The Winter Guest

The brand-new, escapist novel to curl up with this Christmas about love, scandal and family secrets, from the Sunday Times bestselling author - perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Santa Montefiore!

'Swan is sublime!' Veronica Henry, Sunday Times bestseller of The Invitation

'One of our most talented writers' Santa Montefiore, number one bestselling author of Secrets of the Starlit Sea

In a grand villa on the shores of Lake Geneva, Dulcie’s grandmother nears the end of her glamourous and eventful life. The days pass quietly to the reassuring tick of the Swiss clock – until a visitor comes to their door…

1961
In the streets of Paris, Lise Erlach is in love. Twenty-two years old, the beautiful young Ambassador’s wife enjoys the very best the city has to offer: glittering receptions, a magnificent residence and an address book filled with the numbers of the Parisian elite. She is wanted at every party…and by one man above all. Their affair dazzles them both but in a distant sea, a crisis is brewing that will change their paths forever.

Present day
As snow falls upon the Alps, Dulcie sits by her grandmother’s bed, undisturbed until the visitor arrives. He says he must tell her grandmother something urgently - something that will make Dulcie realise the beloved old woman before her is a complete stranger... With deep family secrets unlocked, can she get the answers she needs before time runs out?

Readers LOVE The Winter Guest

'Karen Swan never disappoints ... This was another winner, I loved every minute of it except having to finish it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Exactly the kind of historical fiction I love - atmospheric, richly researched, emotionally compelling and filled with mysteries that make you desperate to keep turning the pages' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I promise you this is your next 5 star read! Karen Swan is exceptional' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Such a mesmerising page-turner' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'If you love dual-timeline chaos, glamorous women making terrible decisions in exquisite vintage coats, and mystery plot twists that hit harder than a fresh snowfall—put this at the top of your TBR' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'[This] is everything that a Swan fan could want: two beautifully written love stories and a mysterious thread that connects them' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Captivating from beginning to end' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'With exciting backstories and interesting characters, this, for me, is Karen Swan at her best' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐