I received this book for free from complimentary review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian Published by Doubleday on January 5th 2016
Genres: Fiction, Mystery
Pages: 336
Source: complimentary review copy
Amazon / IndieBound
Goodreads
What happens when every choice you make is wrong?
The latest by powerhouse author Chris Bohjalian has a bachelor party going catastrophically wrong in the suburban home of Richard and Kristen. Richard reluctantly hosts his younger brother’s bachelor party thinking it will be much cleaner and tamer than going to a club. He is so wrong.
The Guest Room follows Richard and Kristen as they learn to deal with two violent deaths occurring inside their home; Richard’s purported actions with one of the girls from the bachelor party; And the fallout with Richards’s job, neighbors, life.
Explosive thriller straight from headlines by @chrisbohjalianClick To Tweet
In reading The Guest Room several thoughts and emotions came to mind. First, of course, the human trafficking aspect was horrific and all too real. Bohjalian put a human face and back story to what happens to girls inside human trafficking. He also brings to light how our choices come back to haunt us. The portrayal of a marriage, the mistakes one makes however big or small and how a couple overcomes, or doesn’t, felt very real.
Told from three alternating point of views:
- Richard Chapman, investment banker, relatively great husband and father that makes the mistake of his life;
- Kristen Chapman, wife to Richard, high school teacher and dedicated mother;
- Alexandra, devoted dancer from Armenia, kidnapped into sex trade at age 15, brought to America at age 19 by Russian mobsters to continue working.
The pace is lightning fast. I couldn’t flip through or read fast enough. The ending is explosive and unexpected. And the storyline reads as though pulled from the CNN headlines. Although the ending wrapped up a little too neatly the fast action and storyline told made up for any small issues. One word of warning ~ be ready with tissues!
If you liked The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan or Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter then you’ll enjoy The Guest Room.
Read this free short story of Alexandra’s life shared by the author.
Visit Chris Bohjalian Website | Facebook | Twitter
To learn more or to support an end to human trafficking visit C.A.S.T. – Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking.
