The Guest Bedroom

by A.J. Carter

An utterly addictive psychological thriller with a shocking twist

What if a psychopath was in your home?

It’s been years since I last saw Megan, and there’s good reason for that. She’s unstable – psychotic even. That’s why I’m terrified when she shows up out of nowhere and worms her way into my perfect life.

But there’s another problem. She knows my big secret, and she’s using it as a weapon to take what she wants. My family’s safety is at stake, but I just can’t bring myself to stand up to her. And if I don’t? I’m going to lose everything.

Including my baby boy.

THE GUEST BEDROOM is the new psychological thriller from Bristol author AJ Carter, whose books are bursting with mystery, danger, and multiple dark twists.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 8, 2024

About the author

AJ Carter is a psychological thriller author from Bristol, England. His first book, The Family Secret, is praised by critics around the world, and he continues to regularly deliver suspenseful novels you can’t put down.

Sign up to his mailing list today and be the first to hear about upcoming releases and hot new deals for existing books. You’ll also receive a FREE digital copy of The Couple Downstairs – an unputdownable domestic thriller you won’t find anywhere else in the world: https://BookHip.com/WAXFLLP

Reviews

[Olivia Sanders · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this in a day and genuinely thought it was terrible. Such a dumb plot

[trish smylie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Guest Bedroom

This book was poorly written and in my opinion, absolute drivel. Don't waste your time by reading it. It certainly wasn't utterly addictive.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Megan appeared at Beccas door it sent shivers down her spine. It had been years since their paths had crossed. Megan was no ordinary visitor. She was a psychopath - unstable, unpredictable, and capable of unspeakable horrors. As she sauntered into Beccas perfect life uninvited, she felt a wave of fear wash over her. What was she planning? What twisted game was she about to play? But the real terror lay in the fact that Megan knew her deepest, darkest secret. A secret that could destroy everything she held dear. She made it clear that she was not there to catch up on old times. She was there to manipulate, to threaten, to take what she wanted by any means necessary. Her family. Her precious son. Becca was trapped in a nightmare, unable to break free from her sinister grasp. And then came the ultimatum. Her baby boy. She wanted him - as a pawn in her twisted game of power and control.

AJ Carter has once again captivated me with another brilliant psychological thriller. The book is intricately plotted, which drew me in with its compelling storyline.
The gradual build-up of pace throughout the book added to the suspense. As the plot thickened, the tension mounted, which kept me guessing and eagerly anticipating the next revelation.
Thank you AJ for an ARC of another one of your fantastic books.

[Karen Long · Rating 1 out of 5]

Totally stupid! Waste of Time!

Was this written by a 12 y/o? Becca's actions are senseless & unbelievable. What mother or wife would allow this to happen? Jordan, the cop is equally stupid! Why not have Megan thrown out or arrested after the tire incident? The ending is inhumane. How do u continue a normal life after that??? This book is not worthy of a review.

[Jacqueline Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice easy read

No spoilers, but the ending was epic!!! I enjoyed this book very much.
I JUST WISH SHE WOULD HAVE SHARED her secret with her husband.

[Leanna Harradine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit slow to be honest, but stuck with it as needed to find out what happened. No major twists or turns. Didn’t capture me I’m afraid

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Guest Bedroom (Standalone Pyschological thriller) by A. J. Carter.

Becca is married to Jordan who is a Policeman and they have a baby son called Jax. One day Jordan comes home and tells Becca that he bumped into a friend of hers who was asking about her and wanted to know where she lived but he could not recall her name only that it began with an M.

After Jordan describes the mystery woman the penny drops as Jordan said that they went to school together. Megan was the reason that Becca left her home town fifteen years ago.

Then one day Megan is on her doorstep and Jordan takes pity on her and invites her to stay in the guest bedroom. Little did he know that this gesture of good will backfire on him as Megan shows her true colours.

Both Becca and Megan harbour a secret from fifteen years ago and Megan holds all the aces as she threatens to reveal Becca's secret to Jordan if she does not let her stay.

Becca has always been weak and has never stood up for herself so she is an easy target for Megan who enjoys manipulating her. Becca also has an ace up her sleeve concerning Megan who also harbours a secret too but Becca is too intimidated to reveal it.

Megan wants what Becca has a husband, baby and a beautiful home and is hell bent on having it all.

What an exciting roller coaster thriller and amazing finale.

[Phyllis Fried · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very twisted psychological thriller. Megan, an old school friend shows up at Becca's door with no place to go. Becca reluctantly allows her to stay in their guest room for a night or two. However, Becca and Morgan haven't seen each other for many years, and they share a terrible secret that could put one or both of them in prison. Becca's husband notices hostility between the women but Becca won't tell him her secret. Becca demands Morgan leave after threats are made and Morgan has a most devious and evil solution to their situation. She gives Becca a week to make a huge decision. When Megan takes Becca's baby there is a standoff on a railroad bridge and the tension mounts to what appears to be a conclusion. Aah but there's more. The secrets are out, and Becca and Jordan discuss all that went on before. The finale is a wonderful end to this twisted tale of secrets and guilt. I highly recommend it.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meghan

Probably one of my most disliked characters in a book, ever, narcissistic, manipulative,evil, psycho and sociopathic extraordinaire … you get the picture?

But oh so good to read about and love to hate

What a character to meet as a reader and even worse for Becca as she imagines her dealings with her are way way in her past…..they aren’t…..

And as for Jordan, Becca’s hubby, he has no idea what he is about to be up against ( although got to say he was a tad pathetic at times )

A dire warning of secrets that come back to haunt and also of having a relationship where you can tell and trust’ make this a dark, at times scary psychological thriller that will disturb, annoy and frustrate….but is a very intoxicatingly good read

Worthy of any readers time

[Sharelle Toomey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like any of the characters so I didn't care what happened to them. Main character Becca gets away with not reporting any of the murders Megan commits and is a thorough coward who somehow manages to get through it all without being punished by the law. The whole book depends on her cowardice and fear of going to jail to flesh out the story which is pretty thin anyway. Becca and her husband get away with everything including on the husband's part, murder. I had to skim the book to finish it. By the end, I was rooting for the psychopath to off the lot of them. Very dull ending! Awful, just awful.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
This book kept me reading because I wanted to know the outcome. Drawn out a bit too much for my liking. It did have its moments though, some suspense and a lot of intrigue about past events. The 'perfect' husband was unlikeable as his mindset was all over the place...but Becca loved him ( sigh )
It's a battle of wills, who'll break first....Becca or the 'guest'. The consequences could be devastating. This is what kept the pages turning. Thrilling final chapters with a decent twist. All in all an entertaining read.

[Gem Woodroofe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Guest Bedroom by AJ Carter had a gripping premise and kept me turning the pages, but I honestly struggled to enjoy it fully because of how infuriating the female main character was. Her constant poor decisions, lack of self-awareness, and frustrating inner monologues made it really hard to connect with her. I kept wanting to shake some sense into her!

That said, the pacing was solid, and the twists—while a bit predictable—were entertaining enough to hold my interest. It's a decent read if you enjoy domestic thrillers, but be prepared to roll your eyes more than a few times

[Shelley Whipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! Megan is definitely someone not to be messed with. The way this story is built just makes you want to keep on reading and I say without a doubt the ending is 100% worth it! It is written so well that you will absolutely hate Megan from the start. It’s so mindbending wondering what she’s going to do next and how far she’s actually willing to go. One of this authors best books by far! Cannot wait for the next one!

[CammieOH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! This was so frustrating! The FMC was so dumb! I kept screaming at her to get away and she didn’t listen (ha). She just kept taking it from this deranged “houseguest” I was so sick of her stupid thoughts. I could listen to all of her mistakes but that would spoil it for future readers- not that I think the book deserves future readers. Yikes! That was such a rude comment! I’m just so frustrated at this book that the snippy side of me is coming out in this review so I’ll just end it here.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started good, slow middle, disappointing ending

It started interesting and was well written. But then the middle was so slow and frustrating, okay we get it, this guest is terrible! I don't care what kind of dirt she has on you, you can't comply with her demands! So eventually I started skimming at that point to see the ending. I won't give away the ending but I was hoping for something more interesting and would have just stopped reading if I knew it would be so lackluster.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

dragged a bit

This book was written well but it dragged on a bit too long.
And I don’t understand how editors don’t catch mistakes in the story.
In one part it says “her hair hung down her back” and then later mentioned “ her sort pixie cut hair “
Or where she knew her husband knew her secret but then later she was shocked when he told her he knew the secret. 🤷🏻‍♀️
But it was still a good read.

[Sammye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn into the intrigue of this plot from the first chapter. The drama and twists kept me on the edge of my seat. Megan was a very well developed character. One you will love to hate! I never knew what she would do next. The suspense was nail-biting. The dramatic ending was amazing. This is a must-read.

[PRISCILLA WADE MCWHORTER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This story was reminding me of another book I read and I was getting disappointed....UNTIL...I kept reading and found that the similarities were only slight. YEAH!!! Anyway...I'm glad I kept reading because I loved this book. With the way it ended, I feel like there could be a book 2. If not...it's alright with me because I like the Not knowing what more could happen.

[Robin Ofsonka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karma is a B----

I have read all of this author's books and none of them have disappointed me.
I story of a husband, wife and their six month old son. Living life perfectly until a childhood friend of the wife shows up. Secrets start to come to the surface threatening the happy marriage. The pawn is the son. Who will win in this cat a d mouse game.

[Patricia Seney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guest Bedroom

VERY IMPRESSED WITH A.J. CARTERS IMAGINATION. YOU ARE CLIMBING THE LIST OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS. THANK YOU FOR MAKING READING SO AFFORDABLE AND ALSO KEEPING US AT THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS WONDERING WHAT YOUR NEXT TWIST WILL BE. HAVE TO ADMIT I DIDN'T SEE ALL OF THEM COMING,MAKING READING A PLEASURE.
THANK YOU ON TO YOUR NEXT ONE.

[marjorie birney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

I couldn't put this down. Best book I've read in a while. I recommend this for everyone who likes a book as enjoyable. I have other books of this authors and will continue ordering . A fast read that will hold your attention throughout. It deserves at least a 10 stars or more.

[Elleana Nowell · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, pretty standard and unoriginal, i felt like i already knew what was going to happen. The maine character accidently killed a girl in highschool with megan, and megan held it over her head for years. all she had to do was tell the truth, but she didnt which led to her family being put in danger...

[Charissa Packham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best Ive read from this writer - very slow and struggled to finish it. Did not particular like the characters, who wouldnt tell their husband someone is threatening to take their child away? Very frustrating read! Wanted to like it as much as the other books I read from him, unfortunately this one wasnt for me.

[Krystal Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read every book from this author, and I've loved every one! He is a master of twists and suspense, and always keeps me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to find out how the book ended. I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this book and everything else he writes.

[Bethany C Hoffman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absurd

Why would you let someone you hate stay in your house? I don't care if they have dirt on you, they can do that from the driveway. The entire premise is too silly to get past. I couldn't finish it.

[Chasity · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately I couldn’t force myself to finish this book. The characters were unlikable and the storyline far from realistic. It was maddening to read. Finally, I threw my hands up and threw the book down. Good riddance.

[Arlene Coggins-John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read way better psychological thriller

There is nothing I like about this book. Everything was not so hard to figure out. I feel like the book could have used a little more action.

[celene irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

The storyline was very good full stop it was full of suspense. I think we all had at some point in our lives our friend that had a twisted agenda but in this book the Revenge was very sweet at the end

[Sharilynn T, La May · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if a former friend of yours held a secret that could put you in prison? She's not a friend anymore but a psychopath who wants your baby boy and even your husband. I couldn't put this book down and was delighted with the deadly ending. This would make a great movie.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read. It will keep u on edge and want to what happens next. Through the ending it made me cry. But it was a happy cry