The Poolside Guest

By Gretchen A. Klein

THE POOLSIDE GUEST

"Welcome to the family," Mrs. Sterling says as I slide my hands into my crisp uniform. But I already know the rules.

I work tirelessly to ensure everything is flawless for the wealthy elite who lounge under the blistering sun of Sable Island. At thirty years old, managing high-society itineraries, chilling expensive champagne, and arranging custom Italian linens by the sparkling infinity pool should have been my dream contract at this five-star resort. I smile politely and keep my mouth shut. I do my best to be completely invisible.

It is my only chance to escape the mountain of debt hanging over my head, and the terrifying blank spaces in my mind.

But I am not just their helpless pool girl, trapped inside this ultra-luxury resort. I am being watched by the resident psychiatrist, Dr. Daggers, who tracks my every move and forces me to take a small white tablet every single day to settle my nerves. So why do I keep waking up in the dead of night with sand on my bare feet, caught in a terrifying fugue of sleepwalking I can't control?

Then there is Marcus Sinclair. The playboy billionaire watches me from his restricted VIP suite, always lingering at the margins of my shifts. Behind his charming smile, I can feel a cold, predatory vacuum. He feels less like a resort poolside guest and more like a guard closing a perimeter.

And I definitely can't ignore the massive black luxury limousine stalking my coordinates from the shadows of the dunes.

My only anchor in the rising panic is Lieutenant Liam Briggs, the rugged Coast Guard veteran who treats me like a real friend instead of a psychiatric file. But when he pulls me aside to whisper a frantic warning about Marcus and the resort's elite guests, I catch a sudden, unreadable shift in his hazel eyes.

Suddenly, I don't know if he's trying to protect me-or if he's just the final piece of the trap.

It's getting harder to ignore the danger hidden behind the island resort's exclusive parties, the shimmering pool, and the late-night cabana mixers. Especially when I find a pair of white hotel slippers hidden in the rotted watchtower of Station 14.

They are soaked in a heavy, terrifying layer of fresh crimson.

I try to tell myself it's just my fractured mind making me paranoid. But then a historic tropical storm slams into the coast, closing the toll bridge and entirely severing us from the mainland.

Tonight, the masks will be violently ripped away. I finally remember my past, my real name, and the bloody secret I buried deep inside my own skin to keep myself alive.

I know exactly who Marcus Sinclair is. And he is going to make sure my amnesia becomes permanent.

An addictive, claustrophobic psychological thriller with a final, mind-bending twist that will leave you completely breathless. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and Lucy Foley.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0H7YP2S7S
• ISBN13: 9798185489673
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"