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The House Guests
NO ONE’S AROUND FOR MILES…
One year ago, Iris’s world turned upside down. Haunted by nightmares of her mother’s traumatic death, Iris has become a sleep-deprived, jittery version of herself she hardly recognizes anymore. So when she’s given the opportunity to get away from the crushing grind of reality for a relaxing week with her partner and his close-knit group of friends, she jumps at the chance.
But after she arrives early to the remote lake house in the Catskills, things take a dark turn. Alone in the cabin in the middle of the night, Iris sees a blood-covered man burying something—or someone—in the mud behind the deck before entering the house. But the daylight reveals nothing, the dirt unturned and the house pristine.
As strange and increasingly disturbing discoveries begin to stack up, her fellow house guests refuse to take anything Iris has to say seriously, and she begins to suspect that someone might be gaslighting her. If the stress hasn’t actually finally gotten to her, that is. Determined to uncover the truth, Iris finds herself drawn into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Is it all in her head, or is there really a killer among them? Can she trust anyone…even herself?
One year ago, Iris’s world turned upside down. Haunted by nightmares of her mother’s traumatic death, Iris has become a sleep-deprived, jittery version of herself she hardly recognizes anymore. So when she’s given the opportunity to get away from the crushing grind of reality for a relaxing week with her partner and his close-knit group of friends, she jumps at the chance.
But after she arrives early to the remote lake house in the Catskills, things take a dark turn. Alone in the cabin in the middle of the night, Iris sees a blood-covered man burying something—or someone—in the mud behind the deck before entering the house. But the daylight reveals nothing, the dirt unturned and the house pristine.
As strange and increasingly disturbing discoveries begin to stack up, her fellow house guests refuse to take anything Iris has to say seriously, and she begins to suspect that someone might be gaslighting her. If the stress hasn’t actually finally gotten to her, that is. Determined to uncover the truth, Iris finds herself drawn into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Is it all in her head, or is there really a killer among them? Can she trust anyone…even herself?
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2025
31 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Amber Brown
4 books232 followersAmber and Danielle Brown both graduated from Rider University where they studied Communications/Journalism and sat on the editorial staff for the On Fire!! Literary Journal. Following their degrees, they pursued a career in fashion and spent five years in NYC working their way up from interns to assistants to then managing their own popular fashion + lifestyle blog. Amber is also a screenwriter, so they currently live in Los Angeles, which works out perfectly so Danielle can spoil her 30 (and counting!) plant babies with copious amounts of sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 29, 2025
Trigger Warning: suicide
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Still haunted by the death of her troubled mother and convinced by her long-term boyfriend to take up his friends’ offer to stay at their uncle’s lake house, Iris is looking forward to some rest and relaxation. But as in any mystery/thriller, that is not what happens: instead, on her first night in the house, Iris sees a mysterious figure burying something in the backyard. And things only get weirder from there. But with her boyfriend, Eli’s friends convinced she’s going insane, Iris finds herself facing both a possible killer and the possibility that she’s losing her mind.
This book combines both the “isolated in the vacation home” idea along with the “unreliable narrator” ideas to create a great thriller that makes you question everything that’s happening around the narrator. From the beginning of the novel, I really liked Iris and was on her side, but by about midway through the book, things begin piling up and you start to wonder what’s all going on.
It’s really great and you can cut the suspense with a knife.
I had a couple of theories, and none of them turned out to be correct. The authors create enough suspects and random “clues” that leave plenty of room for twists and turns as the story goes on. I was definitely thrown for a loop a couple of times!
Overall, the central mystery was great, and I loved the ending!
I could’ve done without the B-plot with Iris and Eli’s relationship, however. No spoilers, but it wasn’t my cup of tea and, IMO, unnecessary drama that kind of brought things down for me.
But I was reading mainly for the mystery plot anyway, and as I said, I really enjoyed that! I would absolutely recommend this to someone looking for a great thriller with some good twists!
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Still haunted by the death of her troubled mother and convinced by her long-term boyfriend to take up his friends’ offer to stay at their uncle’s lake house, Iris is looking forward to some rest and relaxation. But as in any mystery/thriller, that is not what happens: instead, on her first night in the house, Iris sees a mysterious figure burying something in the backyard. And things only get weirder from there. But with her boyfriend, Eli’s friends convinced she’s going insane, Iris finds herself facing both a possible killer and the possibility that she’s losing her mind.
This book combines both the “isolated in the vacation home” idea along with the “unreliable narrator” ideas to create a great thriller that makes you question everything that’s happening around the narrator. From the beginning of the novel, I really liked Iris and was on her side, but by about midway through the book, things begin piling up and you start to wonder what’s all going on.
It’s really great and you can cut the suspense with a knife.
I had a couple of theories, and none of them turned out to be correct. The authors create enough suspects and random “clues” that leave plenty of room for twists and turns as the story goes on. I was definitely thrown for a loop a couple of times!
Overall, the central mystery was great, and I loved the ending!
I could’ve done without the B-plot with Iris and Eli’s relationship, however. No spoilers, but it wasn’t my cup of tea and, IMO, unnecessary drama that kind of brought things down for me.
But I was reading mainly for the mystery plot anyway, and as I said, I really enjoyed that! I would absolutely recommend this to someone looking for a great thriller with some good twists!
January 9, 2026
This was an entertaining, locked-room thriller with a cast of insanely unlikeable characters that I thoroughly enjoyed!
The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown is an eerie psychological thriller that thrives on uncertainty and unease. Set in a secluded lakehouse in the Catskills, the novel follows Iris, who is still deeply traumatized after witnessing her mother’s sudden death a year earlier. Hoping that time away will help her reset, she joins her partner Eli and his tight-knit group of friends for a weeklong getaway — but from the moment she arrives, something feels very wrong.
When Iris shows up early and sees a blood-covered man burying something behind the cabin in the middle of the night, only to find no evidence of it the next morning, the story quickly plunges into paranoia. As strange incidents pile up — unsettling noises, missing items, and odd behavior from the other guests — Iris becomes increasingly convinced that she’s in danger. The problem is that no one else seems to believe her, leaving both Iris and the reader unsure of what’s actually happening.
I’ll admit, for a good portion of the book I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on — and that ambiguity is clearly intentional. However, I did find myself getting irritated with Iris on numerous occasions. Her reactions often felt overly hysterical, and her naivety became frustrating, especially when she repeatedly allowed herself to be dismissed and bullied by some of the other guests (Gia!). While this does reinforce the novel’s gaslighting theme and her vulnerable mental state, it occasionally made her hard to root for, and on more than one occasion it downright made my blood boil in frustration! This was another one of those reads that makes you want to reach through the pages and shake some sense into the protagonist!
Even when I was annoyed with the main character, I still felt compelled to keep reading to see how everything would unravel. The authors did an excellent job building tension and creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where distrust seeps into every interaction. The isolation, combined with Iris’s unreliable perspective, definitely kept me questioning everyone’s motives right up until the end.
Overall, The House Guests is a twisty, unsettling read that explores grief, manipulation, and the danger of not being believed. Despite some frustration with the protagonist, the suspense and atmosphere make this a solid psychological thriller — especially for readers who enjoy slow-burn tension and unreliable narrators (maybe).
The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown is an eerie psychological thriller that thrives on uncertainty and unease. Set in a secluded lakehouse in the Catskills, the novel follows Iris, who is still deeply traumatized after witnessing her mother’s sudden death a year earlier. Hoping that time away will help her reset, she joins her partner Eli and his tight-knit group of friends for a weeklong getaway — but from the moment she arrives, something feels very wrong.
When Iris shows up early and sees a blood-covered man burying something behind the cabin in the middle of the night, only to find no evidence of it the next morning, the story quickly plunges into paranoia. As strange incidents pile up — unsettling noises, missing items, and odd behavior from the other guests — Iris becomes increasingly convinced that she’s in danger. The problem is that no one else seems to believe her, leaving both Iris and the reader unsure of what’s actually happening.
I’ll admit, for a good portion of the book I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on — and that ambiguity is clearly intentional. However, I did find myself getting irritated with Iris on numerous occasions. Her reactions often felt overly hysterical, and her naivety became frustrating, especially when she repeatedly allowed herself to be dismissed and bullied by some of the other guests (Gia!). While this does reinforce the novel’s gaslighting theme and her vulnerable mental state, it occasionally made her hard to root for, and on more than one occasion it downright made my blood boil in frustration! This was another one of those reads that makes you want to reach through the pages and shake some sense into the protagonist!
Even when I was annoyed with the main character, I still felt compelled to keep reading to see how everything would unravel. The authors did an excellent job building tension and creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where distrust seeps into every interaction. The isolation, combined with Iris’s unreliable perspective, definitely kept me questioning everyone’s motives right up until the end.
Overall, The House Guests is a twisty, unsettling read that explores grief, manipulation, and the danger of not being believed. Despite some frustration with the protagonist, the suspense and atmosphere make this a solid psychological thriller — especially for readers who enjoy slow-burn tension and unreliable narrators (maybe).
November 6, 2025
This book reminded me of “let’s hide behind the chainsaws” commercial.
I was really into the premise of this book. A group of friends take a week long vacation to a remote cabin for fun and sun. I love an isolated cabin trope but right away I had issues with believing why some of the characters did what they did.
Immediately Eli leaves emotionally fragile Iris at this cabin his friend’s uncle owns by herself. He says he’s going to skip out on the vacation to spend time with his dying grandma. Iris never even seemed to really like Eli’s friends so why anyone would agree to that or why she wouldn’t be with her own boyfriend with his dying grandma was so odd.
Unfortunately, the book had several instances along the way where I was like why would someone do that? (Ie) Iris makes a huge deal about one of her hair ties being missing. Why would anyone make that a big deal? Even if I know I had two hair ties, I probably wouldn’t even think twice about one being missing.
Iris was over the top the majority of the book. She constantly required attention and made herself look crazy even when she wasn’t actually crazy.
It also was a bit much for me that someone was always screaming but it wasn’t anything normal people would actually scream about. Maybe gasp, but scream?
All that being said, again, I loved the premise. There was a solid creepy vibe with this one. I feel like this book had so much promise but needed some housekeeping on a few different things.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.
I was really into the premise of this book. A group of friends take a week long vacation to a remote cabin for fun and sun. I love an isolated cabin trope but right away I had issues with believing why some of the characters did what they did.
Immediately Eli leaves emotionally fragile Iris at this cabin his friend’s uncle owns by herself. He says he’s going to skip out on the vacation to spend time with his dying grandma. Iris never even seemed to really like Eli’s friends so why anyone would agree to that or why she wouldn’t be with her own boyfriend with his dying grandma was so odd.
Unfortunately, the book had several instances along the way where I was like why would someone do that? (Ie) Iris makes a huge deal about one of her hair ties being missing. Why would anyone make that a big deal? Even if I know I had two hair ties, I probably wouldn’t even think twice about one being missing.
Iris was over the top the majority of the book. She constantly required attention and made herself look crazy even when she wasn’t actually crazy.
It also was a bit much for me that someone was always screaming but it wasn’t anything normal people would actually scream about. Maybe gasp, but scream?
All that being said, again, I loved the premise. There was a solid creepy vibe with this one. I feel like this book had so much promise but needed some housekeeping on a few different things.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.
November 8, 2025
⭐️ 3.25 stars
A compelling premise that hooked me right away—but the execution didn’t fully live up to its potential.
I struggled rating this one. I loved the setup (and I only skimmed the first two lines of the description since I prefer going in as blind as possible). The book delivered on its promise, but the believability factor just didn’t hold up for me in several key areas.
Let’s start with the prose. It’s not particularly fluid, and I could distinctly hear two separate voices throughout. That’s something that can happen in co-authored works, and while some writing teams manage to blend seamlessly, it can take time to get there. The Brown sisters are on their way, but not quite there yet. For what it’s worth, this was a bigger issue in their previous book Zetas Must Die, so the improvement here was definitely noticeable.
The plot itself I genuinely enjoyed, but I kept getting pulled out of the story because so many moments simply weren’t believable—not in a fantasy-suspension way, but in a human-behavior sense. The setup has FMC Iris vacationing with her boyfriend’s friends for a week… except they’re not her friends. He’s gone most of the time caring for his dying grandmother, and these people don’t like her (nor does she like them). And she arrives a night early? It just felt like one of many choices that didn’t align with how real people would behave.
These kinds of moments kept happening—little inconsistencies in human nature that made it hard to stay engaged or fully connect with the characters. On top of that, there was a lot more “tell” than “show.” With a more immersive, atmospheric delivery, the creepy undertones the story was aiming for could have landed much stronger.
That said, the audiobook narration by Keylor Leigh was excellent. She had a great pace (even at 1x speed), strong tone, and helped smooth over some of the story’s rougher edges. Honestly, I think her performance kept me far more engaged than I might’ve been with the eARC alone. While narration can’t fix every flaw, it can absolutely elevate a story—and that’s exactly what happened here.
So overall, while this one had its bumps, there’s still entertainment to be found—especially if you’re in the mood for a low-stakes thriller with a tangled web of young adults forced to share space for a week.
A bit uneven, a bit unbelievable—but still oddly addictive in its own way.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harlequin audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
A compelling premise that hooked me right away—but the execution didn’t fully live up to its potential.
I struggled rating this one. I loved the setup (and I only skimmed the first two lines of the description since I prefer going in as blind as possible). The book delivered on its promise, but the believability factor just didn’t hold up for me in several key areas.
Let’s start with the prose. It’s not particularly fluid, and I could distinctly hear two separate voices throughout. That’s something that can happen in co-authored works, and while some writing teams manage to blend seamlessly, it can take time to get there. The Brown sisters are on their way, but not quite there yet. For what it’s worth, this was a bigger issue in their previous book Zetas Must Die, so the improvement here was definitely noticeable.
The plot itself I genuinely enjoyed, but I kept getting pulled out of the story because so many moments simply weren’t believable—not in a fantasy-suspension way, but in a human-behavior sense. The setup has FMC Iris vacationing with her boyfriend’s friends for a week… except they’re not her friends. He’s gone most of the time caring for his dying grandmother, and these people don’t like her (nor does she like them). And she arrives a night early? It just felt like one of many choices that didn’t align with how real people would behave.
These kinds of moments kept happening—little inconsistencies in human nature that made it hard to stay engaged or fully connect with the characters. On top of that, there was a lot more “tell” than “show.” With a more immersive, atmospheric delivery, the creepy undertones the story was aiming for could have landed much stronger.
That said, the audiobook narration by Keylor Leigh was excellent. She had a great pace (even at 1x speed), strong tone, and helped smooth over some of the story’s rougher edges. Honestly, I think her performance kept me far more engaged than I might’ve been with the eARC alone. While narration can’t fix every flaw, it can absolutely elevate a story—and that’s exactly what happened here.
So overall, while this one had its bumps, there’s still entertainment to be found—especially if you’re in the mood for a low-stakes thriller with a tangled web of young adults forced to share space for a week.
A bit uneven, a bit unbelievable—but still oddly addictive in its own way.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harlequin audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
September 13, 2025
The House Guests is an engaging domestic thriller with an intriguing setup: friends, secrets, and the simmering tension of a shared space where everyone is hiding something. Amber and Danielle Brown do a great job creating an atmospheric setting that feels claustrophobic in the best way, and the book kept me turning pages to see what would unravel next.
That said, some of the twists felt a little predictable, and a few of the characters could have been developed more deeply to make their choices and motivations feel more believable. The pacing was uneven at times, with certain sections dragging while others raced by too quickly.
Overall, it’s a solid, entertaining read if you enjoy slow-burn thrillers with messy interpersonal drama. It didn’t completely blow me away, but it held my attention and had enough tension to keep me reading until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
That said, some of the twists felt a little predictable, and a few of the characters could have been developed more deeply to make their choices and motivations feel more believable. The pacing was uneven at times, with certain sections dragging while others raced by too quickly.
Overall, it’s a solid, entertaining read if you enjoy slow-burn thrillers with messy interpersonal drama. It didn’t completely blow me away, but it held my attention and had enough tension to keep me reading until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 1, 2026
Uber, Lyft, taxi, walking.. I don’t know how but I would have had to vacate this vacation expeditiously! This is what Iris should have done at the first sign of trouble! She is already still dealing with the aftermath of the guilt over her mom’s suic!de, so she can’t emotionally nor mentally afford any more drama! But that’s exactly what she received as she finds herself on a weeklong vacation with her significant other’s, college friends.
Mysterious things start to happen at this remote location and Iris is forced to ride it out. Eli was a complete moron and each chapter, I was hoping that whatever sinister was lurking would just jump up and swallow him whole! The audiobook was a great experience and the narrators did a phenomenal job bringing life to Iris and these characters. Overall a good story.
Mysterious things start to happen at this remote location and Iris is forced to ride it out. Eli was a complete moron and each chapter, I was hoping that whatever sinister was lurking would just jump up and swallow him whole! The audiobook was a great experience and the narrators did a phenomenal job bringing life to Iris and these characters. Overall a good story.
November 20, 2025
Wow, what a creepy, riveting read. The narrator, Keylor Leigh, did a fantastic job bringing the character and story to life! Her pacing and tone kept me on the edge of my seat despite some of the unrealistic aspects of the story, I still couldn’t put it down. If you are in the mood for a remote setting thriller with suspense that plays on the main characters fragile mental state where nobody can be fully trusted, you should add this one to your options! Releasing December 2, 2025!
Thank you to Harlequin Audio, the authors and NetGalley for an ALC of The House Guests
Thank you to Harlequin Audio, the authors and NetGalley for an ALC of The House Guests
September 24, 2025
A twisty suspense filled getaway that turns scary. Iris goes with her partner, Eli to an isolated lake house with his friends. She is already having trauma over her mom's death the year before. At the lake, she keeps seeing things and everyone treats her like she's crazy. Is she insane or are they gaslighting her? Amber and Danielle do great at keeping the tension ramped up and the guessing around the clock. I can't wait to read more from them in the future.
January 2, 2026
Still haunted by the traumatic death of her mother, Iris is barely holding herself together. When her partner Eli suggests a weekend getaway with his friends at a secluded lake house in the Catskills, she reluctantly agrees, hoping the quiet will calm her spiraling anxiety. But isolation only worsens her unease. While alone at the cabin, Iris sees a blood covered man outside digging. .. something. When she returns with help, the ground is untouched. No blood, no hole, no trace of anything. As the trip continues, strange things keep happening: items disappear, medication goes missing, and the other guests dismiss her growing panic as paranoia. Surrounded by people she barely knows and unsure whether she can trust her own mind, desperation turns to terror. Someone is watching. Someone is lying.
The House Guests is exactly what I want in an isolated cabin thriller. Full of tension, atmosphere, and a main character whose unraveling sanity keeps you turning the pages. Iris is the type of character you root for even if you're not sure if she's completely delulu, and the authors do a great job blurring the line between psychological turmoil and real danger. Some twists do stretch believability, but the ride is so suspenseful that I honestly didn't mind. The eerie setting, the gaslighting vibes, and the slow drip of unease made this an addictive read that I tore through. A solid thriller perfect for fans of paranoia, remote getaways, and books that keep you guessing!
Thank you to NetGalley, Amber and Danielle Brown, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Graydon House for this eARC! Publication date is December 2nd, 2025.
The House Guests is exactly what I want in an isolated cabin thriller. Full of tension, atmosphere, and a main character whose unraveling sanity keeps you turning the pages. Iris is the type of character you root for even if you're not sure if she's completely delulu, and the authors do a great job blurring the line between psychological turmoil and real danger. Some twists do stretch believability, but the ride is so suspenseful that I honestly didn't mind. The eerie setting, the gaslighting vibes, and the slow drip of unease made this an addictive read that I tore through. A solid thriller perfect for fans of paranoia, remote getaways, and books that keep you guessing!
Thank you to NetGalley, Amber and Danielle Brown, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Graydon House for this eARC! Publication date is December 2nd, 2025.
November 8, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Amber and Danielle Brown’s “The House Guests” is a tightly wound psychological thriller that delivers a potent mix of isolation, paranoia, and emotional trauma, all wrapped up in a classic “friends at a remote lake house” setup. What begins as a relaxing getaway quickly devolves into a nightmare of mistrust and manipulation, where nothing and no one is what it seems.
The story follows Iris, a young woman still reeling from the death of her mother a year earlier. When her boyfriend, Eli, invites her on a weeklong trip to a secluded lake house in the Catskills with his close-knit group of friends, she reluctantly agrees, hoping the break will help her heal. But almost as soon as she arrives, things start to feel off. Left alone the first night, Iris witnesses a blood-covered man burying something behind the cabin. By morning, the scene is spotless and everyone insists she imagined it.
From that moment on, the Browns plunge you into Iris’s increasingly unstable perspective. Items go missing, eerie noises echo through the woods, and the friends she barely trusts begin to turn against her. Is someone gaslighting her or is her grief driving her mad? The tension builds steadily as the line between reality and delusion blurs, culminating in a frantic final act where survival and sanity hang by a thread.
What sets “The House Guests” apart from other “cabin in the woods” thrillers is its psychological depth. Iris isn’t just a standard unreliable narrator; she’s a woman trapped between trauma and truth, desperate to be believed in a circle that constantly undermines her. The Browns deftly capture the feeling of being dismissed and patronized, especially by people who claim to love you. This dynamic gives the book a feminist edge, as it examines emotional manipulation, self-doubt, and the slow erosion of confidence that can come from toxic relationships.
The pacing is a mixed bag. The early chapters are a bit slow as they’re bogged down by repetitive conflict and Iris’s erratic reactions. There are moments when her behavior stretches believability like with her obsessing over small details or reacting in ways that feel melodramatic, but these quirks serve to underscore just how unmoored she’s become. Once the story hits the halfway mark, though, it takes off like a runaway train. Secrets spill, loyalties fracture, and the Browns crank up the suspense until the shocking conclusion snaps everything into place.
The isolated setting, complete with a foggy lake, hidden trails, and a creaking old house, creates the perfect claustrophobic backdrop for a thriller fueled by distrust. Even the more predictable horror beats (the missing items, the late-night noises, the suspicious glances) work because they’re filtered through Iris’s unreliable, increasingly panicked lens.
Overall, “The House Guests” succeeds as a taut, fast-paced psychological thriller that explores the dangers of denial and the fine line between perception and reality. It’s part gaslighting drama, part cabin horror, and part study in how grief can warp the mind. The Browns’ writing is sharp and cinematic, and their ability to sustain dread keeps the pages turning long after you start doubting everyone, including the narrator herself.
Amber and Danielle Brown’s “The House Guests” is a tightly wound psychological thriller that delivers a potent mix of isolation, paranoia, and emotional trauma, all wrapped up in a classic “friends at a remote lake house” setup. What begins as a relaxing getaway quickly devolves into a nightmare of mistrust and manipulation, where nothing and no one is what it seems.
The story follows Iris, a young woman still reeling from the death of her mother a year earlier. When her boyfriend, Eli, invites her on a weeklong trip to a secluded lake house in the Catskills with his close-knit group of friends, she reluctantly agrees, hoping the break will help her heal. But almost as soon as she arrives, things start to feel off. Left alone the first night, Iris witnesses a blood-covered man burying something behind the cabin. By morning, the scene is spotless and everyone insists she imagined it.
From that moment on, the Browns plunge you into Iris’s increasingly unstable perspective. Items go missing, eerie noises echo through the woods, and the friends she barely trusts begin to turn against her. Is someone gaslighting her or is her grief driving her mad? The tension builds steadily as the line between reality and delusion blurs, culminating in a frantic final act where survival and sanity hang by a thread.
What sets “The House Guests” apart from other “cabin in the woods” thrillers is its psychological depth. Iris isn’t just a standard unreliable narrator; she’s a woman trapped between trauma and truth, desperate to be believed in a circle that constantly undermines her. The Browns deftly capture the feeling of being dismissed and patronized, especially by people who claim to love you. This dynamic gives the book a feminist edge, as it examines emotional manipulation, self-doubt, and the slow erosion of confidence that can come from toxic relationships.
The pacing is a mixed bag. The early chapters are a bit slow as they’re bogged down by repetitive conflict and Iris’s erratic reactions. There are moments when her behavior stretches believability like with her obsessing over small details or reacting in ways that feel melodramatic, but these quirks serve to underscore just how unmoored she’s become. Once the story hits the halfway mark, though, it takes off like a runaway train. Secrets spill, loyalties fracture, and the Browns crank up the suspense until the shocking conclusion snaps everything into place.
The isolated setting, complete with a foggy lake, hidden trails, and a creaking old house, creates the perfect claustrophobic backdrop for a thriller fueled by distrust. Even the more predictable horror beats (the missing items, the late-night noises, the suspicious glances) work because they’re filtered through Iris’s unreliable, increasingly panicked lens.
Overall, “The House Guests” succeeds as a taut, fast-paced psychological thriller that explores the dangers of denial and the fine line between perception and reality. It’s part gaslighting drama, part cabin horror, and part study in how grief can warp the mind. The Browns’ writing is sharp and cinematic, and their ability to sustain dread keeps the pages turning long after you start doubting everyone, including the narrator herself.
November 8, 2025
Title: The House Guests
Authors: Amber and Danielle Brown (Debut Authors)
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Keylor Leigh
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Pub Date: December 2, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 rounded up
Pages: 331
Story starts with Iris dreading the upcoming anniversary of her mother's death. Her mother was abusive and actually forced her to watch while she committed suicide by putting a gun in her mouth.
Her boyfriend Eli suggests a get-away weekend in a chalet on an isolated lake. They can enjoy a lazy comfortable stay all by themselves with romantic walks along the lake shore.
However, turns out they won’t be alone as the lake front chalet as it is
Eli’s friends Roman and Garrett’s uncle Nolan’s reclusive residence. Uncle Nolan will be out of the town so the friends have the house for the week.
Iris has never felt comfortable with the friends – Eli is not himself when he is with them. They all seem to be competition and show off trying to outdo one another.
Then Eli gets a message that he needs to go check on his dying grandmother; thus leaving Iris alone the first night as he heads to Boston .‘the friends’ will be arriving the next day so Iris is by herself the first night, She hears a truck arrive and thinks perhaps the friends are arriving early. However, sees a man digging and then buries something in the backyard.
When everyone else shows up, they don’t believe what she saw. It seems Uncle Nolan drives a truck and perhaps forgot something.
Iris admits she was scared and did take two sleeping pills. The friends are sure she was seeing things.
Iris finds clues that prove what she saw but everyone turns on her, including Eli.
Next everyone doubts who to trust.
The story takes spend some time going into the personal dynamics between the characters,
I struggled with these immature unlikeable characters.
The friends are Eli’s friends and include bothers Garrett and Roman, Garett’s wife Lauren, plus Violet and Gia.
I was rooting for Iris. However, she got annoying at times. Not positive it was the narrators’ performance. True she was a mess due her mother’s negate and abusive to her.
I hung in there and glad I did as the ending got very twists and had my heart racing…
Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 2, 2025.
Authors: Amber and Danielle Brown (Debut Authors)
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Keylor Leigh
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Pub Date: December 2, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 rounded up
Pages: 331
Story starts with Iris dreading the upcoming anniversary of her mother's death. Her mother was abusive and actually forced her to watch while she committed suicide by putting a gun in her mouth.
Her boyfriend Eli suggests a get-away weekend in a chalet on an isolated lake. They can enjoy a lazy comfortable stay all by themselves with romantic walks along the lake shore.
However, turns out they won’t be alone as the lake front chalet as it is
Eli’s friends Roman and Garrett’s uncle Nolan’s reclusive residence. Uncle Nolan will be out of the town so the friends have the house for the week.
Iris has never felt comfortable with the friends – Eli is not himself when he is with them. They all seem to be competition and show off trying to outdo one another.
Then Eli gets a message that he needs to go check on his dying grandmother; thus leaving Iris alone the first night as he heads to Boston .‘the friends’ will be arriving the next day so Iris is by herself the first night, She hears a truck arrive and thinks perhaps the friends are arriving early. However, sees a man digging and then buries something in the backyard.
When everyone else shows up, they don’t believe what she saw. It seems Uncle Nolan drives a truck and perhaps forgot something.
Iris admits she was scared and did take two sleeping pills. The friends are sure she was seeing things.
Iris finds clues that prove what she saw but everyone turns on her, including Eli.
Next everyone doubts who to trust.
The story takes spend some time going into the personal dynamics between the characters,
I struggled with these immature unlikeable characters.
The friends are Eli’s friends and include bothers Garrett and Roman, Garett’s wife Lauren, plus Violet and Gia.
I was rooting for Iris. However, she got annoying at times. Not positive it was the narrators’ performance. True she was a mess due her mother’s negate and abusive to her.
I hung in there and glad I did as the ending got very twists and had my heart racing…
Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 2, 2025.
November 17, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up! This was a twisty thriller with a super compelling premise, even though it didn’t totally live up to what I expected it to be!
Rating wise, it was hard because it was really great in some areas, but in others, it fell pretty flat for me. I also really had to suspend all believability more often than I usually want in a thriller.
I loved the plot and I loved where you could tell the book wanted to go, but there were moments that made me go 🤔 and not always in a good way. These situations took me out of the story itself and made connecting to moments and characters difficult. Like arriving to a vacation (with people that aren’t your friends nor people you even like) early? Why would you do that?
I loved the setting, and I despite having issues with character choices and actions, this book did immediately hook me! Nothing was ever a big enough issue where I wanted to stop reading- I really did want to find out what the heck was going on at the end!
Most of the time, I enjoy books with co-authors, but only if the voices of the two authors blend perfectly. Amber and Danielle Brown are so close to getting there, but there were times I could tell it was two people writing a story which also made things feel rocky and not cohesive.
Overall, though, while there were sometimes things I didn’t like, there is still so much entertainment here, and I enjoyed myself regardless! I’m excited to see where these two authors go next because I think if they continue writing together, they’re just going to get better and better.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC!!
Rating wise, it was hard because it was really great in some areas, but in others, it fell pretty flat for me. I also really had to suspend all believability more often than I usually want in a thriller.
I loved the plot and I loved where you could tell the book wanted to go, but there were moments that made me go 🤔 and not always in a good way. These situations took me out of the story itself and made connecting to moments and characters difficult. Like arriving to a vacation (with people that aren’t your friends nor people you even like) early? Why would you do that?
I loved the setting, and I despite having issues with character choices and actions, this book did immediately hook me! Nothing was ever a big enough issue where I wanted to stop reading- I really did want to find out what the heck was going on at the end!
Most of the time, I enjoy books with co-authors, but only if the voices of the two authors blend perfectly. Amber and Danielle Brown are so close to getting there, but there were times I could tell it was two people writing a story which also made things feel rocky and not cohesive.
Overall, though, while there were sometimes things I didn’t like, there is still so much entertainment here, and I enjoyed myself regardless! I’m excited to see where these two authors go next because I think if they continue writing together, they’re just going to get better and better.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC!!
November 28, 2025
"To everyone who screams at the screen but would still trip running from the killer."
This book starts on a... well not exactly a high note. A very extreme depressing note. But either way, it starts and it just goes.
I always found this genre interesting but didn't really get into it until this year. I can already tell 2026 is gonna be a thriller/mystery type of vibe. This one hit all the high notes I'm looking for in those two labels and stayed pretty solid the entire time.
The characters, well. I will tell you they were hard to like but please do not take that in a, 'so I hated this book,' type of way. They were hard to like and I think it really added to the tension. Our MC doesn't know who to trust, or even if she can trust herself, and damn it if the friend group doesn't make it hard for you to say, 'oh no trust that person for sure.' Because they're all so unlikable, I don't wanna trust any of them either. Even our MC. Because maybe she's actually the crazy one like they're telling her? You don't wanna believe it either but she's not a little ball of sunshine herself. The vibes are hella over dramatic at times which honestly was just fun. All around a great listen. I am excited to read it on paper as well and see if the vibes in my head are the same as listening to the story told to me.
I saw another review mention that Geico Good Choices comercial and laughed so hard because that is exactly what this book is.
The narration was really good as well, another book I listened to at mostly normal speed.
Big thanks to Harlequin Audio for the ALC of this on Netgalley. Adding it to my cart for a physical copy for my shelves.
This book starts on a... well not exactly a high note. A very extreme depressing note. But either way, it starts and it just goes.
I always found this genre interesting but didn't really get into it until this year. I can already tell 2026 is gonna be a thriller/mystery type of vibe. This one hit all the high notes I'm looking for in those two labels and stayed pretty solid the entire time.
The characters, well. I will tell you they were hard to like but please do not take that in a, 'so I hated this book,' type of way. They were hard to like and I think it really added to the tension. Our MC doesn't know who to trust, or even if she can trust herself, and damn it if the friend group doesn't make it hard for you to say, 'oh no trust that person for sure.' Because they're all so unlikable, I don't wanna trust any of them either. Even our MC. Because maybe she's actually the crazy one like they're telling her? You don't wanna believe it either but she's not a little ball of sunshine herself. The vibes are hella over dramatic at times which honestly was just fun. All around a great listen. I am excited to read it on paper as well and see if the vibes in my head are the same as listening to the story told to me.
I saw another review mention that Geico Good Choices comercial and laughed so hard because that is exactly what this book is.
The narration was really good as well, another book I listened to at mostly normal speed.
Big thanks to Harlequin Audio for the ALC of this on Netgalley. Adding it to my cart for a physical copy for my shelves.
December 17, 2025
The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown is a locked room style thriller. After a traumatic year, Iris takes a weeklong vacation with her partner's friends at a remote lake house in the Catskills. Iris spends the first day of the vacation at the cabin alone, where she witnesses a man covered with blood burying something. From there, she continues to experience a growing sense of unease as more disturbing events happen. Is this real or just due to her stress and insomnia?
I really wanted to like this book. The premise had all the makings of an excellent locked-room mystery: several friends stuck in a cabin far from civilization with a killer on the loose, making them question their own states of mind. Instead, I got a cast of individuals with no redeeming qualities, who are aggressive in their gaslighting and despicable pranks. Even the main protagonist, Iris, got to me with just how dependent she was on her partner. Why would she go alone to a cabin with his friends when she had no desire to? Why would she not just contact a taxi to come get her when she clearly wanted to leave? They didn't seem all that far away from a town. Why did it take her so long to start doing more investigating on her own? This novel also was a very slow burner. As in it felt like it took 3/4 of the book to set the stage, and the final bit was a rushed mass of action. I would have preferred less talking/whining about people not listening, and more mystery solving.
Unfortunately, this just wasn't my cup of tea. Thanks to Amber and Danielle Brown, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC.
I really wanted to like this book. The premise had all the makings of an excellent locked-room mystery: several friends stuck in a cabin far from civilization with a killer on the loose, making them question their own states of mind. Instead, I got a cast of individuals with no redeeming qualities, who are aggressive in their gaslighting and despicable pranks. Even the main protagonist, Iris, got to me with just how dependent she was on her partner. Why would she go alone to a cabin with his friends when she had no desire to? Why would she not just contact a taxi to come get her when she clearly wanted to leave? They didn't seem all that far away from a town. Why did it take her so long to start doing more investigating on her own? This novel also was a very slow burner. As in it felt like it took 3/4 of the book to set the stage, and the final bit was a rushed mass of action. I would have preferred less talking/whining about people not listening, and more mystery solving.
Unfortunately, this just wasn't my cup of tea. Thanks to Amber and Danielle Brown, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 20, 2025
Out December 2nd, 2025
Iris is desperate for a break from the trauma that’s consumed her life since her mother’s death. When her partner invites her to a secluded lake house in the Catskills for a week with his close-knit group of friends, she jumps at the chance to escape. But arriving early, Iris witnesses something chilling: a blood-covered man burying something behind the deck in the dead of night. By morning, the scene is pristine, and she’s left questioning whether it was real or a product of her unraveling mind.
As the rest of the guests arrive, Iris tries to share what she saw, but her warnings fall on deaf ears. Her companions dismiss her concerns, and strange occurrences begin to mount—missing items, eerie noises, and a creeping sense that someone is watching her. The isolation of the house and the group's unwillingness to believe her push Iris to the edge. She begins to suspect that someone might be gaslighting her, or worse, that she’s losing her grip on reality.
Determined to uncover the truth, Iris plunges into a psychological game of cat and mouse. With paranoia rising and trust eroding, she must figure out whether there’s a killer among them or if the real danger lies within herself. As secrets unravel and tensions escalate, Iris is forced to confront the possibility that no one—not even her own mind—is safe.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Graydon House for this ARC!
Iris is desperate for a break from the trauma that’s consumed her life since her mother’s death. When her partner invites her to a secluded lake house in the Catskills for a week with his close-knit group of friends, she jumps at the chance to escape. But arriving early, Iris witnesses something chilling: a blood-covered man burying something behind the deck in the dead of night. By morning, the scene is pristine, and she’s left questioning whether it was real or a product of her unraveling mind.
As the rest of the guests arrive, Iris tries to share what she saw, but her warnings fall on deaf ears. Her companions dismiss her concerns, and strange occurrences begin to mount—missing items, eerie noises, and a creeping sense that someone is watching her. The isolation of the house and the group's unwillingness to believe her push Iris to the edge. She begins to suspect that someone might be gaslighting her, or worse, that she’s losing her grip on reality.
Determined to uncover the truth, Iris plunges into a psychological game of cat and mouse. With paranoia rising and trust eroding, she must figure out whether there’s a killer among them or if the real danger lies within herself. As secrets unravel and tensions escalate, Iris is forced to confront the possibility that no one—not even her own mind—is safe.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Graydon House for this ARC!
September 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC read. This was my first read by Danielle and Amber Brown.
If you want a quick read with friendship and relationship drama mixed with mystery and thriller vibes this is a great choice.
The story begins when Iris and her beau Eli plan to meet up for thier annual friends trip. Instead of at a destination island they are at Roman and Garrett's uncle Nolans reclusive residence. Nolan is out of the town for his annual trip so the friends have the house to themselves for the week. The house is located by a lake, has a hot tub, and a rec room to keep them busy.
Eli's grandmother has taken up ill so Iris is going to spend the week with all of Eli's friends but they don't act the same when Eli isn't there. Iris is not thrilled but willing to take a chance and make the best of it. She is at the house alone the night before and sees someone in a truck pull up and start digging and it appears they are buring something. The only thing is that Iris has issues sleeping because of a tramatic past and has taken her sleeping pills and left her glasses back in the city.
Can Iris trust what her eyes and mind are telling her she saw the night she was alone at the house or is all in her mind? Will her boyfriend's college friends believe her?
If you want a quick read with friendship and relationship drama mixed with mystery and thriller vibes this is a great choice.
The story begins when Iris and her beau Eli plan to meet up for thier annual friends trip. Instead of at a destination island they are at Roman and Garrett's uncle Nolans reclusive residence. Nolan is out of the town for his annual trip so the friends have the house to themselves for the week. The house is located by a lake, has a hot tub, and a rec room to keep them busy.
Eli's grandmother has taken up ill so Iris is going to spend the week with all of Eli's friends but they don't act the same when Eli isn't there. Iris is not thrilled but willing to take a chance and make the best of it. She is at the house alone the night before and sees someone in a truck pull up and start digging and it appears they are buring something. The only thing is that Iris has issues sleeping because of a tramatic past and has taken her sleeping pills and left her glasses back in the city.
Can Iris trust what her eyes and mind are telling her she saw the night she was alone at the house or is all in her mind? Will her boyfriend's college friends believe her?
September 19, 2025
The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown
RELEASE DATE: 12/02/2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Rating
Iris is not looking forward to the one year anniversary of her mother’s death or the vacation planned with her boyfriend’s friends. She’s never felt comfortable with them, and then he abandons her there to go check on his dying grandmother. While alone the 1st night, Iris witnesses a man burying something in the backyard. When everyone else shows up, they don’t believe what she saw. As Iris finds clues that prove what she saw everyone turns on her, including her boyfriend. In the blink of an eye, everyone is fighting for their lives and not able to trust each other.
Slow start to this thriller in which I kept yelling at FMC Iris to just walk away from the group she was with. The Browns captured a version of battered woman syndrome perfectly, which kept Iris sticking around while she was constantly bullied and talked down to by her boyfriend and his friends. Once I got 50% into this book, I couldn’t put it down. Chaos started and I didn’t even know who to trust. Was this all in Iris’ head? Or was someone else in the group to blame? I was surprised by the ending, but yet it all made total sense. This book had me holding my breath, heart pounding, and me screaming at the characters every time they split up. In my opinion, the perfect responses to a great thriller!
RELEASE DATE: 12/02/2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Rating
Iris is not looking forward to the one year anniversary of her mother’s death or the vacation planned with her boyfriend’s friends. She’s never felt comfortable with them, and then he abandons her there to go check on his dying grandmother. While alone the 1st night, Iris witnesses a man burying something in the backyard. When everyone else shows up, they don’t believe what she saw. As Iris finds clues that prove what she saw everyone turns on her, including her boyfriend. In the blink of an eye, everyone is fighting for their lives and not able to trust each other.
Slow start to this thriller in which I kept yelling at FMC Iris to just walk away from the group she was with. The Browns captured a version of battered woman syndrome perfectly, which kept Iris sticking around while she was constantly bullied and talked down to by her boyfriend and his friends. Once I got 50% into this book, I couldn’t put it down. Chaos started and I didn’t even know who to trust. Was this all in Iris’ head? Or was someone else in the group to blame? I was surprised by the ending, but yet it all made total sense. This book had me holding my breath, heart pounding, and me screaming at the characters every time they split up. In my opinion, the perfect responses to a great thriller!
September 21, 2025
Tension, tension, and more tension is what you feel with Amber and Danielle Brown's latest smash, The House Guests. I really loved this suspenseful drama.
The nearing anniversary of her mother's suicide has Iris already spinning out of control. Boyfriend, Eli suggests a week of relaxation and friends will help ease the stress. Unfortunately for Iiris, that's the furthest thing from the truth. Iris keeps stumbling upon strange happenings that no one else seems to be witness to. By the time the others come around to acknowledging the strange happenings, it may be too late to stop a dangerous psychopath.
This book was so awesome from start to finish. Edge of your seat action, lies, deceit, and twists are plentiful throughout the entire story. This was a perfectly paced story. The suspense had me glued to my seat, racing through to see how this would end. The ending was shocking and very well thought out. The characters were all unlikeable, including Iris. While I wanted to feel sorry for her, she was just annoyingly needy. After a few times of everyone mocking her, you'd think she'd keep her thoughts to herself whether they were right or not. This is a definite must-read for suspense lovers. I look forward to reading more of their books.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the advanced copy
The nearing anniversary of her mother's suicide has Iris already spinning out of control. Boyfriend, Eli suggests a week of relaxation and friends will help ease the stress. Unfortunately for Iiris, that's the furthest thing from the truth. Iris keeps stumbling upon strange happenings that no one else seems to be witness to. By the time the others come around to acknowledging the strange happenings, it may be too late to stop a dangerous psychopath.
This book was so awesome from start to finish. Edge of your seat action, lies, deceit, and twists are plentiful throughout the entire story. This was a perfectly paced story. The suspense had me glued to my seat, racing through to see how this would end. The ending was shocking and very well thought out. The characters were all unlikeable, including Iris. While I wanted to feel sorry for her, she was just annoyingly needy. After a few times of everyone mocking her, you'd think she'd keep her thoughts to herself whether they were right or not. This is a definite must-read for suspense lovers. I look forward to reading more of their books.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the advanced copy
October 6, 2025
I enjoyed the twists in this book, though I was annoyed by the main character more often than not. The story centers on Iris, who has been in a bad place since her mother's death a year ago when she is invited to an isolated cabin with her boyfriend and his tight-knit friend group. She thinks she sees something concerning but she can't find proof of it and the friends are all questioning her mental state. Is she losing the plot or are they all actually in danger?
I thought the book mostly moved at a fast clip though some of Iris's musings about her mother felt very repetitive to me. Iris really got on my nerves for most of the book but I do feel she had some growth and I was less irritated by her by the end. The book does spend some time going into the personal dynamics between the characters but I didn't really mind that- it helped me make some guesses as to what is really going on and who might be involved. There were a couple good twists and even though some of my guesses were proven right, I felt that the suspense was good. I like the way the book ended and felt that loose ends were tied up nicely, though it definitely wasn't a feel-good ending.
Overall, pretty decent read with good suspense and genuine creepiness at parts. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the book mostly moved at a fast clip though some of Iris's musings about her mother felt very repetitive to me. Iris really got on my nerves for most of the book but I do feel she had some growth and I was less irritated by her by the end. The book does spend some time going into the personal dynamics between the characters but I didn't really mind that- it helped me make some guesses as to what is really going on and who might be involved. There were a couple good twists and even though some of my guesses were proven right, I felt that the suspense was good. I like the way the book ended and felt that loose ends were tied up nicely, though it definitely wasn't a feel-good ending.
Overall, pretty decent read with good suspense and genuine creepiness at parts. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2025
Iris has had a difficult year. She witnessed her mother's traumatic death and has been suffering from nightmares ever since—when she can sleep at all. Her boyfriend has stayed by her side, doing everything he can to support her throughout the year. Seeing how much she is struggling, he convinces Iris to take a trip with him and his friends to a lake house owned by family. It would be the perfect opportunity for some rest and relaxation.
Iris arrives at the lake house before anyone else and spends the first night there alone. She sees someone burying something in the backyard, but when the others arrive, they are reluctant to believe her. That's when things start to get even stranger. Everyone seems to think Iris is going insane, and she begins to wonder if there is a possible killer among them or if her mind is playing tricks on her.
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
The premise of this story was decent, but the characters were cringe-worthy and unlikable. I did not enjoy a single character. There was excessive and unnecessary drama in the plot, and the storyline felt like it was all over the place. At times, there was simply too much happening. Overall, this book was not for me.
Iris arrives at the lake house before anyone else and spends the first night there alone. She sees someone burying something in the backyard, but when the others arrive, they are reluctant to believe her. That's when things start to get even stranger. Everyone seems to think Iris is going insane, and she begins to wonder if there is a possible killer among them or if her mind is playing tricks on her.
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
The premise of this story was decent, but the characters were cringe-worthy and unlikable. I did not enjoy a single character. There was excessive and unnecessary drama in the plot, and the storyline felt like it was all over the place. At times, there was simply too much happening. Overall, this book was not for me.
November 12, 2025
🚪 No one’s around for miles… and that’s exactly the problem.
From the very first page, The House Guests grips you by the throat and refuses to let go. When Iris retreats to a secluded lake house hoping for rest, she instead steps straight into a waking nightmare. A blood-soaked man. A disturbed patch of earth. And in the morning—nothing. No trace. No proof. Just the creeping sense that she’s being watched… and no one believes her.
This book is pure psychological chaos—the kind that makes you question every shadow, every sound, every memory. The tension is electric and the isolation palpable. As Iris’s paranoia deepens, so does yours. Is she unraveling, or is something far more sinister unfolding within those dark woods?
Fans of Freida McFadden and Alice Feeney will devour this one. It’s eerie, atmospheric, and drenched in suspense—the perfect blend of cabin fever and creeping dread.
🩸 Final Verdict: 5 stars for the goosebumps that didn’t fade after the last page.
Trust no one. Believe nothing. And maybe… don’t go to the lake.
#TheHouseGuests #ThrillerBooks #BookstagramReads #PsychologicalThriller #DarkReads #BookReview #TwistyReads #AmberAndDanielleBrown #Bookstagram #ThrillerObsessed #ReadInTheDark
From the very first page, The House Guests grips you by the throat and refuses to let go. When Iris retreats to a secluded lake house hoping for rest, she instead steps straight into a waking nightmare. A blood-soaked man. A disturbed patch of earth. And in the morning—nothing. No trace. No proof. Just the creeping sense that she’s being watched… and no one believes her.
This book is pure psychological chaos—the kind that makes you question every shadow, every sound, every memory. The tension is electric and the isolation palpable. As Iris’s paranoia deepens, so does yours. Is she unraveling, or is something far more sinister unfolding within those dark woods?
Fans of Freida McFadden and Alice Feeney will devour this one. It’s eerie, atmospheric, and drenched in suspense—the perfect blend of cabin fever and creeping dread.
🩸 Final Verdict: 5 stars for the goosebumps that didn’t fade after the last page.
Trust no one. Believe nothing. And maybe… don’t go to the lake.
#TheHouseGuests #ThrillerBooks #BookstagramReads #PsychologicalThriller #DarkReads #BookReview #TwistyReads #AmberAndDanielleBrown #Bookstagram #ThrillerObsessed #ReadInTheDark
Want to read
November 21, 20253.5⭐️
This is another book where the premise outweighed the execution. I love the idea of a girl being left alone with her boyfriends friends who she doesn't know well at an isolated location. This was a scenario that I was almost excited for the gaslighting that was clearly going to take place and was interested in how Iris was going to prove herself.
But almost right off the bat so many decisions were made that made absolutely no sense. Iris' huge blow up about a missing hair tie really did her no favors and it made sense why no one believed anything she said after that. The way someone was almost always screaming in terror was off putting, as was the over the top way everyone was just so mean to Iris. The fact that she so willing stayed in that relationship regardless of how badly his friends treated her was wild to me. The way everyone lied for such a long time was also completely unbelievable. Everything in this was so over the top to the point it felt like a parody almost made this feel very juvenile. Thanks Netgalley and Graydon House for providing this ARC to me!
This is another book where the premise outweighed the execution. I love the idea of a girl being left alone with her boyfriends friends who she doesn't know well at an isolated location. This was a scenario that I was almost excited for the gaslighting that was clearly going to take place and was interested in how Iris was going to prove herself.
But almost right off the bat so many decisions were made that made absolutely no sense. Iris' huge blow up about a missing hair tie really did her no favors and it made sense why no one believed anything she said after that. The way someone was almost always screaming in terror was off putting, as was the over the top way everyone was just so mean to Iris. The fact that she so willing stayed in that relationship regardless of how badly his friends treated her was wild to me. The way everyone lied for such a long time was also completely unbelievable. Everything in this was so over the top to the point it felt like a parody almost made this feel very juvenile. Thanks Netgalley and Graydon House for providing this ARC to me!
December 2, 2025
Rating: 4 ☆
Pub date: 12/2/25
Thank you @harlequinbooks / @htp_hive the ARC!
The House Guests is one of those thrillers that pulls you in from the very first page and keeps you questioning everyone right alongside Iris. After a year of grief and sleepless nights, Iris heads to a secluded lake house hoping for rest—but instead walks straight into a waking nightmare. The authors do an incredible job blurring the line between reality and paranoia. Every eerie moment, every odd detail, every dismissive response from the other guests had me feeling just as unsettled as Iris.
The slow-burn tension builds beautifully until it becomes a full-on game of cat and mouse that kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime. It’s atmospheric, twisty, and full of “wait… what?!” moments. If you love thrillers set in remote cabins with unreliable characters and a creeping sense that something is very, very wrong, this one delivers.
A gripping, edge-of-your-seat read that makes you question what’s real—and who you can trust. 🧐 I was shook by the end!
Pub date: 12/2/25
Thank you @harlequinbooks / @htp_hive the ARC!
The House Guests is one of those thrillers that pulls you in from the very first page and keeps you questioning everyone right alongside Iris. After a year of grief and sleepless nights, Iris heads to a secluded lake house hoping for rest—but instead walks straight into a waking nightmare. The authors do an incredible job blurring the line between reality and paranoia. Every eerie moment, every odd detail, every dismissive response from the other guests had me feeling just as unsettled as Iris.
The slow-burn tension builds beautifully until it becomes a full-on game of cat and mouse that kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime. It’s atmospheric, twisty, and full of “wait… what?!” moments. If you love thrillers set in remote cabins with unreliable characters and a creeping sense that something is very, very wrong, this one delivers.
A gripping, edge-of-your-seat read that makes you question what’s real—and who you can trust. 🧐 I was shook by the end!
October 6, 2025
“The House Guests” by Amber and Danielle Brown was a fast pace book, that definitely kept your attention and focus, however, by the middle of the book, as the reader, I felt like the storyline was going in circles and the plot of the story wasn’t getting any where. I’ll have to say I wasn’t surprised by the ending, however, I wish it would have went a different way or at least been written to where it wasn’t visible on what was going to happen and by whom. Since there are multiple characters in the book, there are several different storylines, which made the book interested and I was also able to keep up with all of the different storylines; which is a plus. If you’re looking for a quick read, about betrayal amongst friends, with a twist of death. “The House Guests” is a good one to consider.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC of “The House Guests” by Amber and Danielle Brown.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC of “The House Guests” by Amber and Danielle Brown.
October 31, 2025
What do you do when something is wrong—and no one believes you?
Iris is struggling. The one-year anniversary of her abusive mother’s brutal death—a death she witnessed—is fast approaching. The trauma of her childhood and that horrific night still shadow every part of her life.
A weeklong getaway with friends was supposed to be an escape. Instead, it’s turning into a nightmare. Iris begins noticing things that don’t add up—signs that something is very, very wrong—but her friends dismiss her, laugh her off, and urge her to “just relax.”
Can she trust her own sleep-deprived mind? Why can’t she let it go, like everyone keeps telling her to? And could their remote cabin really be connected to a string of unsolved murders in the area, as her late-night research suggests?
Fans of psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators will find plenty to unravel in The House Guests—a story that keeps you guessing what’s real, what’s imagined, and who, if anyone, can be trusted.
Iris is struggling. The one-year anniversary of her abusive mother’s brutal death—a death she witnessed—is fast approaching. The trauma of her childhood and that horrific night still shadow every part of her life.
A weeklong getaway with friends was supposed to be an escape. Instead, it’s turning into a nightmare. Iris begins noticing things that don’t add up—signs that something is very, very wrong—but her friends dismiss her, laugh her off, and urge her to “just relax.”
Can she trust her own sleep-deprived mind? Why can’t she let it go, like everyone keeps telling her to? And could their remote cabin really be connected to a string of unsolved murders in the area, as her late-night research suggests?
Fans of psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators will find plenty to unravel in The House Guests—a story that keeps you guessing what’s real, what’s imagined, and who, if anyone, can be trusted.
November 4, 2025
Though this was a predictable book, I still found it to be a very compulsive read. The pacing was great! I definitely enjoy an unreliable narrator! All I can say is poor Iris! She thinks she’s going away for a fun weekend with friends and ends up in an isolated cabin full of dysfunction and murder! I had the killer figured out pretty early on, but I still think the authors did a great job making everyone look guilty, including Iris! I still don’t fully understand the killers motivations and I really wish I did. There is definitely a lot of really dark stuff going on.
Besides the murder mystery and isolation, there is also lots of relationship drama! I won’t say much about that because I don’t want to spoil anything.
Overall, this is an engaging murder mystery! If you don’t mind a little predictability and you’re a fan of unreliable narrators and isolated settings then I recommend picking up a copy of this book!
Besides the murder mystery and isolation, there is also lots of relationship drama! I won’t say much about that because I don’t want to spoil anything.
Overall, this is an engaging murder mystery! If you don’t mind a little predictability and you’re a fan of unreliable narrators and isolated settings then I recommend picking up a copy of this book!
November 14, 2025
1.5 stars rounded up.
This book had all the makings of an incredible thriller — a remote house, no one around for miles, a toxic friend group, & creepy things happening. 👀
I was in… until I wasn’t.
Every other line was an analogy or a metaphor — and not the fun kind, but the eye-roll-into-the-next-dimension kind. 😩 By the end, it hurt to listen to… like being slowly attacked by a thesaurus with a flair for drama. 😂📚
Someone said this book reminded them of that commercial where the group can choose between a running car or a garage full of chainsaws — & they pick the chainsaws. 💀 Yep. That’s this book.
The bones were there, but it just went off the rails. 🚂 So bummed.
🖤 The Scoop
NO ONE’S AROUND FOR MILES…
One year ago, Iris’s world turned upside down. Haunted by nightmares of her mother’s death, she’s a sleep-deprived, jittery mess. So when she gets the chance to join her partner & his friends at a remote lake house, she jumps at it.
But when she arrives early, she sees a blood-covered man burying something in the mud behind the cabin… & then it’s just gone by morning. As weird things start stacking up, no one believes her — maybe she’s being gaslit… or maybe there’s really a killer among them.
Thanks so much to @htpbooks @harlequinaudio & @thehivebooks for this audio ARC 🎧 Out December 2, 2025.
This book had all the makings of an incredible thriller — a remote house, no one around for miles, a toxic friend group, & creepy things happening. 👀
I was in… until I wasn’t.
Every other line was an analogy or a metaphor — and not the fun kind, but the eye-roll-into-the-next-dimension kind. 😩 By the end, it hurt to listen to… like being slowly attacked by a thesaurus with a flair for drama. 😂📚
Someone said this book reminded them of that commercial where the group can choose between a running car or a garage full of chainsaws — & they pick the chainsaws. 💀 Yep. That’s this book.
The bones were there, but it just went off the rails. 🚂 So bummed.
🖤 The Scoop
NO ONE’S AROUND FOR MILES…
One year ago, Iris’s world turned upside down. Haunted by nightmares of her mother’s death, she’s a sleep-deprived, jittery mess. So when she gets the chance to join her partner & his friends at a remote lake house, she jumps at it.
But when she arrives early, she sees a blood-covered man burying something in the mud behind the cabin… & then it’s just gone by morning. As weird things start stacking up, no one believes her — maybe she’s being gaslit… or maybe there’s really a killer among them.
Thanks so much to @htpbooks @harlequinaudio & @thehivebooks for this audio ARC 🎧 Out December 2, 2025.
November 16, 2025
Image a remote cabin in the woods, the need to get away from reality as you're approaching the anniversary of the most haunting and traumatic event of your life. Friends, fun, relaxing - what more could you really ask for?
Only instead you find yourself alone on the first night, missing your glasses and trying to piece together how you woke up in the closet. As the days progress you don't know if your meds are totally messing with your mind or if someone else is. There is nothing like feeling like you're spiraling when there's no one to talk to and no where to go! It isn't just the trust issues that pull us down with Iris, it's the whole group of "friends" with their off putting fake attitudes.
I questioned everyone's motives with this one and had to wait until the very end for resolve. There was so much to unpack and I loved sorting it all out. So many personalities and details to sift through, I wasn't sure if anything was really as it seemed.
One not to be missed!!
Only instead you find yourself alone on the first night, missing your glasses and trying to piece together how you woke up in the closet. As the days progress you don't know if your meds are totally messing with your mind or if someone else is. There is nothing like feeling like you're spiraling when there's no one to talk to and no where to go! It isn't just the trust issues that pull us down with Iris, it's the whole group of "friends" with their off putting fake attitudes.
I questioned everyone's motives with this one and had to wait until the very end for resolve. There was so much to unpack and I loved sorting it all out. So many personalities and details to sift through, I wasn't sure if anything was really as it seemed.
One not to be missed!!
October 4, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The House Guest captivated my interest right from the very beginning. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. The pacing was strong and the suspense kept me hooked.
I will admit that a little past the middle, the story leaned heavily into everyone’s personal relationship issues. At times it felt like it dug a little too deep there, but I think that was intentional designed to throw us off track and keep us from focusing too much on who the real killer was. And then the ending landed with a hard punch that made it worth the wait.
This was my first time reading Amber and Danielle Brown, and I’m glad I picked this one up. It was a solid, entertaining read for me, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for their future books.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The House Guest captivated my interest right from the very beginning. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. The pacing was strong and the suspense kept me hooked.
I will admit that a little past the middle, the story leaned heavily into everyone’s personal relationship issues. At times it felt like it dug a little too deep there, but I think that was intentional designed to throw us off track and keep us from focusing too much on who the real killer was. And then the ending landed with a hard punch that made it worth the wait.
This was my first time reading Amber and Danielle Brown, and I’m glad I picked this one up. It was a solid, entertaining read for me, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for their future books.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2025
🖤 Bookish Thoughts
This was so good! I read it in one sitting. It’s your classic unreliable narrator, but there was something about Iris that made you believe her. Also, her “friends” were so awful to her that you were in her corner from the start! And her trauma with her mom is so intense that you’re living her emotions with her. I couldn’t stop reading.
I just know the audiobook will be fire and can’t wait to get listen when it releases!
📖 What to Expect
• Remote lake house
• Gaslighting
• Unreliable narrator
• Isolated thriller
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5
📅 Pub Date: December 2, 2025
📝 Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was so good! I read it in one sitting. It’s your classic unreliable narrator, but there was something about Iris that made you believe her. Also, her “friends” were so awful to her that you were in her corner from the start! And her trauma with her mom is so intense that you’re living her emotions with her. I couldn’t stop reading.
I just know the audiobook will be fire and can’t wait to get listen when it releases!
📖 What to Expect
• Remote lake house
• Gaslighting
• Unreliable narrator
• Isolated thriller
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5
📅 Pub Date: December 2, 2025
📝 Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
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