Peter Swanson (1) (1968–)

“Books are time travel…they can take you back to different versions of yourself.”

This started off well and had an interesting twist but it tended to drag and be repetitive. The references to the other books within the plot gave a lot of spoilers but that is to be expected. The characters lacked depth and interest so I wasn’t particularly invested in the protagonist being good or bad, alive or dead. I think I preferred the cat the most!

Personal irk, I hate it when authors constantly repeat surnames of only some of the characters. Most of us readers are not morons with short attention spans and it shows an annoying lack of consistency.… (meer)

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The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson is a murder mystery book taking place in England. Mr. Swanson is a published, award-winning, mystery author.

An American art student, Ashley Smith, is spending Christmas alone in London when her classmate, Emma Chapman brings her as a guest to her country home, Starvewood Hall.

As it turns out, Adam, Emma’s brother, is under investigation for the brutal murder, however, a mysterious stranger haunts the woodlands area and Adam is not under suspicion. Adam is interested in Ashley, and the two spend much time in the local bar, but Ashley doesn’t realize that something more sinister is afoot.

This is a very short book, but it does create an eerie Christmas feeling. The author does a great job describing the cold, odd, old family manor which houses the cold, odd, old family.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson is told from the points of view, of Ashley, and that of Emma. However, Emma’s narrative starts when Ashley’s end to tell a complete story, and I felt that’s when the story got to be interesting.

I usually don’t care for books in which much of the first part of the story is done through a “dear diary” narrative. There are some exceptions, Dracula for example which I loved. The second part is a 180-degree turn and brings an unexpected twist that I enjoyed very much.

I would guess this is a Christmas book because it takes place during the season, however it could take place during any Christian holiday. The holiday is just a plot point to get lonely Ashley to visit Emma’s house, which could be any time off of school.
So, is it really a “Christmas” book?

I found the story engaging, but I’m glad it wasn’t longer. It took a long time for Ashley to tell her story but I didn’t feel invested in the character. Nevertheless, it was a dark, entertaining tale with several good twists.

If you like fun murder mysteries, combined with the holiday season this one is for you. And since it’s so short, it could be read in one sitting without missing all the festivities.… (meer)

This started off well even though I had no idea where the story was leading. The narrator is a mystery bookseller and created a blog post about eight well-known mysteries with the same title as the book. I have already read the books referenced so I wasn’t worried about spoilers, which was fortunate as there are many. My suspicions began before the FBI started showing an interest in the list and the list-maker. Repeated references to the plots and characters from books on the list gave the story a repetitive feel, compounded by the corresponding plot and characters in the story. A clever idea that got bogged down in details. Disappointing, especially with so many spoilers.… (meer)

This story was just okay for me. It was a bit suspenseful but also unrealistic which meant I wasn't fully sucked in. I found the twists predictable so when they happened, it wasn't enough to keep me interested.

Right of the bat, the millionaire who sees a "nobody" across a room and falls instantly in love with her and must marry her straight away makes me cringe. I found everything a little slow and even after the climax, there was still so much story to wrap everything up. I found myself skim reading a good chunk. Perhaps it would have been better if I didn't do this.… (meer)