Review
Please Enjoy Your Stay
by Tara Goedjen

Release date: October 13th, 2026
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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen from NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books in order to read and give an honest review.
“…This book is everything I crave in a mystery: an eerie European setting, rich sensory details, deeply dark family secrets, and twists that keep you turning pages late into the night. It is dark, twisty, and deeply immersive I highly recommend… ”
A wonderfully eerie gothic mystery that I was thrilled to read and review! After losing her mother at thirteen, Mia spent her youth traveling the globe with her cousin Tristan and her true-crime writer aunt, Iris. Their journey leads them to a supposedly haunted castle in the Austrian Alps, where Iris plans to research a decades-old heiress murder and its surrounding folklore. But history repeats itself in the worst way when Tristan is brutally killed on the castle grounds. As the sole witness to the crime, Mia’s testimony lands the castle owner behind bars.
Fast forward a decade later: the old castle is being transformed into a luxury boutique hotel, and a viral true crime podcast reopens the cold case, casting doubt on the original conviction and even pointing fingers at Aunt Iris. Determined to protect her family, clear her aunt’s name, and figure out what really happened that night, Mia goes undercover as a nanny at the newly renovated hotel. But as she digs into the past, new disappearances occur, eerie shadows stir in the halls, and Mia has to figure out if she misremembered the truth all those years ago or if a killer is still lurking in the woods.
The setting is so atmospheric it becomes another character in the story; the isolated Austrian Alps, the grand yet sinister castle-turned-hotel, ominous woods, and creepy details with mysterious raven feathers left in unusual places add a mounting sense of dread that gets right under your skin. It has that perfect blend of high-end luxury on the surface and deeply unsettling secrets hiding beneath every floorboard. You are constantly left guessing whether the hotel is genuinely haunted or if the mind is just playing tricks in the dark.
Tara Goedjen weaves current events together with podcast clips, journal entries, and flashbacks from Aunt Iris during the original trip flawlessly. The tension builds steadily without ever feeling slow, creating a fast-paced “time is running out” puzzle. Every single character feels just suspicious enough that you will trust no one. There are strange sightings, strange messages, and what seems to be help from the great beyond. The story builds with so many twists and turns leading to a satisfying and emotional ending. Beyond the thrills and gothic vibes, I really appreciated how the book dives into the modern impact of true crime culture. It shows how media speculation, public opinion, and podcasts can reshape real tragedy and tear families apart.
This book is everything I crave in a mystery: an eerie European setting, rich sensory details, deeply dark family secrets, and twists that keep you turning pages late into the night. It is dark, twisty, and deeply immersive I highly recommend! This was an incredible debut and I look forward to reading more from Tara Goedjen.









