An Unwanted Guest

Set at the secluded Mitchell’s Inn in the Catskill Mountains, the story follows a diverse group of guests arriving for what they hope will be a relaxing winter weekend getaway. As a powerful and dangerous blizzard descends upon the region, the hotel is soon cut off from the outside world. With electricity lost, phone lines dead, and the roads impassable, the group is forced to hunker down together in the lodge, completely isolated from civilization. The atmosphere of peaceful solitude quickly disintegrates when one of the guests is discovered dead. While the death is initially dismissed as an unfortunate accident, suspicion turns to terror after a second body is found, confirming that a murderer is hiding among them. Paranoia spreads rapidly as the survivors realize that their fellow travelers, who were strangers just a day prior, are now potential suspects. With nowhere to escape, they are forced to confront their own secrets and question the motives of those around them. What makes the novel particularly compelling is its classic locked-room mystery structure, which masterfully ratchets up the tension within a confined, claustrophobic setting. Shari Lapena keeps the reader guessing by weaving together the personal histories and hidden traumas of each character, ensuring that no one is entirely above suspicion. The pacing remains taut throughout, driving the narrative toward a revelation that challenges the reader’s assumptions about justice, survival, and the dark realities of the human psyche.

Store Availability