The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf
Thriller, Mystery, 320 pages
Published November 4, 2025 by Park Row
A couple’s gender reveal party turns deadly and everyone is a suspect in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest.
Is it a boy or a girl? They would die to know…
Madeline and Wes Drake have invited two hundred of their closest friends and family to their sprawling horse ranch for the most anticipated event of the year: a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party so sensational it is sure to make headlines. But the party descends into chaos when the celebratory explosive misfires, leaving one woman dead and a trail of secrets.
As the aftershocks of the bloody party ripple across the small town, Agent Jamie Saldano is brought on the scene to investigate. Battling his own demons from the past, Saldano unearths a web of deceit spun around the Drakes. The appearance of some unexpected houseguests only deepens the mystery. And as tensions mount, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn’t just an unlucky accident. But who was the target, and why? As the shadow of a killer looms, the happy parents-to-be must unravel the truth before it’s too late.
My thoughts about The Perfect Hosts ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First lines—"Madeline Drake looks out her bedroom window, one hand resting on her belly, one hand shielding her eyes."
The Perfect Hosts is another great thriller by thus fabulous author She is definitely on my 'must-read' author list. I am never disappointed.
The story starts out innocently enough—a gender reveal for the happy (but really, are they?) couple. What could go wrong? But then everything does! An explosion rocks everyone's world and when the whole incident is investigated, secrets are uncovered. How deep does this all go?
This is the perfect thriller with twists and turns, good people and bad, and scenes that you will not be expecting. The Perfect Hosts is the perfect read for any and all thriller, mystery lovers. Highly recommend it!
I received an ARC of The Perfect Hosts and this is my honest opinion of the book.
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About the author
Heather Gudenkauf is the Edgar Award nominated, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of ten novels, including The Overnight Guest and her most recent thriller Everyone is Watching. Her debut novel, The Weight of Silence, was an instant NYT bestseller and remained on the list for 22 weeks.
Gudenkauf’s critically acclaimed novels have been published in over 25 countries and have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Her books have been featured on many Best Of roundups including lists by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Amazon, Apple Books, GoodReads, and more. Her eleventh novel, The Perfect Hosts will be released on November 4, 2025.
Heather lives in Iowa with her family. ~ Goodreads
Connect with Heather
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