The Maldives, everyone’s perfect idea of sun, sea and luxury! But for the Hamilton family it is sun, sea and the worst place in the world to be. Arriving for a long deserved holiday following a dreadful incident are Zach Hamilton, wife Cara and teenage daughter Alexa. Zach is the successful owner of a business that funds eco friendly projects world wide. Cara used to be an airplane stewardess until she got pregnant with Alexa and Alexa is a typical teenager. The prologue tells us of a tragic incident but not who to and then the chapter headings countdown to the event. I liked this. Briefly, arriving on their idyllic island the Hamilton’s soon find themselves immersed with other tourists and staff. Two of the tourists know Zach and Cara whilst Alexa is awestruck by Skye who is a massive You Tube Influencer on Environmental issues. We soon discover that the family have dark secrets but they aren’t the only ones hiding something. The pressure cooker simmers away until it literally explodes bringing death, injury and mayhem with it. The question! Who survives and who doesn’t? I loved the tropical island setting and the format of the book added to the tension as time ticked down. A good twisty thriller from beginning to end, a very entertaining read.

Loved this easy to read pacey book by Nikki Smith. But it you will love it.

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.

Having been lucky enough to recently spend a wonderfully relaxing holiday in the Maldives, I am so glad I took “The Guests” as my holiday read. Set in this idyllic location, this book is an outstanding holiday thriller, so full of twists and turns that it was difficult to put down! Highly recommended for anyone who wants an exciting and gripping novel to contrast with the calm and peace of their holiday location. Another excellent book from this talented new author.

Perfect holiday read - set in an amazing glamorous location with so many twists and turns. This kept me hooked from start to finish - as soon as a horrifying find on the beach is identified right at the start. Well recommended and I look forward to the next book from Nikki Smith