Thriller Review: The Guests | Margot Hunt

A tense thriller about a family trapped indoors during a hurricane with three strangers who may be a bigger risk to the family than the storm. The Guests by Margot Hunt is an entertaining book with characters who veer towards one-dimensional and a great ending.

About the Book | The Guests

Characters

Marlowe and Lee Davies are married and own the mansion. Their children are June and Tom. Zach is Tom’s friend and is staying with them for the hurricane. June’s boyfriend Felix is also hiding upstairs in June’s room to wait out the storm. Isabel is Marlowe’s assistant. Mick is the handyman for the Davies. The three strangers are brothers named Bo and Jason, and Bo’s girlfriend Darcy.

Plot

Picture preparing your beautiful, waterfront mansion for an upcoming storm. Your family has already decided to stay in and weather the storm in the comfort of home. You’ve been through these before. Your kids are both inside, as is your husband. Your extensive art collection inherited from your parents has been secured with the help of your assistant, Isabel. She will also be staying at your house for the storm. Your favorite art piece—a Cezanne sketch—is locked away in the safe.

But as you are locking the safe, you notice something else. A cell phone is inside. It must belong to your husband, but why would he have it? You can’t dwell on it long. The police have stopped by to strongly encourage you to evacuate. You can go to one of the designated shelters. You turn down the offer.

After they leave, a boat approaches your dock from rocky waters. Three strangers get out—two men and a woman. You hope to send them away towards one of the shelters in town, but you don’t get a chance. The storm rolls in, an accident happens, you don’t have a choice but to invite them inside to dry off. Your handyman, Mick, warns you—something seems off with the three strangers. You agree, but reluctantly allow them to stay.

Things quickly go from bad to worse, though. The strangers have an ulterior motive for being there. As the storm gets worse outside, tensions inside the house begin to boil over. Soon it becomes clear no one will escape this storm unscathed…

Review | The Guests

Margot Hunt is known for her psychological thrillers. I’ve read several and loved them all. The Guests to me felt more like a straight thriller than a psychological thriller. It will appeal to readers who like a tense plot that documents a nightmare scenario and how (or if) the protagonists escape. Often these thrillers emphasize plot over characters, which is why the characters in The Guests lacked depth.

The benefit of these types of thrillers is that plot-driven thrillers read fast. This is an easy book to finish in a day. I’d expect that similar to my experience, most readers will want to keep going to find out what happens. I am a character-girl in my heart, but it can be fun to take a break from that and try something a bit more popcorn-like.

The story is narrated in alternating chapters by almost all of the characters, though Marlowe’s are the most prominent, followed by her kids June and Tom. Marlowe is the most likable character. She seems to have a good heart and she is very family oriented. She doesn’t take her extensive wealth and privilege for granted, though at times I found her to underestimate the many gifts she has relative to others.

The first part of the book is dedicated to setting the scene as the hurricane approaches. You’ll learn who is at the house for the storm and see the strangers arrive in the boat. Once everyone is locked inside, things begin to escalate. Bo—one of the strangers—wants to play a game. He’s good at guessing people’s secrets and he wants to try it out on the Davies. They don’t want to play, but they may have no choice when they see he is armed.

The rest of the book covers the night of the hurricane. Lots of secrets are revealed, from the Davies and the strangers. I questioned why the strangers chose this house. Was it because they could see that the residents had stayed for the storm? Or was there another reason? The pace moves quickly, as the perspectives between characters keep the story moving.

Margot Hunt knows how to craft a great thriller. Nothing in this book should be taken at face value, from any of the people involved. Expects twists and turns throughout the story, as well as mounting tension as things go from bad to worse for the people trapped inside this house. The book kept me engaged, though I didn’t think it was anything groundbreaking. I thought the ending was solid and tied the book up nicely for the reader.

If you learn nothing else from reading this book, it’s that you should never invite a stranger into your home!

About the Author | Margot Hunt

Margot Hunt is the author of LOVELY GIRLS, THE LAST AFFAIR, FOR BETTER AND WORSE, and BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. She has also written the Audible Original novellas TELL HER STORY, THE HOUSE ON THE WATER and BURIED DEEP. Her latest book, THE GUESTS, was published in January 2024.

Synopsis | Goodreads

From USA Today bestselling author Margot Hunt comes the chilling tale of what happens when a family besieged by a storm must play host to uninvited guests.

When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style.

Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the family’s shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Bo—and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy—are a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the Davies are only too happy to provide.

But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house.

Soon, the lines between family, friends, and strangers blur. Danger mounts with every pointed finger and broken confidence, and long-held secrets are revealed one after another until only one truth not everyone is going to make it out alive. (Synopsis from Goodreads)