The Spare Room - by Andrea Bartz

About the Book

"Crashing with a friend and her husband is more intimate-and dangerous-than anyone could imagine in this provocative new thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick We Were Never Here. When the pandemic first hits, thirty-one-year-old Kelly tries to make the best of quarantine-but it soon becomes clear there are some lemons you just can't make into lemonade. She loses her job and her boyfriend in one fell swoop, and she finds herself looking for any way to get out of the apartment she's still sharing with her now-ex. So when she rekindles a friendship with a bestselling author she knows from childhood, who invites Kelly to stay with her and her husband in their Virginia mansion, she leaps at the chance. And much to Kelly's surprise, she soon realizes she's developed a bit of a crush-on both of her hosts. Even more unexpected is that both of them seem to reciprocate her feelings-and they say it's the first time they've ever brought someone else into their relationship. But that doesn't quite add up with all of the evidence Kelly keeps finding around the house. Another woman clearly has been there before her, and Kelly really can't understand what reason they would have to lie about it...that is, until she discovers the woman is missing. Cut off from the world, intensely in love, and in way over her head, Kelly is trying desperately to uncover the truth-but the truth might just be that three is a dangerous number"--

Book Synopsis

Staying with a friend and her husband is more intimate--and dangerous--than anyone could imagine in this provocative thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick We Were Never Here.

Kelly's new life in Philadelphia has turned into a nightmare: She's friendless and jobless, and the lockdown has her trapped in a tiny apartment with the man she gave up everything for, who's just called off their wedding. The only bright spot is her newly rekindled friendship with her childhood friend Sabrina--now a glamorous bestselling author with a handsome, high-powered husband.

When they offer Kelly an escape hatch, volunteering the spare room of their remote Virginia mansion, she jumps at the chance to run away from her old life. There, she finds that she loves living with them . . . and, much to her surprise, that she's falling for both her enchanting hosts. Even more shocking: They say they share Kelly's feelings and want to open up their marriage for her.

At first, the arrangement is blissful. But as their relationship deepens, Kelly begins to notice the cracks. The stories about their romantic past keep changing, and the more details she uncovers, the more things don't add up. It's only a matter of time before Kelly discovers the terrifying truth: They've done all this before . . . and the last woman is missing.

Cut off from the world and in way over her head, Kelly must risk everything to uncover the couple's secrets--before she becomes their next guest to disappear.

Review Quotes

"An enticing, twisty, and seductive thriller about obsession, desire, and revenge."--Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid

"Bartz's latest showstopper kept me up all night turning pages. Propulsive and sexy, The Spare Room left me gasping for air as I followed its main character into the fiery heart of a dark, complicated romance. Kelly Doyle must contend not only with two new lovers but her own expectations surrounding relationships and sexuality. This is one visit you won't want to end."--Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

About the Author

Andrea Bartz, a Brooklyn-based journalist, is the New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here, The Herd, and The Lost Night. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, Martha Stewart Living, Elle, and many other outlets, and she's held editorial positions at Glamour, Psychology Today, and Self, among other publications.