Initially gripped, I had high hopes for this book, unfortunately, after the main event (which happened very early in the story), not a lot happened and sadly I found the ending quite disappointing. What follows is a propulsive game of cat-and mouse as both women begin to realise that appearances can be deceptive: and that the darkest secrets often lie closest to home. Meanwhile, in Central England, thirtysomething Joanna is recovering from a surprising break-up when she is swept off her feet by a handsome bartender. But when she learns that he is on the run from something in his past, and that their meeting may not have been a coincidence, Joanna realized that he may just a bit too good to be true.

I found this novel really difficult to put down and several times woke up in the morning with my kindle on my chest! I highly recommend this book, especially if (like me) you’d like to escape these gloomy February days for a couple of weeks but can’t afford a 5* holiday atm… have a 5⭐️ read instead!The dynamics are good, you feel a strange awkwardness in Italy, it feels forced in several directions and there is an undercurrent of volatility and a distinct chilliness especially from Leah‘s brother in law. This was my first book by Helen Cooper and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The dual points of view and how they intertwined together was excellent. The story has plenty of twists to keep you hooked and entertained. I could not predict the ending, but I really enjoyed it. Helen Cooper is clearly a skilled writer and I would be happy to read her future books.

Negatives aside, I did read the whole story and felt it was readable and an okay story. I just felt a but misguided from the beginning when I expected so much more. felt a little bit let down by this book. The cover and the title really caught my eye, but I didn't really get how they tied in with the book itself.

A taut, clever whodunnit, masterfully structured, beautifully written, with an intriguing cast and some heart-wrenching moral dilemmas' Gilly Macmillan And again, two unrelated characters solve the mystery of Amy’s death when police couldn’t. I swear, this is an ongoing theme. I mean, why do we even have police? Em has no idea who Laila is, or that she has been watching her and her teenage sons and husband so intently.

Lying by the pool Laila likes to people-watch (don’t we all! 😂). However, she becomes a tad obsessed with another lady and her family, much to the annoyance of James who is starting to act strange and seems to be harbouring some secrets of his own! With a couple of other suspicious characters, there are certainly plenty of suspects when tragedy strikes at the resort just a few days into the holiday! Joanna is still struggling after a recent breakup when she meets Callum, a handsome male bartender. Soon after meeting Callum, Joanna discovers Callum is on the run and hiding a secret past. But what is Callum hiding? Laced with secrets and lies, THE OTHER GUEST is a potpourri of tension, red herrings and clues to please anyone’s appetite for the suspense of a well-plotted mystery novel."

I have to say I was pretty excited for this book and was reading it in pretty much the perfect setting but it just missed something for me hence why I’ve gone for the 4 rather than 5 stars. A great storyline and characters that intrigue you but I think I was expecting a bit more of a busier book if that makes sense. It’s set in an ultra luxury hotel but it was as if the characters mentioned and the staff were the only people staying at the resort whereas my nosy nature wanted to know more about more people and maybe have more potential suspects… Laila thinks she has information on what happened. She is convinced she has seen something that Emilia needs to know. But the more Laila learns about Emilia's family for real, the more she is beginning to realise that not everything she has seen is how it appears. There are two main storylines here, and it takes some patience to see where the plot is going that brings the two together (and it certainly wasn't in a way I was expecting at all!)