1988. Beth Soames is fourteen years old when her aunt takes her to stay at Raven Hall, a rambling manor in the isolated East Anglian fens. The Averells, the family who lives there, are warm and welcoming, and Beth becomes fast friends with their daughter, Nina. At times, Beth even feels like she's truly part of the family...until they ask her to help them with a harmless game--and nothing is ever the same.
2019. Sadie Langton is an actress struggling to make ends meet when she lands a well-paying gig to pretend to be a guest at a weekend party. She is sent a suitcase of clothing, a dossier outlining 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 figures she's got nothing to lose.
In person, Raven Hall is even grander than she'd imagined--even with damage from a fire decades before--but the walls seem to have eyes. As day turns to night, Sadie starts to feel that there's something off about the glamorous guests who arrive, and as the party begins, it becomes chillingly apparent their unseen host is playing games with everyone...including her. ~taken from Goodreads
2019. Sadie Langton is an actress struggling to make ends meet when she lands a well-paying gig to pretend to be a guest at a weekend party. She is sent a suitcase of clothing, a dossier outlining 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 figures she's got nothing to lose.
In person, Raven Hall is even grander than she'd imagined--even with damage from a fire decades before--but the walls seem to have eyes. As day turns to night, Sadie starts to feel that there's something off about the glamorous guests who arrive, and as the party begins, it becomes chillingly apparent their unseen host is playing games with everyone...including her. ~taken from Goodreads
From the start I was very intrigued. This is my first book from author, Emma Rous, and she does a phenomenal job setting the scene and building characters. Each chapter alternated between Beth, a teenager living in the house as a guest in the late 80s and Sadie, an aspiring actress in 2019 who is invited to play a part in the grand reopening of the mansion.
Beth's chapters are filled with backstories about the odd behavior of the inhabitants of Raven Hall she experienced when she lived there. Sadie's chapters are filled with more odd characters who somehow have a connection to the house's past. How do they all fit together?
I was wholly sucked into this mystery. I can't say enough how the duel timelines really made this fun. Each page turn lead me deeper into the mystery and I could not for the life of me connect the dots. Then came the climax and ending and I was left with a feeling of emptiness.
The ending came fast and felt rushed. It seemed quite far-fetched and unbelievable. It was so unexpected, but I felt completely let down.
Despite the ending, I did enjoy this book as a whole. It was a wild journey that I would absolutely read again and recommend to everyone. A solid 4 1/2 star read!
The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous is due to be released here in the United States on January 12, 2021 so pre-order now!
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me an advanced copy to read and give my honest review.
Happy Reading!
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