The Guest in Room 120

By: Sara Ackerman

Narrated by: Jennifer Robideau

A Zibby's Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025! A BookBub Most Anticipated Mystery & Thriller of Fall 2025! A She Reads Most Anticipated Historical Fiction of Fall 2025!

From USA Today bestselling author Sara Ackerman comes a spellbinding dual-timeline novel set at Honolulu’s iconic Moana Hotel, where a real-life mysterious death in 1905 collides with a writer’s search for the truth one hundred years later. For fans of Ariel Lawhon and Fiona Davis.

1905 As the mother of a university and a woman with an iron will, Jane Stanford has made her share of enemies. After a scare at her mansion in San Francisco and on the advice of her doctor, she flees to Honolulu and the fashionable new Moana hotel. But as fate would have it, the island is not as safe as it seems.

2005 Zoe Finch is a bestselling author who desperately needs a jump start on her next novel, and she makes a split decision to attend a writers' conference at the Moana under an assumed name. As a storm brews offshore, she begins having nightmares that feel hauntingly real. Terrified, Zoe enlists the help of mystery writer Dylan Winters and, over the course of the week, races to uncover the shocking truth of what happened in the hotel one hundred years ago almost to the day.

1905 ‘Iliahi Baldwin’s life changes the moment she lands a job at the Moana. Newly hired and reeling from a tragic loss, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with the formidable Jane Stanford upon her arrival, which leaves young ‘Ili devastated when the unthinkable happens. ‘Ili knows things, but there are powerful people who need the truth to remain hidden, and to cross them could prove disastrous.

Inspired by the incredible true story of one of America’s most mysterious deaths, this is an unforgettable tale of betrayal and secrets that still echoes through the years.

More captivating stories from Sara Ackerman:

• The Maui Effect
• The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
• The Codebreaker's Secret
• Radar Girls
• Red Sky Over Hawaii
• The Lieutenant's Nurse
• Island of Sweet Pies & Soldiers

An Absolute Gem!

The Guest in Room 120 is an absolute gem — beautifully written and completely absorbing. Sara Ackerman weaves together two timelines with seamless grace, pulling the reader from the shiny new halls of the Moana Hotel in 1905 to the same storied setting a century later.

The historical details are vivid without ever feeling heavy, and the mystery kept me turning pages late into the night. I loved the blend of real history, haunting suspense, and the thread of hope that runs through it all. Ackerman captures Hawai‘i in a way that feels lush and alive, and the 3 women (and the cat) at the heart of the story will stay with me. I really loved it!

Intriguing storyline. I was hooked from the beginning.

The historical elements are extremely interesting, but the ghostly events of the writer that stayed in the same hotel room that Jane Stanford was in 100 years prior kept me intrigued.

The mystery

I love all of Sara Ackerman’s books and Jennifer R did a wonderful job of narrating this novel.

Historical Hawaii

I loved this book and how the book travel through the years. It gave the reader a glimpse into the past. This book had it all, the past, the present, romance, mystery and a touch of of true Hawaii!

How the murder of Jane Stanford was covered up!

I always love Sara Ackerman’s stories of Hawaii. Fiction based on something from Hawaii’s history.