The Guest Children

By Patrick Tarr

Book Overview

The search for two missing children goes terribly wrong in this haunting and insidiously creepy ghost story debut by acclaimed showrunner Patrick Tarr.

With terror mounting in 1940 London, thousands of "Guest Children" were evacuated out of England to escape the bombings. Two of those children, Michael and Frances Hawksby, were never seen again.

Randall Sturgess wanted to do his part in the war--but stayed home instead to look after his troubled younger brother. Impoverished, shamed as a coward, and running out of work options as veterans come home, when he's asked to investigate the disappearance of the Hawksby children, he agrees.

Reluctantly leaving his brother behind, Randall follows the children's trail to a remote corner of northern Ontario, where he finds an isolated resort. There, he discovers the secretive couple who initially took in the young Hawksbys, along with their collection of strange, seemingly permanent guests. But there's still no sign of the children.

Plagued by vivid nightmares and a persistent feeling that he's being watched, Randall searches the imposing woods and lake for any trace of Michael and Frances. Randall's certain something terrible has happened to them, linked to a spectral presence he senses around the lodge and glimpses out of the corner of his eye. Appearing first in his dreams and then in waking life, strange visions call to Randall, even as his every instinct tells him to stay away-and he's increasingly convinced that if he ever wants to find the children, he must succumb to the call.

Vividly atmospheric, layered, and twisty, The Guest Children is sure to appeal to fans of Shutter Island and The Others.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0DPS3S125
• ISBN13: 9798892423120
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Creepy lodge

It was definitely a more psychological type of horror story than gory, which was plenty creepy. That lake and Glass Point Lodge had plenty of insidious feelings which played very nicely on Randall during his search for the missing children while also bringing up his own childhood memories and the trials of his brother. There is something really awful when you cannot trust your own memories or thoughts. I will say I did get a little bit confused when things seemed to contradict themselves and even I couldn't tell what might be real. But I still sped through this hoping to find answers to the mysterious figures and hope that Randall could find the children and escape before it go to him too. The grand reveal at the end was good and left me questioning and unsettled. It was a good psychological horror story and I definitely do not want to visit that lodge!