The Overnight Guest

On a warm August night in 2000, Abby Morris takes her usual evening walk along a gravel road, accompanied by her dog, Pepper. Despite her husband's warnings about walking at night, Abby enjoys the solitude. However, her peace is disrupted when she notices a pickup truck parked on the side of the road. As she approaches, she feels a prickle of unease, especially when she sees a man inside the truck. Abby's instincts tell her to retreat, and she quickly heads back home, feeling watched and unsettled. This encounter sets the stage for the unsettling events that follow in Blake County. Twelve-year

Theme 1: Abby's Uneasy Night Walk

This thread running through The Overnight Guest gives the story its emotional weight. Heather Gudenkauf weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

Theme 2: Josie's Terrifying Escape

This thread running through The Overnight Guest gives the story its emotional weight. Heather Gudenkauf weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

Theme 3: Wylie's Stormy Isolation

This thread running through The Overnight Guest gives the story its emotional weight. Heather Gudenkauf weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

What Readers Say About The Overnight Guest

The Overnight Guest has resonated with readers for its emotional honesty and vivid storytelling. Many describe finishing it in a single sitting — drawn forward by Heather Gudenkauf's prose and an almost desperate need to know how it ends.

A Passage Worth Sitting With

"Abby's Uneasy Night Walk" — Heather Gudenkauf, The Overnight Guest

About the Author

Heather Gudenkauf is the author of The Overnight Guest. Known for emotionally resonant storytelling, their work has found devoted readers across the globe.