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.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54860489

I had high expectations for this book, set in a very familiar place. I think the author captures the snowbird characters well but most of the characters are very stereotypical. There is a murder mystery which is almost an anticlimax when it’s solved at the end. The main characters' romance is very unbelievable and the book suffers from several different plots which just seem to pop up....the child's paternity, a hit put out on a character, and a teenager who solves a tech problem that the FBI couldn’t. I wish I had enjoyed this book more! Thanks to #Net Galley and the publishers for this ARC. #The Newcomer

This is a classic MKA summer read. A cute beach setting, a murder, and a little romance all mixed into an interesting story. I loved the setting at an old motel and meeting all the regulars.Ike many MKA books, the book is a little longer than needed but it still kept me turning the pages and find out the ending. Get your summer started by reading this fun read!

Letty Carnahan is looking over her shoulder in a panic as she and her niece, Maya, run from New York to Florida. Things have gone terribly wrong and the worst-case scenario is now happening.

Letty’s sister, Tanya, is not exactly a paragon of truth and virtue. Hooking up with the slimiest of men. This time she chose the wrong guy. Oh, he looks good on paper but is as scummy as they come. Tanya tells Letty that if anything happens to her, look at the husband. And then take this shoe of money and Maya and run.

When Letty turns up for her standard Sunday with Maya, what she finds is a body and a screaming child. What does she do? She runs. With no idea why she is going to some old motel in an old Southern Living article her sister included with the go-bag, she pushes forward until she finally reaches Treasure Island and The Murmuring Surf Motel.

Why is she here? What does this place have to do with Tanya? And why, oh why, does the motel manager’s son have to be a cop?

Ms. Andrews is the queen of the beach reads. This is one that had a bit of everything in it. Much like real life. The characters are so real and the story so compelling you may want to hit the road to find Treasure Island yourself.

Always a pleasure!

NetGalley/ May 4th, 2021 St. Martin’s Press

This is the perfect beach read, even in cold weather! I loved the characters. Lefty, Ava, Joe, and Maya were so well written that I found myself completely invested in them from the beginning. This one has the thriller aspects with just the right amount of romance. Great read!

This book had the potential of being a typical Mary Kay Andrews book in that it begins a bit scandalous and mysterious however, it falls a little flat. It has a good storyline and kept my interest for the most part but isn't extremely exciting. It is a bit slow. I am glad I read it as I love her books but it was not one of my favorites.

Tanya had a daughter named Maya and was living across the country from her sister whom she had a strained relationship with as they got older. This was Tanya's fault because she was a bit wild and unstable in her adult life. Her sister Letty came back into her and Maya's life a couple of years ago and now Tanya has died. Letty picked up the pieces and took Maya and tried to figure out who killed her sister. The books winds down nicely and satisfying and answers the questions that came up throughout the story.

*Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I believe this was my first time reading Mary Kay Andrews and I was not disappointed.

After finding her sister Tanya dead in her NYC apt and her 3 year old niece, Maya, alone, Letty grabs what she can and heads to Florida, convinced her sister’s ex killed her since Tanya had weeks before warned her if anything happened to her, it was him.

A story of love and devotion, Letty keeps her promise to keep Maya safe. Finding herself at the Murmuring Surf Motel, she manages to endear herself to Ava, the owner and now has a place to stay. Ava’s son Joe is a cop and he is very suspicious.

Letty is a savvy character and does a lot of bluffing to keep her story a secret. She makes new friends in Ava, her daughter, Isabelle and Joe. She also manages to ingratiate herself with the regular snowbirds who are not happy at her arrival.

A good mystery with lots of love, caring and intrigue.

Great book and a story that will keep your interest for the entire duration of reading. The story is bold and powerful yet draws you into the lives it is telling you about. Add this one to your TBR list.

I live in Florida, I've been to Treasure Island, and this book really makes me want to go back. I loved the Murmuring Surf and the regulars there. I think I would love to stay in a place like it. I loved Ava, Isabelle and Joe. This was a long book, but extremely enjoyable. I loved how in depth the story went and I liked how it all unfolded. It was predictable, but still entertaining. I would definitely recommend it.

Cannot believe that this is the first Mary Kay Andrews’ books that I have read! What a great book! Could easily see this made into a movie! Do yourself a favor and read it as soon as it comes out...you’ll love it!

Mary Kay Andrews is a master storyteller, and I've read a few of her past books. So I knew I was in for another great story in The Newcomer, her latest novel to be published this coming May. The fast-paced, character-driven plot alternates between sinister and serene events. The very first chapter sets the scene and the tone. Letty and her young niece, Maya, on the run from New York City, are headed to an old motel in a small town on Treasure Island in Florida. Letty's half-sister Tanya has been brutally murdered in her posh townhouse while Maya was living there. Letty immediately suspects Evan Wingfield, Tanya's ex, who is a rich, narcissistic real estate entrepreneur. Tanya had made Letty promise to take Maya far away from Evan if anything happened to Tanya. Honoring her promise, Letty escapes with Maya, taking her sister's "go bag" and Mercedes. Inside that bag is a large amount of cash and a faded clipping of a magazine article for the Murmuring Surf Motel. Sensing that this locale has some significance, Letty decides to go there to uncover her sister's secrets and to keep Maya safe from Evan and other shady people from Tanya's past..
As a newcomer to the motel which caters mainly to retired quirky yet relatable snowbirds, Letty convinces the owner, Ava, to let her work there in exchange for a musty efficiency room that has been used for storage. Letty, a very likable character despite her flaws, gradually wins the hearts of the elderly residents who were at first so unwelcoming to young woman with a four-year old niece. And the simmering romance between Letty and Joe, Ava's police detective son, adds lots of spice to the plot. The many twists and turns of the plot result in a satisfying conclusion.
Fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Nancy Thayer, and Mary Alice Monroe will enjoy this wonderful summer read. Thanks to #netgalley for an ARC of this novel..

Such a sweet,exciting, adventure packed story. The characters were wonderful. It was difficult to imagine 5 months without conversation. I am hoping to see Maya grow up!

Good story with interesting characters. It's the first Mary Kay Andrews book I've read and I really like the bits of humor added to the story. My one qualm is that Letty was a bit too trusting of a teenage girl's friend who is a computer whiz. Something about that just didn't ring true for me. I would recommend this book. Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Newcomer.
#TheNewcomer#NetGalley

I can always count on Mary Kay Andrews for the perfect beach read! A little romance, a little mystery, and a whole lot of fun! This is the story of Letty a woman who finds her sister murdered in her NYC apartment and goes on the run with her niece. They end up in a motel for snowbirds in Florida in the hopes of figuring out who murdered Letty's sister. While the content of the murder of Letty's sister was a little heavy the rest of the story focusing on Letty, her niece, the motel, and the guests lightened up the mood. The story kept me guessing until the end and the cast of characters at the Murmuring Surf were entertaining and made me laugh. I highly recommend this book to anybody looking for a fun and engrossing beach read this year. It was a fun and fast read. You will not be able to put it down!

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and netgalley.com for the ARC.

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and I really enjoyed it! I would not categorize it as a mystery, probably more drama, as I think you pretty much know the "who did it" part the entire time, but there are different parts of the plot that you figure out along the way.

Letty is on the run with her 4 year old niece, Maya. While living in New York, she found her sister, Maya's mom, dead and now Letty is one of the suspects. She grabs Maya, a few belongings, and takes off, with one destination in mind: The Murmuring Surf Hotel in Florida.

The hotel owner, Ava, offers her a small room and a job. At first, the other guests do not welcome her there, as most of the tenants are longtime guests and she's a newcomer, but they eventually think of her as one of their own.

Although Letty has fled New York, she did not flee the problems that were there, including Maya's dad, Evan. He wants Maya back and will do anything to get her.

I enjoyed all of the characters in this story and loved the setting of the story! I thought the plot was paced well and it held my interest throughout the entire novel.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy.

It pains me to say that I didn’t like this story. I’ve come to love MKA’s books, so I was looking forward to reading this. However, I didn’t like a single aspect of this book. When Letty’s sister is killed, she runs away with her four year old niece to Florida. She ends up staying at The Murmuring Surf hotel with some colorful characters. Unfortunately, you don’t get to know these characters too well. They’re kind of glossed over and I think it would have been more fun to get to know them. The “mystery” of her sister’s demise was kind of lame. The romance wasn’t believable. There was absolutely no chemistry between the characters. I honestly didn’t get to know the characters like I normally would in her stories. This was too long because I just wanted this to end 50-60% into it. Obviously not my favorite of MKA’s and I’ll probably be in the minority with my opinion. This just bored me though.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I've read all of Mary Kay Andrews books and like the others, I enjoyed this one. Reading in on a snowy winter weekend was just as pleasant as a summery beach day.

The story opens with Letty and Maya on the run and after a short time we learn why they are running and how The Murmuring Surf ended up on their radar.

I'll say there were a few areas of the plot that didn't quite add up to me - I felt like Joe figured out Letty's past way too quickly to be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, I don't understand why Tanya would have circled a magazine story focused on her literal crime scenes and the connection between Rooney and Evan seemed way too coincidental to make sense.

But having said that, I enjoyed Letty and Maya a lot, as well as many of the minor characters that added humor and flare.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and the chance to enjoy this book early!

The Newcomer is another enjoyable, easy read by Mary Kay Andrews. This is the perfect vacation read! Letty is dealing with the loss of her sister, Tanya while trying to adjust to life as a mother to her niece Maya. Thanks to the help of their newly adopted motel family, Letty and Maya begin to create a new life. They find happiness, and Letty may even find love. As usual, Andrews creates endearing, eclectic, and hilarious characters; I would love to sit around the pool and go to Bingo at Murmuring Surf Motel with them! I am hoping that this cast of characters will appear in another Mary Kay Andrews book soon!