Dead of Summer is a thriller read in 3 POV, Orla, Henry and Faith.

Orla comes back to sell her childhood home and runs into her high school crush, David, who is there with his new girlfriend.

Back after 10 years, Alice is flooded with memories of her best friends Alice's disappearance when they were in high school.

While there for the summer, another young girl disappears and the hunt is on to find her.

There was a twist at the end I wasnt expecting, but I enjoyed her other 2 books much better, especially The Golden Spoon.

This was set in an isolated small town, where everyone knew everyone, and they thought they knew everything that was going on.

There was drama, tension, and suspense. And while some of the twists were a bit predictable, I honestly did not see the ending coming.

This was my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it, so it won’t be the last.

Thanks to Atria Books for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As much as I liked The Golden Spoon and I Need You To Read This, this book was a bit disappointing to me.

Even though I liked the characters (well some of them at least) and the island setting, the plot seemed a bit boring and very similar to other thrillers I've read before. The last 15% of the book was a bit more exciting and I enjoyed the final twist but unfortunately, this didn't save the book as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

Dead of Summer is a sharp, atmospheric mystery set against the backdrop of a summer camp full of secrets. Jessa Maxwell weaves tension and nostalgia together beautifully, creating a setting that feels both idyllic and ominous. The plot delivers well‑timed twists, and the slow unraveling of the truth keeps you guessing until the end.

The characters are layered, with backstories that add depth to the central mystery. A few pacing dips aside, the story remains engaging and immersive. Maxwell’s writing is vivid, making you feel the sticky summer air and the creeping unease that lingers over every page.

A suspenseful, satisfying summer‑set mystery perfect for fans of dark campfire tales with a modern twist.

Thank you to Atria books via Netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really good book. I liked the characters and their arcs. I thought they were well written. I did not fully guess the twist it actually had me thinking it was something else which I loved. I liked the ending for Henry I had thought he deserved better than how he was being treated. Overall I really enjoyed the book and how it unfolded.

It’s the start of summer and the usual crowd is descending on the exclusive New England island of Hadley, but some unexpected arrivals bring old mysteries to the surface of the small seaside village. Faith is hoping her attachment to her billionaire son boyfriend might permanently make her life easier, but will her past come to haunt her? Orla hasn’t been back on the island since her best friend’s disappearance 16 years ago, and finds herself at a crossroads figuring out her future and how to move on from the tragic past that always seems to be lurking over her shoulder. Henry stays away from his hometown on Hadley, following the village goings on through his telescope after being accused of a horrible crime, but his secrets might also help a new tragedy be avoided.

Sharply written, this mystery is atmospheric and full of well drawn characters and plot turns that feel earned and surprising. Highly recommend for those looking for a creepy summer thriller!

I wanted to give the author another chance since I liked the concept of the last book but didn't enjoy the execution. But I don't think we're a fit.

Sadly, this book was a bit disappointing to me. Although the plot had a lot of build up, there ending was somewhat lacklustre and disappointing. I would say the book was well written, but the execution was just “OK” in my opinion. I would read another book from this author though, as I did enjoy one of her previous novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!
2.5/5

If you’re a seasonal reader, this is a perfect summer read! I enjoyed the 3 POVs and how they all meshed together in the end. Towards the end I thought I figured out the twist. I did .. to a point but there was a twist to the twist. lol
Thanks to Atria Books for the ARC via NetGalley.

Forgive my brief, steam-of-consciousness review - I became a mom to beautiful identical twin girls in June, so life has been a whirlwind ever since! While I’m still able to get some reading in, putting together coherent words for a review is much more difficult than it was a couple of months ago :)

Is "cozy thriller" a defined genre? This one from Jessa Maxwell, as well as her previous novel I Need You to Read This, seem to fit squarely in that category to me, while her first book The Golden Spoon is more of a cozy mystery. Dead of Summer is about Orla, who goes back to the small New England island town where she grew up years after the disappearance of her childhood best friend Alice. Orla, Alice and a boy named David grew to become inseparable in their teens, but when tragedy strikes and Alice is gone, Orla and David lose touch and many questions remain unanswered. Now years later, everyone finds themselves back on the island and some of those unanswered questions are coming up again until we finally get to the bottom of not only what happened to Alice, but also about other secrets on the island too. I really enjoyed the very short chapters that alternated perspectives between a few characters, making it a perfect vacation/beach read. Overall though it felt cozier in that the stakes didn't feel as high and there wasn't as much propulsion as a typical domestic thriller. An enjoyable read but also sort of forgettable.

While Jessa Maxwell may not produce the most memorable, impactful novels, her books are reliably fun, light reads that are perfect for times like this when I have less bandwidth than usual to devote to reading. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Goodreads (this was a giveaway win!), the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This scintillating and atmospheric thriller by Jessa Maxwell offered an immersive and deeply captivating reading experience. I was immediately drawn into its central premise, which expertly intertwines a decade-old mystery with a chilling new disappearance on an isolated New England island.

The narrative follows Orla O’Connor, who returns to Hadley Island for the first time since her best friend Alice vanished without a trace. As I read, I felt the tension mount as old secrets and town gossip resurface. The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Faith, a newcomer who becomes obsessed with Alice's case, and Henry, a local recluse whose secret hobby of watching the island's inhabitants gives him a unique view into its dark past. Their intertwined stories create a taut and unsettling atmosphere.

The book maintains a steady, intriguing pace, with the layers of the island's history and its inhabitants' secrets being peeled away one by one. The suspense is masterfully managed, keeping me consistently invested in the fate of each character. While some of the dramatic developments might feel familiar to avid readers of the genre, the overall execution and the rich character dynamics made for a very satisfying experience.

I appreciated the author's ability to craft a story that is both a thrilling mystery and a compelling study of how a single event can haunt a community for a lifetime. It’s a solid choice for those who enjoy character-driven thrillers with a strong sense of place and buried secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

This is the type of thriller that felt like their was promise but ultimately felt a little disappointing.

I was excited to be selected for this ARC as I have enjoyed other books in Jessa Maxwell's backlist. However, I felt as though it was tough to connect with the characters in this one. I felt a little bored at times and I hate to say that.

I think there is definitely an audience for this book and I hope that they do find it. I liked it, I just didn't love it. I will still be looking forward to future Jessa Maxwell books regardless.

Thank you Atria Books for selecting me for this ARC.

Thank you Atria for the gifted physical copy.

Dead of Summer
Jessa Maxwell
Publishing Date: July 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Narrator: Mia Barron, Ferdelle Capistrano, Tim Lounibos🎧

This was a slow burn thriller that was easy and quick to read.

The first majority (like 85%) of the book is really slow. We spend time getting to know and observing the characters. We get multiple POV here and it took a minute to keep straight who everyone was. There is the allusion that something nefarious happened in the past but it takes almost the entire book for it to all come together. The last 15% was where the action was, though the twists felt pretty predictable.

I enjoy character driven books, which is probably what kept this one going for me. Those who don’t enjoy that and are looking for a more action packed thriller might struggle here. I really liked Henry as a character and he alone probably gave this one a bit of a star boost from me.

This was good background listening as I did chores around the house, but not my fave style of thriller.

🎧 The narration here was good! No regrets about reading this one with my ears.

Didn’t like it. Couldn’t finish it. Drove me nuts. The characters stressed me out and everything just seemed so. . . Drawn out and unrealistic.

Thank you, NetGalley!
I really liked The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell but the last two books by her haven't wowed me. This book was a little slow at times and it was hard to keep track of all the characters. I guessed a more interesting plot twist than the one written so I was a little disappointed.

Ah, I was excited to get this as a widget! I have loved all of this author's past books.

I read this thriller on a cruise ship. It was such a great beach read! I will never get tired of stories involving rich people behaving badly.

This reminded me a little bit of the Netflix show The Sirens.

This review will also be posted on my booksta, toomanyfivestarreads.

Thank you to @atriabooks for this #gifted copy!

If the title didn’t already give it away, this book is the perfect #summerread! Set during the summer on a New England Island, the story follows 3 point of views, which I always love in a thriller. Each narrator was intriguing and the chapters were short enough to fly by (huge fan of short chapters). If you’re looking for an entertaining popcorn thriller this summer, look no further!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I have read Jessa Maxwell's, "I Need You To Read This" & "The Golden Spoon" & loved them so I was excited to see she had a new book to review.
Though her newest book, "Dead Of Summer", was very different from her 2 previous books & not my favorite it was a well written story.
I enjoyed the short chapters with view points from the 3 main characters: Faith, Orla & Henry.
I can't wait to read what Ms. Maxwell decides to write next.

Jessa Maxwell has a way of crafting a mystery that feels tailor-made for a lazy summer afternoon, preferably somewhere with a cold drink and a wide-open view of the water. Dead of Summer is no exception. This time, she drops us on Hadley Island, a tiny New England community with a long memory and a short fuse when it comes to scandal.

Our main character, Orla O'Connor, hasn't set foot on Hadley since high school—not since her best friend, Alice, vanished into thin air. Now, a decade later, Orla's back to clean out her family's beachfront home before it's sold, and the return dredges up all the old whispers, all the side-eyes from locals who haven't forgotten a thing. Her childhood crush, David, is also back—with a gorgeous girlfriend in tow, because of course he is—and Henry, the prime suspect in Alice's disappearance, hasn't gone far either. When another person on the island vanishes, old ghosts start to stir.

This is a slow-burn mystery. You're not racing to the last page so much as letting the tension build in the background while you settle into the island's eerie, gossipy atmosphere. If you're in need of a high-speed thriller, this might feel like a long ride.

As for the characters… well, don't come in expecting a cast of charming, relatable favorites. Most of these people are complicated or downright unlikable. Once I let go of that expectation, I found myself enjoying the spectacle of watching them all navigate their messy lives.

While Dead of Summer isn't my favorite Maxwell novel, it's still a solid, atmospheric mystery. If you've enjoyed her other work or just want an easy, slow-burn escape with plenty of secrets, Hadley Island is worth a visit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)
Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell is a well-written mystery-thriller that fits the summer reading vibe. However, for some reason, it just didn’t quite click with me. Despite the strong writing, I found it hard to fully get into the story.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Jessa Maxwell, and Atria Books for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. ✨