The Last House Guest
by Megan Miranda
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**A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller**"Once again, Megan Miranda has crafted the perfect summer thriller." —Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Time I Lied
The summer after a wealthy young summer guest dies under suspicious circumstances, her best friend lives under a cloud of grief and suspicion in this "clever, stylish mystery that will seize readers like a riptide" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) featuring show more "dizzying plot twists and multiple surprise endings" (The New York Times Book Review).
Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline; and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors.
Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl—but that's just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and Littleport resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable—until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can't help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie's brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they're saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her.
Another thrilling novel from the bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger, Megan Miranda's The Last House Guest is a smart, twisty read with a strong female protagonist determined to make her own way in the world.
"A riveting read...from master of suspense, Megan Miranda," (Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl) The Last House Guest is a smart, twisty read that brilliantly explores the elusive nature of memory and the complexities of female friendships. show less
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Megan Miranda’s The Last House Guest is a slow-burning thriller set in the divided coastal town of Littleport, Maine—a place where the wealthy summer crowd and the year-round locals coexist uneasily. At the heart of the story is Avery Greer, a local with a troubled past, who finds herself entangled in the mysterious death of her best friend, Sadie Loman, a member of the elite visiting class. While the authorities rule Sadie’s death a suicide, Avery remains unconvinced and begins to dig into the town’s secrets—only to find herself increasingly isolated and under suspicion.
Miranda does well to create an immersive, slow-burning tension. The setting is vivid and claustrophobic, reflecting Avery’s growing paranoia and show more determination. The community’s divide between locals and summer elites adds an ever-present undercurrent of resentment and imbalance, which fuels the story’s central mystery.
That said, while the pacing builds an effective mood, parts of the narrative feel stretched, with some twists lacking the punch expected from a story of this nature. The connection between the families, meant to be a shocking revelation, feels familiar and almost formulaic once the pieces come together. The romantic thread involving Sadie’s brother Parker veers into uncomfortable territory, serving more as a plot device than a believable emotional connection.
Still, there are moments of strength: the complicated dynamic between Avery and Sadie feels authentic, and the way Avery slowly pieces together her own truth while reckoning with how others see her offers an introspective layer. The attempt by Sadie’s family—especially the daughter—to shield Avery adds depth to the idea that not all privilege is wielded with cruelty, though it’s tangled in morally gray motivations.
In the end, The Last House Guest delivers a moody, atmospheric ride that will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven suspense more than shocking twists. While not groundbreaking, it’s a solid read with just enough tension to keep you turning the pages—even if the answers come with fewer surprises than hoped. Readers looking for a twisty, page-turning beach read might find some enjoyment here, but those hoping for something fresh and unpredictable may be left wanting. show less
Miranda does well to create an immersive, slow-burning tension. The setting is vivid and claustrophobic, reflecting Avery’s growing paranoia and show more determination. The community’s divide between locals and summer elites adds an ever-present undercurrent of resentment and imbalance, which fuels the story’s central mystery.
That said, while the pacing builds an effective mood, parts of the narrative feel stretched, with some twists lacking the punch expected from a story of this nature. The connection between the families, meant to be a shocking revelation, feels familiar and almost formulaic once the pieces come together. The romantic thread involving Sadie’s brother Parker veers into uncomfortable territory, serving more as a plot device than a believable emotional connection.
Still, there are moments of strength: the complicated dynamic between Avery and Sadie feels authentic, and the way Avery slowly pieces together her own truth while reckoning with how others see her offers an introspective layer. The attempt by Sadie’s family—especially the daughter—to shield Avery adds depth to the idea that not all privilege is wielded with cruelty, though it’s tangled in morally gray motivations.
In the end, The Last House Guest delivers a moody, atmospheric ride that will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven suspense more than shocking twists. While not groundbreaking, it’s a solid read with just enough tension to keep you turning the pages—even if the answers come with fewer surprises than hoped. Readers looking for a twisty, page-turning beach read might find some enjoyment here, but those hoping for something fresh and unpredictable may be left wanting. show less
Spoilers. This book is so soaked in whining, ruminating, dwelling in the past and overthinking that without the book jacket, i wouldn't know that it's supposedly a murder mystery. The flashbacks are only a year apart, except for the countless section breaks so the audience can learn just how dark, so daring and super tragic Avery's teen years are. They're not. Avery's parents die in a car crash when she's thirteen, and she goes to live with her grandmother. That is indeed sad, but also realistic. And in this book, both entirely devoid of emotion and stuffed full of attempted drama. I felt nothing for any character but saw the coding for what the author roundly failed to do. I picked on the smallest details. I couldn't help it. Sadie is show more a nickname for Mercedes. This is never mentioned. Plot twists that would be interesting in the hands of a capable author were stripped of suspense and life here. Any relationship anyone had to anyone made me yawn. Every page introduced new boredom as Avery thought and thought and thought some more, yet I kept reading in hopes of a plot. This book would have been way more interesting from one of the cops' perspectives: a small town catering to rich tourists has a property manager supposedly kill her best friend. The property manager would have never gotten her start if it weren't for the rich girl's parents. The property manager has a criminal record, and the cops remember why. Plot! Intrigue! Characterization!
Instead, we get mrrwwaaaaaahhh and thinking-thinking and more mrwaaaahhh throughout. When Avery got jealous of Luce, the one Latinx woman in the whole book, and one who's old money at that, for no reason, she decides Luce must be the murderer. I decided to attempt to rouse myself out of the stupor the book had put me in and run some errands. Avery tries to inject her own story with a sense of urgency repeatedly, but fails. She's a real drama llama about the fact that some artists choose to have children while working at galleries and painting. Her mom was one such artist. Seriously, get over yourself. I can practically hear you moaning, "Llama face!" and touching your hooves to your new ears. Making "Emperor's New Groove" references calms me only slightly in this moment. For a character who often mentions her dead parents' car accident, I have no idea how their deaths really affected her. Were they close? Does it affect her as an adult? Does she have a favorite memory? What were the pictures of? How often did she cook things from her mom's book? Did she repeat stories Dad had told her? What about Grandma? Nope, she's gonna think really hard about the town some more. Okay. Avery complains about guests who left a bunch of candles behind and how messy it is, but doesn't mention that wax dripped everywhere or anything. Nothing about the stench of smoke in curtains. She says money won't sway her until she counts a bunch of it, and ignores what she just said. Just own up to that part of you, dude. There were lots of moments like that.
And Avery's parents' deaths were of course murders complete with financial payoff, as revealed in the final forty pages! I rolled my eyes and roused slightly from my stupor. The lack of consequences their and Sadie's murderer faces is laughable: an ankle bracelet and house arrest. Oh, and a cop was paid off too. Wow-wow-wow. Okay then. Stuff like that happens IRL, but the book has no setup for it. This feels like a first draft where none of the author's ideas nor a single word were cut. It comes off as lightly edited, but had an effective marketing team. I was so glad when I finished reading. show less
Instead, we get mrrwwaaaaaahhh and thinking-thinking and more mrwaaaahhh throughout. When Avery got jealous of Luce, the one Latinx woman in the whole book, and one who's old money at that, for no reason, she decides Luce must be the murderer. I decided to attempt to rouse myself out of the stupor the book had put me in and run some errands. Avery tries to inject her own story with a sense of urgency repeatedly, but fails. She's a real drama llama about the fact that some artists choose to have children while working at galleries and painting. Her mom was one such artist. Seriously, get over yourself. I can practically hear you moaning, "Llama face!" and touching your hooves to your new ears. Making "Emperor's New Groove" references calms me only slightly in this moment. For a character who often mentions her dead parents' car accident, I have no idea how their deaths really affected her. Were they close? Does it affect her as an adult? Does she have a favorite memory? What were the pictures of? How often did she cook things from her mom's book? Did she repeat stories Dad had told her? What about Grandma? Nope, she's gonna think really hard about the town some more. Okay. Avery complains about guests who left a bunch of candles behind and how messy it is, but doesn't mention that wax dripped everywhere or anything. Nothing about the stench of smoke in curtains. She says money won't sway her until she counts a bunch of it, and ignores what she just said. Just own up to that part of you, dude. There were lots of moments like that.
And Avery's parents' deaths were of course murders complete with financial payoff, as revealed in the final forty pages! I rolled my eyes and roused slightly from my stupor. The lack of consequences their and Sadie's murderer faces is laughable: an ankle bracelet and house arrest. Oh, and a cop was paid off too. Wow-wow-wow. Okay then. Stuff like that happens IRL, but the book has no setup for it. This feels like a first draft where none of the author's ideas nor a single word were cut. It comes off as lightly edited, but had an effective marketing team. I was so glad when I finished reading. show less
All these invisible lives, hidden just out of sight. Even that night at the party, when she was right there, she remained out of frame, hidden behind shadows and broken glass."
I loved this one. A story about a local girl in a small coastal town that all the rich families visit for the summer. It's hard for the locals to hold on to their lives all year when the town is completely transformed with so much money during the summer. But that's not really the story here. A year ago, our MC's best friend died. One of the rich kids. She was found at the bottom of a cliff - in the water. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Was it an accident? No one knows - and as they approach the one year anniversary, the investigation kicks back up and many in show more town are whispering secrets that no one dared say before.
It was fun untangling the story as the lines started to straighten out. Probably a lot of my enjoy of this one was the really good narrator of the audio book. I listened to it while I cleaned the house, made dinner or did dishes. It was a great distraction and I enjoyed the mystery. I had no idea what the answers were so the ending was a complete surprise. Loved it! show less
I loved this one. A story about a local girl in a small coastal town that all the rich families visit for the summer. It's hard for the locals to hold on to their lives all year when the town is completely transformed with so much money during the summer. But that's not really the story here. A year ago, our MC's best friend died. One of the rich kids. She was found at the bottom of a cliff - in the water. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Was it an accident? No one knows - and as they approach the one year anniversary, the investigation kicks back up and many in show more town are whispering secrets that no one dared say before.
It was fun untangling the story as the lines started to straighten out. Probably a lot of my enjoy of this one was the really good narrator of the audio book. I listened to it while I cleaned the house, made dinner or did dishes. It was a great distraction and I enjoyed the mystery. I had no idea what the answers were so the ending was a complete surprise. Loved it! show less
I have been so disappointed lately with the new-release thrillers that I kind of backed away from the genre. This one was worth the read. It kept me guessing right up until the very end and beyond. It was a narrative that went back and forth from September 2018 to September 2019, with a few side trips to further back in time. The setting is Littleport, Maine - a town right on the edge of the ocean. It sounds like a place I want to visit some day. Is it possible for one to "have an ocean"? Well if it is, the Atlantic Ocean is "my" ocean. It's perfectly majestical, powerful and awe-inspiring and this book depicts this very well because the ocean is an essential part of the plot. The book begins in 2018 with these words: "I almost went show more back for her. When she didn't show. When she didn't answer her phone. When she didn't reply to my text." - the opening lines of the book. We begin at the beginning when Avery's dearest friend Sadie is found at the bottom of the bluffs - partly in the Atlantic Ocean. From there Avery takes us back and forth as she tries to reconstruct that night. The search forces her to face some of her own demons, and forces her to re-examine her life from when it irreparably changed at the age of 14, Piece by piece, she figures out what happened on the night of Sadie's death, and as she searches, she finds that everything that she remembers from the night when she lost Sadie, firmly puts her in the frame. Can she figure it out and clear her name? Awesome book. The tension ratchets up at the beginning and does not let go until the very last pages. Highly recommend. show less
A Beautiful Town, a Terrible Tragedy
Littleport, Maine is like two different towns. For most of the year it is a small town with beautiful views and very little action, but in the summer it becomes a holiday destination for the rich and reckless, full of partying and excess. Although the town-people and the summer-crowd don't tend to mix, Sadie Loman and Avery Greer have managed to cross the divide, and become the best of friends.
However, when Sadie is found dead, everything changes for Avery. With her job and her reputation in jeopardy, she must put together the pieces to figure out what happened to her friend - before its too late.
This book has such a wonderful setting, I just couldn't pass it up. Small town America is always one of show more my favourite setting-types; it always gives me that dull ache of childhood.
The story shifts back and forth between the present and the summer that Sadie died, giving you more and more information to sift through as you try to figure out the mystery along with Avery. With wonderfully crafted characters and believable drama, I love the pace and content of this story. The idea of a town with two distinct faces is incredibly enticing, and I was drawn right into the secrecy and intrigue of it all.
Avery's character is strong but flawed, as many modern literary heroines tend to be. She has a complicated past, and a deep seeded drive for ambition and accomplishment. Sadie on the other hand is a rich girl with a power complex, teetering through life on the knife's edge of recklessness and refinement. She may be strong-willed, but she is also weak in her own over-confidence. The two characters are a classic pair; one rich, one poor. One an outcast, one the popular socialite. One in need of care, one in need of adoration.
The only real flaw to this book was unfortunately a fairly big one, in my opinion. Avery is incredibly sharp, and she has most of the facts that she needs to figure out what happened – it's all there in her memory of that fateful night, if only she can put together the pieces. The problem is, the author doesn't follow those thought processes through properly, and what we are given feels very much like Avery making things up randomly and then those things turning out to be true. She makes some serious jumps, and we are expected to believe that she has just put two and two together – only we were never given the first “two”. It frustrated me, because I think that Miranda had a very good idea going, she just didn't quite write it all out like she seems to think she did. It made the ending feel a little bit scrambled and random, even though I have a feeling it really was well charted in the author's mind.
Overall, I love the story and characters in this book. I want to visit Littleport, Maine and see the beautiful scenery Miranda describes so lovingly. Unfortunately, the oversimplified process takes The Last House Guest down from 4/5 to 3/5 for me. I really wanted to love this ending, but it felt too rushed and messy when it came down to it.
Recommended for fans of Pretty Little Liars. show less
Littleport, Maine is like two different towns. For most of the year it is a small town with beautiful views and very little action, but in the summer it becomes a holiday destination for the rich and reckless, full of partying and excess. Although the town-people and the summer-crowd don't tend to mix, Sadie Loman and Avery Greer have managed to cross the divide, and become the best of friends.
However, when Sadie is found dead, everything changes for Avery. With her job and her reputation in jeopardy, she must put together the pieces to figure out what happened to her friend - before its too late.
This book has such a wonderful setting, I just couldn't pass it up. Small town America is always one of show more my favourite setting-types; it always gives me that dull ache of childhood.
The story shifts back and forth between the present and the summer that Sadie died, giving you more and more information to sift through as you try to figure out the mystery along with Avery. With wonderfully crafted characters and believable drama, I love the pace and content of this story. The idea of a town with two distinct faces is incredibly enticing, and I was drawn right into the secrecy and intrigue of it all.
Avery's character is strong but flawed, as many modern literary heroines tend to be. She has a complicated past, and a deep seeded drive for ambition and accomplishment. Sadie on the other hand is a rich girl with a power complex, teetering through life on the knife's edge of recklessness and refinement. She may be strong-willed, but she is also weak in her own over-confidence. The two characters are a classic pair; one rich, one poor. One an outcast, one the popular socialite. One in need of care, one in need of adoration.
The only real flaw to this book was unfortunately a fairly big one, in my opinion. Avery is incredibly sharp, and she has most of the facts that she needs to figure out what happened – it's all there in her memory of that fateful night, if only she can put together the pieces. The problem is, the author doesn't follow those thought processes through properly, and what we are given feels very much like Avery making things up randomly and then those things turning out to be true. She makes some serious jumps, and we are expected to believe that she has just put two and two together – only we were never given the first “two”. It frustrated me, because I think that Miranda had a very good idea going, she just didn't quite write it all out like she seems to think she did. It made the ending feel a little bit scrambled and random, even though I have a feeling it really was well charted in the author's mind.
Overall, I love the story and characters in this book. I want to visit Littleport, Maine and see the beautiful scenery Miranda describes so lovingly. Unfortunately, the oversimplified process takes The Last House Guest down from 4/5 to 3/5 for me. I really wanted to love this ending, but it felt too rushed and messy when it came down to it.
Recommended for fans of Pretty Little Liars. show less
Avery Greer is a local in a summer resort town in Maine. Tragedy strikes her family when her parents die in a car accident, and her grandmother dies a short time later. Avery becomes depressed, and starts to alienate her close friends.
Sadie Loman is one of the wealthy summer residents. The summer residents and the locals don’t usually hang out together, but Sadie befriends Avery, and Sadie’s father gives Avery a place to stay and a job managing his properties.
When Sadie ends up dead, and all clues point to Avery involvement, Avery is desperate to prove her innocence.
However, will Avery trust the right people?
I really enjoyed this twisty thriller that highlighted the differences between what happens when you have money and when show more you don’t. What are people willing to do to get into the good graces of those with wealth? What will it cost them, both financially, emotionally, and physically? You will keep guessing to the end as to what is going to happen. I love it when a thriller surprises you!
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC. All opinions are freely given. show less
Sadie Loman is one of the wealthy summer residents. The summer residents and the locals don’t usually hang out together, but Sadie befriends Avery, and Sadie’s father gives Avery a place to stay and a job managing his properties.
When Sadie ends up dead, and all clues point to Avery involvement, Avery is desperate to prove her innocence.
However, will Avery trust the right people?
I really enjoyed this twisty thriller that highlighted the differences between what happens when you have money and when show more you don’t. What are people willing to do to get into the good graces of those with wealth? What will it cost them, both financially, emotionally, and physically? You will keep guessing to the end as to what is going to happen. I love it when a thriller surprises you!
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC. All opinions are freely given. show less
Going into this book I didn't know much about Melinda Gates, or what her foundation did. All overly wealthy people seem to have foundations, so my base assumption would have been that they used it to distribute money to programs and people in need.
Boy was I wrong on that.
This book is a must read for anyone, no matter your sex/gender/lot in life, it's eye opening and empowering. While the title will lead you to believe that the target audience for this book is women, and that reading it will leave women empowered, that couldn't be further from the truth.
Melinda tells the story about her journey in empowering women and how it cascaded into changing the views/lives of men and women around the globe. From America to India, and every show more village in between, she shares stories of people that she admires, and how one idea led to large scale social change for many.
I adore Melinda's take on how to solve problems, and listen with the intent to understand. Each time she thinks she has a handle on a small problem, she discovers a much bigger picture that needs to be addressed. She is humble, and open to to understanding life from a different perspective. It's inspiring. The way she was able to continually tie so much back to family planning shocked me, but also made complete sense.
The story she is telling is laid out in a manner that makes it easy to follow and understand how she is who she is today. From her personal family background, to her struggles with the boys club. It was cool to listen to how she became a more confident and assertive version of herself and spread her own wings of empowerment.
So often people brush off items that aren't their problem, as "since I don't struggle with this, no one is anymore. It's history, a problem that has been solved." But that isn't true. Melinda points out so many areas that we are still working as a society to make better.
I leave this book with a new understanding of her foundation, and how much just listening can blossom a wave of change. I encourage you to read it. The audiobook was great, as she narrates it, and puts the emphasis in all the right places.
Boy was I wrong on that.
This book is a must read for anyone, no matter your sex/gender/lot in life, it's eye opening and empowering. While the title will lead you to believe that the target audience for this book is women, and that reading it will leave women empowered, that couldn't be further from the truth.
Melinda tells the story about her journey in empowering women and how it cascaded into changing the views/lives of men and women around the globe. From America to India, and every show more village in between, she shares stories of people that she admires, and how one idea led to large scale social change for many.
I adore Melinda's take on how to solve problems, and listen with the intent to understand. Each time she thinks she has a handle on a small problem, she discovers a much bigger picture that needs to be addressed. She is humble, and open to to understanding life from a different perspective. It's inspiring. The way she was able to continually tie so much back to family planning shocked me, but also made complete sense.
“…contraceptives are the greatest life-saving, poverty-ending, women-empowering innovation ever created.”
“When women can decide whether and when to have children, it saves lives, promotes health, expands education, and creates prosperity—no matter what country in the world you’re talking about.”
The story she is telling is laid out in a manner that makes it easy to follow and understand how she is who she is today. From her personal family background, to her struggles with the boys club. It was cool to listen to how she became a more confident and assertive version of herself and spread her own wings of empowerment.
So often people brush off items that aren't their problem, as "since I don't struggle with this, no one is anymore. It's history, a problem that has been solved." But that isn't true. Melinda points out so many areas that we are still working as a society to make better.
I leave this book with a new understanding of her foundation, and how much just listening can blossom a wave of change. I encourage you to read it. The audiobook was great, as she narrates it, and puts the emphasis in all the right places.
“And the starting point for human improvement is empathy. Everything flows from that. Empathy allows for listening, and listening leads to understanding. That’s how we gain a common base of knowledge. When people can’t agree, it’s often because there is no empathy, no sense of shared experience. If you feel what others feel, you’re more likely to see what they see. Then you can understand one another. Then you can move to the honest and respectful exchange of ideas that is the mark of a successful partnership. That’s the source of progress.”show less
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34+ Works 13,664 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2019
- Important places
- Maine, USA
- First words
- I almost went back for her.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)But Littleport has always been the type of place that favors the bold.
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