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.
As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.
Release Date: Jan 25, 2022
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Park Row
Price: $11.99
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf is about a true crime writer who is snowed in at an isolated farmhouse in Iowa, but soon it seems she might not be alone.
Wylie Lark left her home in Oregon for time alone to finish her latest true crime book. She should be wrapping up her book and her stay in the cabin when she discovers a child outside in the snow and ice. Although Wylie has been researching a crime that occurred years ago in the area, the current situation shows not all the danger is in the past.
The story about what happens next for Wylie alternates between two other storylines. The other is twenty years in the past when a young girl’s mother and father are murdered in their homes and her older brother and best friend have disappeared.
The story of twelve-year-old Josie Doyle was the most compelling storyline for me and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the details of this tragedy. The third storyline, about an unknown woman and her daughter living in a basement, was disturbing to me and often hard to read. My theories on if and how their stories were tied to either of the others changed a few times as the story progressed.
I don’t want to give away any of the surprising twists in the story, so I can’t share any additional details. I can say that the book is intense and suspenseful and kept my interest from beginning to end. I was able to figure out some of the plot turns before they were revealed, but there were still many surprises. There are a couple of things that don’t quite seem to add up, and the dramatic confrontation at the end goes on a little longer than it needs to. However, the suspense of the story and the way it all comes together at the end more than makes up for any flaws. I’ve read other thrillers by this author and The Overnight Guest ranks up there with my favorites.
~ Christine
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