Interesting take on the destination thriller and "uncovering hidden secrets many years later" mystery trope. In 2004, Tamara Drayton is found dead in the pool at the Drayton family's vacation home in France. The only witness is her five-year-old sister, Nina, whose testimony sends babysitter Josie Jackson to jail for ten years. Fast forward to 2024 and Nina returns to France, as does Josie, just as a new documentary brings renewed interest to Tamara's murder. Nina struggles with her memories of that time and questions what really happened the day her sister was murdered, as Josie continues proclaim her innocence.

The story switches between the dual timelines of 2004 and 2024, mostly focusing on Nina and Josie's points of view. There are lots of other suspects and slowly new details and memories of the time leading up to the murder are revealed. Perfect for summer/beach reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fascinating delve into a world of deception. lies, and cover-ups. I didn't realize quite how deep and twisted this one was going to go. I don't want to give anything away but will say that the dual timeline made for a slow build up to the explosion at the end. All of the characters are developed well and really feel like people you know. Definitely should be a heads up/trigger warning that there is drugging and assault. Highly recommend this one if you like slow build mystery and suspense.

Thank you to the publisher and dNetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

3.5 stars, rounded up
When a true-crime podcaster starts looking into a 20 year old murder in the south of France, the family of the 17-year old victim Tamara have different reactions. Nina was only six when her older sister died and she became the youngest witness to ever testify in a trial in France. Now, twenty years later she questions her memories and whether what she said back then was accurate. Her mother and brother just want the whole thing to go away and worry that Nina getting involved will only cause her more emotional damage.

The whole family is pretty messed up and have various ways of coping, none have very successful relationships. The story is told in two timelines, 2004 and 2024. I generally appreciate the change in timeline but I struggled in this book with the number of characters and what seemed like very abrupt changes in storyline. Most of the chapter changes just didn't flow and I would just get frustrated. That being said, the mystery was well done and the twist at the end was not anticipated earlier on.

I didn't really like Tamara's family; the characters, rich and privileged lacked any redeeming qualities. even Nina was annoying. As you learn more through the 2004 timeline, it makes more sense. Truly, Josie, the young women who went to prison for Tamara's murder is the most sympathetic character.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I had trouble getting into the characters and the slow burning plots of both story lines. I just couldn't connect.

I found it exciting and gripping, keeping me guessing and engaged until the very end. The story explores the role of class in a vacation town in the south of France. I appreciated how the narrative is told through two timelines, one in 2004 when the crime happened, and one in 2024, the present day. Overall, this book is beautifully written, thought-provoking, and makes you want to keep reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Bishop, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. A classic psychological thriller set against an idyllic backdrop. I loved the way the story unfolded, full of twists and turns that kept me hooked.

High Season completely swept me away. Katie Bishop writes with such atmosphere that I felt like I was right there—sun on my skin, salt in the air, heart tugged in a dozen directions.
What I loved most is how this book isn’t just about a summer fling or an escape; it’s about the way certain seasons of our lives leave an imprint we can never shake. The story felt tender and raw in places, like Bishop was holding up a mirror to memory, nostalgia, and the bittersweet pull of what-ifs.
It’s the kind of novel that lingers quietly, long after you close it—like the memory of a summer you wish you could relive, even knowing it changed you forever.

I read this a while ago and just got to my review. I really flew through this book. It was engaging and I was really invested in many of the characters. I think the only thing I would list as a negative is that I was able to guess the ending. That may just be because I've read a lot of books though that have similar themes and tropes.

What happens when you’ve held onto a memory for 20 years, and then finally realize you’re not so sure that memory ever existed? Nina’s “memory” sent a teen girl to prison.
Josie is so likable, she’s resilient and forgiving despite her circumstance.
I enjoyed how the characters lives and stories unfolded. It’s told from two timelines, we see through each characters POV. The book delves into social class, family dynamics, childhood trauma and memory. The last two parts were dragged on a bit longer than necessary and I knew the “twist” long before it was revealed. The writing is well done and immerses the reader.

High Season is the kind of twisty, addictive thriller I love. Twenty years after her sister’s death in the south of France, Nina is still haunted by the fact that she was the only witness…and the one who testified against their babysitter. But now, with a true crime documentary digging everything back up, she starts questioning whether her childhood memories were right at all. I loved the mix of glamour (French mansion, wealthy family) and dark secrets, and the way the story kept peeling back layers of what really happened that night. It’s suspenseful, emotional, and full of surprises. If you like books that make you doubt everyone, this one’s a page-turner. Loved it!

High Season is the story about a wealthy British family who summers at the beach in France when one of the daughters is killed and the housekeeper’s daughter is charged. Fast forward 20 years later when everyone ends up back at the summer house, including the younger sister who testified as a young child. Convoluted, oh yes. Gripping, oh yes. And throw in a true crime junkie who is digging into it and it created such a fun read. It was suspenseful and twisted.

I enjoyed the different timelines but sometimes it got confusing . I found it slow and not much of a thriller.
Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

One summer night twenty years ago, troubled seventeen-year-old Tamara Drayton was found floating face-down in the pool of her family’s mansion in the south of France. She left behind her neglectful mother, her twin brother Blake, and her little sister Nina who was only five. Nina was the one who saw what happened—who watched as her babysitter, Josie Jackson, pushed Tamara under the water, and held her there until she stopped breathing, making Nina the youngest person ever to testify in a French murder trial. Twenty years later, Nina's memories have faded, leaving her with no idea of what really transpired that night. When a new true crime documentary about her sister’s murder is announced, Nina thinks this might be her chance to finally find out.

The chapters alternate between 2004 (which covers the days leading up to the party all the way to the murder), and 2024. The book was a bit of a slow burn for most of the book. It was a good story, it just felt like it wasn't going anywhere. The final reveal was where it really got good, though. Overall, I would say this is a solid 4 out of 5.

Katie Bishop does not miss! I was immediately drawn into this dual timeline and captivating story, and could not put it down. A perfect tale for summer reading

This is a two timeline thriller that is complicated but very engaging. Twenty years ago, Tamara is drowned at her family’s summer home in the south of France. At the time, her 6 year old sister, Nina claims to have witnessed the babysitter, Josie holding Tamara under the water. The 20 years ago timeline introduces the young people, Tamara Drayton and her twin brother, Blake and Josie and Hannah who are “locals” who work for the privileged Draytons. While Josie recognizes the wealthy visitors as privileged and narcissistic, especially Blake, Hannah dreams of fitting into their world and the murder tears these two friends apart. Now, twenty years later, Nina is beginning to question her memories and as Josie is released from prison, a true crime podcast brings new details to light.
This was definitely a well laid out plot with complicated stories, both past and present. The twists were well done. I have liked the inclusion of podcasts tropes in recent books but I think it’s being overdone. It fits in well with this story but I guess I’m ready for some other way of solving cold cases in thriller fiction. Not to mention that this podcaster character is the most annoying person ever (she does sort of redeem herself). The privileged Draytons are also very unlikable but at least it’s satisfying when these types get what they deserve. The book had a nice ending.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

High Season offers a slow-burning unraveling of a decades-old mystery, one that was long thought to be solved.
Twenty years after the murder of her older sister, Nina starts to wonder if at the age of 5 she knew what she was saying when the police questioned her at the age of 5. Was she telling the truth? When a documentary crew reaches out, Nina decides she needs to find answers for herself, and in the end, no one was prepared for what came to light.

I really enjoyed the way this story was written, with dual timelines, we have the past leading up to Tamaras' death, and the present with Nina trying to figure out what happened that night. It was especially difficult for Nina, as it seemed her mother, brother, and her boyfriend all thought she should leave the past in the past and move on.

This case is full of twists and turns, but nothing is quick. We are slowly peeling back the layers and revealing long-held secrets. I had no idea where this story was going from moment to moment and was surprised by where everything led.

I enjoyed this dual time-line novel. The past timeline starts about 6 weeks before Tamara's death and works its way to the faterful night, and the current timeline starts as Josie returns to the scene of the crime after 20 years, because a documentary team is interested in the case. This is a novel about memory and truth, and the many shades in between the two. But what I think Bishop does extremely well, having read both of her novels, is the relationship between girls/women. How those relationships are both extremely close and extremely fraught, especially when boys are involved in one way or another.

"Never speak of that summer.

On a beautiful summer’s night twenty years ago, troubled seventeen-year-old Tamara Drayton was found floating face-down in the pool of her family’s idyllic mansion in the south of France, leaving her twin brother, golden-boy Blake, to pick up the pieces of their shattered family.

Also left behind was their sister Nina who, at six years old, became the youngest person ever to testify in a French murder trial. Because she’s the only one who saw what happened—who watched as her babysitter, Josie Jackson, pushed Tamara under the water, and held her there until she stopped breathing.

Didn’t she? Twenty years later, Nina's memories have faded, leaving her with no idea of what really transpired that night. When a new true crime documentary about her sister’s murder is announced, Nina thinks this might be her chance to finally find out.

But the truth always comes at a cost. Who will pay the price?"

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

High Season is a lush, dark mystery, set in the sunny south of France. The heat , sun, and villa will be etched in the readers memory long after the novel ends. Nina, at six years old, became the sole witness to her 17 yr. old sister Tamara’s death by drowning, in the family swimming pool. Twenty years later, Nina returns to the family villa, recalling her personal trauma and her role as the youngest witness called in a murder trial of her babysitter Josie. Bishop’s novel examines the fragility of memory, family secrets and trauma.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 ⭐️. Katie Bishop moved seamlessly between timelines and I enjoyed the exploration of memories and how they change over time. I also enjoyed the true crime podcast angle (especially good given I did a hybrid read-listen approach with the audio).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how High Season gently pulled me in, like stepping into a slow unraveling mystery where every new detail deepened the intrigue. This isn’t a story where everything is laid out at once. Instead, it’s a quietly tense, multi-layered exploration that keeps you on edge by revealing just enough, piece by piece, to make you question everything you thought you knew.

Ms. Bishop’s storytelling feels like peeling back the layers of a complex puzzle. The truth shifts as new perspectives emerge, and the dual timelines weave past and present together so skillfully that I never quite knew where the story was headed. That uncertainty kept me completely hooked.

What really stood out was the atmosphere. The sultry South of France setting, the simmering family secrets, and the undercurrent of unease that builds slowly but surely. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for the inevitable reckoning, but it’s the slow psychological tension that makes this story so compelling.

This story is less about immediate twists and more about unraveling threads of memory, guilt, and truth. It completely drew me in, and I’m still thinking about it.