I hit a major reading slump after reading The Violin Conspiracy. I tried to read at least five books. Then I started The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf.
The day before picking up The Overnight Guest, I told my wife that I was in a major reading funk. She said, "I can tell. Every time I see you, you have a different book in your hands."
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Synopsis:
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.
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This blurb is on the front of the book:
"Heather Gudenkauf is a master of suspense. The Overnight Guest will have you glued to the page and leave you wanting more." -Liv Constantine, international bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish.
Considering the reading funk I was in, I didn't have high hopes for The Overnight Guest. I picked up the book Friday when the kiddos were taking their nap. Chapter one turned into chapter two, which then turned into chapters three and four. By the time I went to bed that night I was on page 72.
The storytelling is what drew me in. This story is told from two different timelines, present-day and August 2000. There is also a third perspective that you aren't sure what time period it is from or who it is until close to the end of the story.
I normally don't pay attention to blurbs on books, every book seems to have several blurbs praising the author and/or the book. But the blurb I shared is spot on, "Heather Gudenkauf is a master of suspense," and I couldn't agree more. She knows how to write a story that grabs you. She also knows how to end a chapter and leave you wanting more. The way she went between the two timelines and the third perspective was pretty flawless.
If you are looking for a character-driven book where the character grows and whatnot, this isn't the book for you. This book is all about the story and trying to figure out who the murderer is. I, again, found myself staying up later than intended in order to read just one more chapter. The chapters aren't too long, most are probably ten pages or less. It is really easy to say, "I'll read just one more and then go to bed." Once you get to the mid-point of the book, buckle up. The story starts to unfold at a breakneck pace.
For me, the timeline from 2000 interested me the most. I couldn't wait to get back to those chapters. But, and there is always a but, I was not a fan of how that timeline just ended. I can't say how it ended, only that I feel like there could have and should have been more. This book could have easily been another 50+ pages. I just feel that that storyline did not get the conclusion that it deserved, or we deserved. The two timelines do merge and the present timeline does slightly answer a few questions from that 2000 timeline, but there are still too many questions left open about that timeline. I kind of feel like it is a disservice to readers to end that timeline the way she did.
In the end, I enjoyed reading this story. Heather Gudenkauf has written eight other novels and I definitely plan on reading more by her. In fact, at the time of writing this review, I have checked out two more books by her from our library. Based on this one book, I am a new fan of Heather Gudenkauf and will definitely keep my eye out for other books that she releases.
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf - 4.0 / 5.0 Stars
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