*Publication Date July 24th 2025*

I found this incredibly hard to put down once I started! Fast paced, super binge-able, perfect summer thriller read! This was twisted, with plenty of 80s nostalgia, lies, deception, murder, and questioning who to trust....

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Breakneck Bay plunges readers into a chilling mystery at a dangerous water park where a teen employee vanishes. As suspicion circles her husband, Kit must untangle secrets threatening everything she believes about love and trust. Faith Gardner blends domestic suspense with psychological tension in this addictive thriller—a must-read for fans who love mystery, drama and sketchy characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5 stars)

𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐁𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦, 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬. 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤--𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐬!

Set in a water park in the 1980s, reading this book was like watching an episode of Cold Case. It was nostalgic without the warm, fuzzy feelings that usually accompany a simpler time. Because in the 1980s, men were hunting women, just like today, and they were getting away with it for much longer due to lack of advancement in technology and science.

At Breakneck Bay theme park, Kit Blue works in the first aid office while her husband Mitch is the park manager. The couple is newly married and eager to start a family, but when a teenage employee vanishes one night after her closing shift and the team arrives to a blood-soaked crime scene the following morning, Kit finds herself rethinking those plans. Why? Because suspicion has fallen on Mitch, and when Kit starts getting strange phone calls, she begins to examine the flaws in her brand new marriage.

I loved the diverse cast of characters, the tension, and the creeping dread toward the inevitable climax. My only complaint is that I wish the park had been more of a character. Other than that, this was a fantastic thriller that will keep you up past your bedtime, and the author's notes are not to be missed! Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for the early copy. This title is expected to publish July 24, 2025.

Thank you net galley for this arc. this book is full of deception,hot suspense,and pov's. it's also fast pace ,perfect summer read.

Breakneck Bay is known for its dangerous rides and endless legal troubles, but when a teenage worker goes missing and a bloody scene is left behind, the summer takes a deadly turn. All eyes turn to Mitch, the park manager—putting his wife Kit in the middle of a terrifying mystery. As Kit digs into the secrets Mitch has been hiding, she starts to question their entire marriage. But she's not the only one searching for answers. Someone else is lurking in the shadows, connected to the park’s dark history and ready to strike again. In a place built on danger, Kit has to face the most chilling truth of all—she may be married to a killer.
This book completely pulled me in from the start. Set in a chaotic, run-down water park in the early '80s, Breakneck Bay blends nostalgia, suspense, and emotional grit in the best possible way. The setting isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a character, oozing with danger, flickering neon, and a sense that something is always just a little off.
Kit, the main character, is thrown into a nightmare of a summer: creepy coworkers, a missing teenager, a suspicious husband, and way too many red flags to ignore. As she starts digging into the truth, the story builds into a tense, high-speed mystery that doesn’t let up. Add in flashbacks from a serial killer’s perspective, and you’ve got layers of dread simmering under the surface.
The suspense is strong, the characters are deeply flawed but grow on you, and while I figured out part of the twist early, the journey there was still full of surprises. It’s not overly graphic, but it definitely hits some dark emotional notes—so trigger warnings are a must.
If you’re into gritty, neon-lit thrillers with a retro vibe, broken people, and a ton of tension, Breakneck Bay is a wild ride worth taking.

Favorite Quote:
"I was born in hill valley and have lived here my entire life. It used to be a peaceful town where summer meant children playing by the creek and neighbors gathering on their porches. Now, all I hear is screaming - not of joy, but of thrill-seekers hurling themselves down the water slides at breakneck bay Waterpark."

You don't have to have been a teenager in the 80s (like I was) to appreciate this suspenseful novel. How is a serial killer from the 70s associated with Breakneck Bay waterpark in the 80s? And where is the young employee that has gone missing? Is someone trying to frame Kit's husband? You'll have to read to find out!

Sometimes reviewers say they could not put a book down but, in this case, it is the truth. I received an advanced reading copy this morning and finished the book by dinnertime. Time after time, Faith Gardner continues to impress me!

This book felt so predictable. I felt like I knew who it was the entire time, and I was right. I also knew immediately when she was pregnant way before we found out she was based off the context. Overall it was a fun read but not the best of hers.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Faith Gardner, I don’t read the blurbs, I know she writes original, varied and exciting thrillers every time.

Kit and her husband Mitch work at Breakneck Bay, a water park with a reckless attitude to health and safety and a history of incidents. When a teenage employee vanishes leaving behind a blood-soaked crime scene suspicion falls on Mitch and Kit must look closely at their relationship…

That’s just the start, there’s plenty going on, interesting original characters, past mysteries and truly dark secrets to be revealed. Thoroughly entertaining and unpredictable, with lots of different angles and Faith Gardner has such lovely flourishes in her writing.

Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Mirror House Books

Thank you to Faith Gardner, Mirror House Press, and Netgalley for the e-arc of BreakNeck Bay! Fast-paced twisty thriller that gave me whiplash!! Perfect summer thriller! Loved the 80s water park setting! Included a bonus epilogue called Take Me Home! I love Faith Gardners writing and she knocked it out of the park again! This book publishes on 7/24/25!

Let the 80s summer nostalgia begin! Breakneck Bay is the perfect summer thriller.

It is full of deception, lies and a really shady water park. The book was fast-paced and I loved the incorporation of mixed media. I also enjoyed that we got present POV and the killers POV. The characters are all suspicious, you really don’t know who to trust throughout the book. While the ending was totally shocking, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

It was a super fun thriller that should definitely be added to your summer TBR!

When I saw that this mystery/thriller/whatever you wanna call it takes place at a waterpark, I got so excited! I feel like a waterpark is the perfect place setting for a spooky story, but is never used as a spooky setting.

Unfortunately, I wish that the waterpark was used more. The waterpark felt so background, almost forgotten about. This perfect setting was just not used anywhere near its full potential.

I also found that this story kind of piddle out, losing a lot of momentum and intrigue.

There were some really cool and interesting elements to this book, the calls were a more unique plot-moving device, but I just wanted more.

I think that sums up how I feel about this story: I wanted more. This was so close, but not close enough. Ya know?

Overall, I still enjoyed this book and loved the more unique setting. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this. Give me more thrillers with unique settings! I love to see it!

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.

As someone who consumes a lot of true crime, the idea of a novel featuring a 1980s serial killer is basically music to my ears (yes, I know how that sounds, It’s a healthy obsession, I promise).

★★★★★

Breakneck Bay has it all! The moment I saw the synopsis and the cover reveal, I was ready to dive in. The way this novel is being told, with the snippets from the killer’s perspective, add a chilling layer that makes the story even more compelling and adds to the mystery of wanting to solve this puzzle.

As the story unraveled I felt the emotional tension building with each chapter. Faith Gardner you’ve done it again, captivated me with your words and amazing story telling. This is the perfect summer thriller, no matter what you are doing and where you are going, pick up a copy of this book as soon as it’s released and take the plunge.

Breakneck Bay is the 80s water park we all wanted to go to back in the day! But this one is full of missing girls, lies and intrigue. This story started out a bit slow for me until all the pieces started falling into place..

Once things started moving, I couldn’t put it down. A quick read and most of the time you won’t know where it’s headed. Don’t miss out on this one!

Thank you NetGalley for the early ARC of Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner.

When I saw Faith’s FB post that she had a new thriller coming out this summer, I was beyond excited. After reading Like It Never Was and Mirror House Girls, I couldn’t wait to get my greedy fingers and eyes into her new one.

Set in 1982 with flashbacks to 1977 brings back that nostalgic time from every Gen X (I’m on the cusp of that and Millennial). There were tons of descriptions from makeup, to decor that really set the stage for an awesome read.

Kit is married to Mitch Blue who is works for his best friend at Breakneck Bay, a freakin’ weird and dangerous water park. (There’s a map on the first page of the book of the park!!). Kit got a job at Breakneck to be close to Mitch. She’s working in The Ouch Shack. Love the clever names.

One day, a young female employee goes missing and next thing you know Mitch’s office is covered in blood and teeth.

There are so many things that happen as your mind is going back and forth as to what the heck is going on and who the killer is.

I loved Kit, the main character who maybe was a bit naive sometimes but she was truly bad ass.

I had to laugh at Creighton Marrs the sleazy owner of Breakneck Bay. I always read as cretin.

An all time favorite summer read. Do not miss this one.

I rate this book five stars . From begging to end it was absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend everyone to read this one .

BREAKNECK BAY ARC review Thank you NG & Faith! “A beat passes, an ocean static” <<— one of the parts that got me in such an anxiety state feeling like I was running in the dark. This was a great thriller with a dark, foggy atmosphere. Page turner and the best part for me was the real life emotional experiences I was having. I needed a cigarette break a few times. I can’t wait to buy the hard copy. OBSESSED WITH THE BOOK COVER TOO


Goodreads review— https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7613182184

This Thriller was amazing, you're in for a hell of a ride. Wait, it happens in a amusement park. Oh well. This was so full of twists and mysteries. Loved IT!

Breakneck Bay, a 1980s small town waterpark, is run by a tyrannical manager, his faithful best friend Mitch, and a bunch of misfit teenagers. When a young female employee disappears from the park, Mitch’s wife Kit starts to dig into her husband’s past.
I really enjoyed this book. The waterpark was so symbolic of long lazy summer days, as well as all the things that can go wrong behind the “employees only” doors. The characters were very well developed, slightly creepy and endearing at the same time. The ending was easy to guess but it didn’t detract from enjoying the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Mirror House Press, for providing the copy of Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner. I have read and enjoyed many of Gardner's books, and this was my favorite so far. The story was captivating, and the waterpark, with its odd assortment of teen employees, was a fitting backdrop. The waterpark is woefully mismanaged by a longtime friend of Kit’s husband, Mitch. Kit starts to investigate the missing teen implicated in the crime scene in Mitch’s office, with no help from the waterpark management. The only ‘help’ she gets is from a mysterious phone caller. Interspersed with this story, we learn about Hawk and his grisly serial killer ways. If you love your books fast and furious, this would be the perfect beach read. I look forward to many more books by Faith Gardner! 5 stars

Breakneck Bay is a deliciously fast paced and highly entertaining thriller filled with 80’s nostalgia. It is full of secrets, lies, déceptions, manipulations and sketchy waterslides. Gardner is a master of her skill. She always brings the suspense, constantly building it up throughout the book to keep you absolutely hooked. The way she writes is unique to her and the way she crafts her stories as well. I loved the fact that we got a bit of mixed media thrown in, the serial killers POV and then the present POV. I find it always brings a more engaging read.

The characters are mostly all untrustworthy. I wasn't sure who to trust, who to believe. My suspicions changed throughout, although it wasn't a major twisty reveal for the serial killer, but for me it didn't deter my enjoyment of the book as everything else around it made this book standout. This book isn't meant to be read for the shock factor in my opinion, it's for the story, the setting and just the overall vibe of it. My only negative thing (which is also a compliment 😂) is I wish we spent more time at the waterpark or had more thrills take place there as the setting was so unique and different from other thrillers I've read, I wanted more

Overall, this was a super fun thriller which it was intended to be. Gardner delivered exactly that. Just enjoy the ride, don't take anything too seriously, don't overanalyze and trust me you'll have a great time at Breakneck Bay 😁

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @mirrorpress & @faithgardner for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.