“A GREAT WHODUNIT, WITH A DELICIOUS, CHRISTIE-LIKE VIBE”—LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED REVIEW)
A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away.
It’s winter in the Catskills and Mitchell’s Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing—maybe even romantic—weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.
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.
Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead—it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.
Within the snowed-in paradise, something—or someone—is picking off the guests one by one. And there’s nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm.
Reviews
New York Times Bestseller • UK Sunday Times Bestseller • #1 Canadian Bestseller
Richard and Judy’s Book Club Pick • iBooks Best Book of the Month Pick
"Canadian author Lapena combines the cosy feel and cunning plotting of an Agatha Christie-era whodunnit with a sharp eye for contemporary life."
—The Daily Mirror
“Shari Lapena has set up a chilling version of what Agatha Christie called ‘the locked room mystery’ (and it couldn’t be better for a cold winter afternoon) . . . Sometimes, nothing beats a classic mystery set-up.”
—Purewow
"[Lapena's] pacy plots have made her one of crime fiction's best-selling authors. Here, she weaves a tale about a group on a remote weekend away. When a body is discovered the trip becomes terrifying."
—Cosmopolitan
"This page-turner had us absolutely gripped... Who’ll live and who’ll die?"
—Take A Break
"The plot means you can’t help drawing comparisons with Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. But the characters are darker than any you’ll meet in a Christie novel, the atmosphere more chilling and the denouement far more unexpected!"
—My Weekly
“This compelling and realistic modern take on the country-house mystery will gain new fans for the author and is definitely one to hand to devotees of Agatha Christie."
—Booklist
"Proving that time periods may change but people do not, Shari Lapena delivers a solid whodunit with an ending that would make Dame Christie proud."
—USA Today
“Shari Lapena, author of the bestsellers A Stranger in the House and The Couple Next Door, cements her reputation as a new queen of mystery with her latest thriller.”
—Canadian Living
“An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena is a new thriller that will give you serious Agatha Christie vibes . . . if you’re one of the many people who counts [And Then There Were None] among their favorite books, you will love An Unwanted Guest. . . A bone-chilling story featuring a cast of intriguing characters, each one with a secret of their own, An Unwanted Guest is a deftly crafted and expertly paced thriller that will keep readers guessing (and terrified) until the very end.”
—Bustle
“A gripping mystery perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.”
—Good Housekeeping
“Another nail-biter perfect for an all-nighter.”
—Entertainment Weekly
"If you want an unputdownable thriller, you're in luck... crafted like a vintage Christie and just as tense, this will be a smash hit."
—Heat Magazine
“Lapena has written a great whodunit, with a delicious Christie-like vibe. Fans of the author’s first novel will want this, and anyone who savors a well-crafted murder mystery will gobble it up!”
—Library Journal (starred review)
"Shari Lapena combines the cosy feel and cunning plot of an Agatha Christie-era whodunit with a sharp eye for contemporary life and she is rapidly becoming a go-to author for anyone seeking a light but lip-smacking mystery"
—Sunday Express
“The psychological thrillers of Lapena are masterclasses in tightly plotted, economical narrative…This third novel has a premise straight out of a Agatha Christie classic"
—The Metro
"This once again shows her gift for smart characterisation combined with subtle appreciation for the darkness of the human heart…A perfectly choreographed danse macabre"
—The Mail on Sunday
"Enthralling"
—Prima
"Be sure to clear your diary. You will want to devour this in a single, uninterrupted sitting."
—The Herald Magazine
"Spine-tingling"
—Irish Tatler
"An intriguing cast, an isolated location, a raging storm and the threat of death in every dark corner: AN UNWANTED GUEST reads like Agatha Christie with a shot of adrenalin."
—Gilly MacMillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Girl
"…chilly suspense…keeps readers guessing up to the very last page…"
—Independent.ie