Review: “The Guest” by B.A. Paris Iris and Gabriel appeared to have a Norman Rockwell life. Her promising career as an interior designer and his as a successful doctor had bonded to raise Beth; who had finished boarding school and was working in Greece. Their once tranquil countryside town in the United Kingdom had become the scene of local teenager, Charlie’s tragic demise in Gabriel’s arms. Charlie’s final words haunted Gabriel to the point he took an extended leave from his practice. Iris gave him a change of scenery but they left early when Gabriel had also given up on the role of loving husband. Exhausted from their travels; they were shocked to find somebody had been wearing Iris’ clothes, sleeping in their bed, and like Goldilocks was still there. They had met Parisian Laure and her husband Pierre before Beth was born. Laure wanted a retreat after discovering Pierre had a one-night stand with the result of becoming a father. Days turned into weeks and soon it was months with the houseguest. Laure’s constant bashing of Gabriel’s best friend pushed him into hours of seclusion behind the walled garden project away from Iris. Grateful for the new couple down the road; Iris escaped to Esme and Hugh’s place. Esme’s friend Joseph was now working for both families as a handyman. Gabriel’s passion for the garden was giving him purpose and he interacted with Iris on outings except the intimacy was still absent. The allure of Joseph’s bare well-toned body hosing off in the garden without the presence of Gabriel; gave Iris a fantasy since she hadn’t been touched in months. Apparently, others felt the same with Laure constantly at his heels or the image of him massaging Esme’s pregnant belly Iris had spied one day. Pierre had missed his reconciliation meeting with Laure in Paris and ghosted everyone. The consensus was that Prima Donna Laure had to go. Without permission she had reorganized Iris’ house, made it virtually impossible to complete any projects with her constant second-guessing Iris’ designs, and Gabriel’s annoyance had led him to believe that Laure lied about Pierre’s infidelity. Who will be the reason for Laure’s departure…the couple whose life she had turned upside down, the husband, the new love interest or destiny? “The Guest” by B.A. Paris, cleverly presents the extent people can be driven to keep a secret. No matter how old it is, if one other person knows the secret, you can be exposed. This reader loved the pace of this suspenseful story dealing with friendship, boundaries, and grief. I recommend this “Mystic River” meets “Sixth Sense” 5-Star thriller. B.A. Paris flawlessly peeled away clues through out the novel of haunted memories, guilt, and friendships overstretched to reveal the motives. It has one wondering how far would you go to keep a secret…lie, steal, or murder?