A review by jen08108
The Hotel by Emily Shiner

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Abby and Mark own a bed and breakfast (not a hotel!?) in secluded Oyster, Maine.  Business has been slow so Abby comes up with an idea for a promotion to draw past visitors back. A family of three books the entire b&b for three weeks during a severe snowstorm. As they all end up stranded indoors it turns out everyone has their own secrets and intentions. 

I enjoyed this book, especially how atmospheric it was. However, I found most of the reveals to be pretty obvious. In the beginning of the book I found Abby & Mark to be fairly likable but by the end there was not one likable character aside from their baby. And maybe that’s okay for this type of thriller, it allows for more tension between everyone. The one thing i didn’t like was that there were not enough explanations for certain aspects of each of the characters. Overall though, it was an entertaining read & I would definitely read more by this author. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.