This was a very short novella. The book is split up into two parts – current day and 30 years ago.

American college student Ashley Smith is an orphan planning on being alone during the holidays. Fellow student Emma Chapman kindly invites Ashley to her cottage in the Cotswold’s to spend Christmas with her family. Emma’s father is cruel, her mother is cold, and Ashley instantly starts crushing on Adam, Emma’s playboy brother. One night while walking home from the pub, Ashley sees a person near the woods. It eerily looks like Santa Claus. He makes a throat slicing gesture so Ashley runs back to the cottage.

Adam Chapman is being investigated for a murder in town of a girl he was casually dating. Everyone seems shocked that Ashley looks so much like the murdered girl, Joanna Davies.

This novella was short and sweet. It did not allow enough time to get to know any of the characters. Consequently, it was difficult to like them. 1/5

The Christmas Guest

Bookshop.org:

https://bookshop.org/a/96945/9780063297456

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