WOW!  There was so much going on in this book that I could hardly put it down!  It was great to see how the people at The Murmuring Surf embraced Letty and Maya and kept them safe during everything that unfolding.  Two mysteries that were eventually tied together.  What a super read!

I used to housesit for a woman that collected Mary Kay Andrews and spent many sunny days on the deck curled up with one of her novels. I had forgotten how quick and easy her books were and how much I enjoyed them. This book was so fun and easy to read. I'll definitely be picking this up in the physical copy to send to my grandma because I know she'll love it!

As always Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. This book was no exception - I was hooked by page two. A real page turner filled with suspense, humor and romance. Her characters were lovable, or detestable depending on the good guys or the bad guys. Her use of imagery was great - I could clearly envision settings, etc. in my minds eye. A great read!

I did enjoy this book, but thought it was a little long and predictable.  It could have used some editing to speed things up a little.

Altogether it was an easy light read.

Fans of Andrews will love this! It was very sweet and had everything her other books have. She is great at writing characters that you root for! I found the romance part a bit rushed but I still loved it!

This is an ok book that could have been a lot better. Unfortunately the narration jumps around too much in my opinion, at one point there was even an animal POV! There are also a lot of flashbacks that slowed down the momentum. I think the story would have been a lot better if it stuck to Letty and let her fill the reader in on her backstory. For example we do not need to know what’s going on with Tanya’s ex Evan at the diner where Letty used to work when it would have been easier to have Letty just get a text from her waitress friend and not slowed down the story so much with the jumping around. There’s also a big plot hole with how someone finds out Letty’s last name in order to look her up. Letty could have been a more well rounded character too. We do not actually get to know her well and how she feels about things. Her niece Maya is adorable and there are interesting characters to be found at the motel they move into. The romance is pretty nil that’s alluded to in the description. There’s also not much comedy in what could be a funny setting with Letty on the run. It’s mostly a drama with too much chaos in all the character shifts and flashbacks that slow the story down. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a fun beach read. Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. I loved the characters in this book. There were some twists, romance and suspense. It’s a perfect book to read on your next vacation.

"The Newcomer" by Mary Kay Andrews, is a wonderful beach read. Letty finds her sister Tanya dead in her condo. Tanya had told Letty that if anything were to happen to her, she should take Tanya's daughter, a "go" bag that had been packed for her, and a car, and just leave. Letty finds a magazine article with the name of a motel in Florida, penciled in by her sister, and takes that as a message she should go there.

This book is chock a block of warm characters some likable, some not so much,, a murder mystery, an intersecting heist, a love story, a beautiful setting and a satisfying ending. It has all the elements of a fantastic beach read!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of books by MKA, but this book was a disappointment for me. From the beginning I felt like I’d read this book before, and that feeling continued through the entire book. The plot was very predictable, although the characters living at the motel added a bit of humor to the story. I also felt the story could have been told in a lot less pages. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Letty is on the run from New York with her niece, Maya, after Maya's mother was murdered. She plans a short stay at the Murmuring Surf Motel, but ends up with a job, a bunch of new friends and a love affair with the owner's son. All that will end if the murderer and his cohorts can catch up with her.
This was a great book, typical of Mary Kay Andrews. Good plot, with likeable characters, except the villians.
I appreciate getting to read an ARC of it thanks to NetGalley.

Book Review for The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

“The Newcomer” is an enjoyable read, with a great mix of humor, suspense, and romance. I’m not sure that I would have had my wits about me enough to grab my niece and run after finding my sister murdered like Letty did. Letty is a strong person who gets what she wants, without being pushy. I loved the mix of characters staying at the motel: grouchy, suspicious, and sweet and doting. I’m not sure how believable Evan’s character is. For being a crook with a lot of money, he sure made some stupid mistakes. Overall, though, I liked the book.  I look forward to reading more of Ms. Andrew’s books. 

I received an advanced reader’s  copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have always enjoyed books by Mary Kay Andrews but this book is one of her best. The humorous touches added so much to this story. I highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Letty Carnahan knew her sister Tanya didn’t always follow the straight and narrow, but when she finds Tanya dead and her four year-old daughter Maya hiding in their apartment, Letty knows Tanya’s shady ex Evan killed her. She grabs Tanya’s “go bag” and her niece and drives to a small mom & pop hotel in Florida called the Murmuring Surf because Tanya had an old magazine article about it in her things. There she finds a closed knit group of senior snow birds that eye her suspiciously, but slowly come around as she helps the owner run things, while trying to learn what Tanya was involved in. Her biggest problem becomes the owner’s son who is a local police detective and suspicious of her. 

This is a much faster paced read than most romantic suspense, focusing on action, not the hot & heavy. Maya and her antics are adorable. As always, MKA is queen of the beach reads. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good friend of mine who is also a huge bibliophile recommends books to me all the time. Typically we are on the same page and I devour her suggestions as soon as I can get my hands on them. Mary Kay Andrews is one of her very favorite authors. I have tried and tried in the past to love MKA as she does, but more times than not, her stories fell short for me. I always wanted "more" or something "deeper." Then I had a "light bulb moment" and started reading her novels for what they were intended to be - light, breezy, summer reads. Mary Kay Andrews excels with these stories and it's her niche that made her such a well-loved, best-selling author.
 
That all said, The Newcomer, her newest novel, is one of my favorites of hers to date (2nd behind Hissy Fit). It checked all the boxes it should and I truly enjoyed the read. The novel centers around Lettie and her adorable niece who are on the run after Lettie's sister was killed/murdered. Of course they escape to the Florida beaches and the story uncovers exactly why her sister was killed and WHO was the one to do it. All along the way, she finds friendship and love and a few warm summer moments to boot. All around a fun read!

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and it definitely wont be my last! The Newcomer follows Letty escaping with her young niece Maya after finding her sister dead. Months prior her sister made Letty promise that if anything ever happened to her that she would take her niece and run. Running is exactly what Letty did until she stumbled upon a quirky hotel full of snowbirds in a quiet Florida beach town. The pace of the story keeps you engaged and eager to find out what happens next and how Letty plans to rebuild their lives. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchanged for my honest feedback. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

One part murder mystery, one part woman on the run, one part old Florida that only exists in people's memories and small pockets up and down the coast, one part relationship building between two "not really young" people any more and you have THE NEWCOMER from Mary Kay Andrews. it's a delightful book that will have you readin through at a fast pace, hoping the expected "other foot" doesn't drop. Mary Kay Andrews has another stand alone hit that features Florida, the beach, and wonderful characters..

In this book, Letty has grabbed her niece Maya and fled to Florida, running from Evan, Maya's father and the suspected murderer of Maya's mother, Letty's sister Tanya. Because of an old magazine article she found in Tanya's things, Letty's destination is The Murmuring Surf Motel on Treasure Island Beach, outside of Tampa. When she arrives she finds an old style mom and pop motel, populated by an easy going woman who is a soft touch for a sad story, her police detective son, and a group of snow birds who vacation the same time every year.

Trying to solve why it was important to Tanya and avoid being found out by Evan, or arrested by Joe, the cop, keeps Letty on pins and needles. She proves herself invaluable to the motel's owner and convinces the son she isn't a dangerous criminal and they all set about trying to extricate her from her current situation. Satisfying on all fronts. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advance copy. The opinions here are entirely my own. An additional review is upcoming at MysteryandSuspensecom.

Queen of Beach Reads is back with a delicious, intriguing, engaging, addictive, unputdownable gem to devour at one bite!
This is fast pacing, action packed, exciting murder mystery centered at the pop motel in Florida Beach-town.

Mary Kay Andrews never fails to keep me involved in her books to the very end.  This book didn’t disappoint, I didn’t want to put it down and hated it when it was time to go to bed and my kindle ran out of juice.  I do a lot of reading on it lying next to my sleeping husband.  Then he wonders why I want a nap the next day.  This book had great characters and was so well written, it sure doesn’t have to be a beach day when you read it, but you’ll wish you were there.  I am not going to write a about the story because the description as found on NetGalley.com covers the story.  Just don’t pass by this book if you get the chance to buy it, you’ll enjoy it from beginning to end.  It has suspense, mystery, some romance, and the beach!  What more could you want?

I received this book through NetGalley.com free in the kindle format.  I am not required to write a review, although I usually do, I like to help out authors and readers.  The review was my own, thoughts on the book were mine!  #TheNewcomer #MaryKayAndrews #NetGalley

Description From NetGalley.com:
Summer never ends with MKA

In trouble and on the run...

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister’s warnings: “If anything bad happens to me—it’s Evan. Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.” So Letty grabs her sister’s Mercedes and hits the road . . .

With a trunkful of emotional baggage...

and her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a “go-bag” of cash and a big honking diamond ring—but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island. She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

The No Vacancy sign is flashing & the sharks are circling...

And that’s the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn—or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past.

As a Floridian I enjoyed the setting in this book and can relate to the descriptions. There was also enough mystery and excitement in the story to keep my interested.