TLDR: A gripping, atmospheric thriller with a killer vibe (pun intended). Just don’t overthink the police work, and maybe avoid it if you’re snowed in alone… especially on a farm. 

 

Thrillers are hit or miss for me, but The Overnight Guest delivered on the creepy, atmospheric vibes I love—isolated farmland, a raging snowstorm, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. It’s twisty, chilling, and the kind of book that made me rethink living alone for a solid minute. (Thankfully, I’m nowhere near a farm because I could literally never.) 

 

The story weaves together multiple timelines: a tragic night on a rural farm, a decades-old unsolved case, and a writer who finds herself snowed in with something very sinister outside her door. Gudenkauf nails the claustrophobic tension—you can practically feel the storm closing in—and I was hooked trying to piece everything together. The mystery is layered, and I genuinely had trouble putting it down. 

 

That said, the police work? Yikes. I’m no detective, but even I know the first 48 hours are crucial.

So why did it take so long for the dogs to show up? And the idea that Josie (a civilian) stumbles upon evidence and missing people after the cops had already scoured the farm?

Make it make sense. I get it’s Iowa, but still. 

 

Believability issues aside, I really enjoyed the pacing, the eerie setting, and how immersive the story felt—especially in those chilling, high-stakes moments. If you’re into thrillers that are dark, twisty, and claustrophobic in all the right ways, you’ll enjoy this one.