Unwelcome guest. Unwelcome guest - Ekaterina Kharchenko. Magic against uninvited relatives

Several people are staying for the weekend at the secluded, old-fashioned Mitchell's Hotel. Of the service staff, only father and son are the owners. Others were unable to get there due to the beginning of the snowfall.

It is obvious that the idea was borrowed from Agatha Christie and it is also clear that Lapeña will not plagiarize. The identity of the killer, his motives and methods will differ from the original source. From the first pages you could feel the atmosphere of the classic detective stories of the Golden Age. Readers follow the actions and thoughts of all the characters in turn. It is interesting to find out their opinion about those present, their intentions, pieces of their life and inner world. Before the first murder, I really liked everything. If it seemed that the characters were not developed enough or were shown too stereotyped, then I explained this by the fact that the book was just gaining momentum. The tension was also looming. The hotel and the area are described atmospherically. Complete immersion in the location.

After the first murder, I suspected that the writer was realizing her dream: “Create unloved characters and make them either victims or murderers.” The second murder confirmed my suspicions. But at first I was glad that Lapeña introduced different characters and did not limit herself to one type often used in psychological thrillers. It turns out that this was necessary to separate the “wheat from the chaff.” Someone is assigned to the role of victim or killer, and someone will definitely not suffer in any way, because he is the way the writer wants him to be. And how then can you feel the atmosphere and experience it? Still, it’s clear in advance.

And there are problems with suspense here. It's not enough to cut off the electricity and make the heroes freeze. There must be some other psychological stuff going on. They are the most effective. Sometimes something broke through, but this was not enough to create tension. Besides, I predicted all the moves. The template “You are a victim or a murderer, and you will not suffer” is understandable, but other moves are also familiar. Two points were unexpected: there is no clear indication of the guilt of one of the guests, the possibility of outside intervention remains; the latest plot twist. I wouldn’t like the deviation from the canon, because the whole point is tightness, but the ambiguity was attractive. Are they really the only ones in the hotel? Although the answer to this question is known even before reading the book. As for the last twist, it does not fit with the psychology of the character, therefore it is helpless. In general, Lapeña was not very good at revealing characters and psychologizing.

The ending was disappointing. I was expecting something more complicated, something more inventive. Both in concept and in development. It’s not like the police came, looked around and whoops – and here is the evidence and it definitely points to the culprit, we arrest him, the case is closed. No logical conclusions, no analysis of the suspects' testimony, no psychological traps, nothing. One of the guests also understood everything (without the evidence found by the police), but remained silent because he was not sure. How, why, when did you understand? Why write about it? It’s better to simply recount the events from the killer’s point of view and that’s it. The motive is complete bullshit. It seems that everything was selected by Lapeña for the victims planned in advance. And where it didn’t fit, she gave up.

From the very beginning, I carefully read the thoughts of the characters, knowing that one of them is a murderer. I looked for indications of him, remembered what they were thinking about and how they expressed it. But Lapeña cunningly excluded all important moments for subsequent events from the thoughts of the heroes, and when it was impossible, she did not finish telling or deliberately lied. I took the easy path. If it weren’t for the author’s desire to kill the undesirables and reward the right ones, then I would not have any ideas about who could have committed the crimes. There is not enough information and clues. Some lines go nowhere. They are needed to confuse readers. If the theme was worked well, it could result in a tense narrative. And this is distracting garbage.

The thriller contains a minimum of trash, is not based on everyday life and violence against women, but Lapeña exploits several annoying cliches. I liked the style, but the riddle was weak, and its solution was ill-conceived and uninteresting. There is little suspense, the characters are genre cardboard and do what the writer wants, and not what is consistent with their character. Nevertheless, I don’t regret reading it and will get acquainted with Lapeña’s other books.

I really love books from the detective, thriller, mystery and horror genres. Such books most often have an excellent, intricate plot with their own secrets, riddles and characters who hide something unsightly and mysterious behind their wonderful manners and life.

Shari Lapena is a Canadian writer. Sheri Lapeña worked as a lawyer and teacher English language, before moving on to writing fiction. Lives in Toronto.

Book

Sheri Lapeña
Name:Unwelcome Guest
Year: 2019
Pages: 320

Annotation

Blizzard, cozy old-fashioned hotel in the mountains, warm company. This is the kind of weekend everyone dreams of: here you can ski, drink delicious cocktails, or sit in the library with an interesting book... But the dream quickly turns into a terrible nightmare. The hotel has no Internet or cell phone service, and the snow storm causes power outages. And at night a dazzling body is discovered at the foot of the stairs beautiful girl- the most attractive hotel guest. I want to believe that this is just an accident, but soon another corpse appears. And the frightened, chilled guests can only huddle together and wait for salvation to come. In her new novel, Sheri Lapeña combines the features of a modern thriller and the traditions of a classic detective story in the spirit of Agatha Christie. A skillfully constructed, chilling plot and a distinctly old-fashioned atmosphere create a special, unique flavor of the book.

Plotmany may be reminded of horror films or other detective stories, many authors and film directors have more than once gathered their heroes in confined spaces with wielding maniacs, fellow avengers, etc., but despite such a common cliche, the plot of the book is interesting and not predictable...

Each hero hoped to spend a quiet weekend, some alone, indulging in thoughts and memories, contemplating and rethinking life, while some with their other halves tried to retire and spend time, some hoped to save their marriage. But subsequent events will change everyone's life...

Early on Saturday morning, near the stairs they find dead body Dana Hart, it looks like she fell down the stairs

but lawyer David Paley suspects it is murder. Suspicion falls on the groom Matthew Hutchinson; many do not believe that he slept all night and did not hear Dana leave the room, especially their quarrel late in the evening. What caused the quarrel and whether he really killed his girlfriend becomes an obsessive thought for everyone.

A cozy hotel turns into a trap. Due to Friday's snow storm and ice, electricity is cut off and there are no mobile communications and the Internet. There is also no opportunity to get out into the city and everyone has to be hostage to the elements and hope for a miracle...

Each hero becomes a suspect, some give the true reason with their behavior and appearance, and others with their past.

What secrets does Riley keep, who seems strange to everyone? Her isolation and unsociability only add to suspicion.

Lawyer David Paley, who was the main suspect in the murder of his wife.

Dana Hart, who seemed very familiar to some...

The atmosphere is aggravated new victim. All this leads to growing psychological stress and panic. Suspicions become more acute, everyone begins to seriously fear for their lives. The search leads to unusual finds that make people think about an "uninvited" guest.

Narration

The Mitchells Hotel has 12 rooms, but only 6 are booked for this weekend.

Main characters

- Gwen Delaney and Riley Shooter

Gwen wanted to spend the weekend with her friend Riley, thinking that it would be good for her friend and she would unwind a little. Riley, a war reporter who has been to many hot spots, doesn't mind leaving the city and spending a few days in solitude.

A criminal lawyer came to relax and think about life.

- Beverly and Henry Sullivan

A married couple is experiencing a family crisis. Beverly has high hopes for this trip to reunite with her husband.

A couple in love who came to spend time together away from the pre-wedding bustle.

Opinion about the book

The book is quite interesting, the plot is not bad either. The characters, with their oddities, did not evoke any crazy sympathy, but Riley felt sorry for her from the bottom of her heart. The book, of course, won’t give you strong emotions and impressions, but it won’t be boring either.

I liked the atmosphere, you are immersed in snow-covered landscapes, evenings by the fireplace are all so pleasant and romantic. As the plot thickens, you begin to plunge into an atmosphere of hopelessness and paranoia, suspecting everyone and everyone, comparing the evidence and drawing conclusions)

Sheri Lapeña

Unwelcome Guest

Shari Lapena

UNWANTED GUEST

© Shari Lapena, 2019

© Kartsivadze L., translation, 2019

© AST Publishing House LLC, 2019

Dedicated to mom

Acknowledgments

I'm still incredibly grateful to work with the best people in our business. Thanks again to my American publishers - Brian Tart, Pamela Dorman and the wonderful team at Viking Penguin (U.S.) - you are doing an amazing job. Thanks to Larry Finley and Frankie Gray at Transworld (U.K.) and their fabulous team - you are the best. Christine Cochrane, Amy Black, Bhavna Chauhan and the amazing team at Doubleday (Canada) – thank you again for everything. I am incredibly lucky to have the support of so many truly talented, passionate and responsible people. I couldn't have done it without you.

Thank you again Helen Heller - words cannot express how much I appreciate you. Thanks also to everyone at Marsh Agency for their excellent representation around the world.

I'm especially grateful to Jane Cavolina - she's a wonderful editor.

Thanks also to Lt. Paul Pratti of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office for his generous assistance.

I would like to emphasize that all errors in the manuscript are my own.

Finally, as always, I want to thank my husband Manuel and our children Christopher and Julia - your support and enthusiasm mean more to me than anything else in the world.

Friday, 16:45

The road twisted and turned with unexpected turns, leading ever higher into the depths of the Catskill Mountains. It seemed that the further away from civilization the path became more and more dangerous. The shadows deepened and the weather deteriorated. The Hudson River appeared and disappeared from view. The forest loomed on both sides of the road as a silent threat, as if plotting to swallow them whole. It was a fairytale forest, but the softly falling snowflakes gave the landscape a postcard charm.

Gwen Delaney clasped her hands tightly on the steering wheel and squinted at the windshield. She preferred dark fairy tales to sugary postcard views. It was already getting dark, and it was about to get dark. Because of the snowfall, driving became more and more difficult, more and more tiring. The flakes fell on the glass so thickly that she felt like she was stuck in some kind of endless video game. And the road was clearly becoming more and more slippery. Gwen was grateful that her little Fiat had good tires. The world blurred into blind whiteness, and it was difficult to discern where the road ended and the ditch began. She couldn't wait to get to the place as quickly as possible, and she was beginning to regret that they had chosen a hotel in such a wilderness - literally in the middle of nowhere.

Riley Shooter sat silently in the passenger seat next to her, tense as a string. It was impossible not to feel her tension, and Gwen was turned on just by being in a cramped car with her. She hoped she hadn't made a mistake in bringing her here.

“The whole point of this little escape was for Riley to take a little break and unwind,” Gwen thought and, biting her lip, peered intently at the road. She was a city girl—born and raised in the city—and she wasn't used to driving through such a backwater place. The nights are too dark here. Gwen was starting to worry: the trip was taking longer than planned. Shouldn't have stopped for coffee at that cute old diner along the way.

It’s not clear what she was expecting when she suggested going away for the weekend, other than maybe a change of scenery and spending a couple of quiet days together in a place where nothing would remind Riley that her life was in ruins. Perhaps it was naive.

Gwen had her own problems that followed her everywhere. But she decided that she would put them out of her mind at least for the weekend. A luxurious small hotel in the outback, delicious food, pristine nature and no Internet - this is exactly what they both need.

Riley nervously peered into the dark forest outside the window, trying not to think that at any second someone could jump onto the road and stop the car with a wave of their hand. She clenched her hands, hidden in the pockets of her down jacket, and reminded herself that she was no longer in Afghanistan. She's home, safe, in New York State. Nothing bad will happen to her here.

The job changed her. After everything she had seen, Riley had changed so much that she didn't recognize herself. She stole a glance at Gwen. Once upon a time they were inseparable. It was not clear to her why she agreed to go with her to this distant hotel. Riley watched as Gwen focused all her attention on the winding road up the slippery slope into the mountains.

-Are you okay? – Riley suddenly asked.

- I? – asked Gwen. - Yes, everything is fine. We'll be there soon.

At New York University's journalism school, where they both studied, Gwen was considered a level-headed and practical girl. But Riley was ambitious - she always wanted to be in the center of events. Gwen did not like adventures, preferring books and peace. After graduating, Gwen was unable to find a decent job at a newspaper, but she quickly put her skills to good use in a good position in the field of corporate communications and, apparently, never regretted it. And Riley constantly worked in hot spots. And she managed to stay afloat for quite a long time.

Why is she doing this? Why does he think about the past again? Riley felt herself starting to lose control. She tried to breathe more evenly, as she had been taught. She couldn't let her past come back and take over.

David Paley pulled into the cleared parking lot to the right of the hotel, got out of his car, and stretched. The weather had made the drive from New York longer than he expected, and his muscles were stiff, reminding him that he was no longer so young. Before taking his bag from the back seat of the Mercedes, he paused for a moment under the thickly falling snow, looking at the Mitchells Hotel.

The beautiful three-story building made of red brick with gingerbread trim was surrounded on all sides by forest. The front of the small hotel was open to view: in front of it was a snow-covered area, which must have turned into a wide lawn in the summer. The building was surrounded by tall coniferous trees and bare trunks wrapped in snow wool. A huge tree growing in the middle of the lawn extended powerful branches in all directions. Everything was covered with the purest white snow. It was so quiet and serene that David felt his shoulders begin to relax.

On all three floors, large rectangular windows were located at the same distance from each other. Wide steps led to a wooden porch and double front doors adorned with fir branches. Although dusk was just beginning to fall, lamps were burning on either side of the entrance, and soft yellow light fell from the windows on the first floor, giving the house a warm and cozy appearance. David stood motionless, ordering all the experiences of the day, and at the same time the week, and the past years, to recede. Snow fell on my hair and tickled my lips. It was as if he had returned to an earlier, more innocent and merciful time.

David decided that he would try to forget about work for the next forty-eight hours. A reboot is necessary for everyone, even the busiest people, from time to time. Even – and perhaps especially – successful criminal lawyers. He rarely managed to squeeze a day off into his schedule, much less a whole weekend, and he was going to enjoy his vacation to the fullest.

Friday, 17:00

Lauren Day looked at the man sitting next to him: Ian Beaton was driving the car masterfully in rather extreme conditions. Looking at him, it seemed as easy as shelling pears. He smiled at her with his disarming smile, and she smiled back. Ian was handsome, tall and thin, but what attracted her most was his smile, his quiet charm, which made him so attractive. Lauren rummaged in her purse for lipstick and began, looking in the mirror on the protective visor, to carefully paint her lips. A pleasant shade of red refreshed her face. The car swerved slightly and she froze, but Ian skillfully straightened the steering wheel. The road began to twist more and more, and the car kept skidding.

“It’s getting slippery,” Lauren said.

“Don’t worry, I can handle it,” Ian grinned, and she smiled back again.

She was also captivated by his self-confidence.

- Wait, what is this? – she suddenly asked.

A dark spot appeared to the right of the road. The snow and cloudy weather made it difficult to see, but it looked like a car had been caught in a ditch.

As they drove past, Lauren peered intently at the car, and Ian began to look suitable place to stop.

“It seems like there’s someone there,” she said.

– Why didn’t they turn on the emergency lights? – Ian grumbled and slowly pulled onto the side of the road, fearing that they themselves would fly off the road.

Lauren climbed out of the warm car and her feet sank into several inches of pristine snow. Snow immediately filled my boots, tingling my ankles. She heard Ian also slam the door and get out of the car.

Without an invitation and prior notice, it is considered a rather rude act. After all, the owners may have business, work from home, cleaning, a high temperature or a bad mood. Some people, obsessed with a thirst for communication and confident in their own irresistibility, sincerely believe that their appearance at a party is a reason to drop everything and start having fun. Convincing such visitors that they do not always choose the right time is difficult, but possible.

An unwanted guest can be convinced to leave right from the doorstep. To do this, come up with some simple but tedious task outside your apartment. In this case, going to the store is not suitable, since the visitor will decide that you are trying for his sake and will volunteer to help. But in line at the clinic or visit - good options. Your visitor will not want to turn his sparkling visit into a visit to a hospital or housing department. Naturally, for plausibility you will have to get dressed and go out in the right direction. On the other hand, this will give you the opportunity to complete some boring tasks that you have been putting off for a long time. For example, actually making an appointment with a doctor or submitting documents.

Most people take hints, but some people need to hint more directly. If you are not just not happy with the guest, but are really busy or feel bad, you can say so. Moreover, this should be done not in the form of opposition: “I have a headache, fever, but you’re getting over it, make yourself at home,” but as harshly and unambiguously as possible: “I don’t feel well, come back another time.” In this way, you may darken the visitor’s radiant mood, but at the same time teach him to warn him of your intention to visit in advance.

If an unwanted guest has already entered your apartment, settled down on the sofa and demands small talk, try to inform that in the near future someone will join you whom your visitor, for one reason or another, cannot stand. Try to demonstrate how excited you are for the future visit of the second guest, how long you have been waiting for him and how, finally, everything coincided successfully. With a high degree of probability, your intrusive visitor will simply run away.

Sometimes guests sneak into your home pretending they don't understand the hints. You can play the same game and push the unwanted visitor out the door using his own methods. Try not to behave like the poor Rabbit from the cartoon about Winnie the Pooh (“The Rabbit was very smart and very well-mannered”), but use the methods of a rude teddy bear. If a guest hints that he is hungry because he did not have time to have lunch, do not rush to offer him the first, second and compote. Tell him that it’s in vain that he treats his stomach this way, that he needs to take care of himself, that you, for example, just ate an hour ago, and now you don’t want anything until the evening, or even until the morning.

It might be useful to read:

• How to get on an excursion to Antarctica?;
• Czech Republic Troy Castle. Troja Castle in Prague. Ancient winery and museum;
• Böcklin and his “island of the dead” A cultural phenomenon of its time;
• Air tickets to Crimea Air tickets to Crimea will become cheaper;
• What you can and cannot take with you;
• Open left menu Heviz How to get from Budapest to Lake Heviz;
• Cable car in Nha Trang (Vinpearl) The longest cable car in the world Vietnam;
• Kamenets-Podolsk fortress - a historical monument of Ukraine Life outside the walls of the Kamenets-Podolsk fortress;