Liked this one. It kept me guessing and the characters were great. Audio was really good too. The story has moments where it felt hard to follow but it all comes together at the end.

High Season is a compelling murder mystery told in dual timelines, twenty years apart that explores themes including wealth/privilege and class disparity, childhood trauma, and the reliability of memories. The story unfolds at a slower pace but still kept my interest throughout. I also enjoyed the inclusion of mixed media via social media posts.

The beginning of High Season really dragged for me, not gonna lie. I enjoyed Katie Bishop’s first book - Girls Of Summer - but I remember putting trigger warnings for SA and feeling like all the young women were taken advantage of, so I went into this one cautiously optimistic and found a lot of the same themes again. I understand that these issues are sadly entirely real for young women, especially naive ones in isolated towns and when money is involved.
Once again, Bishop painted a wonderful atmosphere in this isolated coastal town and “the pink house.” The issue of class was prevalent and questions surrounding the idea “the perfect victim” and wrongful accusations were handled well and interesting.
I went back and forth between the audio and physical and I think I preferred the physical. There were a lot of characters so the audio had me a little lost keeping track of everyone.
I will say I felt this story was overall rather far-fetched. I felt bad for the naive young girls but I’m always shocked by the freedom of rich kids and what they get away with. It may be real, but not in my world.
It’s a good atmospheric novel with twists and character development and flashbacks.

This was my first read by this author and it won’t be the last. This book is steeped in mystery and secrets. The characters were so well developed and the writing style is perfection. Thank you netgalley for the arc.

Twenty years ago 17-year-old Tamara Drayton was found floating face-down in the pool of her family’s idyllic mansion in the south of France, leaving behind her twin brother Blake and their sister Nina who, at 5 years old, became 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.

Even though I keep saying I'm done with 20-year-old murder investigations, I grabbed the opportunity to read High Season prior to publication. When the story started out I thought I was going to love it, especially after reading descriptions of the Cote d’Azur and knowing that I do love to read about rich people drama. The story takes place over two timelines - 2004 and 2024 - and, although the book is well written with many interesting characters, it was too slow for my liking until nearly 75% when the action suddenly picks up and we're treated to many angles on what actually happened 20 years ago. Possibly there are too many characters because I kept forgetting who one or the other of them was. All the loose ends were tied up at the end perhaps a little too neatly. I'd still recommend this read even though I'm a bit of an outlier on my rating.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley, for inviting me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. This review will be published on Goodreads on August 13, 2025 and on amazon.ca on or after August 13, 2025.
Publication Date: August 12, 2025

High Season was a well-paced suspense novel that I listened to quickly. I never got bored or tired of reading it.

❤️Pick this up if you love:

-European settings

-Interaction between wealthy and working class

-Plots involving memory troubles

🤔Why I had a hard time rating this:

I was torn between a 3.5⭐️ and 4⭐️ rating, mainly because there is a bit of an ick factor in the resolution. I would liken it to a Lisa Jewell plot line. Ultimately, I went with 4⭐️ because the pacing was great and the ending wasn’t over the top with twists.

High Season was a delicious read! We have timeline bounces between 2004 and present day, and it was so well done! Bishop weaves a tale of a murder that isn’t so black and white.

In 2004, her mothers boujie birthday party comes to a halt when Tamara is found dead in the pool by her much younger sister Nina. Nina has spent her entire life coming to grips with her sisters death, and her own testament that put her sisters murderer in jail for 20 years. now Josie Jackson (the assumed murderer) is free, and looking for answers to finally clear her name.

There were a lot of characters, but they were so well developed, it was easy to keep them all apart, and figure out who you liked and who you didn’t like, which is always impressive for an author to make character characters that are both likable and ones you love to hate!

This was a great summer read, set in coastal France, and featuring the overly privileged. Add it to your end of summer reading list!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this read. This was a well written twisty ride. I found it easy to read and it was the right length as well. I like this one because it did not consist of fillers that was not needed. Good work.

This novel took a moment to draw me in, but once it did, I was hooked. The dual timeline and narrative structure was a standout feature, adding depth and intrigue to the storytelling. The characters were a highlight—complex, flawed, and deeply human, making them easy to connect with. While the pacing felt like a slow burn, the payoff was well worth it. A rewarding read for those who enjoy layered narratives and richly developed characters!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by Katie Bishop, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Alix Dunmore. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

At a birthday party 20 years ago, Tamara was found floating facedown in the pool of her family's mansion in the south of France, leaving her twin brother, Blake, and younger sister, Nina, behind. Nina, at age 6 became the youngest person ever to testify in a murder trial, saying she saw her babysitter, Josie, push Tamara under the water. Or did she? Now Nina's memories have faded. When a new true crime documentary about her sister's murder is announced, maybe the truth will finally come out.

Told in dual timelines of before the party and 20 years later, we get to meet all the key characters and see how they have changed in that time period. This is a fascinating look at memory, trauma, classism, family relationships wrapped up in a gripping, suspenseful tale. It was atmospheric and the characters felt so real - all their flaws well on display, both intentional and otherwise. Plus there was the true crime story aspect. I was shocked at the ending and never saw it coming. Great read for the summer! The narration was wonderful, and I enjoyed listening and reading.

High Season, Katie Bishop’s second novel, is the epitome of a summer thriller. Set on the Côte d’Azur, the book is filled with languid days of swimming in the ocean and soft nights of partying and excess.

Well, that’s the Côte d’Azur experience in summer 2004 for the wealthy Drayton family—mother Evelyn, teenage twins Blake and Tamara, and the youngest daughter, Nina. For Hannah and Josie, two townies who live on the French Riviera year-round while their families work in service jobs, the summer months mean they come face-to-face with the true distance between them and the lives of the rich and famous. Josie doesn’t seem to mind, but Hannah dreams of finding a way that she and Blake can be together. Before the summer ends, Tamara is dead and all the other characters face futures vastly different from what they previously imagined.

That’s the setup for Bishop’s plot, which unspools at a deliberate pace appropriate for slow summer days. In 2024, the characters have all been drawn back to the Côte, where they puzzle over what happened in 2004 and try to piece together the facts behind Tamara’s death. Over time, of course, the truth comes out.

Bishop doesn’t tell the book through a single narrator, instead rotating chapters among the main characters. This helped me identify and sympathize with everyone, even the characters I didn’t expect to feel much connection with. I did figure out who caused Tamara’s death, but not why, which is my criteria for a well-plotted mystery!

Told in dual timelines, one in the present day and one during the time of Nina’s sister’s murder, this story dives into class divides and how much we can trust our own memories. I love a “rich people behaving badly” plot, but this one didn’t quite land for me. The characters had potential, but I wanted more depth. Nina’s memory thread could have been richer too, and it all wrapped up a little too neatly.

I guessed who did it quickly, but not why, so there was just enough intrigue to keep me going. Overall, not a favorite, and it will not stick with me, but it was quick, entertaining, and worth picking up if the premise catches your eye.

Twenty years ago a terrible tragedy occurred...

...and the truth may be about to come out.

Tamara Drayton was just 17 years old when her body was found floating in her wealthy (albeit dysfunctional) family's swimming pool at the family's opulent home in the Côte d"Azur. Her death was tragic, but it was not deemed an accident. The accused killer was the family babysitter Josie; the witness, Tamara's six year old sister Nina. Now ,twenty years later, Nina's memories of what happened have faded as has her certainty about what actually transpired that day. When it is announced that a true crime documentary is being made delving into Tamara's death Nina returns to France, hoping to settle her increasing uncertainty about the events. Could her testimony have sent the wrong person to prison, and if so is an actual killer roaming free?
High Season is a psychological thriller featuring the glamour of the South of France surrounding the monied crowd who live there. The different characters' lives are tangled up with one another, with the usual problem of class differences woven in alongside the often complex relationships between them. Central to the plot is Nina's memory and the trauma she experienced given her sister's fate. The plot doesn't break much new ground....the messed up rich people in a glamorous locale behaving badly and the weird phenomenon that is true crime media...but it is a solid and entertaining summer read nonetheless. Some of the characters lack depth, leaning towards the stereotypical Person of Privilege, but with its interesting premise I would rate it 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4. Readers of Megan Miranda, Lisa Jewell and Sara Ochs would likely enjoy this, as would those who like thrillers with a true crime and/or exotic locale bent. My thanks to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for allowing me access to High Season in exchange for my honest review.

I know that the nonlinear timeline may be daunting to some, but give this one a chance. This book is gripping and twisty and has family and money and lies and the consequences of those at the forefront. What an incredible read!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this eARC! 🖤

I really enjoyed The Girls of Summer by Bishop and was excited for her newest book. This story did not let me down!
High Season by Katie Bishop is a quick paced story of betrayal, love and murder.
I found this one to be an intriguing read.
The cast of characters are well fleshed out.
The writing style is amazing and kept me engaged and curious.
This book was so engrossing, I read it in basically two sittings.

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7264506005

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-season-katie-bishop/1146167645

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC.

Set on the Côte d’Azur, High Season is the perfect summer mystery. It is easy to get pulled into the setting and to feel the excitement and confusion of what it is to be a teenager—the haves and have nots, friendships, choices, and consequences.

The story kept me intrigued with its dual timeline which is always a hit for me. Going back and forth between 2004 to 2024, Bishop weaves together a story of trust, deceit, relationships, and most important—the death of a teen girl, the punishment of another, and the conscience of a child who loved them both. Through the perspectives of the main players, the truth eventually surfaces.

Recommend for fans of quick reads, dual timelines, multiple character perspectives, and unreliable narrators.

3.5 stars rounded up - This is a great read for anyone looking for a fast paced drama.

Twenty years ago, the murder of 17-year-old Tamara Drayton rocked a small coastal town in southern France and shattered the Drayton family. Her little sister Nina was the only witness to the crime, whose testimony sent local teen Josie Jackson to prison for manslaughter. Since that night, Nina has always struggled to remember what really happened and is determined to find out. The story follows Nina, Josie, and Josie’s best friend Hannah in both the present day and the past as the truth is revealed.

Some of the material is tough/dark so I don’t know if saying “I enjoyed it” is the best choice of phrase, but I thought this was well written. I honestly didn’t care much about Nina, and found myself more interested in Josie and Hannah’s interactions and individual storylines. The unraveling of the mystery was done well; it wasn’t a shocking reveal, but I got invested with the characters and wanted to know how everything would play out in the end.

Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed High Season, the second book by Kate Bishop and the first one I’ve read (I will be adding her debut, The Girls of Summer to my TBR list). High Season takes place in France and tells the story of Tamara, who died 20 years ago, at the age of 17. Josie, who babysat Tamara’s little sister, Nina, age 5, was convicted of Tamara’s murder, based on Nina’s testimony. Josie spends 10 years in prison and another 10 in England, before returning to France. With the 20 years anniversary of the event and a true crime podcaster looking into it, there is renewed interest in the case.

The narrative is told from multiple POVs, alternating between present day (2024) and 2004. There were a lot of characters, but all distinctive. My least favorite character was the podcaster but she redeemed herself in the end. The story was well written and moved quickly. And I found the ending thoughtful.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital AR

If you’re like me and can’t resist a twisty, turny mystery that keeps you second guessing until the very end, this one is a must read. I went into this thinking I had a grip on what was going on, but let me tell you, every time I thought I knew who was responsible for Tamara’s death, something else came along to change my theory!

The book kicks off with a tragic incident: a young girl, Tamara, dies at a summer birthday party. Josie, just a teenager herself at the time, is convicted, based largely on the testimony of a five year old child. Fast forward years later, and the case reemerges. The once five year old witness is now grown, a true crime podcast has reignited public interest, and the cracks in the original story begin to show. What really happened to Tamara? Who’s been keeping secrets? And why are things starting to unravel now?

🎧I paired this one with the audiobook of course and let’s just say the narrator gave it that added atmosphere needed. That’s one thing about audiobooks and thrillers. With the right narrator, they will kick the book up a notch! It felt like I was part of the investigation, not just a listener. If you’re into audiobooks, this one definitely adds another flare to the experience.

If you’re a fan of mysteries that unravel over time and keep you questioning everyone’s motives, this book delivers just that!

Nina Drayton, 25, has her PhD to be a clinical child psychologist in London. She lives with her boyfriend, Ryan. Nina’s older brother, Blake, is headed back to the family’s mansion on the Cote d’Azur in southern France. He very much wants her to go too but she is quite hesitant to do so.

In 2004, at 5-years-old, Nina was with her mother Evelyn and her brother, Blake and his twin sister, Tamara, at the mansion for the season. Their grandfather had been a wealthy and famous film producer and had built the place in the 1950s. At the time, the family stayed just for the summer. Their mother drank a lot and had numerous husbands and boyfriends over the years.

Josie Jackson and her friend, Hannah, lived year-round in the area and Josie's mother was a housekeeper for the Drayton family. The two girls had always looked forward to the family’s return in the summer and they had also had a bit of a crush on Blake. However, Tamara was not friendly to them as she was rather withdrawn. Josie worked a lot with babysitting little Nina and enjoyed being with the little girl.

It was an early evening when Nina passed by the pool and saw Josie holding Tamara under the water. Nina screamed and someone pulled Tamara out. She was not dead but was sent to a hospital where she died some hours later. At Josie’s trial, Nina was called to testify against her which was unusual for someone so young. Josie was sent to prison. Over the yers, Nina has been traumatized by this and has required lots of counseling and medication. Now, she wants to stop the medication and through her work, help other young children working through trauma.

A podcaster wants to open a true crime documentary pressing on the question if Nina truly remembered seeing Josie attempting to drown Tamara. They want to interview Nina who finally and reluctantly agrees although her mother and Blake want her to just ignore the whole thing.

Whew. This was in some ways a tough read. It kept repeating scenarios that became tedious. In doing this, the book became way too long! Ugh. A pet peeve of mine. Entitled characters with some money and pull vs. the poor people who earn their money by catering to these people. Frankly, I was glad when I finally finished the book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.