If you're a fan of "The Goonies" and have a soft spot for YA novels filled with treasure and mystery, "The Treasure Hunters Club" by Tom Ryan might be your next big adventure! This book has all the hallmarks of a classic quest—secrets, hidden clues, and enough plot twists to keep you guessing (or at least second-guessing) at every turn.

The story is told through the eyes of three very different characters, each bringing their own vibe and perspective to the mix. I'll admit, the rotating first-person narratives can feel a bit dizzying at times—it's like switching gears a little too fast—but once I got used to the rhythm, I found myself enjoying the unique lens each character added to the adventure. And let's talk about the vibe: it's very current, with pop culture references sprinkled throughout, grounding the story firmly in the here and now, making it feel familiar even while the characters are hunting down age-old secrets.

One of the best aspects of "The Treasure Hunters Club" is its ability to zigzag through the plot. Just when you think you've got it all figured out—bam!—something changes, and you're thrown for a loop. Don't get me wrong; sometimes, the turns are a little predictable, but the story's constant momentum keeps you from staying in one spot too long. It does take a minute to get going, though. I wasn't fully hooked until about a quarter of the way through, but once it hits its stride, it's hard not to get swept up in the thrill of the chase.

But, fair warning, while the plot is a blast, there are moments when I felt like I was drifting a bit, almost like waiting for the next big twist to kick in. During those stretches, I'll admit I peeked ahead to see how much was left—but then, just as quickly, I'd hit a part where I couldn't flip the pages fast enough.

Overall, "The Treasure Hunters Club" is a fun read, especially for anyone craving a bit of action and mystery with a modern-day twist. It's not my all-time favorite, but I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a lively, treasure-filled adventure. This was my first time reading Tom Ryan's work, and after this, I'm curious to see what else he has in store—so I'll be on the lookout for more of his tales.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Maple Bay is known for it's legends of pirates leaving treasure on the island, but some locals know more than they let on. Three strangers are pulled into the mystery, and as bodies begin to pile up they are not only searching for the treasure, but solving murders too! The characters in this book are truly lovable and it is fun to read from multiple POVs. I would classify this on the cozier side of mystery.

The quiet seaside town of Maple Bay, Nova Scotia is anything but. With a history of pirate treasure and locals harbouring dark secrets there is more to Maple Bay than meets the eye. High school student, Dandy, nearly 40 year old Peter, and Cass the washed up writer are on a crash course into each other and the underbelly of Maple Bay.

Written from the perspectives of these three characters you will feel like you are seeing the mystery unfold before your eyes. The twists will keep you guessing and if you’re anything like me shocked at the very end. With murder, mystery, and a treasure hunt what more could you want?

Thank you NetGalley, Grove Atlantic & Atlantic Monthly Press for a copy to review.

The Treasure Hunters Club is the ninth novel by award-winning Canadian author, Tom Ryan. Still grieving the recent loss of her Grandy, Reg, Dandy Feltzen turns up to the meeting of the Maple Bay Historical Society following his last wish: that she take his place there, and finally solve the mystery. She has a nautical chart to sweeten the deal: turns out the Society is all about finding the legendary Obelisk Treasure buried by notoriously blood-thirsty eighteenth-Century pirate Captain Barnabas Dagger.

The Society’s ageing membership, the five offspring of the original Treasure Hunters Club, has been radically reduced with the death of Reg, whose enthusiasm was their real impetus, and the walk out of Bill Jinx and Dr Frank Oakley. Rose French is fast losing the energy to participate, and only the scion of the Bellwood family, Mirabel Bellwood Johnson still has the passion needed, freshly stimulated by the discovery of her late father, Henry’s diary.

Mirabel has finally managed to connect with her grandson and only heir after her estranged daughter eschewed all contact since his birth, forty years earlier. Now, Peter Bellwood Barnett has come to Maple Bay after a lacklustre career in Vancouver. Unfortunately, before she has a chance to tell him why his presence in Maple Bay was so essential, he finds Mirabel at the bottom of the Bellwoods ornately carved staircase.

Just as Cass is despairing the state of her life, the failure of her writing career, and the need to quit New York, an opportunity lands in her lap: a year of house-sitting (and dog-minding) in the little town of Maple Bay, Nova Scotia. Might this be the place where her second novel is born?

Two of the locals she meets, Mirabel Bellwood and Bill Jinx are spectacularly unfriendly, but the bookstore owner, the bakery owner and the librarian make up for them. And although she’s not in the market for romance since her break-up, the hot jogger she almost runs over is a welcome distraction to her writer’s block. When she learns of the Obelisk Treasure and how it attracts people to the town, she feels the beginnings of a book taking shape.

Peter, Cass and Dandy each find themselves entranced with the story of the treasure buried, found and then lost again, each learning something relevant from their particular sources, but some are more willing to share what they know than others.

When yet another member of the Society dies, Dandy is convinced that the death, and that of Mirabel, is suspicious and, after overhearing something very disturbing, even has a theory about motive. But is she putting herself in danger by sharing what she knows?

Ryan gives the reader a twisty tale of greed and betrayal, guilt and remorse, secrets and blackmail. Four separate narratives tell the story, one in the form of a journal, and another that is probably none too reliable. There’s a body count of seven before the somewhat contrived resolution.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.

Fun sounding premise with mystery vibes; however, it read more like a family tree than an actual story. The plot became bogged down with the characters. I think many will like this but it just wasn’t for me. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

I’ve never seen the movie The Goonies all the way through, but reading The Treasure Hunters Club kept making my mind flash back to the bits and pieces of the movie I have seen. And yet this is much more than just what the movie has to offer. While it was often difficult to follow three generations of characters and which character was related to which of the five boys who initially found the treasure, this is set in the present day with a tantalizing, prolonged journal entry that’s more of a confession from one of the boys woven in. It was fun trying to piece together everything that happened in the past and relate it to the present, but it was a little predictable and the main characters just didn’t have as much to do with each other as I had hoped.

In the 1920s, a group of five boys went exploring and discovered the infamous Obelisk Treasure, a treasure chest hidden by some men of pirate Captain Dagger and then lost to time. They decide to hide it and then reclaim it when they all turn 18 and can then keep it for themselves, but, when that time comes, the treasure is gone and the friends splinter. A couple of generations later, three people, two descended from two of the boys, are pulled together to Maple Bay in Nova Scotia in order to discover the secrets those boys kept and to find the treasure. Peter is a Bellwood, the great-grandson of the wealthy boy who pulled the five original boys together, and his estranged grandmother is desperate to meet him and unload the family secrets on him. Dandy is the great-granddaughter of another one of the boys, a teen girl who comes off as a modern day Nancy Drew who was close to her late grandfather and is tasked with finding the truth and the treasure. Cass is a stuck novelist whose only book flopped, so, when opportunity knocks and takes her to Maple Bay to house sit, she finds what could be the story of a lifetime. But things get dangerous when the children of the original boys start dying under mysterious circumstances, and someone might be after Peter, Dandy, and Cass, too.

This was fun to read, something of a treasure hunt crossed with a murder mystery. It’s set in the present day, but the confession of one of the boys is threaded through and paints a picture of the past. That part reminded me of the bits and pieces of The Goonies, and maybe one day I’ll actually be willing to sit through it. It was fun and adventurous, and I really enjoyed reading about the friendship between the five boys. Most of the story, though, didn’t always hold my interest. I found a little too much of it predictable, though I did like the twist at the end. Unfortunately, it made a good portion of the narrative a little confusing, and I find myself feeling very dissatisfied with how misleading it was. Still, I enjoyed the adventure, because most of this felt like a bunch of disparate pieces pulled together and whirled into a story of treasure.

There are a lot of characters, and it was often difficult to keep them separate, as well as remembering which character went with which time period. There’s the original five boys, there’s their children, then there are some grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and then the great-grandchildren had other people in their lives to deal with and, finally, there’s Cass with her own story and people populating her own microcosm. It was a lot, and I frequently forgot who was related to which boy, as well as which boy died or disappeared. Only the Bellwoods were easy to keep track of, and Dandy only made sense with her grandfather Grandy because of their names, but I could never remember their family name. There’s also not much to their characterizations to really keep them separate. Mirabel Bellwood was easy as she’s elderly, but quite a force of nature. Dandy is the youngest and reminded me of Nancy Drew. Cass was a struggling novelist, and it felt like that’s all that defined her. I only remember her friend Falia because I’ve never heard that name before. Bree, the bookstore owner, was delightful, and I loved how bright and friendly she was, but she’s a very minor character. Peter was bland, but, by the end, I kind of understood why.

Maple Bay was marginally more interesting than the characters, but I found it difficult to picture it outside of beach and forest with a bunch of houses scattered around. I did like that this is set in Nova Scotia, but I don’t know anything about Nova Scotia and I didn’t get a Canadian feel from this book. I did love how beachy it felt and that some of the characters did go out onto the water, but I struggled to place Maple Bay and the Bellwood family home, Bellwoods, in relation to each other. There are other homes dotted around, and they just kind of dropped onto different places in my mind. I kept picturing a thin arm of land curling around with a small village, an imposing house, and lots of trees. Then again, I didn’t get the sense that the geography of the place was really a big focus; it was just a convenient backdrop and not much needed to be known about it. Instead, the interesting part was just how much was owned by the Bellwoods and what they chose to do with the land through the years. That history was fascinating, and it definitely held my attention.

The story was probably supposed to be the star here, but I grew frustrated when I reached the halfway point and the main characters felt as separate from each other as they had at the very beginning. They barely know each other, hardly ever interact with each other, and certainly don’t spend much time working with each other to find or solve anything. I was hoping they would form a second treasuring hunting club and would work together to find the treasure, but the treasure ended up being more secondary to the murder mystery. There were some subplots that were so easy to see through it was almost agonizing to read through them. The romance was uninspired and I really couldn’t understand why it needed to be included. Cass’s story was interesting, but she felt more like a record keeper than a real, involved character. The murder mystery part managed to hold my attention, and I liked the twist, but I was disappointed it didn’t add any depth.

The Treasure Hunters Club was a fantastic story about opportunity, though. I liked how it was there at every turn and given to each character. The fun part was seeing what each character did with it, and how it affected their lives. By the end it did make me feel like it was hitting me on the head with a very obvious bat, but I liked that message. I had a lot of fun reading about the five boys, and just wish the present day characters were just as engaging. It felt like the five boys started the story and the rest of it was built around it to make it more interesting, and I’m not sure if it succeeded

Still, The Treasure Hunters Club proved to be a quick read. I found it well-written enough to hold my attention. Sometimes, though, I found myself wanting to read just to get to the inevitable reveals so I could feel I was right. So much of it was easy to see through, and there are enough interestingly weird things that happen early on that I felt my curiosity was piqued. Unfortunately, most of the characters were lackluster and all of them lacked depth, though Dandy felt the most interesting and thus most developed. I was also not a big fan of the way the story ended as it kind of made me feel like I wasted my time. But I loved the adventure, and I had fun wondering who was going to turn up dead next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

The long-told story of pirate treasure in Maple Bay holds the base of our story. People have searched for years and years but there are some who know the truth and when three people look in the present day, people start dying and truths are revealed.

Peter finds out on his 40th birthday that he has a very wealthy grandmother who has been looking for him. His mother moved them away from Bellwood, the family estate, when he was young. His aunt and uncle took him in when his parents died in an accident. His grandmother sent them money all along for his education. He never knew. He never got any of it. His roommate convinces him to go to see his grandmother, she is very old and probably doesn't have much time. Plus, she is rich.

Cass is at a standstill with her new novel she is writing and just when she thinks she will have to move home with her mother, she gets an offer to housesit in Maple Bay for a friend of her late father's. She jumps at the chance and as she meets the town's characters, she finds her new storyline.

Dandy has just lost her dearly loved Grandy and he leaves her a satchel with a mystery for her. The treasure!

These three begin their search for the treasure and the truth. People start dying (killed) and they get deeper into what's going on.

It is a bit slow for most of the book but the climax is fantastic and took me somewhere I hadn't expected at all! That was a twist!

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for a copy for review.

I think this had a great plot and some fantastic characters. I could easily see this becoming a series because the mystery was well written and engaging.

Concept was intriguing but execution left much to be desired. Sooo many characters to keep track of. And some "chapters" (which are not numbered) did not indicate whose POV it was and so I'd go into the chapter wondering who was "speaking". If have to guess based off story clues and that was annoying. Also, strongly disliked the ending!

This was an intriguing read with a clever plot revolving around the search for the Obelisk Treasure. The wonderful storytelling connected the past and present together beautifully. There were so many plot twists and turns as secrets from the past and present are revealed throughout the story. I never knew what was going to happen next! I loved that each character had quirks that made them both unique and relatable. I was surprised when the present killer was revealed. I didn’t see that coming! Dandy also surprised me at the end by the choice she made. Why didn’t she involve Peter? Was she trying to protect herself or trying to protect Peter’s dream project and other treasure hunters?

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

There was a lot of character work happening - 5 families are represented, with multiple generations and timelines, so once in a while I had to sit back and figure out the "whos" - especially if it had been a couple days between readings. 

However, I loved the adventure, mystery, and treasure-hunting aspect of it - perfect for a girl who loved The Goonies as a kid and has been present while her husband was caught up in episodes of Outer Banks. I loved that Treasure Hunters Club was a Canadian-setting. It was an easy, enjoyable read with a bit of a twist that I didn't see coming until right before it happened... and overall, I was entertained. I was pleasantly satisfied with this one!

My thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC- opinions are entirely my own.

This book was a delight to read! I actually thought it would be more focused on the pirate and the treasure, but this was more about the murder mystery. Oh, the treasure is a big component, but it isn’t what the novel is ultimately about.

Each chapter is a different characters POV, which allowed the reader to see a well-rounded situation. However, this also allowed for the author to add an interesting plot twist. One that I did not see coming.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

I read a YA book (Keep This to Yourself) by this author forever ago, and I really enjoyed it and kept them on my radar. So when I heard about this I was really excited! I liked this--this was a fun, well-plotted book about a pirate's treasure, secrets and murder. The pacing was great, the characters were fleshed out and the plot was intricate but not overly bogged down. This was a fun thriller, and I'm looking forward to more from Tom Ryan.

This is my first book by this author, and I was completely absorbed in the story, staying up well past my bedtime just to read more. *The Treasure Hunters Club* is a cozy mystery set in Nova Scotia that weaves three characters' lives together. There’s Peter, a single gay guy nearing forty; Dandy, a 17-year-old dealing with the loss of her granddad; and Cass, a thirty-something YA author trying to get her book published. Peter shares his story in the first person, while Dandy and Cass are narrated in the third person.

The story may not break new ground or explore deep angst, and it lacks complex psychological layers to unpack. However, it's incredibly easy to get drawn into, moving along at a brisk pace and exuding warmth and approachability. The characters come across as genuine and endearing. I thought I had it figured out about the plot twist, but it completely blindsided me!

A big thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing this incredible ARC! I loved every moment of it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press for this book for review. This was a fun thriller about pirate treasure, family secrets, and murder. This book bounces back and forth between time periods and although this isn't really a search for the pirate treasure, it is a thriller as who doesn't want the treasure and who isn't willing to KILL for treasure? Definitely a fun thriller and I will look out for this author in the future.

With a long lost treasure, family secrets and murder, The Treasure Hunters Club was a story that I could not put down. Peter Barnett is about to turn forty. He is in a job that he hates and shares an apartment with a strange roommate. When he receives a letter from his estranged grandmother asking him to come to Maple Bay to get to know each other, he has nothing to lose. Cass Jones’ first book was well received but now her book contract is cancelled, she has broken up with her boyfriend and she is losing her apartment. When a friend of her family asks her to house sit for a year in Maple Bay it offers a new beginning. Dandy Feltzer is a teenager who grew up in Maple Bay. She would spend her time on the beach with Grandy, her grandfather, combing for small treasures in the sand. When Grandy passes away his cottage is left to Dandy’s aunt, who has plans for it. Before her aunt takes it over Dandy finds a sack with Grandy’s treasure hunting tools and a map. There are stories of a lost pirate treasure and this may be a clue to its’ location. When Cass learns the story of the treasure it ignites her desire to write again. Shortly after Peter’s arrival his grandmother dies, leaving behind her father’s journal. It details how as a boy he and his friends found the treasure and hid it again, to be dug up and shared when they became adults. His journal is filled with family secrets and details of the fates of the boys but not the ultimate fate of the treasure. Now someone wants the treasure and is willing to kill in order to find it. Tom Ryan paints a picture of a quaint town where everyone knows each other. While his characters are well developed, Dandy is a stand out. Like Nancy Drew, she ultimately puts all of the clues together and unites these characters. From start to finish and through all of the twists that Ryan throws at you, this was a delight to read. I would like to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing this book.

I don't know if I've ever been so blindsided by a plot twist! Like holy heck man and then some!

The Treasure Hunters Club follows 3 POVs from very different characters at very different points in their lives. Peter Barnett, an almost 40 year old with nothing to show for his life. He hates his dead-end job and lives with a guy he barely interacts with in an apartment because the rent is cheap. Dandy Feltzen is seventeen and grieving the loss of her grandfather while trying to make sense of his final wishes. Cass Jones has all but given up on her writing career and is avoiding writing her next book as she doesn't want to end her career before she can find success.

Set in Maple Bay, Nova Scotia- a town famous for lost pirate treasure- these three cross paths as they search for what is causing a sudden influx of deaths in the town. And why are so many locals still obsessed with the lost treasure myth? Could it be within their reach after all this time?

I LOVED how this book was written- so easy to read and get lost in. Switching between the characters' POVs was flawless and they were each well developed and relatable. The history of this town and the characters goes back several generations, and it was the perfect foundation for the novel! I'm very impressed with all Tom Ryan put into his book and can't wait to read another by him! I will definitely be recommending this book for anyone wanting a mystery/thriller!!

Thank you, Grove Atlantic and NetGalley, for this ARC!

Following three separate characters who come to a small town called Maple Bay, unaware of how their lives will intertwine with one another as dark family secrets come to light…

I absolutely devour this fast-paced, easy-to-read story with its short chapters, making it difficult to put down my Kindle.
Treasure hunting and murder mystery are a fantastic combo to make a great book, I was captivated with the mystery of the hidden treasure and later, the murder investigation.

The last 20% of the book is where things get really intense!
That one huge twist was something I didn’t see coming at all, the clues were there but I completely missed them!

Overall, such a fun and thrilling mystery with a satisfying ending!
The author cleverly wrote the twist and placed the clues in a way that wasn’t obvious, making for an unexpected surprise!
I will definitely be looking for more books by this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, gun violence, confinement, alcohol, grief, brief mention of pregnancy, addiction, cancer

This was a cute idea, but I don’t think the execution matched the concept.

On a basic level this is pretty standard cozy mystery stuff, though I thought the treasure hunt aspect of it had potential. The problem is that the treasure hunt really isn’t one, as you know exactly what happened to the treasure very early in the story, and the rest is just a very long explanation of the fallout.

It’s also a bit irritating that the villain really comes out of left field, making the big reveal and the twist that goes with it kind of a letdown. And while I thought some of the friendship themes here were sweet and enjoyable, it gets a bit schmaltzy in the end for my taste.

This book was certainly a page-turner and I kept wanting to skip ahead and find the answer! This is a well-crafted mystery with excellent riddles and clues along the way. I liked most of the characters, and I was very invested in their progress. Dandy in particular was warm and relatable, and it was fun to follow her story.

I really liked the flashbacks via diary, but I struggled with the author switching tenses, from first person to third person, and I don't love present-tense writing, so I found those elements a bit jarring. The author did a great job, however, building suspense and creating two interesting storylines, the past and present intersecting at the very end.