When her dog alerts her to something he has found just outside the house, Wylie expects it to be some sort of animal, who wasn't able to find shelter in time and succumbed to the elements. What she doesn't expect is for it to be a child, half-frozen and unresponsive. True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace. On the downside, there are too many characters and too many perspectives. I also thought that the little girl seemed much older and wiser than her age, adding a layer of unbelievability. The ending was over-the-top and dragged a bit. At the same time, I was left with a lot of unanswered questions.

It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace. In the third plot line, a woman and her daughter are being held captive in a basement by the child’s cruel and controlling father. The mother is being sexually and physically abused while the daughter is in the room as neither are ever allowed out of the small two room basement. Who are they? How did they become his prisoners? What a way to start the year! When you love a book so much that you know it is going to make your top ten of this year! My first read of the year and it was absolutely fantastic!While the jumping around was not my favorite originally, the story did flow very well and you understand why those other stories are important as you get into the book. I also was not able to figure out the ending, which is always my favorite part of reading a mystery. If I can guess the ending early on, I feel like it takes some of the magic away. This one I didn’t see coming until it was revealed. I think Gudenkauf did a great job of writing strong female characters. It almost seemed like a female vs. male story, even if that is not what the author had intended. I enjoyed the full circle effect of the story and how it was wrapped up. Oh, and be warned, a little bit of gore is in the descriptions of crime scenes… for those with a weak stomach. The tightly woven, perfectly paced, suspenseful story that gave me a nagging feeling as the layers unfolded, I should be able to figure out who this overnight guest is. My mind was racing, trying to keep up with the pace, knowing that the reveal was coming. I almost pieced some things together only to find the author was one step ahead of me. I enjoyed forming some theories about how the timelines and characters come together.

Wylie pressed her fingers to her throat as if she could pry away its cold grip. Night had finally found her unprepared, and Wylie felt she might suffocate. An isolated farmhouse, a deadly snowstorm, and a small child found in the snow - those are the ingredients for Gudenkauf's latest up-all-night thriller. Scrupulously plotted and layered with multiple narratives that culminate in some explosive surprises, The Overnight Guest is Gudenkauf at her best. A chilling and heart-stopping stunner." - Kimberly Belle We learn of a horrific killing, of a daughter escaping and a friend who was staying overnight missing, all of which happened in the past. The daughter Josie, was left alive but was able to flee with the murderer is hot pursuit. The Overnight Guest is a dual timeline story; a blistering cold night in the present-day and hot summer of 2000. The Overnight Guest is a tense and highly atmospheric thriller and held my attention to the very end.

Heather Gudenkauf writes a superb, captivating😉 thriller that just might keep you guessing throughout! Now in the middle of the blizzard, lights go out, landline is not working and she finds an unexpected guest lying on the front yard: a little boy who is wounded, scared, acting like caged animal. How did he get hurt? How did he arrive in the middle of the blizzard? Why is he not talking and why is he so scared? A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstormin this chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf. One of the narratives takes place during the hot Summer of 2000. This story revolves around 12-year-old Josie, who witnesses a horrific crime. The atmosphere! Author Heather Gudenkauf had me doubling up the blankets and searching for hot chocolate (with marshmallows!) as I read about the blizzard which kept Wylie and the child snowed in.