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Il quinto ospite
La vendetta è un piatto che si serve freddo
Una cena per ricordare i vecchi tempi. Questo è il proposito con cui un gruppo di ex compagni di università si riunisce in una magnifica casa in riva al fiume a Barnes, pittoresco quartiere londinese. C’è Caro, l’impeccabile padrona di casa; la timida Lily, che oggi è un’autrice bestseller; George, idolo sportivo, appena diventato padre; Travis, il cattivo ragazzo, e l’imbucata Elle. Da quando hanno lasciato Oxford, vent’anni prima, si sono visti raramente, e preferiscono non parlare di quei tempi lontani funestati dalla morte del loro amico Henry Bellinger. Ora però tutti e cinque sono stati invitati a partecipare a una commemorazione in onore di Henry. Cibo squisito e un ottimo Martini li aiuteranno ad affrontare i ricordi. Non possono immaginare che il menù prevede ben altro... Una ricca portata dopo l’altra, verranno alla luce oscuri segreti e scomode verità sul tempo trascorso a Oxford, e ogni ospite rivelerà qualcosa che non ha mai detto prima sulla notte in cui Henry è scomparso. Sono tutti colpevoli di qualcosa. Uno di loro è colpevole anche di omicidio?
Il thriller che non vi farà mai più accettare un invito a cena con la stessa serenità
«Avvincente.» My Weekly
«Autentico e viscerale.»«Come una corsa a perdifiato.»«Non riuscivo a smettere di leggerlo.»
Una cena per ricordare i vecchi tempi. Questo è il proposito con cui un gruppo di ex compagni di università si riunisce in una magnifica casa in riva al fiume a Barnes, pittoresco quartiere londinese. C’è Caro, l’impeccabile padrona di casa; la timida Lily, che oggi è un’autrice bestseller; George, idolo sportivo, appena diventato padre; Travis, il cattivo ragazzo, e l’imbucata Elle. Da quando hanno lasciato Oxford, vent’anni prima, si sono visti raramente, e preferiscono non parlare di quei tempi lontani funestati dalla morte del loro amico Henry Bellinger. Ora però tutti e cinque sono stati invitati a partecipare a una commemorazione in onore di Henry. Cibo squisito e un ottimo Martini li aiuteranno ad affrontare i ricordi. Non possono immaginare che il menù prevede ben altro... Una ricca portata dopo l’altra, verranno alla luce oscuri segreti e scomode verità sul tempo trascorso a Oxford, e ogni ospite rivelerà qualcosa che non ha mai detto prima sulla notte in cui Henry è scomparso. Sono tutti colpevoli di qualcosa. Uno di loro è colpevole anche di omicidio?
Il thriller che non vi farà mai più accettare un invito a cena con la stessa serenità
«Avvincente.» My Weekly
«Autentico e viscerale.»«Come una corsa a perdifiato.»«Non riuscivo a smettere di leggerlo.»
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
June 12, 2024
4.75/5
Idealny poziom toksyczności, intryg, chorych gier bohaterów i niewygodnej przeszłości.
Idealny poziom toksyczności, intryg, chorych gier bohaterów i niewygodnej przeszłości.
May 29, 2024
Viajamos a Inglaterra para conocer a nuestros protagonistas: Caro, Lily, George, Travis y Elle.
Cada uno de ellos recibe una invitación de parte de la familia de Henry, el que fue un antiguo compañero en la universidad y que falleció en aquellos años. El evento consiste en la inauguración de un monumento en honor a Henry.
Tras recibir esta invitación Caro decide invitar a cenar al resto del grupo el día de antes para poder ponerse al día tras tantos años sin verse. Lo que ninguno imagina es que esa cena no será como habían planeado pues todos tienen un secreto que llevan años guardando y quizá sea el momento de desenterrarlo.
Una novela estructurada en dos tiempos, pasado y presente donde conocemos a todos los personajes de manera clara y bien definida desde las primeras páginas.
Al principio me costó entrar en la lectura ya que la narración da muchos detalles y apenas sucede nada relevante o nada nuevo más allá de lo que encontramos en la sinopsis.
Tengo que reconocer que no he empatizado con ninguno de los personajes... Sus pensamientos y actuaciones tanto en el pasado como en el presente me ha resultado bastante engreídas a la par que prepotentes.
Según avanza la lectura la historia va cogiendo ritmo aunque varios sucesos son bastante previsibles y hay bastantes clichés muy vistos ya en libros de estudiantes universitarios... Quería saber cómo se resolvía la historia aunque sinceramente tampoco es que haya sido muy sorprendente.
En definitiva una lectura sencilla que puede ser buena opción para iniciarse en el género pero sin nada del otro mundo.
Cada uno de ellos recibe una invitación de parte de la familia de Henry, el que fue un antiguo compañero en la universidad y que falleció en aquellos años. El evento consiste en la inauguración de un monumento en honor a Henry.
Tras recibir esta invitación Caro decide invitar a cenar al resto del grupo el día de antes para poder ponerse al día tras tantos años sin verse. Lo que ninguno imagina es que esa cena no será como habían planeado pues todos tienen un secreto que llevan años guardando y quizá sea el momento de desenterrarlo.
Una novela estructurada en dos tiempos, pasado y presente donde conocemos a todos los personajes de manera clara y bien definida desde las primeras páginas.
Al principio me costó entrar en la lectura ya que la narración da muchos detalles y apenas sucede nada relevante o nada nuevo más allá de lo que encontramos en la sinopsis.
Tengo que reconocer que no he empatizado con ninguno de los personajes... Sus pensamientos y actuaciones tanto en el pasado como en el presente me ha resultado bastante engreídas a la par que prepotentes.
Según avanza la lectura la historia va cogiendo ritmo aunque varios sucesos son bastante previsibles y hay bastantes clichés muy vistos ya en libros de estudiantes universitarios... Quería saber cómo se resolvía la historia aunque sinceramente tampoco es que haya sido muy sorprendente.
En definitiva una lectura sencilla que puede ser buena opción para iniciarse en el género pero sin nada del otro mundo.
October 17, 2025
Un libro que promete mucho y cumple... a medias.
La sinopsis no te dice gran cosa, más que describir a un grupo bastante cliché que se reúne a cenar y oscuros secretos empiezan a salir a la luz, pues todos ellos son culpables pero sólo uno de ellos es culpable de asesinato. Con esta premisa, realmente el libro llama la atención, más cuando vas leyendo y no todo es como parece, pues te empiezan a narrar la historia bajo diferentes perspectivas de algunos personajes en pasado y presente, por lo que se van intercalando ambas líneas temporales y de esa forma hacen más dinámica la historia.
El libro tiene un buen arranque, ya que cada uno de estos personajes causa intriga y más por el hecho de sentirse nerviosos por asistir a esta reunión que promete ser algo explosivo, y ahí está el problema, porque sí, se siente la tensión y la incomodidad por tantos comentarios fuera de lugar, sin embargo, llega un punto donde la narración en presente se estanca , te parece más cómica que otra cosa y sinceramente sólo quieres leer lo "interesante" de la narración en pasado, sólo quieres entender cómo murió esa persona y quién de ellos es el sospechoso más probable, y aquí es donde está mi mayor problema con el libro, porque pretende mucho y al final no lo logra. Este libro pudo haber sido mejor si daban motivos de peso a todos los personajes para ser sospechosos probables, porque al menos desde mi perspectiva, sólo habían dos con motivos reales, los otros se sienten de adorno, Travis por ejemplo, ni siquiera narra y mucho menos sirve de algo al final, sólo para "eso" que ni siquiera importa, más que para el "cambio" de cierto personaje.
Sinceramente, me parece un libro con ideas, pero que en ciertos puntos no se supieron hilar bien y se metieron cosas aquí y allá pero al final del libro, hay muchas cosas pasando que te hacen sentir desconectado de la historia, cosa que ya sientes por lo superficiales que son todos estos personajes. ¿Los últimos minutos de la reunión cuando se reveló que el muerto hizo "eso"? creí que sería diferente, no me vi venir esa escena, pero creí que sería un nido de sospecha y culpas, pero realmente fue un poco absurdo y abrupto, para terminar con un final abierto y un cierre más o menos descente, porque aunque no te lo veas venir, todo lo demás hace que eso pierda peso y relevancia al final. Es un libro palomero que recomendaría a personas que están empezando en el género, rápido de leer, pero también rápido de olvidar.
La sinopsis no te dice gran cosa, más que describir a un grupo bastante cliché que se reúne a cenar y oscuros secretos empiezan a salir a la luz, pues todos ellos son culpables pero sólo uno de ellos es culpable de asesinato. Con esta premisa, realmente el libro llama la atención, más cuando vas leyendo y no todo es como parece, pues te empiezan a narrar la historia bajo diferentes perspectivas de algunos personajes en pasado y presente, por lo que se van intercalando ambas líneas temporales y de esa forma hacen más dinámica la historia.
El libro tiene un buen arranque, ya que cada uno de estos personajes causa intriga y más por el hecho de sentirse nerviosos por asistir a esta reunión que promete ser algo explosivo, y ahí está el problema, porque sí, se siente la tensión y la incomodidad por tantos comentarios fuera de lugar, sin embargo, llega un punto donde la narración en presente se estanca , te parece más cómica que otra cosa y sinceramente sólo quieres leer lo "interesante" de la narración en pasado, sólo quieres entender cómo murió esa persona y quién de ellos es el sospechoso más probable, y aquí es donde está mi mayor problema con el libro, porque pretende mucho y al final no lo logra. Este libro pudo haber sido mejor si daban motivos de peso a todos los personajes para ser sospechosos probables, porque al menos desde mi perspectiva, sólo habían dos con motivos reales, los otros se sienten de adorno, Travis por ejemplo, ni siquiera narra y mucho menos sirve de algo al final, sólo para "eso" que ni siquiera importa, más que para el "cambio" de cierto personaje.
Sinceramente, me parece un libro con ideas, pero que en ciertos puntos no se supieron hilar bien y se metieron cosas aquí y allá pero al final del libro, hay muchas cosas pasando que te hacen sentir desconectado de la historia, cosa que ya sientes por lo superficiales que son todos estos personajes. ¿Los últimos minutos de la reunión cuando se reveló que el muerto hizo "eso"? creí que sería diferente, no me vi venir esa escena, pero creí que sería un nido de sospecha y culpas, pero realmente fue un poco absurdo y abrupto, para terminar con un final abierto y un cierre más o menos descente, porque aunque no te lo veas venir, todo lo demás hace que eso pierda peso y relevancia al final. Es un libro palomero que recomendaría a personas que están empezando en el género, rápido de leer, pero también rápido de olvidar.
August 3, 2023
A university reunion turns sour as it soon becomes evident that all the friends have something to hide. I liked how my attitude towards the different characters altered over the story; reading about their time at Oxford University influenced where I felt more sympathy.
For the most part, I don’t think Knight intends for readers to like the characters. They all display selfish tendencies and their rich, indulgent backgrounds reinforce this. Elle is an outsider, coming from a more humbler background, and I was fascinated to see how the other housemates were envious of her care-free character. She strives to work hard but there is a tough exterior that makes her rather alluring and a bit of an enigma. Her relationship with George was different because of their contrasting backgrounds, but I do believe the feelings were genuine.
In present day, the five housemates are coming together on the eve of a memorial for the sixth housemate. No information is given at the start of the story about how Henry passed away but when the friends come together, it is clear that they are not as innocent as they portray. I liked watching the different characters squirm under pressure, especially as facts about their time at university start to get revealed. It is the comeuppance that they definitely needed and is long-overdue.
Some of the plot development was obvious but I was still keen to see how the story would conclude. In fact, I found the last couple of chapters to be more sinister than the rest of the novel. If the whole book had been like this, I would have found it more suspenseful; instead I thought the character actions a bit obvious and conforming to established stereotypes.
Knight shows a darker side to life at Oxford University, driven not just by wealth, but dangerous obsession and ambition. There are many victims to this lifestyle and the five friends are all deserving of finally facing the consequences. As secrets are revealed, so are the levels of guilt, and I found it intriguing to see who had committed the worst acts of them all.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2023
Caro invites her old university housemates for dinner the night before a memorial for a fellow university friend. It's supposed to be a night of fine dining and reminiscing about the past.
When an uninvited guest arrives the night begins to unravel and secrets and much more are revealed!!
This story is told from all of the friends perspectives with 2 different timelines, now and then.
Although there have been a few university reunion stories already, I still thoroughly enjoyed this read and found myself turning the pages late into the night.
Thank you so Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
When an uninvited guest arrives the night begins to unravel and secrets and much more are revealed!!
This story is told from all of the friends perspectives with 2 different timelines, now and then.
Although there have been a few university reunion stories already, I still thoroughly enjoyed this read and found myself turning the pages late into the night.
Thank you so Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
September 1, 2023
The premise of a group of university ‘friends’ organising a reunion, and revealing long buried secrets, isn’t entirely original. So I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by The Fifth Guest. But I actually really enjoyed this read. It isn’t fast paced by any means, but I enjoyed the buildup to the ‘big reveals’.
A group of old university friends meet up 15 years after the death of Henry their old Oxford University flatmate, in order to attend his memorial service. The five have been estranged since Henry’s death in their third year. This is a dual timeline novel that moves from the present day back to their days at Oxford and is told from multiple points of view.
I’m not sure if it was Knight’s intention, but she has created a cast of very unlikable characters. Not liking the characters meant I was wary of them from the off. As the story progresses, the complexities of the group’s dynamics are slowly but deftly revealed by Knight. Immediately, you sense there’s anger and tension between the group. But there’s also something more sinister simmering away amid the chatter and reminiscing. It urges the reader onwards to find out what dirty little secrets each character has been hiding! And just when you think everything has been revealed, the story delivers a hugely satisfying ‘OMG’ moment!! A dark, addictive read that I really enjoyed.
A group of old university friends meet up 15 years after the death of Henry their old Oxford University flatmate, in order to attend his memorial service. The five have been estranged since Henry’s death in their third year. This is a dual timeline novel that moves from the present day back to their days at Oxford and is told from multiple points of view.
I’m not sure if it was Knight’s intention, but she has created a cast of very unlikable characters. Not liking the characters meant I was wary of them from the off. As the story progresses, the complexities of the group’s dynamics are slowly but deftly revealed by Knight. Immediately, you sense there’s anger and tension between the group. But there’s also something more sinister simmering away amid the chatter and reminiscing. It urges the reader onwards to find out what dirty little secrets each character has been hiding! And just when you think everything has been revealed, the story delivers a hugely satisfying ‘OMG’ moment!! A dark, addictive read that I really enjoyed.
August 30, 2024
4'75/5★
•
me ha gustado mucho este libro.
me ha mantenido muy enganchada en todo momento a la historia queriendo descubrir qué estaba pasando.
la historia está contada en dos tiempos. el presente, cuando se reúnen todos varios años después, y el pasado, durante el tiempo que estuvieron todos juntos en la universidad.
me ha gustado mucho ese cambio de tiempo. ir averiguando qué pasó años atrás y lo que se va descubriendo ahora sobre cosas que ocurrieron. la verdad es que me ha parecido súper interesante y adictivo y lo he disfrutado mucho.
las cosas se van descubriendo poco a poco y eso me ha gustado mucho. no se me ha hecho pesado en ningún momento y me ha gustado ir averiguando los detalles y los secretos de esta forma.
eso sí, lo que no me ha terminado de convencer ha sido el final. no sé, siento que se han quedado detalles sin resolver y me ha subido a poco. me esperaba más. de repente he terminado el libro y ha sido en plan '¿ya?'. no sé, siento que me faltaban cosas.
pero en general ha sido una buenísima historia que he disfrutado mucho.
me ha encantado cómo está escrito, cómo está narrada la historia y me ha mantenido muy atrapada y enganchada a la historia.
•
me ha gustado mucho este libro.
me ha mantenido muy enganchada en todo momento a la historia queriendo descubrir qué estaba pasando.
la historia está contada en dos tiempos. el presente, cuando se reúnen todos varios años después, y el pasado, durante el tiempo que estuvieron todos juntos en la universidad.
me ha gustado mucho ese cambio de tiempo. ir averiguando qué pasó años atrás y lo que se va descubriendo ahora sobre cosas que ocurrieron. la verdad es que me ha parecido súper interesante y adictivo y lo he disfrutado mucho.
las cosas se van descubriendo poco a poco y eso me ha gustado mucho. no se me ha hecho pesado en ningún momento y me ha gustado ir averiguando los detalles y los secretos de esta forma.
eso sí, lo que no me ha terminado de convencer ha sido el final. no sé, siento que se han quedado detalles sin resolver y me ha subido a poco. me esperaba más. de repente he terminado el libro y ha sido en plan '¿ya?'. no sé, siento que me faltaban cosas.
pero en general ha sido una buenísima historia que he disfrutado mucho.
me ha encantado cómo está escrito, cómo está narrada la historia y me ha mantenido muy atrapada y enganchada a la historia.
June 1, 2024
¿3? ¿3.5? I don't know 🙃
December 6, 2025
this was gripping, deep,
intense, sad, really readable,
a cast of unlikeable characters
who, for my taste, even fell on
the right side of endearing. ♡
intense, sad, really readable,
a cast of unlikeable characters
who, for my taste, even fell on
the right side of endearing. ♡
August 15, 2024
Le doy 2 estrellas porque está bien escrito.
Pero la forma de atraer el escritor no me ha enganchado nada, una trama liosa, donde al final terminan sacando un secreto a la luz y que se regodea en muchas páginas.
Pero la forma de atraer el escritor no me ha enganchado nada, una trama liosa, donde al final terminan sacando un secreto a la luz y que se regodea en muchas páginas.
December 19, 2023
I'm happy I'm done with this book 🤣 Bought it because it was a 4 ⭐️ on Good Reads but, I don't understand why.....
Oooof, slow starter and just was expecting more. I was not into it at all.🥱 2 ⭐️
Oooof, slow starter and just was expecting more. I was not into it at all.🥱 2 ⭐️
August 6, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up.
Caro Carmichael receives an expensive looking envelope. Inside, there is an invitation to a memorial statue unveiling of Henry Bellinger, Caro’s former boyfriend at Oxford.
She decides to host a dinner party the night before the unveiling and invites her old university friends: George Kingsley, Travis Lawrence-Dixon, and Lily Enfield.
Unknown to Caro, Lily reaches out to Elle Andrews (whom Caro hated and was envious of throughout their time at uni), who appears on the doorstep and gate crashes the party.
You can definitely tell that things are going to get heated as the five of them reminisce about their time at Oxford. It also brings back memories of Henry, who tragically died during their last year of studies.
All five have a secret or two. Is one of them a murderer?
I really enjoyed this tense psychological thriller.
The characters were unlikeable as you could have portrayed them (hats off to the author!). The only ‘real’ and down to Earth people in that room were Lily and Elle, polar opposites of each other. Lily was always shy and nobody really noticed her, whereas Elle was loud and not afraid to speak her mind. I must admit that I loved Elle’s meddling and revelations during that evening. She can come to my house anytime!
I liked the dual timeline and chapters written from different points of view. I was desperate to discover what really happened at Oxford. Did one of them snap and kill Henry, who was despicable and entitled, or was it just a tragic accident?
Pick this book up for yourselves to find out! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Caro Carmichael receives an expensive looking envelope. Inside, there is an invitation to a memorial statue unveiling of Henry Bellinger, Caro’s former boyfriend at Oxford.
She decides to host a dinner party the night before the unveiling and invites her old university friends: George Kingsley, Travis Lawrence-Dixon, and Lily Enfield.
Unknown to Caro, Lily reaches out to Elle Andrews (whom Caro hated and was envious of throughout their time at uni), who appears on the doorstep and gate crashes the party.
You can definitely tell that things are going to get heated as the five of them reminisce about their time at Oxford. It also brings back memories of Henry, who tragically died during their last year of studies.
All five have a secret or two. Is one of them a murderer?
I really enjoyed this tense psychological thriller.
The characters were unlikeable as you could have portrayed them (hats off to the author!). The only ‘real’ and down to Earth people in that room were Lily and Elle, polar opposites of each other. Lily was always shy and nobody really noticed her, whereas Elle was loud and not afraid to speak her mind. I must admit that I loved Elle’s meddling and revelations during that evening. She can come to my house anytime!
I liked the dual timeline and chapters written from different points of view. I was desperate to discover what really happened at Oxford. Did one of them snap and kill Henry, who was despicable and entitled, or was it just a tragic accident?
Pick this book up for yourselves to find out! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
April 6, 2025
Bueno, bueno, buenooo... Pues contra todo pronóstico me ha gustado y bastante. Realmente la sinopsis me había tirado por un lado pero realmente el libro va por otro y me ha sorprendido mucho. Es un libro facilito, autoconclusivo, ligero, te mantiene enganchada y me gusta cómo está escrito. Alguna cosilla cambiaría y de ahí que no le de las 5 estrellas pero oye, me ha gustado bastante la verdad.
Lo recomiendo si quereis un libro autoconclusivo cortito y sabrosón.
Lo recomiendo si quereis un libro autoconclusivo cortito y sabrosón.
August 16, 2024
Este libro tiene algunas subidas y bajadas. Parece que si, luego no, luego vuelve a parecer que si..y al final no.
A pesar de que la trama no deja de resultar interesante en algunos puntos, no termina de explotar y al final el globo se desinfla.
Una pena, porque tenía muy buena pinta.
A pesar de que la trama no deja de resultar interesante en algunos puntos, no termina de explotar y al final el globo se desinfla.
Una pena, porque tenía muy buena pinta.
July 16, 2024
Horas antes del homenaje aniversario del fallecimiento de un común amigo de la universidad, cinco amigos se reúnen en una cena un tanto tensa con los recuerdos y secretos.
Carol es la perfecta anfitriona. Casada y con cuatro hijos parece tener la vida perfecta.
Lisa es una escritora de éxito pero tan tímida e introvertida que corre el peligro de que su presencia pase desapercibida.
George está felizmente casado con un bebé recién nacido y un buen puesto de directivo empresarial.
Travis, la manzana podrida del grupo, ha renunciado a su pasado y encontrado su futuro en el budismo.
Elle es la quinta en discordia. Nadie la ha invitado pero se presenta y se adueña de la reunión.
Alternando pasado y presente y distintos puntos de vista, poco a poco vamos desentrañando los secretos que todos ellos guardan.
Es una lectura coral en un libro que se centra en los personajes y no en un hecho puntual, donde el peso de la intriga está en los secretos e intenciones ocultas de cada uno de los protagonistas.
Carol es la perfecta anfitriona. Casada y con cuatro hijos parece tener la vida perfecta.
Lisa es una escritora de éxito pero tan tímida e introvertida que corre el peligro de que su presencia pase desapercibida.
George está felizmente casado con un bebé recién nacido y un buen puesto de directivo empresarial.
Travis, la manzana podrida del grupo, ha renunciado a su pasado y encontrado su futuro en el budismo.
Elle es la quinta en discordia. Nadie la ha invitado pero se presenta y se adueña de la reunión.
Alternando pasado y presente y distintos puntos de vista, poco a poco vamos desentrañando los secretos que todos ellos guardan.
Es una lectura coral en un libro que se centra en los personajes y no en un hecho puntual, donde el peso de la intriga está en los secretos e intenciones ocultas de cada uno de los protagonistas.
August 3, 2023
Five former flatmates from Oxford university receive an invitation to an old classmate's memorial. Henry Bellinger died in their last year at university & his family are unveiling a memorial to him & his late father, Sir Charles. One of the group, Caro, invites George, Lily, & Travis to stay at her home the night before, not knowing that the fifth friend, Elle, will be gate-crashing. During the meal old secrets & rivalries are gradually revealed including infidelity & drugs, but did one of them actually commit murder?
The five main characters are Caro (former girlfriend of Henry, now married to a rich husband who she doesn't love), George (Henry's friend & main competitor for a spot on the Oxford rowing team, ex-boyfriend of Elle), Elle (a late arrival to the flat, Elle was a bit of a nonconformist but fell for George), Travis (stoner & secret boyfriend to Lily, he is now a self-help guru who rejected family money for freedom), & finally Lily (quiet, unassuming, a bit of a nerd really but fell in love with Travis. Now a successful author.) These five shared a house during their years at Oxford with Henry - rich, entitled, general misogynist.
It was a little slow to start & I didn't really like any of the characters to start with, but that changed as the story developed. Elle came across as rather hard & brash but by the end of the book, the reader understands why, but the only really decent character seems to be Lily. I wasn't sure whether or not to DNF during the first 30% but I'm glad I stuck with it as the story suddenly took off & I couldn't put it down. There seems to have been a lot of reunion based books recently, but this is definitely one of the better ones that I have read. I ended up really enjoying it. 4.5 stars (rounded down)
TWs: alcohol, drugs, infidelity, misogyny, sexual assault, sexual content.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The five main characters are Caro (former girlfriend of Henry, now married to a rich husband who she doesn't love), George (Henry's friend & main competitor for a spot on the Oxford rowing team, ex-boyfriend of Elle), Elle (a late arrival to the flat, Elle was a bit of a nonconformist but fell for George), Travis (stoner & secret boyfriend to Lily, he is now a self-help guru who rejected family money for freedom), & finally Lily (quiet, unassuming, a bit of a nerd really but fell in love with Travis. Now a successful author.) These five shared a house during their years at Oxford with Henry - rich, entitled, general misogynist.
It was a little slow to start & I didn't really like any of the characters to start with, but that changed as the story developed. Elle came across as rather hard & brash but by the end of the book, the reader understands why, but the only really decent character seems to be Lily. I wasn't sure whether or not to DNF during the first 30% but I'm glad I stuck with it as the story suddenly took off & I couldn't put it down. There seems to have been a lot of reunion based books recently, but this is definitely one of the better ones that I have read. I ended up really enjoying it. 4.5 stars (rounded down)
TWs: alcohol, drugs, infidelity, misogyny, sexual assault, sexual content.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 10, 2024
Me ha aburrido bastante. No es el tipo de thriller que me gusta. Varios antiguos "amigos" se reúnen para ponerse al día antes de un evento y empiezan a rememorar los años de la universidad. Elle no estaba invitada pero se presenta para poner a cada uno en su lugar. Empiezan leyendo unas cartas que escribieron describiendo el futuro de cada uno de ellos y poco a poco van revelando secretos no muy agradables. Drogas, sexo, alcohol y apariencias. Y ya está, ni chicha ni limoná. No me ha gustado.
August 3, 2023
Not an author I have read before, but Jenny Knight is now firmly on my radar!
Five friends - now estranged, but once close enough to share a house together during their university days. Each has followed their own path but with the memorial for their friend taking place the next day, one of them decides to hold a dinner party to get reacquainted with three of their former housemates - but, with everyone harbouring their own secret from their Oxford days, things don't quite go as planned . . .
This is definitely my kind of novel; as get to know all about these six as they were at university, which begs the question - who died, and why? It didn't take long for me to get completely immersed in each person's tale, and I relished finding out about each of them - their backgrounds, hopes and dreams. As the dinner continues, it becomes clear that each one of them has something to fear, something they don't want to share but boy, that's just the tip of the iceberg! The surprises just keep on coming and I reached the end with my jaw well and truly dropped. What a cracking read, and one I absolutely recommend! A full five glowing stars - nothing less will do.
Five friends - now estranged, but once close enough to share a house together during their university days. Each has followed their own path but with the memorial for their friend taking place the next day, one of them decides to hold a dinner party to get reacquainted with three of their former housemates - but, with everyone harbouring their own secret from their Oxford days, things don't quite go as planned . . .
This is definitely my kind of novel; as get to know all about these six as they were at university, which begs the question - who died, and why? It didn't take long for me to get completely immersed in each person's tale, and I relished finding out about each of them - their backgrounds, hopes and dreams. As the dinner continues, it becomes clear that each one of them has something to fear, something they don't want to share but boy, that's just the tip of the iceberg! The surprises just keep on coming and I reached the end with my jaw well and truly dropped. What a cracking read, and one I absolutely recommend! A full five glowing stars - nothing less will do.
May 28, 2024
La trama arranca cuando Caro invita a sus compañeros de universidad a una cena. Al día siguiente se celebra un homenaje por Henry, otro compañero fallecido.
.
La cena iba a transcurrir con normalidad hasta que aparece por sorpresa Elle, que no está dispuesta a que los secretos sigan enterrados.
.
Es una novela super entretenida. Con capítulos cortos, alternando el presente y el pasado en la universidad, la autora nos mantiene pegados a las páginas, debido a las revelaciones que vamos conociendo hasta desembocar en un impactante final.
.
Es una novela muy cortita, que se lee de una sentada y que os recomiendo mucho a aquellos que aún no os atrevéis con el género porque sé que os va a resultar una muy buena opción.
.
La cena iba a transcurrir con normalidad hasta que aparece por sorpresa Elle, que no está dispuesta a que los secretos sigan enterrados.
.
Es una novela super entretenida. Con capítulos cortos, alternando el presente y el pasado en la universidad, la autora nos mantiene pegados a las páginas, debido a las revelaciones que vamos conociendo hasta desembocar en un impactante final.
.
Es una novela muy cortita, que se lee de una sentada y que os recomiendo mucho a aquellos que aún no os atrevéis con el género porque sé que os va a resultar una muy buena opción.
July 13, 2024
rozumiem co chciał osiągnąć autor, ale jego bohaterowie jakby nie odegrali tej roli, albo zrobili to od niechcenia.
wszystko jednocześnie powolne, jak i pospieszne.
bardzo nużące, męczyłam te książkę potwornie.
coś mocno mi nie siedziało w stylu pisania. może był po prostu za zwykły. większości „niespodzianek” się spodziewałam, a nawet jeśli nie to mnie nie szokował, nie wprawiały w zdumienie, chciałam to po prostu skończyć, totalnie nie interesowało mnie co się z tymi ziomkami stanie.
to był kryminał? bo nie wiem, z której strony. nie wiem w sumie co to było ale ok.
jedynce co trochę uratowało to to przyśpieszenie akcji pod koniec kolacji, ale to też takie meh??
ogólnie cała ta książka była dla mnie mehh.
wybacz autorko, wiem że wielu urzekła, lecz mnie totalnie nie.
a no i postacie kobiet nawet intrygujące, ale faceci do wyjebania.
wszystko jednocześnie powolne, jak i pospieszne.
bardzo nużące, męczyłam te książkę potwornie.
coś mocno mi nie siedziało w stylu pisania. może był po prostu za zwykły. większości „niespodzianek” się spodziewałam, a nawet jeśli nie to mnie nie szokował, nie wprawiały w zdumienie, chciałam to po prostu skończyć, totalnie nie interesowało mnie co się z tymi ziomkami stanie.
to był kryminał? bo nie wiem, z której strony. nie wiem w sumie co to było ale ok.
jedynce co trochę uratowało to to przyśpieszenie akcji pod koniec kolacji, ale to też takie meh??
ogólnie cała ta książka była dla mnie mehh.
wybacz autorko, wiem że wielu urzekła, lecz mnie totalnie nie.
a no i postacie kobiet nawet intrygujące, ale faceci do wyjebania.
October 3, 2023
unsure about this one. characters were written as an extremely cliché group of uni students - although very unrealistic as I can’t imagine boffs at Oxford have lots of sex (as well as assaulting and killing eachother)
April 29, 2025
y esto es un thriller?? la idea es buena pero funcionaría más como película (de las malas)
July 2, 2024
Una historia que se cuece a fuego lento.
June 22, 2024
Well written. Good story. I enjoyed it.
May 30, 2024
3.5 ha sido una lectura entretenida aunque un poco predecible y con unos personajes con los que tienes cero empatía aunque esto último lo entiendo y me parece que esa es la idea del libro.
July 3, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
solo iba a leer un par de capítulos, ya que me estaba aburriendo, (es más, era una lc con mis amigas y he sido la única que he seguido leyéndolo JAKSKSKS) pero al final he acabado terminándolo
el libro está narrado en presente y pasado y en tercera persona. Al principio es bastante aburrido pero después se va poniendo un poco más interesante. La historia ha sido demasiado predecible ( he acertado casi todo )
en relación a los personajes decir que:
- caro : demasiado envidiosa, muy egocéntrica y demasiado pesada aunque al final me ha gustado
- elle y lily : las mejores y las únicas con las que he empatizado
- george: uf, demasiado egocéntrico para mi gusto
- travis : tenía fe en este personaje, pero al final demostró ser un mierdas
- henry : otro mierdas que lo calas desde el primer momento
me hubiese gustado que el final hubiese salido a la luz para que todos conociesen el secreto pero bueno 😩
si quieres empezar a leer sobre este género (thriller) recomiendo este libro
solo iba a leer un par de capítulos, ya que me estaba aburriendo, (es más, era una lc con mis amigas y he sido la única que he seguido leyéndolo JAKSKSKS) pero al final he acabado terminándolo
el libro está narrado en presente y pasado y en tercera persona. Al principio es bastante aburrido pero después se va poniendo un poco más interesante. La historia ha sido demasiado predecible ( he acertado casi todo )
en relación a los personajes decir que:
- caro : demasiado envidiosa, muy egocéntrica y demasiado pesada aunque al final me ha gustado
- elle y lily : las mejores y las únicas con las que he empatizado
- george: uf, demasiado egocéntrico para mi gusto
- travis : tenía fe en este personaje, pero al final demostró ser un mierdas
- henry : otro mierdas que lo calas desde el primer momento
me hubiese gustado que el final hubiese salido a la luz para que todos conociesen el secreto pero bueno 😩
si quieres empezar a leer sobre este género (thriller) recomiendo este libro
May 22, 2024
3,5/5⭐
⚠️Aviso de contenido: abuso sexual⚠️
«5 antiguos compañeros en la universidad de Oxford se reúnen después de años para recordar viejos tiempos antes de asistir al homenaje de Henry, el otro integrante que murió en aquella época.»
Me ha costado muchísimo conectar con la historia, las primeras 140 páginas aproximadamente consistían en una cena en la que se tiran pullitas y hay tensión.
A partir de aquí se pone más o menos interesante, los capítulos sobre el pasado y el presente tienen más sentido y empiezas a descubrir cositas de la historia de cada uno, aunque en este punto aún me estaba preguntando donde estaba el misterio en cuestión.
Si bien tengo que decir que la pluma me encanta, está muy bien escrito y eso ha sido lo que me ha mantenido con ganas de avanzar. Los diálogos no son pesados y no hay descripciones absurdas o excesivas.
Las ultimas 100 páginas son las que he devorado, de repente empiezas a conectar pasado y presente y a entender los comportamientos de cada uno.
Los personajes están llenos de clichés, el típico que está colocado todo el día, la pija, los que tienen pasta y la tímida a la que ignoran.
No veo evolución en ninguno, quizás esa es la gracia de la cena, todos siguen igual en el fondo aunque hayan pasado años desde que dejaron la universidad.
El final no ha sido tan impactante como cabe esperar de un thriller pero no me lo esperaba tampoco. Creo que lo que me ha fallado es no saber qué era lo que tenía que descubrir hasta casi el final, no he podido hacer teorías ni sospechar de nadie hasta las últimas 50 páginas.
Aunque es muy entretenido y se lee bastante rápido, los capítulos no son largos y tiene unas 317 páginas (sin contar agradecimientos ni índice).
Recomiendo este thriller pero quizás yo necesitaba algo un poquito más fuerte.
⚠️Aviso de contenido: abuso sexual⚠️
«5 antiguos compañeros en la universidad de Oxford se reúnen después de años para recordar viejos tiempos antes de asistir al homenaje de Henry, el otro integrante que murió en aquella época.»
Me ha costado muchísimo conectar con la historia, las primeras 140 páginas aproximadamente consistían en una cena en la que se tiran pullitas y hay tensión.
A partir de aquí se pone más o menos interesante, los capítulos sobre el pasado y el presente tienen más sentido y empiezas a descubrir cositas de la historia de cada uno, aunque en este punto aún me estaba preguntando donde estaba el misterio en cuestión.
Si bien tengo que decir que la pluma me encanta, está muy bien escrito y eso ha sido lo que me ha mantenido con ganas de avanzar. Los diálogos no son pesados y no hay descripciones absurdas o excesivas.
Las ultimas 100 páginas son las que he devorado, de repente empiezas a conectar pasado y presente y a entender los comportamientos de cada uno.
Los personajes están llenos de clichés, el típico que está colocado todo el día, la pija, los que tienen pasta y la tímida a la que ignoran.
No veo evolución en ninguno, quizás esa es la gracia de la cena, todos siguen igual en el fondo aunque hayan pasado años desde que dejaron la universidad.
El final no ha sido tan impactante como cabe esperar de un thriller pero no me lo esperaba tampoco. Creo que lo que me ha fallado es no saber qué era lo que tenía que descubrir hasta casi el final, no he podido hacer teorías ni sospechar de nadie hasta las últimas 50 páginas.
Aunque es muy entretenido y se lee bastante rápido, los capítulos no son largos y tiene unas 317 páginas (sin contar agradecimientos ni índice).
Recomiendo este thriller pero quizás yo necesitaba algo un poquito más fuerte.
July 29, 2023
I thank NetGalley and HQ for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
Jenny Knight is a new author to me, although based on her biography, she has been writing for a while in other genres. Judging by this novel, I am not surprised that she has a following, as she has a good grasp of what makes people keep reading, and knows how to create surprising and engaging, if not always likeable, characters.
Readers who enjoy fast thrillers with plenty of action might find this one a bit slow and somewhat disappointing because there is a slow build-up, little action (at least in the present), and most of the reveals come very close to the end. On the other hand, readers who enjoy getting to know the characters, digging into the psychology of all involved, and not having to contend with tonnes of characters and lots of difficult names, will have much to enjoy here.
This novel falls into what seems to have become a popular subgenre recently: a group of friends (often people who met as students, and some of whom might not even have kept in touch that much) who get together after quite a while, to celebrate something (a memorial of some sort is a popular motif). They all go to the reunion with different expectations: some might want to boast about how well they’ve done in life, some might dread facing people who made their life difficult in one way or another, others might look forward to picking up where they left off, revenge tends to rear its ugly head somewhere or another, and there might even be one or two who are just genuinely interested in connecting again. There are always skeletons in the cupboards, and things come to light that had been hidden, sometimes with pretty shocking results.
The description includes all the characters who play important parts in the story. There are a few who appear in the novel —some in person, others only by reference— but those only play small parts, and we don’t get to know them in-depth, other than through the thoughts or reflections of the five main protagonists. There is also Henry Bellinger, the golden boy of the group, who shared their apartment in Oxford for a year before moving to better accommodation, and whose memorial they’ve all come to attend (well, or almost all). The novel is narrated in the third person, from the point of view of the different characters (more time is dedicated to the female characters, none of whom come from money, in contrast to the boys), and the present time of the story alternates with the events from their joint past, the two years when they lived together in Oxford, which are also narrated from the different characters’ points of view. The story starts with the invitation to the memorial, sent by Henry’s mother, and we get to know the protagonists by the way they react to it, and the events that develop following that. Caro, whose role is that of the perfect hostess, wife, and mother, decides to invite the other flatmates to her house, for a dinner party, the day before the memorial. Although she doesn’t invite them all (she only invites Lily and George), things don’t go according to plan, and the dinner party ends up becoming a confessional of sorts, and secrets and lies come to the surface. However, not everybody leaves knowing the whole truth. (Thankfully, we, the readers, do).
I’ve read comparisons with Agatha Christie’s novels, and there is some of that, as Christie was fond of locking up her characters in a place and forcing them to come to terms with what they had done in the past. Here, though, the body count is not high (at all), and the reasons for their behaviour are more complex and dubious than we are used to in classic mystery novels.
The writing style is fluid, and there isn’t a lot of extraneous information thrown in. Although part of the novel (the one that takes place in the past) is set in Oxford, there aren’t lengthy descriptions of landmarks or beauty spots. The novel captures well the lifestyle of the characters, and the different spheres they move in (with some being rich, popular, members of the rowing team, and sons of alumnae; others having to work hard to be able to afford their most basic needs; and others struggling to keep up appearances), without drowning readers in a lot of detail. Despite the changes in characters’ points of view and time period, these are clearly indicated in each chapter, so readers don’t need to worry about getting lost.
I have mentioned the skill of the author in creating psychologically complex and plausible characters, and I particularly enjoyed the way she subverts expectations, as we are introduced to characters that might seem unsympathetic or not particularly likeable at first, moved by jealousy, pride, fear, revenge, greed... and by the end of the novel we’ve learned things about them that put them in a completely different light. Of course, the opposite is also true. Not everybody comes out of it smelling of roses, but that is at it should be. Although the story itself is intriguing, and we get to learn a lot about Henry, the elephant in the room, or perhaps the ghost hovering over them, all of the characters (or at least a few) get to discover plenty about themselves.
I enjoyed the ending, and although there is plenty of drama, and some disturbing events take place (it is not an explicitly violent novel, but there are references to drug use, drinking, sexual abuse...), there are also touches of humour I enjoyed, I made my peace with a few of the characters by the end, and there are a couple I’ll be sorry to lose sight of.
In sum, this is a novel for those who prefer a slow-burn mystery/thriller, who aren’t looking for a detailed police procedural or a book with lots of action, characters, and exotic locations, but rather enjoy getting to know the characters and trying to understand what makes them tick. If gore and violence bother you, but you are fond of exploring the psychology of the characters and the inner workings of their minds, you should try this one. I am going to keep an eye on this author, as I am sure we’ll keep hearing from her in the future.
Jenny Knight is a new author to me, although based on her biography, she has been writing for a while in other genres. Judging by this novel, I am not surprised that she has a following, as she has a good grasp of what makes people keep reading, and knows how to create surprising and engaging, if not always likeable, characters.
Readers who enjoy fast thrillers with plenty of action might find this one a bit slow and somewhat disappointing because there is a slow build-up, little action (at least in the present), and most of the reveals come very close to the end. On the other hand, readers who enjoy getting to know the characters, digging into the psychology of all involved, and not having to contend with tonnes of characters and lots of difficult names, will have much to enjoy here.
This novel falls into what seems to have become a popular subgenre recently: a group of friends (often people who met as students, and some of whom might not even have kept in touch that much) who get together after quite a while, to celebrate something (a memorial of some sort is a popular motif). They all go to the reunion with different expectations: some might want to boast about how well they’ve done in life, some might dread facing people who made their life difficult in one way or another, others might look forward to picking up where they left off, revenge tends to rear its ugly head somewhere or another, and there might even be one or two who are just genuinely interested in connecting again. There are always skeletons in the cupboards, and things come to light that had been hidden, sometimes with pretty shocking results.
The description includes all the characters who play important parts in the story. There are a few who appear in the novel —some in person, others only by reference— but those only play small parts, and we don’t get to know them in-depth, other than through the thoughts or reflections of the five main protagonists. There is also Henry Bellinger, the golden boy of the group, who shared their apartment in Oxford for a year before moving to better accommodation, and whose memorial they’ve all come to attend (well, or almost all). The novel is narrated in the third person, from the point of view of the different characters (more time is dedicated to the female characters, none of whom come from money, in contrast to the boys), and the present time of the story alternates with the events from their joint past, the two years when they lived together in Oxford, which are also narrated from the different characters’ points of view. The story starts with the invitation to the memorial, sent by Henry’s mother, and we get to know the protagonists by the way they react to it, and the events that develop following that. Caro, whose role is that of the perfect hostess, wife, and mother, decides to invite the other flatmates to her house, for a dinner party, the day before the memorial. Although she doesn’t invite them all (she only invites Lily and George), things don’t go according to plan, and the dinner party ends up becoming a confessional of sorts, and secrets and lies come to the surface. However, not everybody leaves knowing the whole truth. (Thankfully, we, the readers, do).
I’ve read comparisons with Agatha Christie’s novels, and there is some of that, as Christie was fond of locking up her characters in a place and forcing them to come to terms with what they had done in the past. Here, though, the body count is not high (at all), and the reasons for their behaviour are more complex and dubious than we are used to in classic mystery novels.
The writing style is fluid, and there isn’t a lot of extraneous information thrown in. Although part of the novel (the one that takes place in the past) is set in Oxford, there aren’t lengthy descriptions of landmarks or beauty spots. The novel captures well the lifestyle of the characters, and the different spheres they move in (with some being rich, popular, members of the rowing team, and sons of alumnae; others having to work hard to be able to afford their most basic needs; and others struggling to keep up appearances), without drowning readers in a lot of detail. Despite the changes in characters’ points of view and time period, these are clearly indicated in each chapter, so readers don’t need to worry about getting lost.
I have mentioned the skill of the author in creating psychologically complex and plausible characters, and I particularly enjoyed the way she subverts expectations, as we are introduced to characters that might seem unsympathetic or not particularly likeable at first, moved by jealousy, pride, fear, revenge, greed... and by the end of the novel we’ve learned things about them that put them in a completely different light. Of course, the opposite is also true. Not everybody comes out of it smelling of roses, but that is at it should be. Although the story itself is intriguing, and we get to learn a lot about Henry, the elephant in the room, or perhaps the ghost hovering over them, all of the characters (or at least a few) get to discover plenty about themselves.
I enjoyed the ending, and although there is plenty of drama, and some disturbing events take place (it is not an explicitly violent novel, but there are references to drug use, drinking, sexual abuse...), there are also touches of humour I enjoyed, I made my peace with a few of the characters by the end, and there are a couple I’ll be sorry to lose sight of.
In sum, this is a novel for those who prefer a slow-burn mystery/thriller, who aren’t looking for a detailed police procedural or a book with lots of action, characters, and exotic locations, but rather enjoy getting to know the characters and trying to understand what makes them tick. If gore and violence bother you, but you are fond of exploring the psychology of the characters and the inner workings of their minds, you should try this one. I am going to keep an eye on this author, as I am sure we’ll keep hearing from her in the future.
December 3, 2023
I was interested to read this as the blub sounded quite interesting. A group of old university friends get together twenty years later for a memorial get together for their friend Henry. The book was well written. The plot builds up and you get to know the characters and their lives before and after Uni.
However I didn't care much for any of the stuck up overbearing characters and couldn't care what happened to them in the end as they were not at all likeable but was keen to read on.
3-3.5 stars and I would be keen to see what kind of book comes next from this author. The style reminded me a little of Ruth Ware.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review the Fifth Guest.
However I didn't care much for any of the stuck up overbearing characters and couldn't care what happened to them in the end as they were not at all likeable but was keen to read on.
3-3.5 stars and I would be keen to see what kind of book comes next from this author. The style reminded me a little of Ruth Ware.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review the Fifth Guest.
September 19, 2023
Really good book, loved how none of the characters were likeable really but for different reasons, good premise and the plot executed it well
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