I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately fell flat for me. I had a hard time adjusting between the two timelines. Loved The Golden Spoon by Jessa but this one missed the mark. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for advanced copy.

I’ve read Jessa’s other two books and enjoyed them both. All of her books have unique premises and keep you guessing, but they are all missing something that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s lack of character growth - I have never cared much as to what happens to any of her main characters to have me fully invested. Still hard to put down and good yet predictable twists.

Jessa Maxwell’s *Dead of Summer* delivers an eerie, captivating thriller that mixes nostalgia, tension, and the weight of the past. Set on the isolated Hadley Island, the story follows Orla O’Connor, who reluctantly heads back to clean out her family’s summer home. But returning means facing unresolved issues, like the mysterious disappearance of her best friend, Alice. Plus, there’s David, her childhood crush, and his perfect girlfriend, Faith.

As Faith starts digging into the island’s secrets and town recluse Henry watches from afar, the tension really ramps up. When another person goes missing, the plot thickens with buried secrets and shifting suspicions. Maxwell’s writing brings the island to life, making it feel both beautiful and creepy, and adding to the suspense. Although it follows some familiar thriller plots, the sharp execution and pacing keep you on your toes.

Overall, *Dead of Summer* is a gripping read that stays with you after you finish. With its haunting setting and complex characters, Maxwell proves she’s great at crafting psychological thrillers.

This was an enjoyable read, but for me, it didn’t quite reach the heights of The Golden Spoon. Some of the twists felt a bit predictable, and I found myself less invested in the plot overall. That said, Jessa Maxwell’s talent as a writer still shines through, and she remains an author whose future works I’m eager to explore. While this one wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, I’m still looking forward to what she creates next!

Old money, power, prestige, secrets, lies, and an isolated New England Island set the stage for Dead of Summer. This book is a twisted, chilling, gripping, and dark tale about a young woman coming home to Orla O’Connor and looking for answers! I enjoyed this dark tale the mystery about what happened the night a young woman name Alice disappeared.

Orla O’Connor hasn't been to Hadley Island since her best friend, Alice disappeared one night. Orla, Alice and David were inseparable that summer. They had fun in the sun and partied at night.

David has returned to his family's luxurious estate on the island with his girlfriend, Faith. Faith is hoping for a romantic and luxurious trip, but David is preoccupied and seldom around.

Henry, an islander, was accused in Alice's disappearance and has never left. He remains, always watching......

This was an enjoyable mystery which kept me fully invested and turning the pages. I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way; although there were times that I hoped the pace moved slightly faster. I enjoyed the setting and that trapped feeling of being on the isolated where everyone knew everyone, and secrets are hard to keep.

Coming in under 300 pages, this proved to be an enjoyable book. This is the second book which I have read by Jessa Maxwell, The Golden Spoon being the first. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Buckle up for the perfect beach read!

Faith is excited to spend a summer with her boyfriend, David, the son of a billionaire who owns a mansion on the beach. It's a dream come true, especially with her checkered past.

Orla is back in her hometown to take care of her parents' home. But everywhere she turns, she sees ghosts.

Henry hasn't been back to the town in years, turned away after he was accused of killing a teenager. He spends his days watching the people on the island.

Three POVs for one crazy, twisty tale of lies, the rich, the guilty, and a summer that will see everything come to light.

Thank you, NetGalley for the early read!!

This story is told by multiple POV’s. It moves at a really slow pace until the halfway mark, & even then, what unfolds is a pretty weak and forgettable “mystery”. It’s poorly executed & the characters lacked any type of depth. The plot overall is far-fetched with a ridiculous ending twist.

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advanced reader copy. This book hits shelves on 7/22.

I love Jessa Maxwell. The golden spoon was excellent and this one is very good as well. I love how she’s embracing the different types of mysteries in each book. Definitely recommend this one.

The camp, which once had a reputation for being a fun and safe place, now harbors disturbing events that cast a shadow over the counselors’ idyllic summer. As tensions rise, old wounds are reopened, and relationships become strained. Dead of Summer" is a tale of suspense, intrigue, and self-discovery, set against the backdrop of a seemingly tranquil summer camp that harbors dark and dangerous secrets.

A mystery set against wealth and secrets. Lots of flashbacks and hints of corruption. It was well-written and did a good job of keeping me engaged !

This story is told from three POV’s. Faith, who has come to Hadley Island for the first time with her super wealthy boyfriend, David. Henry, who has lived under a dark cloud suspicion since Alice disappeared many years ago. Then there is Orla, who was Alice’s best friend.
What does Alice’s disappearance have to do with these people now? Lots of secrets and lies are slowly revealed. I will say that one of these characters gave me odd vibes almost from the beginning. I was not wrong to give this person side eye.
This was a treadmill read for me, and it worked. My only requirement is that those reads keep my interest with no middle of the book lulls. This one had me needing to know what was going on with these characters, this wealthy family, and on this island. I will say I wasn’t totally surprised when everything was revealed.

a perfect summer thriller right here!!! thank you so much for the arc netgalley!! having read the golden spoon and loving the idea but not execution, i was skeptical. i enjoyed the plot, the cover (to die for cmon), pacing was great. characters were spot on and could picture them in my head!! i guessed the plot twist but that's okay. i had a fun time !!!

Great premise but unfortunately this was underwhelming and predictable. Wish this had more of the shock from I Need You to Read This. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. At times I had trouble distinguishing between the two timelines as mid-chapter the timeline would abruptly change. I also saw where the plot was going pretty early on, but that’s possibly because I’ve read a ton of mysteries and thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you so much for this ARC! Jessa Maxwell is an auto read for me and I went into this blindly.

I FLEW through this. The setting was perfect, an island with a dark past that we get to explore from the viewpoint of the affluent. The storyline was so intriguing and I loved the glimpses of the history told through the eyes of different characters. You read this book feeling uncertain about everyone you come across.

I was NOT expecting the ending twist but it was delicious. So hard to not give a spoiler, but my heart was so happy at the end for one character in particular. What a treat.

Jessa Maxwell actually gets better with each book. This was probably the most "thriller" like of her 3 books and I am totally here for it. Keep them coming!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Atria Books for the ARC of Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell.

This is a solid beach read / summertime thriller. If you go into it with this frame of mind, or if you've had a few drinks by the water, then it is easy to just accept the story for its face value of entertainment without needing something deeper.

Again, it's a beach read, so I don't expect the characters to be incredibly layered, but I do wish more of them had some sort of reflective arc/change throughout the course of the novel. In a way, it was disappointing to see that all these people basically experience something without seeming to learn or change from the past or into the future.

Faith believes she has found the perfect man in David, but a visit to Hadley Island is about to change everything. This small New England enclave is where David spent his summers until the local teen, Alice, went missing. Now, a decade later, David has returned to Hadley, along with Alice’s best friend, Orla. As Orla searches for answers, Faith begins to have her own suspicions, and the life she thought she was building could come crashing down.

Told from multiple viewpoints, this engaging read is perfect for summer. While the characters and plot may feel somewhat predictable, author Jessa Maxwell still manages to create suspense and drama that fans of her work will enjoy.

Jessa Maxwell is an automatic read for me so I was so excited to receive this arc! This book takes place on an island which leads to isolation and and a eerie atmosphere. This was rich people behaving badly which I love. Orla comes back to the island years later after her friend Alice disappeared. Faith and her boyfriend David who is a billionaire are on the island too. David is never around and Faith starts looking into what happened to Alice. Then there is Henry who has not left his house since Alice went missing and there were accusations against him. But since Orla has returned he has started seeing figures and things he shouldn't. Another disappearance happens....This was a slow burn thriller perfect for summer.

This story follows the people that return to a fancy rich people island mansion (I am sure there is better way I could have described that, but you get the idea). There are dark pasts and mysteries, past murders and MANY secrets.

Definitely one of those story premises where everything (and everyone) is not as they appear. But sadly, this is another victim of "great premise, not-so-great execution."

I didn't find that this was very captivating. I found the pacing to be very strange and slow, to the point where even when things were happening, it didn't feel like things were happening. Does that make sense?

It was also a bit predictable, but I know that is very much a problem with thrillers and mysteries...once you've read a certain number, you can pretty accurately guess the endings or twists to a lot of them. So that may be a me thing for this book, but others could find themselves in the same position too.

I just wanted more from this book. It could've been so good and so dramatic! I think I've just learned that Jessa Maxwell books aren't for me. I wasn't a big fan of the last one I read by her for the same reasons, but I wanted to read this one because it sounded so good.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This is my first Jessa Maxwell book and I really enjoyed it! "Dead of Summer" gave twists, turns, a great East Coast setting filled with flashbacks of Orla and David and their adolescence before their close friend Alice disappeared without a trace. Alice's disappearance created a life altering gap for Orla as she returns to Hadley Island and sees her in everything and everywhere she looks. Orla still questions what happened to Alice and her disappearance. She seeks for answers and also sees David and his new girlfriend Faith. Faith, supportive character to David, begins to question the elite status of David and also wonder about the talk of the unsolved Alice. Filled with twists and turns, I think that "Dead of Summer" gave nostalgia vibes that tie in art, Rear Window vibes of people watching from Henry, and a mix of the rich and wealthy and their luxurious lifestyle.
I think that this would be a great summer read that is a quick thriller, who done it, and ambiance of a great setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC.