The Guests by Agnes Ravatn #Norway #psychologicalsuspense

Agnes Ravatn has this way of writing characters who read as unlikeable and seem slightly pitiable through their actions. The Guests main character Karin is jealous, envious and tells lies. She becomes paranoid about the people around her and displays obsessive tendencies. She was not at all endearing to me but I felt compelled to read further and discover if she changed. 

Set mainly at a beautiful summer house on the Norwegian coast The Guests will fulfill your Nordic architecture dreams. Karin, a lawyer, and her husband Kai, a joiner, are gifted a stay at the summer house by an old friend in return for some joinery work on the house’s jetty. Karin is initially quite bored until she meets Per, the owner of the neighbouring cabin further along the coast. It turns out that Per and his wife are writers and Karin is a big fan of his wife’s work. Karin is annoyed by Per’s unfriendly nature and decides to spice things up by telling a little lie that escalates into something bigger. 

The Guests is a fast paced, short novel full of suspense. Like The Bird Tribunal it was a quick, captivating read (I read The Bird Tribunal in one sitting on the train from Scotland to London). Shocked, I reached the end far quicker than I had imagined I would. It is an ideal read for a weekend, a long journey or when you just want to take a break from longer books. As a short, standalone book, it would also make an ideal gift for someone you want to introduce to Nordic fiction. 

The Guests is released by Orenda Books on January 18th 2024. It is translated by Rosie Hedger. Available in paperback & ebook here and from all good booksellers.

_{Our copy of The Guests was provided by Orenda Books as part of the above blog tour.}