The Guest Room

Praise

“One of Bohjalian’s most compelling books so far, combining an explosive premise, a timely social topic, and fast-paced storytelling with a purpose.” —The Miami Herald

“A gripping story about suburban American lives ripped apart. . . . Hard to put down, or ever forget.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune
   
“A story both global and intimate. . . . Heartbreaking.” —The Boston Globe
 
“[Has] an edge-of-the-seat momentum that propels the reader straight to the last page.” —Anita Shreve, The Washington Post
 
“The book’s real throbbing heart is [Alexandra], an aspiring young dancer from Armenia. . . . A remarkable artistic feat.”  —USA Today

“Heartbreaking. . . . I won’t give away of the surprising twists and turns that The Guest Room takes on the path to Bohjalian’s daring conclusion; I’ll only note that much of the pleasure that comes from reading any well-constructed narrative lies in trying to anticipate how the author will write himself out of seemingly inescapable corners. But here, for a change, we also have a novelist who seems more concerned with examining and dramatizing a much more universal question: whether, in the end, any amount of love or compassion, retreat or nobility or forgiveness, can overcome the remorseless workings of evil.” —The San Francisco Chronicle
 
“Bohjalian’s deftness as a story teller is on full display here, as he couples the urgency of a compulsively readable crime thriller with a quiet meditation on the meaning of family and relationships.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winning author of March
 
“Alexandra is the conscience in this conscienceless world, a girl who manages to hold on to her innocence and compassion despite the horror of her life. Her voice … is rendered with such perfection that it’s easy to forget that the author is male.” —BookPage
 
“Suspenseful. . . . It took all of our willpower to not bite off all of our nails as we tore through this dark thriller.” —Lynsey Eidell, Glamour
 
“Hard to put down… Chris Bohjalian keeps readers turning each page… painfully honest… compelling.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
“The Guest Room pulses quick as a page-turner, but its concerns run deep into the moral consequences following an eruption of violence in ordinary lives.” —Charles Frazier, National Book Award winning author of Cold Mountain
 
“Reads like a thriller. . . . Chris does a terrific job of exploring the very dark side of trafficking and the women who are preyed on.”—Bookreporter
 
“From its very first page to an emotionally charged surprise ending, Bohjalian’s fast-paced plot draws readers in and makes the book truly ‘hard to put down.’. . . Remarkable. . . . A captivating and insightful read.” —The Armenian Weekly 

“Gripping. . . . Venturing into crime-thriller territory familiar to fans of Harlan Coben, Bohjalian’s page-turner about an average Joe caught up in sordid events beyond his control resonates with chilling plausibility.” —Booklist

“Bohjalian catches a key social moment with a book that’s fresh and different.” —Library Journal