In late January and February, in those first few weeks after Rosie’s death, Nalika cooked for me. She knew I wasn’t eating, so she’d make big batches of stew, curry, and lasagna for the freezer. Often, she’d stand over me, force me to put the fork in my mouth. “You have to eat, Tess. You’re getting too thin.” Provide plenty of pillows and blankets. This will give your guests the option to make themselves comfortable.

Flowers also bring life, color, and texture to a space - try to incorporate a couple of scented stems too depending on the time of year. There’s nothing lovelier than walking into a feminine bedroom idea that’s naturally scented with seasonal blooms. What should you have in your guest room? One of Bohjalian’s most compelling books so far, combining an explosive premise, a timely social topic, and fast-paced storytelling with a purpose.”— The Miami Herald It was a good day. Her mood was warmer as we sipped Alhambra beer and ate pipas—sunflower seeds in salted shells. For me, it’s the fact that she spent hours in these rooms, her footsteps on the floors, rubbing her finger along her right cheekbone, just near the hint of blue eyeliner. She wore it almost every day, a subtle line on her lower lids. Until those last few months when she wore no makeup at all. Some days, I wanted to beg her to put that eyeliner on again.I blink hard, the phone’s light flashing in my vision. I realize that my phone is acting as a beacon. Here I am, come and get me. The perfect drawing power. But I bet if I held it up high until the sun rose nothing would happen. It would be another dud. Evening, Tess.” He grins at me. He’s in a skimpy vest and running shorts. A small tattoo clear on the hard curve of his bicep: optical-illusion triangle. “What’s going on?” I’m curious about objects like this—possessions. Their implications. What they reveal about people. The suspense holds quite well till about 75% of the book. The pace and build-up are good and is to the credit of the book. The plot is far fetched in many aspects around the characters’ behaviours though. I take another bit of egg from the pan, accidentally puncturing the yolk. Amber liquid dribbles out and fries solid.

I loved Steph,insecurities and all and the way she tried so hard to be happy after she lost everything,at times naive more often though just vulnerable she had no idea was was ‘afoot’ Then her house is broken into, and a young man named Noah helps her fix the front window. He’s fallen on hard times and Steph impulsively offers him a place to stay. At least if he is there, she won’t be home alone. I’m expecting Arran but the building buzzer hasn’t gone off yet. I press my eye to the peephole and see a warped version of a man. Not a stranger. My neighbor. I yank open the door.The cold white of the gallery makes me blink. The barman, I think. What if it was the barman? He was looking at Rosie a lot; he smiled at her. And—I remember now—his eyes had followed her as she walked past him. I have read a couple of books of Rona Halsall before, and this book follows a similar style. Overall, it holds the suspense quite well and is fast moving, though there are a few plot limitations. The Guest Room is a proper thriller with Halsall pointing the accusatory finger to those closest to Steph. But who would want to harm such a kind woman? The guilty party will send chills up your spine. Get ready for is real treat. When they found her here, she had nothing on her. Only clothes. T-shirt and jeans—no rips, no blood. Unmarked other than dirt from where she’d been lying. She didn’t even have a coat. Nowhere to hold her phone.

Two girls beside the door are looking at me. Both in loafers, handbags on their arms. They exchange a smile—knowing, smug. I’ve remembered something. A night last year when Rosie and I were in a bar—the barman was looking at her.”

Bea is constantly begging her mom to come live in her palatial mansion, but Steph wants to stay close to her job. She works for an organization that helps the homeless, and one day, she meets a young man named Noah, who reminds her of her son. He too has left his family, and he’s around the same age as Steph’s son was when he left, so she’s immediately drawn to him. Recently, odd things have been happening to her, and she’s scared of being alone in her large house. When her organization can’t get him housing right away, Steph invites Noah to live with her, much to the anger of her daughter and husband. The way the story unfolds is brilliant. I could feel Steph’s fear and confusion. I could feel her frustration when it seems everyone has an opinion about what she should with her life. I could feel her inner conflict debating if she’s making the right decisions. After 30 years of having someone make most of the decisions for you, it’s hard to trust yourself. These are very relatable issues with many people, and partly why I loved this character so much. The Guest Room is a carefully constructed and compelling mystery, and a fine study of the way grief and uncertainty can disturb the mind. The final revelation is unexpected, and the ending is realistic and satisfying."