“WELCOME TO PARADISE!

Or so the staff say as they greet the Hamiltons on the pristine shores of the idyllic Maldives resort.

And it starts off that way: snorkelling in the serene blue sea, champagne picnics on powder-white sand, and moonlit walks under the stars.

But lies lurk beneath the luxury, because each of the guests has a secret… and they’re not the only ones.

Months later, a grisly discovery is made.

Whatever happened to the Hamiltons? And how did their once-in-a-lifetime trip turn into the holiday from hell?”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Guests by Nikki Smith. The Guests was published by Viking Books on 23rd May 2024 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free ARC of The Guests but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Laura at Viking Books for sending me a proof copy.

Before I go any further with this review there’s something I need to tell you. If you’ve been visiting the blog over the last couple of months you will be aware that I’ve been on a bit of an unplanned, six-month hiatus following surgery. Unplanned because all of a sudden my blogging mojo hit the floor. I was reading lots of brilliant books, I just wasn’t reviewing anything. And then, after a while, my reading mojo took a hit too. So this book, The Guests, I actually read in May 2024. I do remember the book well and I did take notes but this review, and many others you’ll see over the next few months, will be A LOT shorter than my usual, going-on-for-days (🤭) reviews! A short review is better than no review at all, am I right?!

This is the first book I’ve read by Nikki Smith but it certainly won’t be the last. I love me a destination thriller and this one had me gripped within its pages from the moment I cracked the spine (helped by the wonderfully, somewhat macabre, prologue). The reader is introduced to the Hamilton family and our lead protagonist, Cara, as they’re about to board a seaplane to Asana Fushi in the Maldives. Cara and her husband, businessman Zack, along with their teenage daughter, Alexa, are on the holiday of a lifetime. A chance to reconnect, a chance to reflect and a chance to escape the humdrum of home. But all is not as it first appears. Because everyone on the island has a secret. A secret they’d do anything to keep…

I loved The Guests! Destination thrillers are absolutely top of the list for me at the moment and have been for a while. The setting screamed glamour, wealth and exclusivity. I’m sure many of us would love to holiday in the Maldives, myself included. I would however advise on avoiding this particular, fictional hotspot. Trust me, I’ve read the book! I thought the characters were well-written and I found myself warming to Cara. The more she showed her true colours, the more I liked her. The supporting characters were all strong and played their parts well. The plot moved along at a great pace, keeping me engaged and immersed in the story. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way. As I approached the denouement, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, keen to find out how things were going to end for the Hamiltons. Still can’t quite believe how wrong I actually got it! All in all, The Guests is a very readable, intriguing psychological thriller which I devoured with a big ol’ smile on my face. Hugely entertaining, perfectly pitched escapism. I’m looking forward to reading more by Nikki Smith soon. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of The Guests. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Guests by Nikki Smith was published in the UK by Viking Books on 23rd May 2024 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Nikki Smith worked in finance until 2017, when a ‘now or never’ moment prompted her to apply for the Curtis Brown Creative writing course. She is the author of five novels and co-host of the podcast In Suspense. She lives in Guildford with her family and loves to travel, ideally somewhere hot and sunny.

You can find out more about her on her website www.nikkismithauthor.com & she’s on twitter/X as @mrssmithmunday