The Guest by Emma Cline

The Guest by Emma Cline

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Girls comes a taut, mesmerizing novel of desperation and belonging. It's the end of summer on Long Island's glittering East End, and 22-year-old Alex finds herself abruptly dismissed from the luxurious idyll she shared with an older man. Cast out with little more than a failing phone and a one-way ticket back to a life she's evading, Alex chooses instead to drift. Over the next week, she moves like a ghost through the gated estates, exclusive beach clubs, and sun-drenched pools of the elite enclave, expertly navigating the desires and expectations of others to secure temporary shelter. Driven by a precarious hope and a fluid sense of morality, Alex leaves a trail of subtle chaos in her wake as she counts down the days to a Labor Day party she's convinced will grant her reentry. Emma Cline crafts a spellbinding, suspenseful portrait of a young woman adrift in a world of privilege, teetering on the edge of discovery.

Why You’ll Love This Book

Lose yourself in this "smoldering thriller" (Bookforum) named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, Time, NPR, and The Washington Post. Emma Cline's sharp, atmospheric prose creates an intoxicating and unsettling glimpse into the world of the wealthy elite through the eyes of a magnetic, morally ambiguous outsider. If you enjoy taut psychological suspense, nuanced character studies, and literary fiction that simmers with tension, The Guest is an unforgettable experience.