It has been a year since Leah lost her niece Amy in a tragic drowning accident near the family-owned luxury holiday resort on Lake Garda. She hadn’t been back for the funeral and is shocked to find that her sister and the rest of the family seem to have erased most of the evidence that Amy even existed. Despite some very suspicious circumstances around the drowning they insist that it was an accident. When Leah starts to dig a little deeper she doesn’t realise how many toes she is treading on. Upsetting people who will do anything to keep the truth under wraps.
In Derby a university councillor called Joanna leads a quiet life following a surprise break up with her partner late last year. She hasn’t been ready to throw herself back into the dating pool again but a handsome bartender persuades her to give him a chance. After a hit and run accident where he is seriously injured she invites him to recover at her home. It is only when he is sharing her small terraced house that Joanna realises that she really doesn’t know him at all.
The Other Guest is the first book that I’ve read by Helen Cooper and I don’t know what I was expecting but this is a very atmospheric rollercoaster ride switching between three different points of view: Joanna in Derby; Leah in Italy and also Amy in Italy in the run up to her death. It does mean that it can take a little while to get your head round who is who and what exactly is happening. It is definitely worth persevering though as once Leah starts to unravel the truth about the uber luxury holiday resort all the threads come together and you realise what has really happened. Pack it in your suitcase now for a twisty sinister holiday read.
Supplied by Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review.
UK Publication Date: Jun 16 2022. 338 pages.
Categories: 4 Stars Book Review
angelnet69
Prolific reader, enthusiastic theatre and movie-goer and ex-Olivier Awards judge who spent twenty years working in the music industry in London. Sharing my house with a gorgeous cockapoo called Harry who has taken over completely.
I love sharing my favourite books with friends - nearly always spoiler-free as I hate reading a synopsis of the whole book in other reviews.
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