The Last House Guest

The Last House Guest follows Avery Greer, a local of Littleport, Maine, who becomes entwined with wealthy summer resident Sadie Loman and her privileged social circle. Their unlikely friendship spans years until Sadie's death at a summer-end party, which police rule a suicide. One year after losing Sadie, Avery remains unconvinced about the circumstances surrounding her friend's death and begins asking questions. As she searches for answers, she discovers inconsistencies in the official story and realizes that many Littleport residents harbor long-held secrets. Set against the backdrop of Maine's stark class divide between locals and summer residents, the novel alternates between past and present as Avery pieces together the truth. Her investigation forces her to confront her own role in events and question everything she thought she knew about her relationship with Sadie. The novel examines how wealth, power, and social status shape relationships and influence truth, while exploring the complex dynamics of female friendship and the ways trauma can bind people together or tear them apart.

Readers note slow pacing in the first half, with many saying the story doesn't pick up until past the midpoint. The atmospheric Maine coastal setting and complex relationship between the two main characters stand out as strengths. Liked: - Final chapters deliver satisfying twists - Detailed portrayal of class divisions in a resort town - Strong sense of place and mood Disliked: - Confusing timeline jumps between past/present - Difficulty connecting with protagonist Avery - Repetitive internal monologue - Plot points that strain credibility Several readers mention struggling to finish or abandoning the book due to pacing issues. "Too much description, not enough happening," notes one Amazon reviewer. Others found the ending worth the wait: "The last 75 pages make up for the slow start." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (78,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (2,800+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 3.8/5 (900+ ratings)

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🌊 Author Megan Miranda was inspired to write The Last House Guest after visiting coastal Maine and becoming fascinated by the stark contrast between summer tourists and year-round residents. 📚 The novel's setting, Littleport, Maine, is a fictional town but draws heavily from real-life New England vacation communities where social and economic divisions shape local dynamics. 🏆 The Last House Guest was selected as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick in August 2019, significantly boosting its visibility and sales. 🔍 The book's structure alternates between two timelines—the present day and events from the previous summer—a technique Miranda has successfully employed in several of her suspense novels. 🎬 The television rights to The Last House Guest were acquired shortly after its publication, with plans to develop it into a limited series, though production details remain pending.