I had a good time reading this, but as SOON as I finished it, every single detail left my mind, and I looked it up and then immediately forgot it before I wrote my review.

Ok right, I remember now! This was really fast=paced and propulsive. I really liked the characters, and the plot was intriguing but I didn't really like the reveals and ending.

I had previously read The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell and it wasn't for me, but I could identify the strong writer that this author is and wanted to try this book. I love the character going back home to settle some things premise and anytime something is described as atmospheric... sign me up. This book completely redeemed my Jessa Maxwell experience, it was gripping and unputdownable! 5 stars!

This is my first book by author and it was a good read, lots of mystery and twists which kept me interested.

Orla O’Connor is back in her family house on the island after a long time, not since her best friend disappeared without a trace. Orla is here to clean out her family house before they sell it. She can’t help but remember what happened to her best friend.

We have another character David who was Orla’s crush with his new girlfriend Faith who decides to dig into the mystery when she feels lonely cause David seems to be too busy with his dad.

We have our third character who had been under suspicion since the day the hole disappeared and it only only gave him more and more lonely time to sit with his telescope. He starts feeling weird when he keeps seeing someone and sees the upstairs light on of the missing girls house.

The someone else gets missing.

It was a thrilling read and I highly recommend it.

Thank you Atria books and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a quick, fast paced read! It had a shocking ending that I didn’t see coming. Definitely worth reading 📚 Huge thanks to @netgalley for the ARC! This will be released on July 22nd ☀️

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #newrelease #mystery #thriller

Summer's Deadly Secrets

Jessa Maxwell's Dead of Summer grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. Set on the fog-shrouded Hadley Island, this atmospheric thriller follows a young woman's return to her hometown, where her best friend Alice vanished without a trace a decade ago. Now, as another disappearance rocks the close-knit island community, old wounds split open and long-buried secrets claw their way to the surface.

Maxwell turns the island itself into a character - one that breathes menace into every scene. Narrow lanes wind past weathered mansions where the wealthy hide their sins behind manicured hedges. Waves crash against rocky shores that might hold answers... or bodies. The isolation feels like a physical weight, pressing down on both characters and readers until something has to break.

The story unfolds through three distinct voices, each offering a different piece of the puzzle. Maxwell weaves past and present together with the precision of a surgeon, each flashback revealing just enough to keep you turning pages well past midnight. When money and power collide with decades of secrets, the result is explosive.

Sure, veteran thriller readers might guess a few twists before they land. But Maxwell's sharp prose and masterful pacing make up for any predictability. She knows exactly when to dangle a clue and when to yank it away, creating the kind of tension that builds like a summer storm.
This is more than just another beach read with a dark side. It's a razor-sharp look at privilege, power, and the prices we pay to keep our secrets buried. Maxwell has crafted something special here - a thriller that manages to feel both sun-soaked and sinister.

The bottom line? Dead of Summer proves Maxwell's got serious chops in the thriller genre. While not every plot thread ties up perfectly, the core mystery delivers a satisfying gut punch that'll leave you thinking about it long after you've turned the last page.

4 out of 5 stars

Thanks for the ARC Atria Books and NetGalley! Jessa Maxwell wrote an incredibly interesting book - I was so interested to see how all of the storylines tied together and really didn't expect the twists as they came! This one felt a little slow-paced but once I was in it, I was really in it.

Chilling mysterious thriller with a great storyline! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc!

2.5 ⭐️

honestly this one didn’t hit for me. i went in expecting a suspenseful summer mystery, but the plot just kinda dragged and never really built up to anything that exciting. the reveals were underwhelming, and it all felt a little too quiet and slow-paced for my taste. i kept waiting for that moment where everything would click or the tension would really ramp up—but it never came. not the worst thing i’ve read, but definitely didn’t leave much of an impression either.

thank you to netgalley and atria books for the arc

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. My first by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Atmospheric and twisty. A very well written domestic suspense.

In this book, Orla returns to Hadley Island a decade after her best friend Alice mysteriously vanished. As she confronts old memories, she becomes entangled in a new disappearance, drawing her, Alice’s old crush David, and a reclusive local named Henry into a chilling mystery that may reveal more than they’re ready to know. A twisty and atmospheric thriller that unearths the island’s dark past.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

Dead of Summer is such a perfect, fast-paced thriller! I can see this being something I would love to read beachside during the summer, when I need something quick and easy to read. Though I did find many of the plot points predictable, I still found myself hooked and waiting to see what was going to happen next. Seeing all of the storylines of the three separate characters come together and seeing just how they all intertwined with each other was so satisfying and incredibly well done. My main issues with the book fall mostly within the pacing. I felt as though the first half of the book was moving so slowly, and about halfway through, it became way too fast-paced instead. While I did think a lot of the context and information given in the first half that I think contributed to it feeling slower was necessary, towards the end, I began to feel like I did not always have enough information, and found myself getting a little confused at times. I also thought some of the time jumps mid chapter were confusing, as I did not always know exactly when I was reading a flashback versus when I was reading something from the current day, causing me to have to reread parts of the book, particularly within the second half.

Overall, these problems were not enough to cause me to dislike the book, and I still found it to be a very enjoyable read! Will definitely recommend this to others who are looking for a fun thriller!

3.5 stars - As several other reviewers have said, it really is a "quick, popcorn thriller" - perfect for beach or poolside reading! Overall, I liked it- felt the remote island setting was ominous & atmospheric, but I really could have done without all the rich people vibes, that trope is getting old. Still kept me reading and was quite entertaining. My thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the advance reader's copy - greatly appreciate the opportunity to read & review early!

This was a fun thriller and I could see it working well in the summer. The setting of Hadley Island, a small island on the New England coast was perfect for a sort of locked island mystery. The story has three different POVs, Orla, whose best friend was lost at sea in high school and her death was blamed on local man Henry, who we also follow. And then Faith, a young person living in NYC who becomes entangled with David, who is incredibly rich and spends his summers on the island. There are a lot of rich people behaving badly in this book, but I appreciated that the POVs were all from people just trying to live their lives on the island rather than one of the incredibly rich people who vacation there.

The mystery was enough to keep me turning the pages to find out what happened, and the characters all had depth to them. I enjoyed the setting and the resolution of the book. This would be a fun book to read by the pool or pick up when you need something lighter.

A girl’s disappearance still haunts residents of a remote island years later. Orla returns to on a to help clean out her childhood home and ends up facing ghosts from the past she’s been trying to avoid. David brings his girlfriend home to meet his wealthy overhead father. Henry watches it all through his telescope and self imposed exile. Told through multiple POVs and timelines. There is a lot going on. It started strong but then kind of fizzled. Overall it was ok.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy. Pub date 7/22.

I liked this book but i felt that the twist were a bit predictable. The atmosphere is thick with suspense, and the writing is immersive, making you feel like you’re right there on the island, watching the shadows move on the beach. If you love thrillers that are both chilling and emotionally gripping give this a try.

I will forever love a @jessamaxwellauthor book! I started this book this morning and could not put it down until I was finished. This is a fantastic atmospheric summer popcorn thriller. The different POVs and short chapters will have you flying through this one! I loved the description of the island, the isolation of the mansion and the close knit community of the village. If you are looking for a beach read this summer, I recommend picking this one up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you @atriathrillers @atriabooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review. PUB DATE: 7/22

Great read. Loved the setting. Good character development. Highly recommend. Looking forward to more from Jessa Maxwell..

I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did. This is the perfect summer beach book! We have an isolated New England Island where Orla's family has a home. Orla hasn't been back since her best friend, Alice, disappeared 10 years ago. Now the home is being sold so she returns to help clean it out. This brings back memories and Orla begins digging around the past.
David also returns. David was Orla's crush back in the day and he has brought his soon-to-be fiancée, Faith. Or at least she believes she is soon to be a fiancée. Faith is bored, as David is always busy and has little time for her, so she too begins digging around in the past. We also meet Henry who is a loner and likes to spy. He has always been dogged with the rumor that he may have had something to do with Alice's disappearance.
Then another girl disappears and all three get caught up in the middle.
With this story, atmosphere and characterization are the stars of the show and I really enjoyed following along. I would read more from this author.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jessa Maxwell and Atria Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Instagram and other social media and retail sites upon publication day of July 22, 2025.

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell was a cleverly crafted mystery thriller that immediately captivated me from the very first chapter. The eerie atmosphere, the mysterious mansion, and the peculiar characters who resided there all contributed to the suspenseful tone. What really happened here?
Faith, in particular, was a mystery that kept me guessing throughout the novel. The author’s writing style was engaging and gripping, making this a thoroughly enjoyable and suspenseful read.

Thanks, Atria Books via NetGalley.

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

This was such a solid, moody summer thriller — definitely one of those “just one more chapter” reads that totally sneaks up on you.

Dead of Summer takes place on a remote New England island (very murder-y vibes) where Orla O’Connor returns years after her best friend Alice mysteriously disappeared. Of course, things on Hadley Island are not what they seem, and as Orla digs into her past, long-buried secrets start bubbling up. The story is told through a few different POVs — including Faith (who's dating Orla's ex), and Henry (the resident weirdo with a thing for spying) — and somehow it all works. The tension builds slowly but steadily, and the payoff is super satisfying.

Jessa Maxwell’s writing is atmospheric and immersive — you can practically feel the fog rolling in while reading. The characters are layered and flawed in believable ways, and I really appreciated how each person had their own agenda. There’s also this great balance between mystery, emotional drama, and just enough romance to keep things interesting without taking over the plot.

If you're into twisty, slow-burn thrillers with strong character development and a creepy setting you can’t quite shake, I highly recommend this one. It’s a little dark, a little sad, but still hopeful in the right moments — and perfect for fans of The Guest List or The Last Thing He Told Me.

Would totally read more from Maxwell. Thanks NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this complimentary copy.