Overview

The Weekend Guests brings together a group of old university friends and their families at a cliffside house on the Dorset coast for a reunion. What should have been a joyful weekend unravels as old secrets resurface and a catastrophic event forces everyone to face past mistakes they once thought buried.

Writing & Voice

We found North’s writing taut and engaging. The narrative moves between perspectives, building tension through small breaches of trust and hidden histories. The tone is measured, allowing character dynamics and shifting viewpoints to reveal deeper anxieties and fractures in the group.

Content & Perspective

The story unfolds across the present reunion and flashbacks to their university days, peeling back layers of friendship and regret. The varied viewpoints give insight into how each character remembers events differently, and this interplay heightens the suspense as old tensions resurface.

Themes

The Weekend Guests explores memory, guilt, and the long shadows cast by youthful choices. It looks at how nostalgia can blind us to real harm, and how unspoken truths can poison relationships when they finally come to light.

What Worked

• Strong ensemble cast with distinct motives and memories.
• Sustained tension as past and present collide.
• Atmospheric setting on the Dorset coast.

Minor Quibbles

• Many characters can blur together at times.
• Some twists are predictable for seasoned thriller readers.

Final Thoughts

We found The Weekend Guests tense and observant, using fractured friendships and shifting memories to show how unresolved guilt destabilises even the most familiar social bonds.

Rating: ★★★★☆ / 5