The book itself had a good premise, but I couldn't get into the story. I was hoping the story could have taken a better direction, but I felt it relied on stereotypes too much. Would recommend for anyone into small-town drama and the rich.

Dead of Summer had a lot going for it—an eerie, atmospheric island and a twisty mystery surrounding a missing girl. The multiple POVs helped build suspense and kept me curious about how it would all come together. That said, I never fully connected with the story or the characters, and I kept waiting for that wow moment that just never came. Not a bad read, just not one that stuck with me.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for a copy of this book.

3.5 Stars

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell caught my attention immediately—I mean, billionaires behaving badly? Say less. The premise had everything I crave in a thriller: wealth, scandal, and questionable morality. Maxwell certainly delivers on the dark, twisted antics of the ultra-rich, which made it easy for me to fly through the pages, eager to see what missteps these privileged characters would make next.

However, despite the enticing setup and well-crafted tension, I found myself craving just a bit more punch, especially as the story built toward its climax. The anticipation and intrigue were there, but when it came time for the big reveal, it felt like something was missing—like the book held back when it could’ve really leaned into the drama.

That said, Maxwell’s writing style kept me entertained and engaged. If you’re a fan of thrillers by authors like Kate Alice Marshall, Catherine Steadman, and Alice Feeney—writers who masterfully blend suspense with morally questionable characters—then this will definitely scratch that itch. Just manage your expectations slightly regarding the payoff.

Overall, while Dead of Summer didn’t entirely blow me away, it was still a satisfyingly dark read with plenty of billionaire misbehavior to keep things spicy.

It was a nicely quick summer dark book to read. With short chapters and three view points (Faith, Orla, and Henry) that gave a good wide range view of the mysteries that happened on Hadley Island with the missing and the supposedly drowned girls, amid lavish parties and many summer tourists that visit each year. Props for the eerie setting (the abandoned houses, giant empty mansion, Henry's hobby with his telescope and of course rich older men that are slightly off) and the isolation of the island where some might think they can get away with anything if they have enough money. I can't say I was surprised by how it turned out but it still made for a fun read that I sped through for the satisfaction of an ending where wrongs are righted and maybe this time the missing girl could be saved and the correct people punished.

So, if you are looking for an interesting quick read, then this book would be a good choice and certainly would get you in the mood for summer, though hopefully without any bodies or big crimes committed.

Isolated places are always a good site for a mystery. In this case, the characters are assembled on an island off the coast of New England where, years earlier, a girl disappeared. An awkward loner, Henry, was suspected by the islanders of her murder, but no hard evidence tied him to the crime. Now he lives as a hermit on a rock off the island in a crumbling house he built for himself and his wife, obsessively watching Hadley Island’s residents remotely through a telescope while avoiding them in person. Orla O’Connor, the best friend of the long-missing girl, has returned to clear out her childhood home after her career as an artist ran off the rails. And newcomer Faith has arrived to spend the summer with her fabulously wealthy boyfriend at his family mansion. All three of these lives tangle together when another girl goes missing and rumors begin to swirl.

Each of the three main players has secrets and a false facade of sorts. Henry is in denial that his obsession is unhealthy and that his house is becoming unlivable, just as he realizes his isolation won’t protect him from those who think he’s guilty of yet another abduction. Orla is nursing the hurt of excoriating reviews from her latest art show while pondering the relationship she had with her best friend and the boy she was infatuated with. Faith, the outsider, finds herself isolated in a vast mansion, neglected by her boyfriend, wondering if the proposal she’s anticipating will ever come, and beginning to doubt that the life among the rich and famous is really what she wants after scheming for years to show up in the right places, wearing the right clothes, pretending to belong despite her working-class past.

Their secrets and self-delusions are gradually revealed with several twists and turns as the pace accelerates and the stories are knotted together in a cinematic denouement that is both predictable and dependent on reveals that don’t entirely jibe with the characters’ motives but are necessary for the plot.

The benefit of setting a story in an isolated, insular place is that it can be developed without the quotidian world interfering, but it also means the story doesn’t feel anchored in the real world; it’s a set of characters – nicely rounded out, in this case – placed under a glass dome and given a conflict to watch them circle and collide. The result is a beach read that has enough complexity in the characters to be interesting and a plot that, once the mystery is revealed and the characters’ stories are wound up, can be set aside with a satisfied sigh and quickly forgotten.

🪴| Slow burn. Atmospheric small town setting. Multiple POVs. Rich people behaving badly. 🫣 Twists are a bit predictable, but overall a nice suspenseful drama. ✨

While I was able to pick out the twists long before they were revealed, I still very much enjoyed this book. The writing was atmospheric and each POV was distinct. I had a little issue following which timeline we were in, but was able to figure it out before the paragraph was over. This was a quick read and I will still recommend it!

Is there anything better than a good summer thriller? DEAD OF SUMMER definitely fits the bill. Set on a secluded small town island, we follow three different POVs- Faith, Henry and Orla. Faith is a first time visitor, Henry is a nosy old man and Orla grew up on the island but just returned. I really enjoyed all three POVs and each one added another layer to the mystery. The short chapters made me fly through this book. However, the ending was a little predictable. I've really liked all of Maxwell's thrillers and highly recommend them if you're looking for a quick read.

There is something so satisfying about reading books like this during the summer. Rich people behaving badly, hiding secrets from their past, and trying to uncover the truth. Three elements that generally work well for me and this book was no different.

i read this in two sittings over 24 hours so i was hooked! messy rich people being messy and rich! this was a juicy quick read that was definitely entertaining. i’m not sure if it’s a book i’ll continue to think about/reference to but i did enjoy the story.

thanks to netgalley & the publisher for this digital ARC

Dead of Summer takes you onto a beautiful island for a little summer vacation, ultimately a tragic one. Orla is the main character who hasn't been back to her old home on Hadley Island for ten years. Her best friend disappeared and was presumed dead when they were 15 and the memories and PTSD from the events surrounding her disappearance have messed Orla up for life.

Orla had had an obsession with David, the son of the wealthiest summer resident of Hadley Island, when she returns she is surprised to see David is also there, and with a girlfriend. The whole teenage crush thing is realistic but you question why she still seems to involved with him. It all makes sense when you learn what really happened to her friend Alice.

There are great secondary character like Henry, a recluse accused of Alice's disappearance, his sister-in-law Jean, and David's girlfriend Faith. David's father is a terrible man who believes his money can buy anything.

The mystery is well written and a really quick read. The suspense is good and keeps the flow moving.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I really couldn’t connect with any of the characters. The story was slow for me and I just didn’t care what happened to Alice. I have enjoyed previous books by the author, which I would consider slow burn, and was expecting similar here. However I just wasn’t able to immerse myself in the story.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the PERFECT summer thriller. It was a great fast paced story! This story follows David & Faith a couple who are head over heels. That is until they head back to David’s child hometown. He reconnects with an old friend and all their secrets come to light. So many twist and turns all the way to the end.

A chilling, atmospheric thriller set at a seemingly idyllic summer camp with a dark past. When a murder shatters the peaceful facade, secrets unravel and tensions rise among the counselors—each hiding something.

Jessa Maxwell weaves suspense and nostalgia into a twisty mystery that keeps you on edge. The dual timelines and layered characters add depth to the suspense, and the ending delivers a satisfying punch. Perfect for fans of dark summer reads with a true crime vibe.

This is a popcorn thriller that some readers will devour!

With Orla returning home to Hadley Island after 20 years away, old secrets are ready to come to light. It's a well-worn trope for a reason, and it works again here to keep the suspense flowing and the pages turning.

Having read this author's other books, I was eagerly anticipating this one. Unfortunately, I found it hard to connect with and care about any of the characters, and their motivations seemed more thinly explained than fully explored. This could be just me, since I know there's everything here for a popcorn thriller reader to love! I just wanted a little more out of this story than there was, in terms of plot twists, and character development.

This was a good, solid thriller with some nice twists and an eerie island setting that kept the tension simmering. I liked the shifting perspectives and slow unraveling of the mystery, and there were definitely moments that pulled me in.

That said, the story didn’t quite stand out from other thrillers I’ve read recently. The pacing felt a bit uneven, and while I was curious about what happened to Alice, the ending ultimately felt forgettable. Still, a decent read for fans of small town secrets and layered mysteries.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the gifted copy.

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell is a page-turner of a thriller. Told in multi-POV, this story encompasses a mystery in both the past and present. It’ll have you guessing the who, what, and why the entire way through. And just as you think you’ve figured it out, you’ll be surprised time and again.

I really enjoyed this thriller. Set on a summer vacation island, this story has summer vibes with a locked door setting that’s quite compelling. The characters are unique and well-developed, which adds to the mystery and tension of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy.

I also listened to the audiobook version as I read, borrowed from my local library through the Libby app. The audiobook had three narrators who did a great job bringing their characters to life. I went between 1.5x and 1.75x speed while listening to this story (my normal is 1.5-1.75x speed).

Missing best friend. Old money. Childhood crush. Remote New England island.

It has everything, but Dead of Summer from Jessa Maxwell fell short of being a summer hit for me. A good plot but oversaturated with too much fluff.

I've read Jessa Maxwell before so I expected a bit more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Overall this one was ok.

The beginning was a little rough and I was about halfway through trying to decide if I should just DNF it.

I’m glad I stuck with it because the 2nd half of the book was significantly better than the beginning.

I just couldn’t get into it at first. I’m glad it picked up though and I’m glad I didn’t give up.

The cover alone is a stunner on this one!! I did enjoy the eerie atmosphere and the setting drew me in. However the pacing was painfully slow and it took way too long to feel invested in the story. The twists started to get revealed in the second half but by that point, I also wasn't as invested in the characters or storylines. I really enjoyed Jessa's debut story and unfortunately just wasn't that hooked or invested in this one as much. It's a lot of rich people behaving badly, but the twists were interesting and kept me on my toes.