Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The Guest House is a well written psychological thriller featuring a simple storyline and well developed characters. The plot is densely layered as Allie, a deaf woman with a cochlear implant, inadvertently finds herself caught up in a web of mystery, betrayal and intrigue.
Prose: Bonnie Traymore's text is accessible and intriguing, benefitting from an acute attention to detail that helps build atmosphere and tension. The storyline is expertly crafted with plenty twists and turns that keep the reader guessing from start to finish.
Originality: The Guest House is a bold psychological thriller which adeptly incorporates some of the many challenges deaf people with cochlear implants face on a daily basis. Though there are some run of the mill plot points, Traymore's novel is sure to be a hit with those who like their mysteries served with a dose of chilling realism.
Character/Execution: Traymore's well crafted characters feature the protagonist Allie Dawson, who is a deaf woman navigating the world with a cochlear implant and smart glasses. The characters interact in a naturalistic and believable manner, adding a sense of tension to a spine-chillingly entertaining drama.
Blurb: A compelling psychological thriller.
Date Submitted: April 22, 2024
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
The Guest House is the second book in the Silicon Valley Series by Bonnie Traymore. Allie Dawson is eager to take advantage of her funding from Laura Foster and work on her dream to create a state-of-the-art captions device for the deaf. New to Silicon Valley, Allie comes across a real estate agent named Mike Tabernaky, who offers his guest house to Allie as a tenant. But soon after moving into her new home, Allie witnesses suspicious activities from her landlord that make her question her choices. Meanwhile, a venture capitalist has gone missing, and Laura Foster is dealing with her own family issues. Additionally, Allie finds herself haunted by erotic dreams of a Hungarian named Barnat Kovaks while she is dating another man. With her own life in danger, can Allie find a way to succeed?
The Guest House is an intricately crafted psychological thriller full of mystery, suspense, and intrigue. There are multiple moving parts to Bonnie Traymore's narrative, flawlessly complemented by a large cast of well-developed characters and an absorbing plot that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Traymore takes her time in offering readers the characters' backstories, revealing their history bit by bit, which helps the reader get attached to their story arcs. Since the book is part of a series, it keeps a couple of plot threads open and leaves you wanting more. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment and am especially curious about what Barnat Kovaks and Lydia are up to. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers of mystery and thriller novels.
