This was a good book for me, even with a few flaws. None of the characters were entirely likeable with the exception of Henry. He was quirky, flawed and very human. The scenario of New England wealth is overused and tired along with poor little woman who has a questionable past who manages to find a rich boyfriend who is incredibly flawed. Way overdone and not that interesting. Overall though this was a pretty good story with a ton of backstory and some interesting moments.

This will be a great beach read for summer 2025! Bit of a slow burn to start but picked up and was hard to put down around 40%. Short chapters with changing POVs. Kept me entertained and guessing the whole time. Loved the ending and how it all came together

Dead of Summer was a quick read, one I finished in a day.

I thought Maxwell gave vivid descriptions that helped to immerse the unsettling ambiance of the island, giving it that chilling atmosphere. The story is told from multiple perspectives, but still easy to follow.

Orla has never given up on her childhood love David, David has returned with his new love Faith, and Henry is watching them all from a distance. The question is, how do they all mesh together?

I felt that where the novel excelled in setting and suspense it somewhat faltered in plot predictability. I did not have it 100% figured out, but could see the loopholes. Even with this downside I still enjoyed the read and would recommend if you are looking for a quick pace story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

I felt like something was missing in this book. While the ends all tied up nicely there wasn’t really much feeling involved. How did nobody realize who the villains were for all those years in such a small town? It just wasn’t very realistic to me. The twist really wasn’t even all that shocking to me. My one favorite part was that Henry got the happy ending he deserved.

This book was so good that it kept my attention the entire time. The ending surprised me, and the characters kept me entertained throughout. The writing was great and flowed effortlessly through out the whole thing.

I so glad I gave this author another chance, I did not love her debut novel The Golden Spoon, so I skipped on her sophomore release. But the cover of this one and the premise sounded really great so I gave it a try and I’m so glad I did.

Dead of Summer is the perfect mix of summer vibes, rich people behaving badly, mystery and mystique, a dirty past all colliding into one fun thriller! I think the author did a really good job of balancing everything and plotting it all out. And bonus points for it being realistic! I hate those thrillers that just make you roll your eyes because they would never ever happen! The twist at the end is really great, I did figure it out, but not until about the 85% mark. So clever!!

This will make a perfect summer thriller, add this one to your list!

I received a free digital copy of Dead of Summer from the publisher and NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it enough!!! Just the most enjoyable reading experience. Maxwell is such a talented author.

Despite not that much actually happening in the story, this slow burn of a mystery set on New England island was readable and enjoyable. The author does a great job of making some of the characters very unlikable. I saw some of the twists coming but was taken by surprise at times. Overall a great beach read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I usually love a good multiple POV story—it adds layers and perspective that make a book feel more immersive. Dead of Summer by Jessica Maxwell definitely had the potential for that, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite land for me. The story was too short to really give each character the depth they deserved. With so many voices and so little time, I found myself wanting more from each of them—more background, more emotion, more connection. The premise was intriguing and the pacing was solid, but the emotional impact just didn’t hit as hard as it could have. I wanted to feel for these characters, but I never got the chance to truly know them.

This was pretty good it kind of took a while for the bang to come Geoffrey was very unlikeo and I really wish fairy was not so gullible orla was very sneaky but it was pretty good over all

This is my third book by Jessa Maxwell and I have enjoyed them all! Dead of Summer is her newest, which will be out in late July of 2025 and it’s a fast-paced thriller that would be great to read on a beach (or an Island, like the book’s setting!)
There are multiple POVs, which I love, and the book tells a dual story in a flashback about the mostly privileged people who live on Hadley Island for the summer. In the flashback story you read about teenaged friends Orla and Alice, and their interactions with the rich boy David, which dramatically culminates in Alice’s drowning and the whole island’s belief that old timer Henry had something to do with it, though it was never solved.
In the current timeline, David is home for the summer with his glamorous almost fiancé, Faith and things are definitely not what they seem. This book unfolds slowly but never drags, and we learn a lot about each of the characters and the impact that Alice’s drowning had on them and how they are all trying to forget. There are some fun twists and turns and a satisfying ending.
Overall I enjoyed Dead of Summer a lot and recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free advanced e-copy in exchange for my review

Dead of Summer is an atmospheric, slow-burn thriller that pulls readers into its chilling mystery and complex characters. Orla’s return to Hadley Island to uncover the truth about her best friend’s disappearance is captivating, blending suspense with emotional depth. Maxwell masterfully builds tension with dark secrets, mysterious disappearances, and an eerie, watchful island setting. The multiple perspectives keep the plot engaging, though the pacing may feel a bit sluggish at times. Overall, it’s a compelling, twisty tale that keeps you guessing until the end.

4/5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this book! I was invested in the characters and learning more of their background stories. The story follows 3 main points of view and it’s all woven together nicely. I enjoyed the twists and the ending!

It’s a bit slow to start because it’s setting up the story.

Get ready for the July release because it’s a really great thriller beach read!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

FANTASTIC!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

100000000 STARS for this book!! If you are looking for your next "Beach Read" this is it!! It's twisty, fast paced, full of great characters, nothing is what it seems, AND YOU CANT PUT IT DOWN!
I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will say that the characters in this book are very well-written. Some of them I instantly hated, so much so that I wanted to thrown my Kindle across the room. Some of them I pitied, and some of them I absolutely loved. They all have a past, and some morally gray areas, but at the end you feel extremely satisfied by the outcome.
DON'T SKIP THIS BOOK! I binge read it in a day, because it is that good. I might not have been on a beach while reading it, but I sure felt like I was!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maxwell is back with her third title and while enjoyable, it’s your run of the mill thriller in a lot of ways. Old money in New England is a tale as old as time, and the continual smoke in mirrors vibes got a bit predictable throughout. A good summer read if you need a palate cleanser.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

In this captivating read, Maxwell draws readers into a suspenseful world filled with the tangled mess of memories lingering from a tragedy that's over a decade old! A web of dangerous secrets and morally ambiguous choices will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Maxwell skillfully crafts a cast of characters that embodies the duality of human nature, with ulterior motives often expertly masked. The interplay between desperation and ambition drives the plot forward, inviting readers to explore themes of trust, deception, and the lengths one will go for a chance at keeping secrets hidden. This book is perfect for fans of multiple timelines, unreliable narrators, creepy characters with secrets to hide, and cold case investigations that place people in the crosshairs of danger!

Dead of Summer is the kind of beachy thriller that lures you in with sun-soaked nostalgia and then hits you with dark secrets and creeping suspense. Set in a gossipy coastal town where the rich think they're untouchable, this story unfolds through three POVs—each adding depth and intrigue to a missing girl mystery that refuses to stay buried.

It’s a slow burn, but a satisfying one. I loved the atmospheric writing and how the tension simmered throughout. Henry, in particular, stole the show for me—creepy, complex, and oddly compelling. While the plot was a bit predictable at times, I stayed hooked from beginning to end.

If you're in the mood for a quick, eerie read with summer vibes and a bit of bite, this one's worth packing in your beach bag.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I really enjoyed this book, there was an extra twist at the end that really did not work for me.
*SPOILER* She really did kill her friend, even though we just spent the entire book learning that she didn't. *END SPOILER*

It just didn't need it. Totally unnecessary, and for me ruined the book as a whole.

Loved this book! It's my favorite book I've read so far this year.

I rate it a 4.5 stars rounded up. I loved the writing, the setting, and the complexities and uniqueness of each character. The pacing was just right for me. I liked that it was evident from the start that everyone had something they were hiding, and it was fun getting all the answers to my questions.

The only reason I'm not giving it a solid 5 stars is because some of the twists were predictable and there was one character (I don't want to spoil anything so I won't reveal who here) that I just couldn't understand their motive for doing what they did, and I don't think it was explained in the book. I will be rereading it to see if I might have missed something.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone who enjoys mysteries/thrillers.

A big thank you to Atria Books for this ARC!

Well this was a roller coaster ride of a book! Admittedly, a few parts of this seemed kind of drawn out, but the ending - holy cow! Definitely a twist that I didn't see coming! This book is told from differing points of view, which I love in books. There are some difficult topics covered in the book, but the way the whole story came together was really good. I had hot/cold feelings about Orla throughout the book, but Henry and Faith were both easy to connect to. I also enjoyed the bits of the dual timeline in the story, which really gave some great background for the characters and how they all connect later on. 4 stars from me, I really enjoyed this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.