or borrow) and dive on in!
Teaser :
Tess has a bad habit. She can’t stop snooping through her guests' belongings . . .
When Tess is forced to rent out her late sister’s old room to pay the bills, the urge to rummage through her guests’ belongings overtakes her every thought. Teasing herself with forbidden glimpses into the lives of strangers is a momentary thrill, but it’s the closest she’s felt to anyone since the mysterious death of her sister, Rosie.
After her newest lodger, Arran, takes the room, Tess finds his salaciously detailed diary, which chronicles his infatuation with a beautiful stranger. The diary, which appears harmless at first, slowly takes a darker, more menacing tone with each new entry.
Is this a crush or an obsession?
Her compulsion to know the truth leads to Tess shadowing Arran through the streets of London, hoping to catch a glimpse of this unnamed woman. And as she continues to peruse his diary, she can’t help but notice the similarities between the woman on the pages and herself, leaving her to wonder, Who has truly been watching whom?
I don't know about you but I have some mixed emotions going into this weekend. I turn 38 on Sunday, which is a hard pill to swallow. It also concludes July which means Summer is almost over (Im crying over this) but I will be surrounded by friends and family who will be visiting our beach house for the weekend.
The only downfall is I'll have minimal time to read, which is why I have soaked it all in this week.
The Guest Room, delivers.
Tasha Sylva, has hit the ground running with this stunning debut. From the title, to the cover to the brief description, I knew this one would be a shoe in for a five star read, and I was right!
The constant suspense and fear that built up with all of Tess' snooping had me holding my breath the entire time I was reading. No, I didn't die, but I sure did feel the fear!
You don't want to miss this one folks! Head on over to your favorite place to purchase books (or borrow) and dive on in!
Teaser :
Tess has a bad habit. She can’t stop snooping through her guests' belongings . . .
When Tess is forced to rent out her late sister’s old room to pay the bills, the urge to rummage through her guests’ belongings overtakes her every thought. Teasing herself with forbidden glimpses into the lives of strangers is a momentary thrill, but it’s the closest she’s felt to anyone since the mysterious death of her sister, Rosie.
After her newest lodger, Arran, takes the room, Tess finds his salaciously detailed diary, which chronicles his infatuation with a beautiful stranger. The diary, which appears harmless at first, slowly takes a darker, more menacing tone with each new entry.
Is this a crush or an obsession?
Her compulsion to know the truth leads to Tess shadowing Arran through the streets of London, hoping to catch a glimpse of this unnamed woman. And as she continues to peruse his diary, she can’t help but notice the similarities between the woman on the pages and herself, leaving her to wonder, Who has truly been watching whom?
January 25, 2024
One of the most boring and repetitive piles of crap I've read in some time.
Tess is the main character, and she is just detestable. Sure, give us a complex main character who isn't always likeable, but give us some positive elements to hold on to as well! Otherwise, it's a real slog, as it is here, because Tess is just such a fucking awful person. I couldn't stand to be in her company. She's unhinged, obsessive, a shit to everyone...and she knows it.
Reading about main characters who are obsessed with something can be really boring. It's like if I were at a party and stuck talking with somebody who won't stop rabbiting on about how cardboard boxes are made. It's not something I care about or am interested in, so it's natural I would get bored. Here, Tess is obsessed with the death of her sister, Rosie, and the new guy who is renting out her spare room, Arran. She's reading his diary about a girl he seems obsessed with, and wonders if it's her.
These two things are all she thinks or cares about. Nothing else. It gets boring to read about, because neither topic ever goes anywhere. Tess will stalk and assault Rosie's ex-boyfriend, Oliver, thinking he's guilty. Rinse and repeat. She'll phone the detective on her sister's case to tell him the latest person she thinks killed her sister (when she's not focused on Oliver.) Rinse and repeat. She'll read Arran's diary and follow him around and obsess over his movements. Rinse and repeat.
IT'S THE SAME FUCKING THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR 360 FUCKING PAGES. The author seems to realise they've dragged things out enough by that point and quickly wraps things up in the most, "Hi, I'm the killer and you never would have guessed unless I randomly came to your apartment and told you uninvited!" endings ever. It was ridiculous and stupid. The killer needed to literally out themselves for no reason whatsoever in order for this book to reach its ending.
The plot was slow, boring and went nowhere. The identity of the antagonist was completely arbitrary. Tess was one of the dullest, most unlikeable, most annoying "protagonists" I've ever suffered through. (She's easily beaten by the fuckwit from Ruth Ware's The It Girl, however.) If you want to saddle yourself with a morose, petty, selfish moron main character for 360 pages...be my guest.
Tess is the main character, and she is just detestable. Sure, give us a complex main character who isn't always likeable, but give us some positive elements to hold on to as well! Otherwise, it's a real slog, as it is here, because Tess is just such a fucking awful person. I couldn't stand to be in her company. She's unhinged, obsessive, a shit to everyone...and she knows it.
Reading about main characters who are obsessed with something can be really boring. It's like if I were at a party and stuck talking with somebody who won't stop rabbiting on about how cardboard boxes are made. It's not something I care about or am interested in, so it's natural I would get bored. Here, Tess is obsessed with the death of her sister, Rosie, and the new guy who is renting out her spare room, Arran. She's reading his diary about a girl he seems obsessed with, and wonders if it's her.
These two things are all she thinks or cares about. Nothing else. It gets boring to read about, because neither topic ever goes anywhere. Tess will stalk and assault Rosie's ex-boyfriend, Oliver, thinking he's guilty. Rinse and repeat. She'll phone the detective on her sister's case to tell him the latest person she thinks killed her sister (when she's not focused on Oliver.) Rinse and repeat. She'll read Arran's diary and follow him around and obsess over his movements. Rinse and repeat.
IT'S THE SAME FUCKING THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR 360 FUCKING PAGES. The author seems to realise they've dragged things out enough by that point and quickly wraps things up in the most, "Hi, I'm the killer and you never would have guessed unless I randomly came to your apartment and told you uninvited!" endings ever. It was ridiculous and stupid. The killer needed to literally out themselves for no reason whatsoever in order for this book to reach its ending.
The plot was slow, boring and went nowhere. The identity of the antagonist was completely arbitrary. Tess was one of the dullest, most unlikeable, most annoying "protagonists" I've ever suffered through. (She's easily beaten by the fuckwit from Ruth Ware's The It Girl, however.) If you want to saddle yourself with a morose, petty, selfish moron main character for 360 pages...be my guest.
July 23, 2023
Most thriller ratings for me are typically based on the ending and this one was so nothing I literally fell asleep during the big reveal.
How I didn’t DNF this will forever be a mystery.
It wasn’t really that intriguing, the plot brought up a bunch of things that ended up not mattering at all, the main character is all over the place and the relationship between her and the temporary B&B mate was ridiculous.
I was hoping the story line with the sister would have made the book more intriguing but unfortunately that did not end up being the case.
Again I don’t know how or why I finished this but I guess British accents in audiobooks carry the book more for me than I had initially thought.
How I didn’t DNF this will forever be a mystery.
It wasn’t really that intriguing, the plot brought up a bunch of things that ended up not mattering at all, the main character is all over the place and the relationship between her and the temporary B&B mate was ridiculous.
I was hoping the story line with the sister would have made the book more intriguing but unfortunately that did not end up being the case.
Again I don’t know how or why I finished this but I guess British accents in audiobooks carry the book more for me than I had initially thought.
April 3, 2023
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a digital version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The plot is basically nonexistent it just consists of weird encounters with Tess' neighbors and basically everyone stalking each other this book is full of a bunch of stalkers. The plot itself was also very convoluted. Even at over 80% of the way through the book there was no clear plot direction and nothing really made sense or fit well together. I don't think that a book should go that long with absolutely no clear answers or bearings on the plot.
The characters were not very likeable. Ill be honest, im not a very character driven reader im definitely more plot driven but for those who are more character driven none of these characters are likeable and i do mean NONE usually im okay with this if the main character has SOME redeeming qualities but Tess had none she was very impulsive and irrational and very unaware of herself altogether which was grating to read . She was just all around a creeper and not even that good at it to begin with.
The writing style was decent it was okay it was never very captivating or engrossing and I never felt tempted to go past my self assigned page goal for the day but the writing style made the story easy to get through and is probably the only reason why i didnt dnf the book which i was so tempted to do. I do feel that a lot of the smaller details could have easily been omitted and not have impacted the readers comprehension of the story at all.
As previously stated, this book is highly repetitive in nature and remained this way throughout its entirety. It consists of the same encounters over and over again just at different points in the story. Tess THINKS she has something important to add to her sisters murder investigation and calls the detective then he brushes her off because her suggestions are flimsy at best and then it washes rinses and repeats. In addition to that we have ,multiple characters that have adopted stalker behavior and it happens so often and in a ROW that it gets old pretty fast. There were even some points where someone was stalking someone and then a third person was stalking the first stalker it just got ridiculous after a while and even more convoluted in the process. It's funny because for the amount of stalking that Tess did she didn't even glean that much useful information and yet still continued doing it seemingly just for fun and almost completely aware of how dire her obsessiveness was becoming which was maddening to read as well.
All in all this repetition in events and lack of good characterization along with not having any answers until the very end made for a story that unfortunately felt very devoid of purpose.
The plot is basically nonexistent it just consists of weird encounters with Tess' neighbors and basically everyone stalking each other this book is full of a bunch of stalkers. The plot itself was also very convoluted. Even at over 80% of the way through the book there was no clear plot direction and nothing really made sense or fit well together. I don't think that a book should go that long with absolutely no clear answers or bearings on the plot.
The characters were not very likeable. Ill be honest, im not a very character driven reader im definitely more plot driven but for those who are more character driven none of these characters are likeable and i do mean NONE usually im okay with this if the main character has SOME redeeming qualities but Tess had none she was very impulsive and irrational and very unaware of herself altogether which was grating to read . She was just all around a creeper and not even that good at it to begin with.
The writing style was decent it was okay it was never very captivating or engrossing and I never felt tempted to go past my self assigned page goal for the day but the writing style made the story easy to get through and is probably the only reason why i didnt dnf the book which i was so tempted to do. I do feel that a lot of the smaller details could have easily been omitted and not have impacted the readers comprehension of the story at all.
As previously stated, this book is highly repetitive in nature and remained this way throughout its entirety. It consists of the same encounters over and over again just at different points in the story. Tess THINKS she has something important to add to her sisters murder investigation and calls the detective then he brushes her off because her suggestions are flimsy at best and then it washes rinses and repeats. In addition to that we have ,multiple characters that have adopted stalker behavior and it happens so often and in a ROW that it gets old pretty fast. There were even some points where someone was stalking someone and then a third person was stalking the first stalker it just got ridiculous after a while and even more convoluted in the process. It's funny because for the amount of stalking that Tess did she didn't even glean that much useful information and yet still continued doing it seemingly just for fun and almost completely aware of how dire her obsessiveness was becoming which was maddening to read as well.
All in all this repetition in events and lack of good characterization along with not having any answers until the very end made for a story that unfortunately felt very devoid of purpose.
April 6, 2023
Is snooping an obsession, can it get you in trouble ?
You know the answer !
This was a very interesting read - however, sometimes it dragged a little...
Still good - would recommend !
April 6, 2024
That was terrible.
June 16, 2023
Loved this debut novel as it's so much more than figuring out who the killer is! Tess still mourns the death of sister, Rosie and is rabid about finding her killer. But when newcomer, Arran moves into the guest room of her quaint B&B, she feels something akin to happiness for the first time in a long spell of grief. He's handsome and kind and often cooks for her; but when he's gone she discovers his diary with disturbing rants about a "you" she isn't sure about. Clearly it's a young woman he believes he loves and it stalking...so Tess becomes his stalker! Lots of tension, action-packed scenes of both good and evil. Could't put this one down!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
July 1, 2023
You know when you eat something for the first time and you don't know if you hate it or love it? That's how I feel about The Guest Room
February 9, 2025
A creepy thriller that really lets you delve deep into the mind of the protagonist. Twists at the end that I never would have expected but are completely satisfying.
July 26, 2023
The Guest Room is an exciting psychological thriller with unexpected twists in which the reader may not actually know who the real villain could be. The plot sends you down a rabbit hole of mystery and suspense as you try and put the pieces together of why a young woman was murdered and if her sister may be having some sort of breakdown trying to find the answers.
When Tess’s sister Rosie is found murdered, her life is turned upside down. Forget the fact that Rosie had been leaving her messages to call her and Tess had been too busy, but she also finds out that Rosie had been having some sort of breakdown at the time. So, with all this guilt, blaming herself for not being a good sister, it is now Tess’s mission to find out what really happened. Even though the police have no suspects, Tess does.
After the murder, Tess moves into the apartment Rosie, an upcoming artist owned. Unable to make ends meet she decides to rent out the extra bedroom to travelers and visitors on a short-term basis. But with everything going on with the death, Tess has developed a habit. She snoops in their room just to make sure the has not rented the to a psychopath! She must say she does enjoy looking through their things, trying to figure out who they are and what makes them tick.
At night though, Tess roams the area where Rosie was killed. She tries to find clues or perhaps lure the killer out. She tries to imagine just what happened to Rosie and why. She feels the police, who she hounds daily, has put her sister’s case on the backburner. She feels it is up to her to find out what really took place.
But when a new tenant arrives, Aaran, a very handsome, very kind man arrives to stay in the guest room, Tess becomes curious as to his life. When she does her snooping into his backpack, she finds a diary he is in the process of writing, In the diary he seems to have a secret obsession with a woman. He follows her and imagines his life with her. Tess becomes all consumed with the diary and Aaran.
As her preoccupation with finding out exactly who the woman her tenant seems to be stalking is, she herself becomes obsessed with Aaran. She begins to see this man in a different light. So, she begins to stalk him, but also fall for him.
Then in the blink of an eye Tess’s world which was cracking, completely falls apart as she discovers Aaron’s obsession and thinks she’s found her sister’s killer. As Tess seems to lose all sense of reality, the shocking ending will make this rollercoaster ride worth every minute! Who is really living in the guest room?
Thank you #NetGalley #HenryHoltandCo #TashaSylva #TheGuestRoom for the advanced copy.
When Tess’s sister Rosie is found murdered, her life is turned upside down. Forget the fact that Rosie had been leaving her messages to call her and Tess had been too busy, but she also finds out that Rosie had been having some sort of breakdown at the time. So, with all this guilt, blaming herself for not being a good sister, it is now Tess’s mission to find out what really happened. Even though the police have no suspects, Tess does.
After the murder, Tess moves into the apartment Rosie, an upcoming artist owned. Unable to make ends meet she decides to rent out the extra bedroom to travelers and visitors on a short-term basis. But with everything going on with the death, Tess has developed a habit. She snoops in their room just to make sure the has not rented the to a psychopath! She must say she does enjoy looking through their things, trying to figure out who they are and what makes them tick.
At night though, Tess roams the area where Rosie was killed. She tries to find clues or perhaps lure the killer out. She tries to imagine just what happened to Rosie and why. She feels the police, who she hounds daily, has put her sister’s case on the backburner. She feels it is up to her to find out what really took place.
But when a new tenant arrives, Aaran, a very handsome, very kind man arrives to stay in the guest room, Tess becomes curious as to his life. When she does her snooping into his backpack, she finds a diary he is in the process of writing, In the diary he seems to have a secret obsession with a woman. He follows her and imagines his life with her. Tess becomes all consumed with the diary and Aaran.
As her preoccupation with finding out exactly who the woman her tenant seems to be stalking is, she herself becomes obsessed with Aaran. She begins to see this man in a different light. So, she begins to stalk him, but also fall for him.
Then in the blink of an eye Tess’s world which was cracking, completely falls apart as she discovers Aaron’s obsession and thinks she’s found her sister’s killer. As Tess seems to lose all sense of reality, the shocking ending will make this rollercoaster ride worth every minute! Who is really living in the guest room?
Thank you #NetGalley #HenryHoltandCo #TashaSylva #TheGuestRoom for the advanced copy.
July 16, 2023
I thought this book was very well written but could’ve been shorter. The storyline was fantastic and reminded me a lot of the show You, but I felt that it could have been 100 pages shorter and still conveyed the same information. Overall I enjoyed the story a lot and did not see the twist coming! 3.75⭐️
June 15, 2023
Tess starts renting out her late sister Rosie's room after she is murdered to make extra money. She also has a bad habit of snooping through her B&B guests things when they are not around. When she gets a request for a month long stay from a man named Arran she is hesitant, she prefers short stay rentals. Arran is handsome, he cooks, and he's a clean and quiet tenant, he also keeps a kind of creepy diary that Tess can't stop reading. Tess is determined to find out who killed her sister and who the mystery woman is from Arran's diary. This book is stalker central. Everyone seems to be following everyone from Tess and Arran to the neighbor upstairs and across the street. I did get frustrated with the MC Tess quite a bit, but I don't think anyone in this book is really meant to be likable. I did guess some of the twists but overall a quick popcorn thriller that would make a great beach read. This is the authors debut and I look forward to what she writes next. Thank you to Henry Holt for my ARC.
September 9, 2023
The Guest Room by Tasha Sylva is a slow burner of a book, and for a little while I was wondering if I was going to be able to get into it. Fortunately, I was, and I'm glad of that because the climax was positively shocking! The imagery that Sylva uses throughout the story is incredible and she was able to really bring the setting and what Tess was doing to life for me in a very visual way. I couldn't believe some of the things that girl was up to, never mind the complete invasion of privacy she was committing by looking through all her guest's things. The diary was a really interesting element of the story, and I found myself trying to play detective right along with her. I had no idea who it was written about, and it was certainly an experience watching Tess trying to figure it out.
I found the audiobook to be a really enjoyable listening experience, and I thought Imogen Wilde did a wonderful job as the voice of our MC. She was pleasant to listen to and I could totally picture her as Tess which is always a huge plus since she was a pretty erratic character. I loved the added mystery surrounding the death of Tess's sister Rosie, and the combination of that with the diary and everything else going on did make the pace pick up a bit as the book went on. The Guest Room certainly isn't going to be for everyone, but if you thrive on slow burns with characters that have some manic behavior going on, I would definitely recommend picking up this debut and seeing what you think.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I found the audiobook to be a really enjoyable listening experience, and I thought Imogen Wilde did a wonderful job as the voice of our MC. She was pleasant to listen to and I could totally picture her as Tess which is always a huge plus since she was a pretty erratic character. I loved the added mystery surrounding the death of Tess's sister Rosie, and the combination of that with the diary and everything else going on did make the pace pick up a bit as the book went on. The Guest Room certainly isn't going to be for everyone, but if you thrive on slow burns with characters that have some manic behavior going on, I would definitely recommend picking up this debut and seeing what you think.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 18, 2023
3.5 stars
I havent been posting any detailed reviews lately most have just been ratings but after the recent death of my beloved sister a few months ago I guess it just hasnt been in me. Today I decided to try and post at least a short review and convey my thoughts about this book.
As other reviewers have mentioned Tess wasnt a very likable person which I felt also. The way the storyline folded out concerning Arran didnt quite make sense to me and Luke the creepy handsy neighbor also was a bit odd. I'll say this kept me interested because I needed to find out how this ended, once again I tend to rate high because it kept me engrossed.
I havent been posting any detailed reviews lately most have just been ratings but after the recent death of my beloved sister a few months ago I guess it just hasnt been in me. Today I decided to try and post at least a short review and convey my thoughts about this book.
As other reviewers have mentioned Tess wasnt a very likable person which I felt also. The way the storyline folded out concerning Arran didnt quite make sense to me and Luke the creepy handsy neighbor also was a bit odd. I'll say this kept me interested because I needed to find out how this ended, once again I tend to rate high because it kept me engrossed.
March 16, 2023
This book had a lot of potential but it just missed the mark for me. I found the first ¾ of the book too drawn out. I did enjoy some of the twists at the end but some were predictable. Maybe if I would have read this when I started my journey I would have been more into it but after reading so many thrillers I crave fast pace thrillers that keep me guessing.
July 3, 2023
I was really excited to read this book after reading what it was about. About 35% through i couldn’t read anymore i was so bored. Nothing happened. I just wasn’t interested and found myself not even paying attention.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read this book.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read this book.
June 8, 2023
Pros: quick chapters, easy to keep up with characters and mystery. Quite the slow burn, interesting premise but I couldn’t connect with the main characters. I didn’t like the random POV in between chapters, it just felt thrown in. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc Henry holt books and Macmillan publishers.
June 19, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Guest Room.
I love debut novels, but sadly, this didn't capture my interest, and I think the main issue is Tess.
I didn't like her.
I realize she was mourning the death of her sister, the sociable, gregarious one favored by her parents.
Naturally, Tess is not popular, just how attractive she is, and how popular she is with men.
At first, it was fun, suspenseful, when Tess would snoop through Arran's things, reading his notebook in secret.
But, that quickly grew tedious, as Tess's obsession with her renter evolves into stalking and hoping she's the one he's writing about in his journal.
At the same time, Tess is mourning the loss of her sister, frustrated with how the investigation has stalled, and convinced her sister's ex is the murderer.
Then, the stalking begins. Not just Tess, but apparently everyone is a stalker not-in-training.
How many nutters live in this neighborhood?
It wasn't difficult to figure out Arran's connection to Tess.
Also, what was the point of Luke? A red herring?
Tess was an annoying and frustrating character; I get she's grieving her sister, but her personality is unpleasant.
I could see why she's not her parents' favorite; she's standoffish, snotty to people, like she's better than everyone, or she can't be bothered.
The writing was good, but the narrative went on for too long; Tess' stalking Arran and Joanna, other people watching and stalking each other, Tess wondering what happened to her sister, bugging the ex-boyfriend and the detective in charge of the case, on and on, it was so repetitive.
The premise had potential to be darker, and if Tess wasn't such an irritable character, the story could have been really shocking.
I love debut novels, but sadly, this didn't capture my interest, and I think the main issue is Tess.
I didn't like her.
I realize she was mourning the death of her sister, the sociable, gregarious one favored by her parents.
Naturally, Tess is not popular, just how attractive she is, and how popular she is with men.
At first, it was fun, suspenseful, when Tess would snoop through Arran's things, reading his notebook in secret.
But, that quickly grew tedious, as Tess's obsession with her renter evolves into stalking and hoping she's the one he's writing about in his journal.
At the same time, Tess is mourning the loss of her sister, frustrated with how the investigation has stalled, and convinced her sister's ex is the murderer.
Then, the stalking begins. Not just Tess, but apparently everyone is a stalker not-in-training.
How many nutters live in this neighborhood?
It wasn't difficult to figure out Arran's connection to Tess.
Also, what was the point of Luke? A red herring?
Tess was an annoying and frustrating character; I get she's grieving her sister, but her personality is unpleasant.
I could see why she's not her parents' favorite; she's standoffish, snotty to people, like she's better than everyone, or she can't be bothered.
The writing was good, but the narrative went on for too long; Tess' stalking Arran and Joanna, other people watching and stalking each other, Tess wondering what happened to her sister, bugging the ex-boyfriend and the detective in charge of the case, on and on, it was so repetitive.
The premise had potential to be darker, and if Tess wasn't such an irritable character, the story could have been really shocking.
February 17, 2024
I hate ragging on a debut, but the writing felt very amateurish to me. Overuses sentences fragments in that way that's maybe meant to sound artsy or give it a rhythm but it just makes the text weaker. Wasn't super invested in the plot throughout, hated the ending.
March 11, 2023
A slow slow burn, but once it got going there was some serious fine.
Definitely some good fake outs before the surprising twist- the protagonist is just flawed enough to keep you reading. All and all a satisfying debut thriller.
Definitely some good fake outs before the surprising twist- the protagonist is just flawed enough to keep you reading. All and all a satisfying debut thriller.
never-finished
January 10, 2024I hate every character, and not in a fun way. Looking up how this goes it seems they all stay irredeemable or get even worse. Not for me.
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