Title: The Last Guest
Author: Tess Little
Publication: October 5, 2021
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 324
Purchase Links:
Featured “Small Town” Bookstore – Lowry’s Books
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
When actress Elspeth Bell attends the fiftieth birthday party of her ex-husband Richard Bryant, the Hollywood director who launched her career, all she wants is to pass unnoticed through the glamorous crowd in his sprawling Los Angeles mansion. Instead, there are just seven other guests–and Richard’s pet octopus, Persephone, watching over them from her tank as the intimate party grows more surreal (and rowdy) by the hour. Come morning, Richard is dead–and all of the guests are suspects.
In the weeks that follow, each of the guests come under suspicion: the school friend, the studio producer, the actress, the actor, the new partner, the manager, the cinematographer, and even Elspeth herself. What starts out as a locked-room mystery soon reveals itself to be much more complicated, as dark stories from Richard’s past surface, colliding with Elspeth’s memories of their marriage that she vowed never to revisit. Elspeth begins to wonder not just who killed Richard, but why these eight guests were invited, and what sort of man would desire to possess a creature as mysterious and unsettling as Persephone.
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
The Last Guest by Tess Little sounded great when I read it. Seemed like a twisty psychological thriller that was right up my alley. It had all the sounds of a great read.
I want to start off by admitting that I did not finish this book. I really wanted to and I tried. Every day, multiple times a day I tried to read and I just could not get into this book for any length of time. I did read a big chunk of it, but I hit a point where I had to throw in the towel. It’s not that the story idea wasn’t there, I just couldn’t get hooked on this story. Boring may not be the wrong word. I found it not gripping enough. The story was there, albeit a bit strange for my personal liking, but it was there. It just flowed slowly.
The characters seemed interesting and I had strong feelings for a few of them, some being me liking them and others being a strong feeling of dislike. It’s always good writing when an author can make you feel strongly about the characters. The plot was a great idea, I just wish it was put to action just as well.
I always encourage others to read books for themselves because they may like it even if I did not. So check out The Last Guest by Tess Little and share your own thoughts. We hope you love it.
