Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me a copy of The Newcomer in exchange my honest opinions!

I had high hopes for this book having heard a lot of buzz about it, so I began reading it with high expectations which unfortunately were not met. This book was LONG, and unnecessarily so, in my opinion. It was nearly 500 pages but lacked the twists and turns that I anticipated, being about a woman fleeing from her sister's murderer and on-the-run/in hiding in another state.

The book is about a woman named Letty who flees NYC with her niece after her sister is murdered in her brownstone. They set up shop in a motel, where Letty is quickly employed by the owner and romantically pursued by the owner's son, who happens to be a cop. Letty and her niece Maya form a close bond with the owner Ava, and her teenage daughter Isabelle, as Letty does her best to not fall for Ava's son Joe. The book focuses on if Letty and Maya are safe from her sister's presumed killer, and the fallout from her fleeing New York.

Being an avid reader of thrillers and crime fiction, I found this book to be... boring. There was nothing thrilling or exciting about the storyline, and the plot was clear-cut. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop or for there to be a curveball, but nothing major or surprising ever happened. There were minimal twists which made it a struggle to get through, and I felt that the story dragged in places (such as the storylines about some of the motel guests) where nothing ever came of it. I can see how someone who is not used to thrillers and books of this genre would be interested in this story, but I did not find it to be as action-packed or exciting as other reviewers did. Perhaps this is just not the author for me, as this crime story was lighter than my usual taste.

I am happy that there was a resolution in the ending, but overall, the book felt like an excessively long saga where everything just wrapped up nicely at the end. Oh well!

A perfect mixture of drama, romance, mystery and suspense. It steps beyond Mary Kay Andrews signature feel good beach read dives a bit deeper and darker. I really liked the main character Letty. She was someone I could root for. Despite her rough history with her troubled sister, she's now risking her own life to protect her niece and keep Tanya's promise. We're able to see just how fierce a sister's loyalty can be. Through flashbacks, we learn more and more about the sisters flawed history and realize there's more than one mystery in this story. The book is so descriptive which makes it easy to picture the sleepy beachside Florida town and the old timey motel. It's an unexpectedly warm and welcoming setting for a mystery. Letty blended seamlessly into the motel and with the gracious owners. There are so many great secondary characters in this one as well (Joe, Ava, Vicki). I was also intrigued with the will they or won't they romance between Letty and Joe. She's playing with fire here! No doubt the book kept my interest, it was just a tad bit on the long side. Perhaps because I just wanted to learn the truth and for scumbag ex Evan to get his!! Overall, it's a fun suspenseful cross country journey. (PUB DATE: 5/4/21)....just in time to make this your first juicy summer read!

“Promise me. If something happens to me, promise me you’ll take Maya and run.”

This is a perfect beach/vacation read that has a mix of mystery and romance. I was drawn into the story and its colorful set of characters from the beginning. Andrews incorporated the past and present with ease allowing you to dive deeper into the events taking place. The mystery was solid and the story kept me hooked.

I also loved the cover. Beautiful and completely appealing for a summer read.

I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Stupendous action packed read that grabbed me at the beginning to the end of the novel. I was on the edge of my seat at every chapter I read and felt like I was amongst the characters along with how they lived their daily lives and what adventures they went through during the story. I laughed during the hilarious moments, teared up during the sad times, and felt warmth and happiness during the romantic moments. Kudos to Mary Kay Andrews for this fantastic story. Highly recommend it to all the readers out there.

I love Mary Kay Andrews books! This one did not disappoint. The main character Letty has to leave NY with her niece quickly after her sisters death. She finds herself in a small beach town near Tampa. The setting is beautiful. At times I felt like I was sitting at the pool at the hotel hanging out with all of the guests. The story was very realistic, the characters were very real and the relationships between all of them were genuine. I loved Letty’s relationship with her niece Maya and her love interest Joe. This is a great book to read at the beach.

#TheNewcomer #NetGalley
I love Mary Kay Andrews and this one does not disappoint on the humor, witty banter, and all around woman power. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review The Newcomer. Mary Kay Andrews does not disappoint on this one.

A completely great story! Mary Kay Andrews really makes her characters shine! With a little love, a little intrigue and a lot of danger, Andrews shows us that there really are good people out there willing to give a second chance.

The story line is great, with several arcs so you won't see exactly what's coming.

Excellent read!

Have you ever taken a trip and discovered an old time motel that looks like it hasn’t been brought into the 21st century yet? I keep thinking of those roadside motels that used to line the highways back in the day when I visualize the setting for this story. Aqua and pink were all the rage and with the locale in this story in Florida, I think I am pretty accurate!

This wonderful beach read has not only a fabulous setting but also a load of wit and humor surrounding the murder mystery. The fact that this one is not fraught with suspense and drama, but a straightforward murder and guns for hire mystery is a plus. This book is easy to read and a delight too!

Laced with a cast of wacky characters that make you smile, a hunky cop that feels he needs to personally protect the suspect/crush, and a bit of a twisty story that keeps you on your toes, The Newcomer hits the mark with a special unique flavor. My only regret is that Joe and Letty could have really thrown some serious romance feels, but that was way underplayed.

Andrews has crafted a lightweight witty read that does have serious undertones and packs a punch too. Delightful and so enjoyable, I will look forward to reading more of this author!

Mary Kay Andrews knows how to write an absorbing beach read and her latest is no exception. I was instantly drawn into the story of Letty who escapes to Florida with her 4-year-old niece after the mysterious death of her sister. However, there were moments where I found myself quickly skimming fluffy, unnecessary parts of chapters, hurrying to get to the next exciting plot point. Sadly this happened more than once. Something exciting would happen and then the story would go cold and get a little boring. But I was so curious to see what would happen next I was compelled to keep reading. I kept waiting to connect with the characters but that never happened. For me, they never felt fully developed and were left a little flat and colorless.

I feel like I'm in a rock and a hard place with this one. I liked it, the story was good, but I can't help but feel it could have been better. Would I recommend it? Yes, I would because I still enjoyed it for what it was. It is definitely a perfect summer read because it doesn't require a lot of extra focus or intense attention. It's an easy read. It just wasn't one of my favorites.

This is my first Mary Kay Andrews book. It is a very nice read, a tad too long and not too complicated. I had expected some more of the mystery-part of the story. There was a lack of unexpected twists and turns and the main character was quite naive while on the run. Unfortunately it is Corona-time, otherwise I could have read it on the beach.

The characters were well developed, the setting was a hoot, particularly the residents of the property, and the mystery well thought out and resolved. Throw in some romance, a precocious child, and family drama and you have another winner from Andrews. One to recommend to patrons.

This was so good!

Letty leaves New York in a hurry with her niece, Maya, after finding her sister murdered in her own home. Her sister once said that if Letty found her dead that it was her ex-boyfriend, Evan, who would have killed her. An epic journey takes Letty and Maya to the small community of Treasure Island, Florida. Using an advertisement found in her sister's belongings, Letty settles on the Murmuring Surf motel as her refuge.

Once they arrive at the motel, too early to check in, Letty decides to take a nap and is woken up by a knock on her window by a police officer. Worried that the cop might realize who they are and what they are doing there, Letty tries to lay low. The longer they say at the motel, the more that Letty begins to learn about her sister's checkered past and the connection to the motel. It was a thrill right up to the end. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a e-ARC for review.

Mary Kay Andrews always delivers! The Newcomer is just the right amount of mystery, laughter and love. Your summer will not be complete without reading this book! Letty, Maya, Ava, Joe and the regulars at The Murmuring Surf will seem like long lost friends.

I requested to read and review this book for free from St. Martin Press. This unique book will keep you guessing until the very end. Do you prefer New York or Florida? Can you out run evil? How much power is to much? Can you really know someone family ot friend Characters? Who can you truly trust Characters? Characters Letty, Maya, Ava, Joe and the Snow bird crew will keep you entertained and wanting more. This is a light thriller, romance and comedy all wrapped into one great book.

As a long time Mary Kay Andrews fan, I was interested to see what a mystery/thriller offering from her would be like. In The Newcomer, Letty's sister Tanya is murdered and Letty follows her sister's wishes and escapes with Tanya's daughter Maya to protect her from danger. The story follows Letty's attempts to avoid being found by Maya's father, a dangerous man who claims Letty murdered Tanya and kidnapped Maya.

As a mystery, this book falls short. For someone who needs to disappear Letty doesn't do a very good job, using her real name and Maya's name; and relying on teenage girls to keep her secret. There were no twists in the story at all--it was very predictable, right down to the insta-love between Letty and Joe. There was very little suspense and the book seemed to drag in several places.

I admire MKA for trying her hand at the mystery genre. Unfortunately, this one just didn't work.

Thanks go to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was another witty MKA with a fun beach setting. The motel aspect was fun, as were the gaggle of residents. The main characters were charming and I was invested in the story. The book however, is much too long. Descriptions and dialogue went on for pages and it got tedious. There were a lot of side plots happening that detracted from the main story. Overall a fun read but one that I was anxious to finish. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book! Letty is such an amazing sister. This was proved before, but mostly after her sisters death. The way Letty trusts her gut and her sister (even if her sister didn't necessarily deserve to be trusted) and gets sweet Maya, her niece, out of dodge when her sister is found dead in her condo. Poor Maya there to see her Momma in this condition. Maya's dad is a rich, rich man and it seems the fate of Letty is the same as her sisters as he tries to find Maya. This book is highly entertaining and exciting. Such a mystery and a story of love and faith along the way. I definitely recommend it this Summer!!

Starting reading this but not quite my thing so I stopped. I thought this would be different but it is not what I want to be reading.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

This felt like a never ending book. While I enjoyed the first 50%, the rest just dragged on.

The story follows Letty, who flees New York City with her four year old niece Maya, after discovering her younger sister Tanya dead. Tanya had warned Letty that if something were to happen to her, her ex Evan was to blame, and to take Maya far away from Evan. So, Letty winds up in Florida, at the Murmuring Surf Hotel where she meets The DeCurtis family and a lot of stereotypical Florida seniors.

The story is part murder mystery, part romance. Sounds like my kind of book, but unfortunately there really wasn’t any mystery at all, there were no twists or surprises. Everything played out exactly like I thought it was going to. While there is no question to me that Mary Kay Andrews is a talented author, this book was far too long. There’s about 150-200 pages of filler that didn’t contribute to the plot at all.

I thought this was going to be a 5 star read for me, but the plot was predictable and by the half way point I just wanted it to be over.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Newcomer is my first Mary Kay Andrews book, and it was enjoyable! Letty found her sister murdered, and is now on the run with her young niece, Maya. They travel to a motel where she and Maya are taken in by the owner and make connections.
Because Letty is the main suspect in her sister's murder, and for kidnapping since she took Maya with her.
There is a lot of mystery & suspense here, mixed in with some romance and drama amongst the family. What happened to Letty's sister, and why? Can she clear her own name? Andrew's vivid descriptions of locations and characters really draws the reader in & takes you on the journey with the characters to find out these answers.