I adored the Golden Spoon so very much and was excited to read another Jess book. She has a good writing technique and the bouncing characters worked well for the story. The FMC wasn’t as fleshed out as I would have liked and the relationship with David just seemed, there, with no real chemistry. But the story was enjoyable, despite figuring out early on who Elena was.

As someone who is a big fan Jessa Maxwell and her previous novels, I was super excited to get an ARC of her new one. I really enjoyed the Martha’s Vineyard-esque setting of the island and the multiple POVS. I ended up finishing super quickly just because I wanted to know what was going on. Unfortunately, I didn’t really feel like much happened during the book to make it stand out amongst other thrillers I’ve read. I also guessed every single plot twist in advance so I didn’t really get the shock factor that I enjoy when I read thrillers. I would still recommend reading it if you’re looking for a quick thriller to read by the pool or at the beach this summer though!

Jessa Maxwell gives another great read. The story goes from past to present, has a murder, a creepy old man accused of a crime, but the twists in this book will keep you reading to the wee hours of the night.

I think this is a quick read. It was a good thriller and got to the point quickly. It’s good if you want a quickly read. It might be a little predictable but it was still a good read.

Have been looking for the perfect summer thriller and I cannot wait to add this to my tbr!

Thank you Atria Books and Netgally for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC. This was a multi POV, island summer, popcorn thriller. It’s a quick read with some predictable twists. Some minor plot holes and some parts I couldn’t tell if they were past or present. Another round of editing would do this one well. It’s a quick read and a good little mystery. However, I figured out the final twist pretty early on. Second book I’ve read from this author and I’d probably read more in the future.

All in all it wasn't a bad read, but it didn't hit the spot for me. The plot itself was pretty good and the idea of the book pulled me in. When I got to reading though it just felt predictable. I figured out where it was heading too early on for my liking, but maybe other people will enjoy the twists more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my ARC

This was fun! It had a lot of tropes I like, like “woman returning to her small hometown a decade after she left, haunted by the memories of an unsolved crime” and “this person is not who they say they are” “calculating young woman with a hardscrabble past” and it was a quick read. I did feel a little let down by the reveal at the end, but that’s just me.

Shout out to netgalley for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book has everything you’ll need in a Beach Read. Set on an idyllic island, an unsolved mystery, rich insufferable people and misunderstood locals. Some people never learn from their mistakes and some can’t outrun their pasts. It all comes to a head on the Fourth of July and there are more than fireworks!

This book is a quick read told from three different POV's and they all add a unique side to the story. While I did find this book a little predictable in parts, it was entertaining and enjoyable. I wouldn't say this one is going to knock anyone's socks off but it will be a great beach read this summer.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for approving me to read this arc.

I love Jess’s Maxwell’s writing. She is quickly going onto my auto buy author list. I read her book in one sitting. I loved having the three different POVs. I was hooked and I had to find out the ending!

This one took me a minute to get into, but once I'd read from each of the POVs I was hooked! This dual timeline northeastern island mystery brought big Freida vibes. I couldn't really connect with any of the main characters - which may have turned out to be a good thing! Twists and turns abound and the last 10% will have you staying up past your bedtime! Out July 22, it's the perfect vacation page turner.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the digital eARC.

My thoughts on this book is that the book is a popcorn thriller. It hardly had any twists and turns throughout the book.There were times with the plot, it fell flat for me. I really enjoyed the womens' point of views (Orla and Faith).

I found this book to be such an atmospheric and haunting read. From the moment Orla returned to Hadley Island, I could feel the weight of the past pressing down on her, and I was completely drawn into the mystery surrounding Alice’s disappearance. I felt Orla’s unease as memories resurfaced and the locals kept a watchful eye on her every move. The abandoned house next door added such an eerie element, and I couldn’t help but wonder what secrets it might hold. I connected with Faith’s storyline as well. I felt her isolation and disappointment as she realized her summer wasn’t turning out as she’d imagined. Her curiosity about the island’s dark past mirrored my own, and I loved how her investigations uncovered more layers to the mystery. I admired her determination to dig deeper, even when it seemed like she might be stepping into dangerous territory.

Overall, I thought this was a gripping and eerie read. I loved how the setting of Hadley Island played such a central role—it felt like a character in itself. The blend of suspense, nostalgia, and unsettling secrets made this a book I couldn’t stop thinking about even after I finished it.

This was quite the thriller with a bit of an escapism setting and nonstop secrets. The plot was a little choppy but had plenty of tension and twists. Yes, some of the twists were pretty predictable but the book overall was a decent read.

Thank you, Atria Books for the ARC.

I was immediately pulled into this book with the descriptive, coastal town vibes. I felt like I could picture myself there on the beach, reading the book as it went along. Every time Faith went into the bar, it made me hungry and thirsty. I feel like I should start planning a coastal vacation now (but with less murder.)

While I was initially worried about the several different perspectives, I did enjoy them. Poor Henry on his little island.

Toward the middle of the book, the excitement of the story dropped off a bit. I found myself wanting the story to hurry along and get back to the point. Luckily it did.

All in all, this was a great, quick read. I definitely recommend it.

What a pickle! There is so much I like about this, mostly the choices Maxwell makes around her three (very different) narrators, who all feel like real people with real flaws, and not all of whom emerge from this drama unscathed (or even looking like good people!). Fascinating, *almost* fascinating enough to detract from some of the gaping holes in the rest of this mystery's logic, most of it involving Elena (and Alice), things that truly beg for total disbelief. You're telling me that no one who knew Alice ever saw Elena in NYC? You're telling me that it never occurred to Faith (who is written as someone extremely observant) that her "best friend" had never met her boyfriend? You're telling me that no one ever called Orla out on her "art"? Come on. The end wraps up so quickly that it can almost paper over these massive plot holes, *almost.*

This book took small town secrets and murder to a whole new level. There were endless secrets filled in these pages and every chapter left me wanting more. This story takes place on an island - which I think was by far the best setting for this book because of how secluded it was. I thought the story became a little predictable towards the end, but overall thought it was a fun quick read, and will be a perfect beach read for this summer. This storyline has all the ingredients for a binge worthy Netflix series.

Thank you NetGalley & Atria books for an ARC of this one!

Whoa, twisty! Can confidently say that I did not call the twist ending. The setting of a coastal vacation area was intoxicating, and I liked the three perspectives of Orla, Henry, and Faith. I had a feeling about who was involved in Alice’s murder, but could not have predicted the final few chapters. Recommend for a fast-paced thriller!

I loved I Need You to Read This, so I was very excited to get an advance copy of Dead of Summer. While the setting is atmospheric and mysterious, the plot was a bit choppy and lackluster. One of the things I enjoyed most about I Need You to Read this was that the protagonist was actively unraveling the mystery. In the case of Dead of Summer, it felt more like the different POVs were kind of living their lives as the mystery came to a head. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but based on the blurb (and my own hopes), I expected the protagonists to be driving the plot more than they did.

Despite being a little disappointed, this was still a solid read and I'm very much looking forward to whatever Maxwell writes next.