Mary Kay Andrews and beach read always go together. I was lucky enough to read this one in advance and enjoy some summer during winter.

Set on a beach in Florida, we meet Lettie and her niece Maya, who is very sweet. We know something is off but it takes a few pages to find out what and the why. Lettie shows up at a little motel and insists on wanting to stay there. The owner, Ava, takes heart and they work it out as in Lettie clearing out a storage place and making a temporary home.

I enjoyed this motel, all the snowbirds along with Ava and her family. All very different and likeable in their own way. Lettie starts working there and various stories come out along with why Lettie is really there.

This is part mystery, a little romance, and just some fun and quirky characters. Hard to put down as things unravel. I think this will be a popular summer read.

This was an enjoyable somewhat predictable book. It had some intrigue and romance. It moved along fairly fast, I was interested enough to find out what happened. It would make a good beach read.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Always the perfect blend of romance and mystery, this book made me long for trips to both New York City and Florida. In these times where much of my travel is done via reading, this was a great book that was mysterious and entertaining.

This is another classic MKA story, albeit it a bit long for my liking. All the signature plot elements are present here: romance, mystery and murder. A quick read but none of the twists were shocking.

This was such a beautiful story of trauma, tragedy and finally justice and happiness. Letty can't be sure what happened but she knows she has to keep Maya safe until the truth about Tanya's death can be discovered

Another great read from Mary Kay Andrews. This could be the summer beach read of 2021. The setting alternates between New York and Treasure Island, Florida. The main character Letty has spunk and is somebody you want to see good things happen to. The supporting characters in Treasure Island are equally lovable. I kind of wanted to hang out with them for a season too. There are a couple of mysteries that are going on as Letty tries to really understand her sister and keep her niece safe and you can’t forget about adding a little romance too. Great characters, a bit of mystery, and a little romance makes for a great read. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

I loved this book. It has a murder mystery, girl on the run and a little romance. I loved the old motel setting and all of the quirky characters who stayed there.

It started okay but then it just got silly and convoluted -and not in a fun soapy way. I ended up stopping about 2/3 of the way through. I might try to finish later but I just didn’t connect with the characters or the story and the cliches were a little over the top (hot cop, funny quirky old people, etc).

Mary Kay Andrew's is an author that i will always read without even reading the summary. This story is about a woman trying to solve her sister's murder while keeping her niece safe. The setting was in warm, sunny Florida which makes this a great beach read or a delightful mystery to cozy up with in the dead of winter. I rated this 4 stars because the middle seemed a tad longer than it needed to be. Overall, an excellent story!

Finding her sister murdered, Letty grabs her small niece and goes into hiding. Landing in an old resort motel in Florida, she quickly finds people she can count on to keep them safe. Great story! I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my honest review.

thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved it...even though there were a few minor flaws. I was thoroughly entertained throughout.

Letty is a wonderful character who is intent on doing the right thing. When she discovers her sister dead and likely murdered, she did what was asked, "If anything happens to me, take Maya and run." So she did. Once in Florida, Letty ensconces herself in a small motel. Despite the fact that she was secretly "on the run," the owner trusted her instincts and within a short time, Letty was like family. Ultimately she had to rely on that "family" to help her when the heat - both the police as well as the sister's former boyfriend - closes in.

I thought it seemed a little improbable that Joe would find himself with amorous feelings for Letty in spite of her background. As a police officer, he let slide things most would have jumped on. But in the end that made the story more enjoyable.

The story is a great romp - with fun motel guest characters as well as the main characters in the plot. It ended pretty much the way I figured it would, but it was really fun and enjoyable to read.

The Newcomer is such a feel good story in which we see life come together for Letty and her niece Maya as well as other characters introduced along the way. MKA is an amazing author and nothing she has written has disappointed me yet. This book deals with serious issues many face in life and Andrews writes about them with such sensitivity yet still brings entertainment to her readers.

“The Newcomer” by Mary Kay Andrews

Letty Carnahan is on the run with her four-year-old niece, Maya, in tow. After discovering her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her New York City townhouse, Letty knows it’s her responsibility to get the child somewhere safe. Especially because Tanya recently warned Letty that she was in danger and begged her to do whatever is necessary to keep Maya away from her ex and, strangely, Letty’s ex as well: Evan Wingfield.
Evan is an entrepreneur and through some illegal dealings has more than enough money and resources to track down Letty and Maya, so they take off to Florida and wind up at The Murmuring Surf Motel. They’re welcomed with open arms by the owner of the motel but the woman’s son, who is also the town’s handsome detective, Joe, is suspicious of their motives. Letty knows that back in New York fingers are pointing at her in the investigation of Tanya’s murder and Maya’s disappearance, and she’s not sure how long she’ll be able to keep their whereabouts a secret, especially when the motel’s loveable but nosy guests are determined to figure out just why Letty looks so familiar to them.
A little bit romance, a little bit suspense, and everything you’ve come to know and love from a Mary Kay Andrews story, “The Newcomer” is sure to be a summer favorite!

Reviewed by Abbey Peralta for Suspense Magazine

I can always count on a good read from Mary Kay Andrew's. I enjoyed this book, it was fun to feel like I was at the Murmuring Surf right along with Letty and Maya as I was reading. I enjoyed the way she wove all the characters together by the end of the book. All in all, a great summer read. It really deserves 3.5 stars but alas, we don't have that option.

Oh wow. I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book. The emotions written in this book brought tears to my eyes or a smile on my face. The characters are well written, have good growth, and are developed into believable characters. I could picture them clear as day like I was interacting with them day to day. The plot is balanced nicely between the romance, the sweetness of a child, the twists and turns of a mystery, to a deep depression of a murdered mother/sister. Evan is slimy, and I'm pleased with his outcome. Rooney is still a bit of mystery, but I think his story played out how it should. The only question that left me feeling like I was missing something is who is the birdwatcher. I have a theory or two, but I just don't know. I enjoyed this book so much! I hope we get more from Ava, Isabelle, and the other guests. Even more of FBI agent Vikki.

A perfect read for the beach! Mary Kay Andrews always makes it so easy to connected with the characters and get attached to the plot!

As always, Mary Kay Andrews delivers an enjoyable story while also keeping some of the mystery within this book engaging. I’ve read all of her books under this pen name and truly continue to enjoy her works. Her description of the scenery in this part of Florida is enough to make anyone want to hop on a plane to visit this paradise, perhaps even hoping to find the Murmuring Surf motel. I enjoyed the characters in this book. Her main characters are well developed but I especially enjoyed the snowbird residents of the motel, this is such an accurate description of what you typically encounter in Florida. I look forward to her next book, this always marks an anticipation of the coming summer in my mind!

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
Fun, easy to read book with a twist here and there to keep you turning the pages to see what's going to happen next. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book and leave my opinion.

Letty Carnahan may be my favorite Mary Kay Andrews character of all time. She is smart, fierce, protective, and resourceful. Add to that witty, kind, great instincts, and you have a winning and memorable character that I’m low-key mad I can’t be friends with in real life.

The Newcomer, the Mary Kay Andrews novel set to be released May 4, follows Letty in the aftermath of a life altering trauma. After discovering her sister is murdered, Letty remembers her sister Tanya’s warning to her: if anything happens to her, take Tanya’s daughter and run.

When we first meet Letty, she’s just driven from New York to the Florida coast, and is following her clues left by her late sister. She searches for refuge at the Murmuring Surf motel, a relic of days gone by and the last clue her sister gave her. As Letty hides and tries to not only solve Tanya’s murder but also protect her daughter, Letty’s niece Maya, she finds friendship among the staff at the motel and must win over the snowbirds who spend their winters there. The tension builds as Letty discovers just how tangled a web of lies Tanya left her to sort through, with the safety of herself and her beloved four year old niece increasingly in question.

I could not put this novel down. The pacing is excellent, as the tension ebbs and flows with perfection. I found my heart pounding frequently, and wouldn’t be surprised to find a few new white hairs just from reading this book! It gets intense, especially with the safety of a child at stake. Letty is constantly in fear for Maya and herself, as well as mourning her late sister. As she uncovers more and more about Tanya’s secrets, the danger only deepens.

The characters in this book are absolutely wonderful. From Letty and little Maya, who has such a wonderful voice, to local police detective Joe, Murmuring Surf manager Ava, and all zany cast of motel regulars, each character is intricately crafted and believable. The Murmuring Surf is a character unto itself, a beachside motel from the 20th century sandwiched between the condos and resorts so popular along the coast today.

The setting is intoxicating, and will make you yearn to sink your toes into the sand and hear the crashing waves. Though I have to thank Ms. Andrews for including the rougher side of living in Florida and discussing the roaches and sweat inducing humidity, or else I’d likely be Zillow surfing for houses there again! Anytime I’m tempted by her beach portrayals, I just have to whisper to myself banana spiders, banana spiders, until the urge to move back to Florida passes. So I, for one, appreciate the nuanced view of Florida life. But I still miss the beach, and this novel gave me a pandemic-safe way to visit a favorite location, at least in my mind.

I absolutely adored this novel, and can see myself reading it again and again. Like all of MKA’s books, you’ll be hooked from the first sentence and like to forego all productivity until you know how it ends. I’d say proceed with caution, but it is absolutely worth it to shuck responsibility and dive headfirst into this book.

The Newcomer is available for preorder and will be released May 4, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy such that I could write this review.

Well written with good character development and literally couldn’t put the book down. A woman follows trails from a life she must leave but hopes to find answers in a shore front hotel. She finds more than answers and the story is just captivating. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.