Elspeth doesn’t want to be here. It’s her ex-husband’s 50th birthday, and she never planned to come to his party, never planned to stay. She was only coming because her daughter asked her to. Lillie had said that she would meet her mother at the party, but she never showed up. It wasn’t until later that Elspeth found out that it had all been a ruse. Lillie had never planned on going to her father’s party. He had only invited a select few. Elspeth was on his list. His daughter was not.
Richard was a successful director, producer, and actor, but he had a reputation. His parties were legendary. For this party, he had only invited 8 guests, including his ex-wife and his current partner, one of his oldest friends from school and the stars of his latest film. For this party, he had a huge catered meal, each dish with special meaning for a guest. There was lots of food and even more alcohol, all consumed under the watchful eye of Persephone, Richard’s pet octopus. It was a party not to be forgotten.
When Elspeth woke up the next morning, she wasn’t certain of everything that had happened. All she knows is that Richard was lying nearby, and he was no longer breathing.
In the weeks that follow, as Elspeth pieces together her own memories of that night, mixed in with memories of her years with Richard. She walks through her years together—when he directed her in her first film, their honeymoon, their break-up. He had not been an easy man to be with. She had moved to New York to be free of him and his broken promises to stay sober. She had taken Lillie with her, to try to protect her daughter, but after graduation, Lille had moved back to L.A. to try acting.
Now Elspeth is haunted by her memories—did they really bring a child’s inflatable pool up from the basement and inflate it, filling it with warm water and bubbles, while they all laid in it, their clothes getting soaked through, a bottle of champagne being passed around? And while she’s waiting for the investigation to come up with something, the secrets coming to the surface, everything she thought she knew being questioned, Elspeth can’t stop herself from watching videos about the octopus. Persephone had been there, had been watching them the entire night. If only there was a way to know what she knew.
But the more time goes by, the more Elspeth learns about her fellow party goers, the more reasons she sees for anyone one of to have killed the man. But will trying to figure out who killed Richard put her in danger? Or will it finally release her and Lillie from his control?
The Last Guest is a atmospheric novel of murder and relationships. It is smart and moody, told with intensity and mystery. Like the fascinating octopus who was the surprise guest at the party, author Tess Little has crafted a story with layers of intrigue, secrets, and lies. It is intense and powerful, drawing you in and holding you deep in these characters’ lives until the very end.
I got pulled into The Last Guest, and I could barely set it aside. It was darker than I expected, but it fit the story. It’s not an easy read, especially once the secrets start bursting forth, but it is lovely and powerful and emotional, and it will linger in your thoughts as the weeks go by. At least it did for me. If you are looking for an immersive experience in a novel, then you definitely need to check out The Last Guest.
Egalleys for The Last Guest were provided by Random House Publishing Group—Ballentine Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
