From the New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Sandcastle Girls comes the spellbinding tale of a party gone horribly wrong: two men lie dead in a suburban living room, two women are on the run from police, and a marriage is ripping apart at the seams.
When Kristin Chapman agrees to let her husband, Richard, host his brother’s bachelor party, she expects a certain amount of debauchery. She brings their young daughter to Manhattan for the evening, leaving her Westchester home to the men and their hired entertainment. What she does not expect is this: bacchanalian drunkenness, her husband sharing a dangerously intimate moment in the guest room, and two women stabbing and killing their Russian bodyguards before driving off into the night.
In the aftermath, Kristin and Richard’s life rapidly spirals into nightmare. The police throw them out of their home, now a crime scene, Richard’s investment banking firm puts him on indefinite leave, and Kristin is unsure if she can forgive her husband for the moment he shared with a dark-haired girl in the guest room. But the dark-haired girl, Alexandra, faces a much graver danger. In one breathless, violent night, she is free, running to escape the police who will arrest her and the gangsters who will kill her in a heartbeat. A captivating, chilling story about shame and scandal, The Guest Room is a riveting novel from one of our greatest storytellers.
Richard Chapman lives in the suburbs of Westchester, NY with his wife and their daughter. There life is one I could readily identify with. They are content, happy and enjoying a quiet life where Wednesday night's highlight is popcorn and a Disney movie in their den. Bohjalian begins the story with Richard’s perspective as we learn about the events that unfolded the night of the murders. It was captivating and felt realistic despite the night of debauchery.
The bachelor party is for Richard’s younger, wilder, snot of brother. Be warned, you will quickly draw lines in the sand defining characters you like, can forgive and those you want to back over with your truck. Bohjalian will have you understanding these characters, their flaws and their struggles. He makes you sympathize, forgive and question all while loathing others.
The night’s entertainment was two strippers accompanied by their Russian bodyguards. Things quickly get out of hand, but nothing prepares them for the girls stabbing and killing their bodyguards. The author bought the scenes to life vividly without making me squeamish. While mistakes were made and lines were crossed, nothing felt farfetched, and he was able to make their actions feel genuine.
As we meet the girls, the author introduces us to the voice of Alexandra, a dark-haired Russian beauty who as a child dreamed of being a prima ballerina. Through her voice, we learn about human trafficking. I thought the author did a wonderful job of sharing her psyche and allowing us entry into this seedy world. It was chilling, dark and disturbing. I connected and felt for Alexandra and her young friends. Now every time I see a spam mail for Russian girls my heart skips a beat.
The story is told from several perspectives, and broken into chapters. Those of Richard and Alexandra are the most prevalent, but we also get the voice of Richard’s wife and his young daughter. The Guest Room shares the consequences of that fateful night. It was captivating, felt realistic and would translate brilliantly for film.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
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4 January, 2016:
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