When I sat down to review Dwyer Murphy's The House on Buzzard Bay, I was thinking...what did I like about it? It's hard to articulate any one thing, but the sum of the parts...I loved. Was it Jim as the every man, that we can all probably relate to? Was it the dynamic between old friends? Or was it the spooky old house and the spiritualist vibe? The arrival of a mysterious young woman? All of these things together just really made this book work. It's atmospheric and enthralling, and the ending is absolutely perfect, The House on Buzzard Bay isn't a popcorn thriller with constant twists and reveals, but I loved the mystery of it all.

I’m not sure what to make of this novel. It isn’t really a whodunit, nor a haunted house story. It isn’t a “friends with a secret reunite” book, or a “town where everyone is hiding something.” I guess it’s neither, or all of them at once. It is a very slow-burner, very descriptive and atmospheric, and full of dialogues that should be pointless but are really fascinating. Jim and his closest friends return together to their beach house for the first time in many years. They’ve drifted apart, but still have that closeness that we only feel with friends who are like family. One of them disappears, but it’s not clear if he left or if something happened. There is a medium and a seance, a mysterious French girl who suddenly shows up to stay, and a lot of summer activities. The one thing I kept thinking throughout is that Jim could be the modern American version of Meursault from The Stranger, or a middle-aged Holden Caulfield. He is just as apathetic as them. Don’t get me wrong, both are amongst my favorite books ever, so I was really engrossed by Jim’s narrative. The rest of the characters are believable, in that they all have their virtues and flaws. The plot is not suspenseful because not much really happens, but I was completely engrossed by the story. This is one of those books that I should have hated but I truly enjoyed. Must be the writing.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Viking.

This is Big Chill gone wrong. Peoples reactions are complex and lying and denials make for an interesting read!

What begins as a fun summer reunion and vacation for old college friends turns darker and haunting as old tensions and grievances are uncovered through too many days of close company. Jim, his wife, children and their closest friends are finally all together again after summers where at least one of the old friends couldn't make the reunion. This year they have all returned to Jim's house on Buzzard's Bay and when one of them disappears suddenly the mood quickly sours. This is not the book you want to read if you're heading off to a fun beach vacation, but if you're looking for a gothic, unsettling mystery this would be it.

Old friends reuniting years after they finished college or had a part in something particularly unpleasant has become a very popular trope. Murphy’s book stands out because of the setting and creepy atmosphere