Emma Rous

"1980: Beth Soames is fourteen years old when a kind couple finds her playing the violin at her orphanage's yearly fund-raiser. The Averills take her home with them to Raven Hall ... At times, Beth ... dreams she's truly part of the family--until she's asked to take part in what seems like a harmless game ... Present day: Sadie Langton is an actress struggling to make ends meet when she lands a well-paying gig attending a weekend party. Her anonymous employer sends her a suitcase of clothing, a dossier of the role she is to play, and instructions--it's strange, but she needs the money, and when she sees the stunning manor she'll be staying at she can't resist the chance"--

The Perfect Guests

I'm so glad I read this after watching saltburn

Megan Christensen

Lisa Lindquist 

Tiffany Robinson

The Perfect Guests is told in two different timelines. The first follows Beth in 1988 who is 14 and goes to live with a couple and their daughter at Raven Hall when her family dies in a tragic car accident. Beth feels like she doesn’t belong, but she does everything she can to fit in. Beth soon discovers that the family is hiding secrets. The second timeline follows Sadie in 2019 who is a struggling actress. One day she gets a job offer to be an actress in a murder mystery party held at Raven Hall. When she arrives, nothing is as it seems and by the end the past and the future comes together and it’s not pretty. 
I thought that this book was an interesting read that started out really well. There were a few moments that dragged and sometimes all the POVs and changing timelines was a little much, but overall not a bad read. The ending was very explosive and kept you guessing.

'The ultimate house party mystery . . . old secrets and new dangers collide in this deliciously thrilling tale' Lisa Gardner, No.1 New York Times bestselling author Eight strangers One deadly invitation Welcome to Raven Hall . . . After years of abandonment, Raven Hall has been restored to its former glory. For one night only, it is playing host to an evening of murder mystery. The guests have gathered. The roles have been cast. But someone is playing a sinister game, one with devastating consequences. And as the guests are about to discover, the truth is much darker than fiction. Raven Hall is waiting for you . . . Praise for Emma Rous: 'A beautiful read that delivers a shocking and satisfying ending' Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs Parrish 'A richly atmospheric time-slip mystery with the pulse of a thriller, The Perfect Guests is deliciously evocative and absolutely spellbinding' Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author 'Anyone yearning for a page-turning gothic story with a big house - and a shocking family secret - at its heart should gatecrash The Perfect Guests immediately!' Eve Chase 'Entrancing, compelling, atmospheric, reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier. A beautiful read that delivers a shocking and satisfying ending' Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs Parrish 'Delicious and spellbinding . . . absolutely absorbing and scandalous' Booklist 'Don't just pick up and read Emma Rous' The Au Pair, dive into it and get washed away with it' A bookseller 'Filled with mystery and intrigue. I was gripped until the very last page!' Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of Sea of Memories 'This will keep you turning those pages. The characters are still playing on my mind' Jane Corry, bestselling author of My Husband's Wife 'One hell of a ride' New York Post 'Vivid characters, a magical setting and a tightly knitted plot . . . jaw-dropping climax' Bookpage 'Family secrets come to light in this compelling debut with a gothic touch and a shocking denouement. Enthralling and addictive' Lisa Ballantyne, bestselling author of The Guilty One 'A page-turner' Publisher's Weekly 'A juicy and compelling read by a promising new author' Shelf Awareness

The Perfect Guests

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