• The Christmas Guest

  • A Novella
  • By: Peter Swanson
  • Narrated by: Esther Wane
  • Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (104 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Christmas Guest  By  cover art

The Christmas Guest

By: Peter Swanson
Narrated by: Esther Wane
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.89

Buy for $18.89

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

“Delicious…I defy you to stop reading The Christmas Guest once you begin.”—New York Times Book Review

New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson pens a spectacularly spine-chilling novella in which an American art student in London is invited to join a classmate for the holidays at Starvewood Hall, her family’s Cotswold manor house. But behind the holly and pine boughs, secrets are about to unravel, revealing this seemingly charming English village’s grim history.

Ashley Smith, an American art student in London for her junior year, was planning on spending Christmas alone, but a last-minute invitation from fellow student Emma Chapman brings her to Starvewood Hall, country residence of the Chapman family. The Cotswold manor house, festooned in pine boughs and crammed with guests for Christmas week, is a dream come true for Ashley. She is mesmerized by the cozy, firelit house, the large family, and the charming village of Clevemoor, but also by Adam Chapman, Emma’s aloof and handsome brother.

But Adam is being investigated by the local police over the recent brutal slaying of a girl from the village, and there is a mysterious stranger who haunts the woodland path between Starvewood Hall and the local pub. Ashley begins to wonder what kind of story she is actually inhabiting. Is she in a grand romance? A gothic tale? Or has she wandered into something far more sinister and terrifying than she’d ever imagined?

Over thirty years later the events of that horrific week are revisited, along with a diary from that time. What began in a small English village in 1989 reaches its ghostly conclusion in modern-day New York, many Christmas seasons later.

©2023 Peter Swanson (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about The Christmas Guest

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    46
  • 4 Stars
    31
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    50
  • 4 Stars
    31
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    48
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Swanson does it again

I love his twists and his insight into the darkest onslaughts of the human psyche.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Haunting Christmas Ghost Story

On the tradition of Christmas ghost stories, this is a haunting mystery with a satisfying twist!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really Great

I love all of Peter Swanson's books. But this was a particularly juicy one. It's written in an old school style but with a little bit of the Peter Swanson vicious spin. Also a great narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved

I love a twisted Christmas story. Very fun and entertaining. It’s a quick one, but packs a lot in. Great performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Mediocre

The twist in this was interesting but that was about it. The writing felt like a man who does not understand young women. It contained so many stereotypes. The actual storyline made up 1/3 of the book and left out key details, while also adding in too many unnecessary details.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My love for all things Christmas

Peter Swanson you are my favorite. Brilliant novella- I almost longed for it to be longer! Twists I didn’t see coming. I needed more of the story. Narration is top notch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Great story; perfect length.

Peter Swanson has done it again; one of the best authors I’ve ever read!! Great plot!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Quick easy read! Should have read physical book

Did not enjoy the audio sound effects, really distracting took away from the story. But an easy and quick Christmas read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Cozy little novella

Love this little book!! Great story with a lovely and cozy Christmas vibe. The story kept me interested and wishing it was a full sized novel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun quick festive read

Kept me wanting more! Would love to see a sequel. It’s ended in a way that people could interpret it totally different. What a fun book to dissect in a book club holiday meeting!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!