The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones
Published: 2012 by Harper Perennial
Source: Received from the publisher for review
In 1912 at a run-down English estate, the “man of the house”, Edward Swift, departs for Manchester to make a last-ditch effort to save the home that his wife, Charlotte, and her children adore. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the household are making preparations for the celebration of daughter Emerald Torrington’s 20th birthday; and the youngest daughter, Imogen (known as Smudge) is preparing a Great Undertaking.
As the invited guests — family friends Patience and Ernest Sutton and neighbor John Buchanan — arrive for the festivities, the household learns of a train accident nearby, and because they are the only residence nearby they are forced to accept the stranded passengers until the Railway Service can come and sort them out.
Where most of the uninvited guests of the title are shoved into a room with little or no hospitality on the part of the Torrington clan, one guest stands out from the crowd as being of the proper class and is invited to join the dinner party. However, Charlie Traversham-Beechers is not merely a survivor of the accident – he has secrets that can destroy the Torringtons.
To me, the novel was a high-class comedy of errors. Nothing seemed to go right for Emerald’s birthday right from the beginning – from her misinterpretation of Mr. Buchanan’s gift to the arrival of the passengers to the game Charlie begins among the dinner party guests, everything does NOT go to plan. Even Smudge’s Great Undertaking was not without its difficulties.
But then the end comes and I had to wonder if I missed something throughout the novel. I suppose it speaks to the craziness of what went on, but it left me a bit confused. It didn’t ruin the book for me, though.
Overall I found The Uninvited Guests to be a fun read. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
For other thoughts on this book, please visit the other stops on the tour.
Glad you enjoyed it! I loved it. The ending was odd, I agree but overall it was a good book. In fact, I think I agree with you completely with respect to this book!
Great minds, think alike, Judith
I still haven’t figured out why they felt the need to change the mother’s name.
I have been wanting to listen to this one on audio for the last few weeks, and think that I am going to get it when I can. Your review does entice, and leaves me wondering how and why all of these blunders happen! Great job today!
I suspect the audio version of this would be very entertaining, zibilee.
Sounds very interesting! I’m going to add this one to my list. I’m so curious about the “odd” ending now! I’ll have to see for myself.
It may not be “odd” to everyone, A.M.B. I’m glad it wasn’t completely unreasonable though.
Sounds interesting, and I see Judith liked it too.
What a shame that the end was “strange”
I enjoyed this book too…odd characters and all.
I found myself laughing out loud on a few pages.
Nice blog.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Blog
“a high class comedy of errors” for sure…with a little dab of spookiness added in for flavor
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book for the tour!