An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

Title: An Unwanted Guest
Author: Shari Lapena
Narrator: Hillary Huber
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Penguin Audio (August 8, 2018)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: A remote lodge in upstate New York is the perfect getaway . . . until the bodies start piling up.
It's winter in the Catskills and the weather outside is frightful, but Mitchell's Inn is so delightful! The cozy lodge nestled deep in the woods is perfect for a relaxing - maybe even romantic - weekend away. The Inn boasts spacious old rooms with huge wood-burning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a book and someone you love.
So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity - and all contact with the outside world - the guests settle in for the long haul. The power's down but they've got candles, blankets, and wood - a genuine rustic experience!
Soon, though, a body turns up - surely an accident. When a second body appears, they start to panic. Then they find a third body.
Within the snowed-in paradise, something - or someone - is picking off the guests one by one. They can't leave, and with no cell service, there's no prospect of getting the police in until the weather loosens its icy grip.
The weekend getaway has turned deadly. For some couples, it's their first time away. For others, it will be their last. And there's nothing they can do about it but huddle down and hope they can survive the storm. storm.

My Thoughts: A good plot, a good setting,  a bunch of characters I didn't like.

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: This was actually a good mystery. As many other reviewers, I also felt it was reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Not completely but the essence was there. I liked that the story had not only murder but an added winter storm which made the setting of this book so much better. With all of the guests trapped with no internet, no phones, no electricity, and a killer, it made for finger pointing and hostility. All the guests had secrets as well and they all had different reasons for needing an escape for a weekend at Mitchell's Inn. The suspense was very well done and as the guests are picked off one by one.

I listened to the audio version and it was well done. I've listened to books read by Hillary Huber before and I find she does a good job.

As much as I liked the suspense and the pacing of the book I was annoyed with one specific character to the point of near disgust. Gwen is a horrible character, a terrible friend, and someone who should have died but had a happily ever after instead. UGH! She brings a friend suffering from a serious PTSD event for girls weekend getaway. Knowing how her friend could experience debilitating panic attacks she ditched her at every moment to hook up with a man who acts very suspicious throughout the book. A her friend blindly runs out into the winter storm in the grips of a panic attack she is practically useless and her care for her friend takes a backseat. She's a selfish individual and almost ruined the book for me.


In a Nutshell: Overall, I really did like this book (despite Gwen) the tension was good throughout and I'll seek out more books by this author.