Wonderful choice for a book club read as it has so many interesting aspects to discuss. The book is well-written with evocative descriptions of Paris and the life of an ex-patriot.

But the best books for discussions are those that go beyond just an enjoyable read, like this one. An Unexpected Guest focuses in on a single day in the life of Clare Moorhouse, but is really the day when her past confronts her and threatens to disrupt the serene (if somewhat constrained) life that she has created for herself as a diplomat's wife.

While all readers may not agree with the choices that Clare has made, there are not necessarily clear cut answers and it's this ambiguity that makes the book so interesting. Definitely recommend this for book groups!

It took the author 228 pages to write about the main character planning a dinner party which was the main story line. There were other story lines intermingled but not related. A couple of these were just unnecessary page fillers. And, do we ever know who the unexpected guest was?

I enjoyed reading this very intriguing novel- unraveling details about the main character and her life little by little much like a detective novel. It also allows the reader to get a glimpse at a high-level diplomat's family's life and etiquette.