The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Perfect Hosts is a new release Popcorn Thriller/Domestic Drama from Heather Gudenkauf.
I’ve loved some of Gudenkauf’s work in the past, so I was really looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint.
This story is set around Madeline and Wes Drake, and their epic gender reveal party that goes horribly wrong, leaving a family friend dead. Close to 200-guests were in attendance at the time and any of them could be responsible.
Due to the nature of the incident, a government special agent, Jamie Saldano, is brought in to investigate. Agent Saldano has his own connection to the Drake family and his own reasons for wanting to be there.
The Drake’s unexpected house guests up the tension, as well as the suspect list. Will Agent Saldano be able to find the killer, or will the killer find him first?
Gudenkauf wastes no time getting into it with this story. It kicks off with a truly explosive 1st chapter. I was absolutely hooked, popping my popcorn and settling in for the drama.
You can tell quickly that it’s going to get messy. It was giving me Real Housewives meets Yellowstone with a touch of Lifetime movie, and I’ll admit I got pretty invested in all the jaw-dropping twists and turns.
Sure, there were aspects that were slightly-predictable, but the journey getting to the reveals was still hella enjoyable.
As everything unfolds in the story, you start to realize how many layers and players are involved. I liked that we had Agent Saldano’s perspective, as it added a bit of an outside observer to this otherwise domestic story.
The intensity builds constantly throughout, with so many crazy things happening. It’s a super fun, quick and engaging read. I would recommend it to Readers who enjoy high octane Domestic Thrillers, particularly if you are interested in one set on an active horse ranch.
Thank you to the publisher, Park Row, for providing me with a copy to read and review. It’s safe to say that I’ll pick up anything Heather Gudenkauf writes at this point.
I’m looking forward to whatever is next!