Heart-racing psychological thriller! I enjoy suspense novels where it is told from different points of view and Michele did not disappoint. She supplied plenty of twists and turns that had me guessing throughout. This is the kind of book I lend to my best friend as soon as I am done.

Were you a fan of the show Revenge? Well this has all the vibes of the show Revenge. A perfect book to take with you for a day at the beach because you’ll probably finish it in a weekend.

Set in the Hamptons, Caroline and her husband have built a gorgeous beach house to host lavish parties and socialize with the elite. As expected, they have their own marital issues which become very public during an evening party when her husband brings home another woman. This leads to a dramatic fight in front of their friends, Caroline leaving the party upset, and low and behold… finding a young, handsome stranger on the beach. In enters, Aidan to rescue Caroline that night but things don’t end there. As Aidan’s obsession of wanting Caroline, the house, and the lifestyle grows, Caroline’s infatuation for Aidan starts to turn into suspicion and fear. As a hurricane hits the Hamptons, not only is property damaged, but a damage that changes Caroline and Aidan’s life forever.

This story was told through the perspectives of Caroline and Aidan, continuingly bantering between each other’s thoughts and interpretations of actions. You start to think, what is reality and what is just an exaggeration of one’s imagination. Talk about a psychological thriller.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks so much for this ARC!

I have previously read and loved Michele Campbell's books but this was probably my least favorite. Plot was actually quite dull.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A creepy good read about murder and stalking. This is a whodunnit that will keep the reader turning pages long into the night! A must read for fans of authors such as B.A. Paris and Karin Slaughter.

I got an advanced copy of this book to read, and I am SO glad I did. It was a slow start but when the rollercoaster took off it went through all the thrills I was anticipating and the book did not disappoint.

The story of the marriage resonated with me and I felt emotionally involved, but my goodness this book was scary in places too. I enjoyed the way the story was written from both points of view of Caroline and Aiden and it just goes to show what they say is true “there is no reality, only perception “ and it was easy to believe or discredit both versions of events.

The beach setting of the story was great, and I could imagine this book being turned into a movie.

My only criticism was that the ending was slightly predictable, in my opinion, but I read a lot of psychological thrillers, so maybe my mind is tuned into possible endings already!

Will look out for more by this Author.

Book Review: A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell

I thought this book was great at the start, with 'he said' and 'she said' stories. The stories were so different that it was hard to discern what actually happened, and I loved the unreliable narrators element. Especially trying to work out who was telling the truth.

However towards the middle of the book, the pace dropped and that affected my enjoyment of it. I loved the ending though, so overall it was worth the read, but I would have preferred a snappier middle section to keep me invested in the plot.

If you like unreliable narrators, glimpses of ritzy lifestyles and a gossipy feel, then I'd recommend this book to you.

Rating: ✡︎✡︎✡︎ (3/5 stars)
Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Hmmm, where to start. This book is an interesting plot and the dual POVs worked to an extent, but sometimes it slowed down the pacing too much. I think the second half was better than the first half because the divergent POVs started to create more twists and turns. A solid thriller but too often I found it easy to put the book down and take a break.

WHAT. A. BOOK! Thank you so much, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my {gifted} copy of this amazing book. I think it's safe to say that Michelle Campbell is getting better and better with each novel. This one starts out with a bang and doesn't let up until the very final page. The ability for a author to keep their readers in suspense the entire time makes for a truly sensational book.

This is a book that you'll want to set aside dedicated time to read because you cannot put it down. I finished this in 2 sittings, while running around with a 3 and 6 year old to boot. This storyline was unique and felt different from the other novels she has written, which really made me appreciate her evolution as a writer. I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in this book as they helped keep the plot chugging along and my interest invested 100%.

A true stand-out thriller ... definitely one that needs to go on the TBR ASAP!

I loved the beginning of this book, and I loved the ending. However, the middle of the book just dragged on for me. The storyline is great, and it definitely made me want to find out what happened, but I feel like the author felt everything had to be explained to the reader. I like to made inferences while I'm reading, so I don't have to read every single detail. I did enjoy the book, though.

I was given this book for my honest review.

I thought this was just an okay thriller. Nothing about it really stood out or had be hooked. The main character had me so frustrated by her poor decision making. On the plus side it was a quick read.

A crazy thriller with strong writing, A Stranger On The Beach has all those elements that make you love a thriller with a few fresh ideas A great intro to the thriller genre if you're looking for somewhere to start.. 3.5 stars.

Wow—great book! The storyline builds the suspense until you are sitting on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you know exactly what is happening—you don't! I have read other books by Michele Campbell and they are really good. This book is great! (Even though I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review, I would have gladly purchased it!)

I am not sure what I think.

The suspense and the thriller aspect were wonderful! I enjoyed guessing at what was going to happen next, if Caroline would finally tell Aiden to go away, if Aiden would finally leave Caroline alone, and whatever Jason was doing…he needed to stop.

The way the chapters were laid out was odd to me. I didn’t love how the chapters alternated between Caroline and Aiden. I felt like it was repetitive a lot of the time and didn’t always add much to the actual story. There were times that I was entirely confused on if the chapters were telling the same story or two entirely separate stories.

All I can add to my review is HOLY CRAP! the ending was entirely unseen. I had no clue that was how it would end and I loved it! The story moves along quickly, there are some parts you can skim over as they’ve already been told. But the ending is worth reading the book for. It will shock you and leave you wondering how you ever missed what was happening.

They met at her beach house… he was so handsome; younger than her. Her marriage was in trouble… they had a night of great passion. She knew she had to end it… she loved her husband; her daughter. They were a family. She wanted to break it off.
He stalked her. He stalked her daughter. He followed her husband. He’s crazy!!
But things aren’t always as they seem. This heart-pounding thriller, full of twists and turns, takes us through a complex plot and into a shocking ending. So scary… who to trust? Who to believe?

Dumb, highly implausible thriller but mildly entertaining to read. This book alternates between two viewpoints to start - Caroline, a rich homeowner in the Hamptons with a troubled marriage, and Aiden, a townie and the the "stranger on the beach" Caroline meets. Their alternating descriptions of some of the same situations are so wildly different that it is clear pretty much from the start that they can't both be telling the truth, and to such an extent that it was annoying rather than intriguing like on the tv show "The Affair." The latter third of the book, which adds the perspective of a detective, is moderately better because she at least seems to have a credible viewpoint. This also was one of those books where other people may be wowed by the twists, but I unfortunately guessed all the twists pretty early on, in a way that is less satisfying than annoying. Also, it's been so many years now, I wish authors would stop trying to rip off "Gone Girl."

RATING: 4 STARS
2019; St. Martin's Press

Oh my gosh, what did I just read. I thought I knew where this story was going and then I was confused all over again (in a great way). I enjoyed the twists in this novel, as they were part of the journey to get to the end. I disliked Caroline Stark but was invested in seeing what happened to her and her family. I am afraid to give away any spoilers as now I can't even remember how I got to the end. I will just say if you want an engaging quick paced read, try this one! A Stranger on the Beach would be a great book club book, or as a group read.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

This is the perfect binge read for the summer - especially with such a fitting title!

I discovered Michele Campbell's writing last summer with her book She Was The Quiet One, which I loved - so I was definitely ecstatic when I heard she was coming out with this one.

The first chapter immediately grabbed by attention and for the next several chapters I knew I had hit the jackpot of engaging reads. Then something happened around the middle where the characters went BUCK WILD with their reliability and I almost put to down but thought to myself: "Don't stop now you know her work, Michele Campbell can pull this off - it's going to come together!"

Well...

I am so glad I stuck it through because those last 100 pages restored my faith and sucked me right back in to where I started at the beginning of the book. I raced to the finish line to find out how the story would ultimately unfold.

Although unreliable characters, the story is told in alternating POVs of Aidan and Caroline - essentially the same story through each of their eyes. This is what got me a tad frustrated in the middle, I couldn't keep up with who was crazier. But trust me when I say, it's worth the chaos because the way things unravel will keep you satisfied and glad you picked this one up.

Highly recommend this read for those looking for a quick and fast-paced read, the short chapters really help you speed through this book in no time.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

A Stranger on the Beach was a good book with a bit of a different set of twists. Caroline thinks she has every thing in her beautiful house on the beach until she meets Aiden. They have a shortlived fling which means more to Aiden than to her. This story is about obsession and what you wan't but can't have.