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Guests
After the death of the woman who raised him and the realization that the girl he loves will never love him back, young Mark Callahan decides it's time to leave the small harbor town of Miriam's Cove for good. All that remains is one last shift at The Windcrest Hotel, a seaside resort that has seen better days.
Tonight, with a ferocious winter storm bearing down on them, there are few staff and fewer guests, until a last-minute booking takes everyone by surprise. There's a small yellow tour bus bound for The Windcrest and soon the hotel will find itself under siege by something much worse than the storm.
Tonight, with a ferocious winter storm bearing down on them, there are few staff and fewer guests, until a last-minute booking takes everyone by surprise. There's a small yellow tour bus bound for The Windcrest and soon the hotel will find itself under siege by something much worse than the storm.
131 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2022
72 people are currently reading
1390 people want to read
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
194 books2,324 followersHailed by Booklist as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
July 15, 2024
The Orchard is the Gateway...
GUESTS by Kealan Patrick Burke
No spoilers. 3 stars. This is a snowbound story about Demeter's eternal servants as told by a hotel bartender...
On his last night...
... working the Ocean Room Bar at the old Windcrest Hotel, bartender Mark and the other snowbound employees greet a bus load of seniors just arriving...
But...
One of the golden oldies didn't quite make it; He died on the bus screaming...
Mark didn't understand just what he was witnessing at the time, but he would always have nightmares later about what he saw...
Meanwhile...
Later that night, a sigh came from the back of the bus in the vicinity of the dead passenger, followed by a creak...
The bus driver told Mark: Tonight you saw the guests, and they saw you...
The orchard is the gateway to salvation, so pardon me while I swallow a few apple seeds and slip into something more comfortable...
I really liked the ideas behind this story, I just found it to be overloaded with too much fluff and filler to wade through to get to the good stuff.
More of a novella, this could have been such a good story, but all the added and unnecessary word count killed it for me.
GUESTS by Kealan Patrick Burke
No spoilers. 3 stars. This is a snowbound story about Demeter's eternal servants as told by a hotel bartender...
On his last night...
... working the Ocean Room Bar at the old Windcrest Hotel, bartender Mark and the other snowbound employees greet a bus load of seniors just arriving...
But...
One of the golden oldies didn't quite make it; He died on the bus screaming...
Mark didn't understand just what he was witnessing at the time, but he would always have nightmares later about what he saw...
Meanwhile...
Later that night, a sigh came from the back of the bus in the vicinity of the dead passenger, followed by a creak...
The bus driver told Mark: Tonight you saw the guests, and they saw you...
The orchard is the gateway to salvation, so pardon me while I swallow a few apple seeds and slip into something more comfortable...
I really liked the ideas behind this story, I just found it to be overloaded with too much fluff and filler to wade through to get to the good stuff.
More of a novella, this could have been such a good story, but all the added and unnecessary word count killed it for me.
January 19, 2023
While a bit slow at the get-go, this novella picks up speed as the horrors that are presented begin to inspire dread and curiosity. Overall, a solid and involving read for a windy, snow-swept evening.
January 17, 2023
Kealan Patrick Burke’s writing style has always connected with me like no other, and Guests was no different. It starts, almost poetically, covering the subject of grief as the protagonist Mark has just lost his grandmother. As the story unfolds, it approaches the subject of death as a whole and what would happen if the dead refused to die. If they had a chance to live again. It makes the reader really think about mortality.
The only reason I gave this a 4 star and not 5 is that, to me, it took a little bit too long to get into the horror. Once it did however, it takes us racing towards a satisfying ending. It was well-seeded throughout however and the themes overall were covered very well.
”Grief is dishonest and irrational. It makes us believe we would do anything to restore the natural order as we perceive it, even though it is the very same order that extinguishes the ones we love. And should our wish be fulfilled and the dead return, we’d be left to answer for denying them their peace just so we could be spared their anguish.
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January 6, 2023GUESTS by Kealan Patrick Burke
Release date: January 1st, 2023
General genre: Adult Horror
Subgenre: (too spoilery to disclose details)
Writing Style: character-driven, intricately plotted
What you need to know: After attending the funeral of his grandmother who raised him, Mark decides to work one last shift at the hotel where he's employed. It's the off-season, shouldn't be too busy and mark can say his goodbyes to some of his co-workers that he's grown attached to-except there is one booking scheduled for that evening. Eight guests. After they arrive, Mark realizes his life will never be the same.
My Reading Experience: I saw this was 131 pages so I read it on a whim this morning when I woke up. Classic Kealan Patrick Burke storytelling--immediately absorbing. Even though this is fast-paced, time is spent developing the characters and their relationships.
I loved the setup here. A remote hotel in the off-season, running with a skeleton crew. No guests except the preparation for one booking of eight people coming in later that evening.
Before the guests arrive, Burke establishes a dynamic between the staff members that come into play later. Once the mysterious guests arrive, the story speeds toward the climax. Burke's horror is always entertaining and reliable. I know exactly what I'm going to get when I buy one of his novellas/novelettes or read a short story. The writing is always skilled, the story imaginative and nuanced, developed characters I can invest in, and well-executed scares.
My final recommendation: Winter Horror, perfect time to read this book during a storm, cozied up by the fire.
Comps: Dead of Winter by Kealan Patric Burke, Snow by Ronald Malfi, The Vessel by Adam Nevill, Nana by Mark Towse, The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn
Release date: January 1st, 2023
General genre: Adult Horror
Subgenre: (too spoilery to disclose details)
Writing Style: character-driven, intricately plotted
What you need to know: After attending the funeral of his grandmother who raised him, Mark decides to work one last shift at the hotel where he's employed. It's the off-season, shouldn't be too busy and mark can say his goodbyes to some of his co-workers that he's grown attached to-except there is one booking scheduled for that evening. Eight guests. After they arrive, Mark realizes his life will never be the same.
My Reading Experience: I saw this was 131 pages so I read it on a whim this morning when I woke up. Classic Kealan Patrick Burke storytelling--immediately absorbing. Even though this is fast-paced, time is spent developing the characters and their relationships.
I loved the setup here. A remote hotel in the off-season, running with a skeleton crew. No guests except the preparation for one booking of eight people coming in later that evening.
Before the guests arrive, Burke establishes a dynamic between the staff members that come into play later. Once the mysterious guests arrive, the story speeds toward the climax. Burke's horror is always entertaining and reliable. I know exactly what I'm going to get when I buy one of his novellas/novelettes or read a short story. The writing is always skilled, the story imaginative and nuanced, developed characters I can invest in, and well-executed scares.
My final recommendation: Winter Horror, perfect time to read this book during a storm, cozied up by the fire.
Comps: Dead of Winter by Kealan Patric Burke, Snow by Ronald Malfi, The Vessel by Adam Nevill, Nana by Mark Towse, The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn
December 22, 2023
Another great short story by Kealan Patrick Burke!
Guests starts off with Mark Callahan going through the heartbreaking rituals of a funeral.
His grandma Magda has passed away and she's the only family Mark has known for most of his life. Besides Magda dying, Mark comes to realize that the woman he loves will not feel the same.
He finally decides to make a new start. He's moving away from Miriam's Cove, a small harbor town that he's lived in for most of his life.
Not wanting to be alone on the night of the funeral, he decides to go into work one last time to keep his mind occupied. He works as a bartender at The Windcrest, one of the only hotels in the area.
While heading there, an epic snowstorm blows into town.
At the same time, a small tour bus has come in out of the storm, and the occupants are more than what they appear to be.
I enjoyed reading Guests and love how Burke throws strange circumstances in the plot for the reader, along with the character of Mark, and we're battling isolation, paranoia and sanity with him at the same time. Good stuff!!
The beginning of Guests takes a bit to get going but once the plot is set, the horror, creep factor and unease builds to a great ending. In fact, I loved the ending on this one!
I love the writing by Burke and excited to read more by him in the future!
Guests starts off with Mark Callahan going through the heartbreaking rituals of a funeral.
His grandma Magda has passed away and she's the only family Mark has known for most of his life. Besides Magda dying, Mark comes to realize that the woman he loves will not feel the same.
He finally decides to make a new start. He's moving away from Miriam's Cove, a small harbor town that he's lived in for most of his life.
Not wanting to be alone on the night of the funeral, he decides to go into work one last time to keep his mind occupied. He works as a bartender at The Windcrest, one of the only hotels in the area.
While heading there, an epic snowstorm blows into town.
At the same time, a small tour bus has come in out of the storm, and the occupants are more than what they appear to be.
I enjoyed reading Guests and love how Burke throws strange circumstances in the plot for the reader, along with the character of Mark, and we're battling isolation, paranoia and sanity with him at the same time. Good stuff!!
The beginning of Guests takes a bit to get going but once the plot is set, the horror, creep factor and unease builds to a great ending. In fact, I loved the ending on this one!
I love the writing by Burke and excited to read more by him in the future!
January 27, 2023
GUESTS, by Kealan Patrick Burke, was a little slow to start out, but once it took off, there was no putting it down! In the middle of a snowstorm, a group of sick, elderly people emerge from a tour bus at a hotel, for seemingly no reason at all. The small staff there note the strangeness of the situation, but with nowhere to go, there isn't much to do but go about their usual routine.
This story really packed a punch. Everything from the emotional turmoil of burying one's only remaining relative, to the vast thought of "where do I go from here", unrequited love; then add in the odd busload of passengers who look as if they're about to drop at any moment, and you have yourself a book you'll read in a single sitting.
I can't go into more details without giving away the plot, but suffice to say this author is a master at his craft. The ending of the story just refuses to leave my mind, and makes me wonder....
Recommended.
This story really packed a punch. Everything from the emotional turmoil of burying one's only remaining relative, to the vast thought of "where do I go from here", unrequited love; then add in the odd busload of passengers who look as if they're about to drop at any moment, and you have yourself a book you'll read in a single sitting.
I can't go into more details without giving away the plot, but suffice to say this author is a master at his craft. The ending of the story just refuses to leave my mind, and makes me wonder....
Recommended.
January 4, 2023
Now, it may look like all I’m reading at the moment is Kealan Patrick Burke stuff, but the truth is – I had expected to finish the Stage Whispers omnibus at the end of 2022 (but I didn’t after getting super sick) and totally forgot his newest one was arriving January 1st. It’s very rare for me to be reading multiple books by the same author at the same time, but I’ll make the exception for Kealan.
‘Guests’ was originally released as a signed/limited Suntup edition in Summer 2022, but luckily for the rest of us, we didn’t have to wait long for a ‘mass-market’ release. When the cover was revealed, there was a collective excitement across the social media platforms over the snowy setting, the figure walking and the strange ‘tentacles’ emanating from them.
What I liked: The story follows Mark Callahan, a young man who is dealing with the recent death of his grandmother. She was his everything and now that she’s gone, he sees that he doesn’t really have anything holding him to the small town he lives in. He has a job – at the hotel – and has a love – who has a boyfriend – and he just no longer thinks his life is in this place.
All seems well, if not topsy-turvy for Mark. But, this is a horror novella. With a huge snow storm about to pummel the area, Mark goes in for one last shift and on this shift, a strange group of seniors make a sudden booking.
It’s from here that Kealan works his magic. We get coworker drama, interpersonal drama and the impending sense that something is horribly wrong with these guests. Even with a shorter page count, Kealan allows these characters space to grow and let us know them and root for them. There’s some really tense scenes between Mark and the hotel manager, years of boss-employee anger coming to the front and erupting and this gives it that extra layer of storytelling. This isn’t simply a ‘it snows and people die’ story, no this has depth and emotions that weave its way through each and every page.
The ending worked really well for me. It might be a miss for others, but there’s a two-part wrap up that not only gave us a brief backstory of the ‘what’ but also shares with the reader what happens beyond the events and just how much Mark was looking for life long love.
What I didn’t like: While the ending worked for me, I think it’ll be the thing that makes it or breaks it for most readers. I loved how we got little bits of the ‘what’ but it wasn’t fully revealed and for some readers that can be a frustration.
Why you should buy this: If you love Kealan’s work – buy it. If you love cold, snowstorm based stories – buy it. If you love creepy folks who have an ulterior motive and when that motive is revealed you’ll be repulsed – buy it. This one is a fast, crisp story that had me desperately wanting to know what happens while wishing the story never ended.
Great stuff.
‘Guests’ was originally released as a signed/limited Suntup edition in Summer 2022, but luckily for the rest of us, we didn’t have to wait long for a ‘mass-market’ release. When the cover was revealed, there was a collective excitement across the social media platforms over the snowy setting, the figure walking and the strange ‘tentacles’ emanating from them.
What I liked: The story follows Mark Callahan, a young man who is dealing with the recent death of his grandmother. She was his everything and now that she’s gone, he sees that he doesn’t really have anything holding him to the small town he lives in. He has a job – at the hotel – and has a love – who has a boyfriend – and he just no longer thinks his life is in this place.
All seems well, if not topsy-turvy for Mark. But, this is a horror novella. With a huge snow storm about to pummel the area, Mark goes in for one last shift and on this shift, a strange group of seniors make a sudden booking.
It’s from here that Kealan works his magic. We get coworker drama, interpersonal drama and the impending sense that something is horribly wrong with these guests. Even with a shorter page count, Kealan allows these characters space to grow and let us know them and root for them. There’s some really tense scenes between Mark and the hotel manager, years of boss-employee anger coming to the front and erupting and this gives it that extra layer of storytelling. This isn’t simply a ‘it snows and people die’ story, no this has depth and emotions that weave its way through each and every page.
The ending worked really well for me. It might be a miss for others, but there’s a two-part wrap up that not only gave us a brief backstory of the ‘what’ but also shares with the reader what happens beyond the events and just how much Mark was looking for life long love.
What I didn’t like: While the ending worked for me, I think it’ll be the thing that makes it or breaks it for most readers. I loved how we got little bits of the ‘what’ but it wasn’t fully revealed and for some readers that can be a frustration.
Why you should buy this: If you love Kealan’s work – buy it. If you love cold, snowstorm based stories – buy it. If you love creepy folks who have an ulterior motive and when that motive is revealed you’ll be repulsed – buy it. This one is a fast, crisp story that had me desperately wanting to know what happens while wishing the story never ended.
Great stuff.
February 16, 2023
Grandma really does know best. <3
I really enjoyed this story and especially the deeper message at the end.
OH and that visual of Oxygen Man?!
Seriously creepy AF and I loved it!
I really enjoyed this story and especially the deeper message at the end.
OH and that visual of Oxygen Man?!
Seriously creepy AF and I loved it!
September 3, 2024
I’m not sure how this novella by Kealan Patrick Burke slipped under my radar, but ‘better late than never’ will be my epitaph, as I am constantly catching up! I have been a fan of Burke’s work for a long time; he is an amazing storyteller, he really knows how to find the horror in the mundane and grief is a theme he has explored often, with chilling results.
Mark’s grandmother passed away, and between this lost and the realization that the girl he loves will never love him back, he decides he is done with this small town and needs to move on. He decides that spending the evening alone at home after his grandmother’s funeral is a bad call, so he decides to go into work, as a bartender at a seaside resort past his prime. An epic snowstorm rolls into town, and while the guests and staff start going home, those who stay behind are surprised to welcome a last-minute group reservation…
Sure, Burke spends some time setting up the story, and maybe a few details could have been dropped, but once it gets going… If you’ve read other works by Burke before, you know he cranks up tension and horror elements very skillfully. I think he is also especially good a shorter form stories, and this novella is perfectly sized for an evening – though I would recommend reading it in summer…
As is often the case with him, Burke wraps up his story with a strange and unsettling twist. While this novella may not be his best work, it would be a wonderful introduction if you’ve never read his stories before, and if you have enjoyed his twisted imagination in the past, don’t miss this one!
Mark’s grandmother passed away, and between this lost and the realization that the girl he loves will never love him back, he decides he is done with this small town and needs to move on. He decides that spending the evening alone at home after his grandmother’s funeral is a bad call, so he decides to go into work, as a bartender at a seaside resort past his prime. An epic snowstorm rolls into town, and while the guests and staff start going home, those who stay behind are surprised to welcome a last-minute group reservation…
Sure, Burke spends some time setting up the story, and maybe a few details could have been dropped, but once it gets going… If you’ve read other works by Burke before, you know he cranks up tension and horror elements very skillfully. I think he is also especially good a shorter form stories, and this novella is perfectly sized for an evening – though I would recommend reading it in summer…
As is often the case with him, Burke wraps up his story with a strange and unsettling twist. While this novella may not be his best work, it would be a wonderful introduction if you’ve never read his stories before, and if you have enjoyed his twisted imagination in the past, don’t miss this one!
December 12, 2023
I’ve become a big fan of Burke over the last year plus. I read Sour Candy in one sitting last year and it blew me away. This book started off that way, building up with a sense of dread as we awaited to see where it was heading. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It has a lot of heart and deals with topics such as loss in a way that really has you feeling for the protagonist Mark. What held it back from 5 stars for me was really the final act. It was solid, but I really wanted more from it. I fully expected the characters to battle the elements a lot more with the awful storm that essentially trapped them at the hotel. There were some genuinely creepy scenes, and one thing Burke does so well is leave some of the horror “off camera,” allowing the characters to discover situations that we didn’t get to see happen. This is a solid 4.5 star book, and one that id absolutely recommend!
November 16, 2023
“ ‘Won’t you let me in? I’m cold.’ ”
This started out fantastic--emotional, steady pacing, slow-building dread--and then it ended before it really got started. I would've loved for this to have been just another 50-100 pages longer. I loved the sense of isolation, the wintery setting, the suspicious "guests", the somewhat culty vibes. And then it all just concluded. The ending itself was actually pretty great, I just think it wrapped up too quickly. So I'm giving this 3.5/5 stars.
This started out fantastic--emotional, steady pacing, slow-building dread--and then it ended before it really got started. I would've loved for this to have been just another 50-100 pages longer. I loved the sense of isolation, the wintery setting, the suspicious "guests", the somewhat culty vibes. And then it all just concluded. The ending itself was actually pretty great, I just think it wrapped up too quickly. So I'm giving this 3.5/5 stars.
April 20, 2023
Mark is grieving the loss of his grandmother when the decision suddenly hits him that it's time to leave town. Grandma was the only reason he stayed so long, and the woman he is in love with has no idea how he feels because she's in love with someone else. What's worse is that she and her boyfriend are his co-workers, and it's just too painful to see them together every day. With nothing to keep him, he decides that this will be his last night at work. When we first meet his boss it made me wonder how he managed not to quit sooner!
It should have been a slow night at the hotel, what with the bitter cold and the snowstorm on the way. But some last minute travelers are booked in for the night. A group of sickly-looking elderly people have chosen this night to book their stay. They've come from a nursing home but the hotel workers are told they don't need any supervision or anyone to take care of them.
Things get creepy-immediately upon their arrival but with the snow piling up and the phone service knocked out there really is no escape and no help is coming.
This was a quick and creepy read that explores death, grief, love, and what one may or may not be willing to do for a second chance at life. The cast of characters is small enough to get to know everyone, and they are unique and unforgettable which, makes it easy to keep track of who they are. Winter storms are one of my favorite settings for horror novels. That claustrophobic sense of being trapped with no way to get help just gives me the heebie-jeebies every time. There were also some words of wisdom about grief and mourning which really hit home with me.
It should have been a slow night at the hotel, what with the bitter cold and the snowstorm on the way. But some last minute travelers are booked in for the night. A group of sickly-looking elderly people have chosen this night to book their stay. They've come from a nursing home but the hotel workers are told they don't need any supervision or anyone to take care of them.
Things get creepy-immediately upon their arrival but with the snow piling up and the phone service knocked out there really is no escape and no help is coming.
This was a quick and creepy read that explores death, grief, love, and what one may or may not be willing to do for a second chance at life. The cast of characters is small enough to get to know everyone, and they are unique and unforgettable which, makes it easy to keep track of who they are. Winter storms are one of my favorite settings for horror novels. That claustrophobic sense of being trapped with no way to get help just gives me the heebie-jeebies every time. There were also some words of wisdom about grief and mourning which really hit home with me.
January 4, 2023
Kealan Patrick Burke packs a surprising amount of depth and scares into the 130 pages that comprise Guests. There's loss, grief, longing for an unrequited love, finding your way in the world in the wake of tragedy, and attempts at recapturing one's youth. There's also a snowstorm that's trapped the handful of last-minute guests and short-staffed workers in a hotel, which generally makes for a fun, classic horror trope, but double so in Burke's skilled hands. He blends in a few other tropes that make for some truly frightening fun, but to say much more would spoil it all.
The writing here is tack sharp, pared-down with words neither minced nor wasted. Burke turns out a few cool gems along the way, particularly the wry observation that "The old get old because they pulled off a miracle and didn’t let life kill them."
Even better, though, is Burke's unassailable skill at crafting a creeping, rising dread. He introduces a number of peculiarities, letting them settle one atop another until we're drawn into a frenetic chaos. Guests is a slow boil, but once it heats up, it blows the lid off good and proper!
The writing here is tack sharp, pared-down with words neither minced nor wasted. Burke turns out a few cool gems along the way, particularly the wry observation that "The old get old because they pulled off a miracle and didn’t let life kill them."
Even better, though, is Burke's unassailable skill at crafting a creeping, rising dread. He introduces a number of peculiarities, letting them settle one atop another until we're drawn into a frenetic chaos. Guests is a slow boil, but once it heats up, it blows the lid off good and proper!
June 17, 2023
This spooky novella was SO close to getting the full five stars. Burke is at the top of his game yet again with Guests. Recommended for fans of The Thing.
January 9, 2023
'Guests' is a horror n>ovella that punches above its weight. From the first page, I knew I was in the hands of a storyteller who knew his craft and I settled in to see where he would take me.
The story opens with a winter funeral and the numbness of a young man who has just lost the woman who raised him. The storytelling is unrushed but constantly moves forward, The focus is on the young man, Mark Callahan: his grief, his weaknesses, his fractured past and his doomed longing for a woman and a life that he can't have.
As the snow storm builds outside, Mark, who can't stand being alone in his dead grandmother's house, agree to work one last shift in the under-staffed, run-down, once grand but never as grand as it had hoped to be, hotel that he has worked at for the past four years. Kealan Burke brings the hotel and the people who work there vividly to life as Mark preps for a shift that should be quiet. The hotel is empty in the face of the coming storm and would be shuttered except for a last-minute booking by a coach party.
By the time the coach party arrived, I was immersed in the dismal reality of Mark's world. Then I met the old people in the coach party and the fear started to build.
I won't give away the plot except to say that it's clever, original enough to intrigue and familiar enough to fill me with foreboding, The tension mounts with every page, slowly, inexorably, like the loss of body heat. The action scenes work. The explanations are creepy. The people are credible and the surprises continue until the last page.
This is mostly low-key horror with some moments of intense violence, but the combination of a horrible idea with credible, relatable characters makes the story intense.
This is my first Kealan Patrick Burke story, but I'll be looking for more.
March 14, 2023
Major editing mistakes in chapters 4, 21 and 25 that pulled me from the story. Chapters 4 and 25 confused the names of Mark and Pete and should have been caught by any competent editor. Chapter 21 created a hole in the story that directly conflicts with Mark's worry at the end. I love Burke's writing but this story was just messy. Kin and Sour Candy are in my top 10 favorites while I can barely squeeze out an "ok" on this one. If you want to read it, wait for a sale.
January 6, 2023
A really swift (and cold) read about a hotel set in Maine! This is the second novella I've read from Kealan Patrick Burke, and I really enjoyed it. Supernatural, culty, hotel horror! What's not to love???
If that sounds like your cup of tea, don't hesitate to check it out tonight!
If that sounds like your cup of tea, don't hesitate to check it out tonight!
January 27, 2023
3.5/5, rounded down.
October 29, 2023
Pete's grandmother has just passed. On the evening of her funeral, he makes some hefty decisions: it's time to grow up, get a life, move on. A storm is rolling in along with a bus full of guests at the hotel he works at. So, he works his night off to help but also puts in his notice--this will be his last shift. And it won't be dull . . .
I was hooked by Pete and his circumstances, but then the bus of elderly guests knocked me for a loop and I could not put this down. Eerie, chilling, full of suspense.
I was hooked by Pete and his circumstances, but then the bus of elderly guests knocked me for a loop and I could not put this down. Eerie, chilling, full of suspense.
January 2, 2023
This review is solely for the story Guests which I read on Scribd. Excellent creepy story.
March 6, 2023
I always know I am in for a treat when I open up a book from Kealan Patrick Burke. GUESTS is no exception! The characters are fleshed out and you care about them (for better or worse!), the setting is described so vividly with its bleak, wintry, dreariness, and the overall mystery and intrigue of the situation at hand will have you not wanting to put this down. This is definitely a one-sit read if you want it to be, but it's okay if you want to spread this out over time, too. I know this was a truly horrific night, but it still low key makes me want to go to some local, historic hotel and have a nice weekend. Anything will be nicer than what these people endured, but you know what I mean!
January 17, 2023
Nobody wants guests. Right?
They make doormats that say "go away" or "why are you here?" Guests are just never fun.
This book needed that doormat.
It would have helped... maybe...
It's definitely a fun little read though and you should give it a try!!
They make doormats that say "go away" or "why are you here?" Guests are just never fun.
This book needed that doormat.
It would have helped... maybe...
It's definitely a fun little read though and you should give it a try!!
January 16, 2023
A great read for the cold winter season. KPB brings an atmospheric slowburn about employees stuck in a hotel with a group of elderly people with a dark secret. I love cold winter isolation stories like this, and the ending was not what I expected!
November 7, 2024
3.5⭐ rounded up.
After reading KIN by K.P.B. back in January (of '24), I absolutely fell in love with that book and the author's writing, and have since read much of his other work - most of his work, though, consists of short stories and novellas that, most of which, I've found to be just okay/nothing nearly as fantastic as his novel KIN.
I'm happy to say I've found another book by him I really enjoyed, that one being Guests. This one also happens to be a short novel (about 170 pages), and I think this is evidence that KPB really shines in the longer/novel format.
His stories feel so much more fleshed out, he does a great job at setting and characters, and enticing you into the story before delivering the big payoff.
I highly enjoyed this book; the characters, the themes woven into the story regarding time, aging, and dying dreams; and of course the supernatural threat our characters face in the isolated winter setting.
My complaints with Guests are rather minor, and one could even be seen as a compliment: this book could have been even a bit longer. I wanted more out of it.
The climax and ending felt a bit abrupt, and I wished more detail had been put into the second half like we had gotten in the first. I also think there could've been a bit more tension and scenes of the characters fighting the evil/monsters of this story. It all seemed to end almost too conveniently.
Aside from that, I really liked this and would recommend giving it a read.
And KPB, if you're reading this, please write more full length novels!!!
After reading KIN by K.P.B. back in January (of '24), I absolutely fell in love with that book and the author's writing, and have since read much of his other work - most of his work, though, consists of short stories and novellas that, most of which, I've found to be just okay/nothing nearly as fantastic as his novel KIN.
I'm happy to say I've found another book by him I really enjoyed, that one being Guests. This one also happens to be a short novel (about 170 pages), and I think this is evidence that KPB really shines in the longer/novel format.
His stories feel so much more fleshed out, he does a great job at setting and characters, and enticing you into the story before delivering the big payoff.
I highly enjoyed this book; the characters, the themes woven into the story regarding time, aging, and dying dreams; and of course the supernatural threat our characters face in the isolated winter setting.
My complaints with Guests are rather minor, and one could even be seen as a compliment: this book could have been even a bit longer. I wanted more out of it.
The climax and ending felt a bit abrupt, and I wished more detail had been put into the second half like we had gotten in the first. I also think there could've been a bit more tension and scenes of the characters fighting the evil/monsters of this story. It all seemed to end almost too conveniently.
Aside from that, I really liked this and would recommend giving it a read.
And KPB, if you're reading this, please write more full length novels!!!
February 21, 2023
Some confusion on the blurb versus the title story. The Goodreads blurb describes this as a collection. The version I checked out of the library with this cover is ONLY the novella "Guests". This review is for that novella only.
Excellent horror novella by an author I enjoy. I love the slow build. Like a lot of Burke's work, I'm not sure I fully understand what happened (part of the horror for the main characters), but I truly enjoyed the build to a satisfying conclusion. Burke writes in a way that I feel along with the characters - their decisions, their awe, their humanness in the face of a big or small bad thing. I would love to dive into all of Burke's backlist, but it's surprisingly hard to find for an author of this talent.
Excellent horror novella by an author I enjoy. I love the slow build. Like a lot of Burke's work, I'm not sure I fully understand what happened (part of the horror for the main characters), but I truly enjoyed the build to a satisfying conclusion. Burke writes in a way that I feel along with the characters - their decisions, their awe, their humanness in the face of a big or small bad thing. I would love to dive into all of Burke's backlist, but it's surprisingly hard to find for an author of this talent.
January 10, 2023
This was a good, creepy read. It felt like an episode of The Twilight Zone.
It wasn’t groundbreaking and I kind of guessed where it was going quite early on, but it was a fun journey and Burkes writing made it feel effortless.
It wasn’t groundbreaking and I kind of guessed where it was going quite early on, but it was a fun journey and Burkes writing made it feel effortless.
January 11, 2023
Incredible
This one will linger. It's fast, creepy, and masterfully atmospheric, but it's the way Burke leaves so many questions unanswered that leads me to believe I'll never forget it. GUESTS is my favorite thing by Burke I've read.
This one will linger. It's fast, creepy, and masterfully atmospheric, but it's the way Burke leaves so many questions unanswered that leads me to believe I'll never forget it. GUESTS is my favorite thing by Burke I've read.
September 23, 2022
Four novellas (Jack and Jill, Sour Candy, Blanky, Guest) deal with some of the most difficult topics in life. The pain and suffering throughout the novellas are palpable.
January 10, 2023
“Guests”, by Kealan Patrick Burke, was fantastic. I have never read a story by Burke that I did not love.
This book had a perfect atmosphere. “The Guests” is a winter tale set in a hotel in Maine.
I felt a chill up my spine when I read the story. The reader can feel the snow. That isolating feeling of being in a hotel in the dead of winter. The setting came to life with burke’s descriptions.
Kealan packs a lot of emotion into these pages. “The Guests” with grief. The mood was palpable from the first page. As the story developed, the emotions changed. The characters felt intense fear and confusion, to name a few. The author did a phenomenal job weaving these emotions into the story, which caused each character to pop off the page.
The book opens with the central character who is grieving a loss. He works at hotel. Each character at the hotel leaves much to be desired. The interactions between the main character and these hotel employees, including the manager, was an experience. The fun begins when a bus of elderly people arrive at the hotel.
True to form, “The Guests” will keep the reader on theirs toes. Burke packed the novella with surprises until the very end.
OH GOSH! That ending! It was just the perfect ending for a horror novella.
“The Guests” is the perfect short winter read. Ideally binged in front of a fire.
This book had a perfect atmosphere. “The Guests” is a winter tale set in a hotel in Maine.
I felt a chill up my spine when I read the story. The reader can feel the snow. That isolating feeling of being in a hotel in the dead of winter. The setting came to life with burke’s descriptions.
Kealan packs a lot of emotion into these pages. “The Guests” with grief. The mood was palpable from the first page. As the story developed, the emotions changed. The characters felt intense fear and confusion, to name a few. The author did a phenomenal job weaving these emotions into the story, which caused each character to pop off the page.
The book opens with the central character who is grieving a loss. He works at hotel. Each character at the hotel leaves much to be desired. The interactions between the main character and these hotel employees, including the manager, was an experience. The fun begins when a bus of elderly people arrive at the hotel.
True to form, “The Guests” will keep the reader on theirs toes. Burke packed the novella with surprises until the very end.
OH GOSH! That ending! It was just the perfect ending for a horror novella.
“The Guests” is the perfect short winter read. Ideally binged in front of a fire.
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