A glamorous, atmospheric psychological thriller about a glamorous family dynasty living on the coast of Western Australia. 2023's most addictive beach read. The most perfect families hide the most devastating secrets.

This is a debut adult novel for Rebecca Heath and she did a very good job of conveying an interesting mystery. Lucy goes back to Queens Point in Australia as her grandmother has passed away and she needs to clean out the house she has inherited from her. Not long after she arrives a body is discovered on the beach and her arrival to some seems very suspicious that this has now occurred. Lucy has history here where as a teenager she spent a summer with her grandmother. It was through this vacation that she met the wealthy Whitlam family and was instantly drawn to the glamour of their lives, she wanted to be a part of it and dreamt of having a relationship with young Harry. She became friends with Annabelle, Harry and Mae and was totally wrapped up in their lives and the secrets they held close. They are an extremely close family and will do anything to protect each other, will they go as far as covering up a murder?

I really enjoyed the story and was pulled into the twists and turns that presented themselves as the plot evolved. Lucy is now determined to find out what really happened when she was a teenager and how those events have led to what is occurring today. An easy read which I highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Party is a classic ‘who done it,’ with a mixture of teen romance, high society, eerily tight sibling bonds, and one big lovable dog. I found myself questioning just what the mystery was in the beginning, then sorting through a mental Rolodex of suspects for the remainder. Lucy is relatable both in her ability to be swept away by the “haves” while still finding true love and loyalty within her own family. I found myself rooting for her while being frustrated by her inability to resist the draw the Whitlams.
While I feel the plot got off to a bit a slow start I soon found myself staying up way later than I should to try to unravel exactly what happened at that summer party. And, for the record, Hades is a really good boy.

This had so much potential but unfortunately it fell short. It started off intriguing and the back and forth POV build up worked for me initially but it all fell apart in the end.

Lucy Ross is a woman returning to her recently deceased grandmother’s cottage to pack up. She visited her grandmother once in the summer when she was 16 and it was the most epic summer of her life. Making friends with the fancy rich neighbors, the Whitlams, and becoming in what I would say obsessed, after all this time she is still fascinated by them. A body is washed ashore and the hunt of who it is and how it came to be there begins.

It was just all dragged out and a bit underwhelming and underdeveloped for my taste. I was intrigued with the allure of the super rich but then it became an eye roll as they had absolutely no personality. And Lucy was an idiot who claimed to be all grown up but was just as immature as she was when she was 16. Points for the mystery pulling me through but overall the end was meh. It’s a good fluffy summer beach read.

Thank you Aria & Aries and netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Rebecca Heath’s debut novel is a twisty thriller set in a small Australian coastal town. She develops her characters deeply and in a way that you believe you actually know them - some to like and some to despise - as the book progresses. This is a fast-paced exciting read worth your time if looking for a new author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This debut novel by Rebecca Heath takes place in the small Western Australian town of Queen's
Point. There are two different time frames: the summer of 2000 and present day 20 years later. The novel opens in the past at an end of summer party at the prominent
Whitlam estate. Young Lucy Ross, who spends the summer at her nan's, has been obsessed with the family all summer and is thrilled to attend this lavish event. After
many glasses of champagne and an exciting first kiss, Lucy witnesses an altercation from behind a rose bush but isn't completely sure what she really saw. Fast forward to the present day, twenty years later when Lucy
returns to Queen's Point to close up and sell her nan's cottage following her death. By a strange coincidence, a body washes ashore and Lucy finds herself in the middle
of a murder investigation that stems back to that summer evening of 2000. Old secrets begin to stir between Lucy and the Whitlam family and she finds that she must come
forward and find out what really happened and what she really witnessed the evening so long ago. This was a great story with lots of twists and surprises. I highly recommend this novel.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4954576721

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC!

Who doesn’t have something in their past they need to deal with? Lucy Ross is just like the rest of us! She returns to her grandmother’s former residence after her passing (that also happens to be on the property of a family she was deeply enthralled by 20 years prior) to pack up her former life.

When this final business turns into a murder investigation, Lucy doesn’t know who from her past she can trust and begins to find herself becoming more involved and turns up more questions than answers!

While the book was a bit of a slow build, it helped to illustrate the history between Lucy and the other characters in the book. Just when you think you’ve figured it all out, you find yourself just as confused as Lucy until the very end!

I loved the way the chapters were set in the past and the present. And every time it flicks back to the past you get a different characters perspective which really adds to the drama and mystery. I didn't love the ending but. Although it was satisfying, it just wasn't what I wanted to happen.

Overall this was a well written thriller that had me guessing the whole way through!! And the twists are so good you won't see them coming!! Looking forward to reading more from Rebecca Heath.

Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the copy of The Summer Party. This was a great story! A body is found after 20 years and there is a resurgence of investigation. I liked seeing how Lucy’s relationship with other characters had changed and how she was still fascinated with the family next door. The writing was difficult to get into and I didn’t like the focus on mens’ ‘sculpted physiques’ that made the book feel like a romance at times. The past timeline was a little annoying because we find out what happened on different days leading up to the party instead of it just being “before”. I loved the story and will give this author a few more reads because this was a good debut with only a few rough edges.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Summer, 2000. In the tranquil town of Queen's Point in southern Australia, the Whitlam family marks the end of every season with a lavish party in their clifftop mansion. Here, clutching her first glass of real champagne, the summer breeze intoxicating on her skin, sixteen-year-old Lucy Ross is kissed for the very first time. And then, in the shadows of the rose garden, she sees something she shouldn't.
Winter, 2019. After two decades of silence, Lucy is back in Queen's Point. She hasn't planned on staying long. But when human remains wash up on the freezing beach, the police close the town. Unable to leave, Lucy is forced to rekindle old friendships and examine old truths she has long ago tried to forget.
As long-buried secrets start to surface, Lucy must decide. Will she confront the past and tell the truth? Or will she still do anything to protect the people she loves?
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Aria & Aries
I just reviewed The Summer Party by Rebecca Heath. #TheSummerParty #NetGalley

I enjoyed this book, the lead character grabbed my attention immediately as I wanted to know more about her. As the story evolves there are hints of what Lucy’s life is and the teenage time she spent on the beach with 3 wealthy children. I wanted a little more depth from this story, it could have been a true 5 star read. As it is it’s a good beach read of memories, childhood summer and a party gone wrong.

Good story. There were a few twists at the end that didn't fully see coming, but it took a bit to get there. Saved all the action until that last third of the book.

This book is so well written that you are unaware it is listed under Mystery & Thrillers! I actually had tears in my eyes at the end. I loved it! I stayed up all evening to finish it.
It reads like a love story, a summer beach romance between the extremely rich and handsome guy and the average girl from out of town, until it doesn't. There are a few hints that there are family secrets, but not enough to have you start guessing "who did it" because you are so drawn into the story.
The story is told with multiple viewpoints. I believe it is a perfect read for anyone who enjoys mystery, thrillers, romance, female friendships and family drama.

Thank you to #netgalley and Aria & Aries for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

A Summer party you will wish you weren’t invited to…
This book is a mindbending thriller that will keep you guessing the entire time you’re reading it. Fast-paced plot and original characters for the win!

I loved the suspense in this novel. I really had no idea what would happen or what the outcome would be. Set in a beautiful location I could smell the sea air as I was reading. A few late nights because I couldn’t put this book down.

Murder mysteries have a grip on me akin to trashy teen tv series (never said I was proud of it). Bonus points when they involve wealthy and dysfunctional families, summer parties, and flashbacks alternating with a present day storyline.

Something that can grab my attention so easily and provide easy entertainment is too good to ignore, and The Summer Party fills all of the above categories - not to mention the Austrialian setting is a fun change of scenery compared to my usual reads. I really enjoyed how the story is set around Lucy, both in terms of what she might have witnessed as a drunk teenager twenty years ago, and of how she is now forced to reassess her fascination-slash-obsession for the wealthy neighbours. Seeing the character slowly mature and shed her teenage naivity as the book progresses was one of the highlights of the story for me, and what kept me reading when the plot occasionally got a bit slow or redundant.

I wasn't crazy about Heath's writing of the key male characters, which often read like easy, romance stereotypes which is just not my preference style/genre-wise. But I appreciated the final plot twists that kept me on my toes and avoided a predictable resolution (to avoid going into spoilers). All in all The Summer Party is a compelling read with a good pace and well woven plot that kept me glued to the book; if you enjoy the likes of Liane Moriarty this should be right up your alley.

With thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy, this was a fun read!

Very Liane Moriarty, as the marketing copy says. Suspects abound and it felt as if a name was picked out of a hat to make the ending. That isn't a bad thing - sometimes it's fun to read about a bunch of people you're not rooting for.

Despite there being present-day danger, this was more of a mystery than a thriller. If you're tired of psychological horror, it's a nice change of pace.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. As someone who doesn’t veer too much away from the regular authors I read I was a bit dubious to if I would like this, but…… I LOVED IT and have found a new author to add to my select few! The story is set in present time with flashbacks to 19 years prior and slowly unravels the plot line centred around deep family roots and problems. Book finishes with a fantastic ending and I would recommend to everyone to read.

The Summer Party - Rebecca Heath

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I do love a good mystery - especially anything based close to home. This novel is set in Western Australia and flips between the present and what happened during one summer 20 years ago.

From the first page we are straight into the plot, no stuffing around which I love in a mystery/thriller novel. I found the characters and location so easy to imagine - I feel like I could see the landscape and the glamorous home as clear as day. In fact, this would make an incredible TV series!

I sped through this book in a matter of hours and thoroughly enjoyed it. The only small negative for me is I did find the storyline of - woman going back to small isolated town from her childhood to face her past - kind of cliche. However I’m happy to put that aside after finishing the book considering I couldn’t put it down.

If you enjoyed Grown Ups by Marian Keyes, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng or anything Paula Hawkins I think you would also really enjoy this book.

The Summer Party is Rebecca Heath’s debut adult novel and I will definitely be keeping an eye on her future releases.

Okay, I have to admit that I definitely was not expecting to like this book nearly as much as I did! Holy crap! Loved it!

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me access to this ARC..

This was a perfect summer thriller - I could almost feel the glitz and glam. I felt that the pacing for this was well done and I enjoyed the characters. This will keep you on the edge of your seat as trouble unfolds!