Stillwater is a gripping mystery novel that follows the story of Lily Baker, a young woman who returns to her hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota after the death of her estranged father. As Lily tries to uncover the truth about her father's death, she is forced to confront the painful memories and secrets of her past.

One of the strengths of this novel is Hazard's skillful depiction of the small town setting and its inhabitants. I love a 'going home again' story! The characters are well-drawn and believable, with their own quirks and flaws that make them feel like real people. Hazard also creates a palpable sense of atmosphere and tension, making the reader feel as if they are right there in the heart of Stillwater.

Another strength of Stillwater is the way Hazard weaves together the different threads of the mystery, slowly building up the suspense until the final, satisfying reveal. The pacing of the novel is spot on, with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged without feeling overwhelmed.

However, while I enjoyed the overall story and characters, there were a few aspects that didn't quite work for me. At times, the dialogue felt a bit stilted and forced, and some of the character motivations felt a bit contrived. Additionally, some of the plot points felt a bit too convenient, making the story feel a bit too tidy at times.

That being said, I still found Stillwater to be an engaging and enjoyable read. It is a well-written mystery novel with a compelling protagonist and an atmospheric setting. Overall, I would recommend it to fans of the mystery genre who are looking for a solid and satisfying read.

This was a fun, thrilling and captivating read that had a bunch of effective, and unique characters in a nostalgic summer camp setting that had me thinking of shows like Dead Of Summer and movies such as Friday The 13th and Sleepaway Camp. A pure delightful and thrilling read!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was about mental health in the '50s and the negative connotation it had for people related to those who suffered. The book starts out immediately but the story and the characters are kind of stuck there is there's not really a story.

‘Stillwater’ is a quiet suburb in 1950’s America with a sinister undertone as several fires have been deliberately started around town. The locals have their suspicions starting and ending with Tony; a man prone to violent outbursts and few friends.
The narrator, twelve year old Grace and her friends believe that Tony is innocent and set out to find the real arsonist. However the three young friends all have their own problems to cope with like domestic violence and mental illness. On the one hand this is a coming-of-age book that deals with some very heavy topics but on the other it is a novel you can easily get lost in because the description of Stillwater is so vivid and the characters so effortlessly developed.
I know a lot of comparisons have been drawn with this novel and ‘To kill a mockingbird’ and you can see in the author’s notes that the American classic was an inspiration to Hazard. The truth is that it stands alone as a beautiful, compassionate story that is understated in style but stays with you in the same way ‘Mockingbird’ does. I really loved this book and cannot help but recommend it to all.

This was a really well written book, with an interesting take on mental health. Would definitely recommend!

Stillwater, NY in the 50s was fun to read about... although the bulk of it was problematic and full of all sorts of drama. The main characters are 3 preteens just experiencing life with their families.... the members of which aren't always as trustworthy or well-behaved as they'd like the girls to think. If you used to watch the Jerry Springer Show back in the day then give this book a whirl and experience that lovely nostalgia.

Thanks netgalley for giving me the pdf so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

Stillwater, by Mary Jo Hazard, is the story of three pre-teen girls, learning the values of love, life, and survival. Set in the 1950's we meet three girls. These friends are not only bound by their small town existence, but have some deeper issues, although not shared, they all have family secrets to contend with. One girl is dealing with the divorce of her parents. One girl is dealing with mental illness within the family, and one girl is dealing with domestic violence. Not only do the girls struggle to overcome their own situations, but they learn to trust in and support one and other.
Story outcomes teach us that people are not always who they seem. People do not always do things for the seemingly obvious reasons. There are good people, and not so good people in life, but kindness is key. It is easy to sit in judgement. It is hard work to dig deep for answers, but the truth always prevails. Most importantly, we find that true friendship and the bonds formed by this love are one of life's greatest gifts.

#netgalley
#stillwater
#maryjohazard

I had to give up on this book. It really did not speak to me. I wish I could have finished it. Please do not be swayed away based on this review. I am sure many many people will adore this book. It just was not for me.

Three friends and their amazing story of supporting one and another. While reading this book, I get a major vibe of 'To KIll a Mockingbird' and the author stated about this in the author's note. I give kudos to the author for being influenced by the renowned classic and for being able to deliver the impression throughout the novel. Still there was something missing for me. I struggle a bit to find the target audience for this book. Sometimes, I feel it is written for the young adult and sometimes it feels like middle graders are the main readers. I was surprised to know that the protagonist is 12 years old but in the story she seems like a more mature person at one point. Still the story carved its way beautifully.

I really enjoyed this powerful coming of age novel. Loved the small town setting and compelling mystery. This book was definitely a page turner!

“none of us had a perfect life, but we did have each other.”

this was a very different read for me. set in the 50s, the book deals a lot with mental health and how it was frowned upon back then because having someone in your family have mental illness was considered a disgrace. it was pretty easy to get into the story, as the beginning kind of drop you right in the middle i felt like which i really enjoyed. however, as the story progresses, nothing else really does. what i mean by this is that the characters stay really bland and so does the story. technically, nothing should make you want to continue reading because at least i could not really connect to anyone or anything. this might be also be a me-issue, though.

the writing was totally easy to get through, which i enjoyed, while it was nothing special. later on, in the author’s note, i realized that the protagonists are supposed to be around the age of 12 which i felt like never really came through in the story itself. i don’t appreciate having to be told something at the end of a story and would much rather find out myself while reading, so that could have been done better. at one point i just assumed the girls were teenagers ─ maybe around 15 or so ─ and was really irked by the fact that they talk and act like 10 year olds. knowing now that they’re 12 explains a bit of that, but again: i would much rather have been able to figure this out myself.

while this is a coming of age novel with a small mystery element because the friend group is trying to figure out who set the fires, it never once reaches a climax. you never once think oh, this is super exciting! and feel like wanting more. i think for me it was just that i kept reading because the flow was super easy to get through, which i do appreciate as stated.

generally speaking, i thought this was an okay novel ─ especially for being a debut. it deals with important topics (though i don’t feel like it comes across all that much) and is a nice way to pass time because you can get through it quickly. i do not regret reading it and would recommend this story if anyone needs a more or less light hearted and quick read!

thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

→ 3 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel! The coming of age story of Grace in the small upstate New York town of Stillwater in the 1950's is at it's core something many people, especially young women growing up between then and now can relate to. The friendship between Grace and her friends was nostalgic for me, reminding me of how cruel we could be as kids, but ultimately how love and friendship will always win out at the end of the day. Grace and her friends reminded me of my deep relationship with my sister growing up, and all the trouble we got into. Ultimately the ending was expected, but not bad, and in fact I thought this book could have had more go more seriously wrong, but I'm glad it didn't get too dark. A great read to share with a daughter, or young family member. TR: mental health, grief, parental loss, suicide, arson.

Twelve-year-old Grace believes that all adults are trustworthy and good. So begins a coming-of-age story full of laughter and tears that takes place one hot summer in upstate New York in the 1950s.

This is an incredibly intense story about life in the 1950's America centred around anyone different and especially anyone with mental health issues. The book is very hard-hitting and thought-provoking and not an easy read.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of her work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

Stillwater, an idyllic little town in upstate New York. We are guided by Grace, 12 years old and about to learn that adults are not always the trustworthy people they are assumed to be.
Along with her friends, Maggie & Louanne, Grace spends an extremely hot Summer grappling with grief, abuse, crime, mental illness, family and most of all, friendship.
Grace is a lovely character. She is fiercely loyal; she is kind and a very brave young lady.
This really a very lovely coming of age book and an easy read despite the topics covered.

A lovely story about friendship and growing up. I loved the characters and their personalities as they struggled with mental illness and grief in the 1950s. While the plot was slightly predictable, I felt pulled into the story and enjoyed it a lot.

Set in the 1950s, this book follows Grace, Maggie and Louanne as they start what should be an amazing summer. Great weather, no school, no bad vibes in the small town of Stillwater. But that's never the case. When fires mysteriously start, everyone pegs Louanne's Uncle Tony as the culprit, a paranoid obsessive with bad tendencies and suspicion about everyone. Grace, still riddled with grief from her father's death begins to uncover how exactly he died when her family won't tell her the truth. Maggie hides the abuse she receives from her father, even from those closest to her. When their worlds begin to crumble, they have to continue their search for the arsonist. Is it really Uncle Tony? Or is someone more sinister behind these attacks?

This story was interesting. It had a lot of highs but most of the book largely felt like nothing really happened, despite quite a lot actually going on? I'm not quite sure how the author managed to make me feel that kind of way and why I'm not even annoyed about it. I liked the characters, I loved their stubborn and strong willed mindsets. I enjoyed their determination and quick thinking. The only character I didn't have a lot of love for was Maggie, but her sharpness gets explained further into the book which then adds a bit more depth to her, but Grace and Louanne I enjoyed straight off the bat. While I still don't know how I really feel about this book, I do think it is an easy, almost intoxicating read. It isn't my favourite, and it doesn't strike me as the most rememberable read but it has a lot of difficult subjects discussed within it's 260+ pages such as grief, loss, abuse, mental illness and so on and set within a context that isn't exactly current; it provides for a nice environment. This feels although it would be a great summer read.

This book is a beautiful story. A story about friendship and coming of age. I really enjoyed this story and how it addressed mental health. The author did a great job with her word building and descriptions of events.

Knowing the book is set in the 1950's makes it from the era that I like to read about. It's about 3 young girls coming of age in the 50's and the challenges they face from death and community misunderstanding about mental illness to divorce and heartbreak all told from the perspective of teens.

I really liked the friendship aspect of the girls relationships and each of them being there for the other throughout the summer. In some ways it reminded me of my teenage years, having a few close friends and always being together. Life for me was sure simpler back then. There is a mystery involved about someone that is setting fires and it was really nice to see the girls sticking up for someone that they just knew couldn't be an arsonist.'

There was a lot of tough subjects and I thought they were dealt with rather well, the author is a therapist so I would have expected that and I wasn't disappointed. Some of the situations the girls found themselves in felt a little contrived, but overall the book was good. I don't think it was my cup of tea but I thought it was well written and overall good book.

A nostalgic novel set in the 1950s in upstate New York with three twelve-year-old girls as the protagonists. Would fit easily into YA, although it may have been aimed at an older generation. Deals with mental illness, family violence, and small-town life in a gentle way. An easy summer read.
Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy in exchange for an honest review.

Stillwater is a coming of age story about a girl in the 50s. I absolutely loved it. The three friends are all great characters and support each other through some pretty intense stuff. Suicide, mental illness, and divorce were all topics that were not talked about in the 50s, they were the kinds of things people hid. The author explores all that and more. I found her writing to be really fluid, her characters are well written, and the setting perfect. This is an excellent novel. I wish it had been longer so I could have stayed in Stillwater for a little longer.