Chuck Burgoyne seems, at first, to be the ideal houseguest, according to his unsuspecting hostess. He's a gourmet cook, he's congenial company, and he even saves a family member form drowning. Who invited Charles Burgoyne? As the family unites in a variety of unsuccessful attempts to triumph over Chuck, Berger evokes with flair, wit, and not a little craziness a series of events leading to the most sensible, if unexpected, outcome. "The Houseguest is the quintessential weekend-houseguest horror story.