Breakneck Bay is the perfect summer thriller. It's set in the 1980s at "Break Your Neck" Bay waterpark, as the teens working there call it. Breakneck Bay is home to drunk teens, "ride-at your-own-risk" rides, and several traumatic incidents, some even leading to death. Sadly, when it comes to a place like this, nobody cares. It's no surprise that when one girl is found dead some years prior, it is swept under the rug. Fast forward to the summer of 1982, where another girl, Gloria, goes missing. Her disappearance is tied to The Canine Killer - a serial killer who r- and m- girls and then pulls out their canines when he's done. Nobody knows who this "Canine Killer" is, but clues are being found, and the pieces are starting to come together. Has he been around, lurking this whole time?
Breakneck Bay is a page-turner, a fast-paced thriller that you won't want to put down. Although everything is pretty much predictable, especially as the story progresses, it is no less entertaining. Although we learn who the killer is, as well as the perpetrator, the pace and thrill of this book leaves you wanting to see it through to the very end. It's a great, fast-paced read, with a very atmospheric setting that will pull you in. Definitely recommend, especially for the summer!
Thank you NetGalley, Mirror House Press, and Faith Gardner for this ARC!

Breakneck Bay was a very easy read. I really enjoy this authors work. The story flowed and I was intrigued to see how it all played out. I will admit this wasn’t my favorite of hers as I figured everything out pretty easily however it was still a solid 3.25 star read for me and still recommend you pick it up.

The story follows our FMC Kit and her husband Mitch who work for a waterpark that is known for all of its accidents and is nicknamed Break Your Neck Bay. While at the park a disturbing incident occurs that causes a bunch of questions. Is someone dead? Who is Gloria? If she missing? Why did this happen? Who’s the suspect? You’ll have a time at Breakneck Bay! Enjoy the ride.

Ohh yes, I loved it. I was expecting something else and it turned out to be a complete surprise package for me. I thought I'm predicting the twist but obviously, I was wrong and it definitely kept me on my toes!!
Loved the eerie feeling through out, loved the writing, overall.
Thank you for providing me with the ARC.

I really wanted to love this book, the premise sounded like it would be right up my alley. I struggled from the beginning with the author's need to tell as well as show. It really felt like they were holding the reader's hand throughout the entirety of the book. Characters were having illogical conversations just to drive home the point to the reader, which really frustrated me. For instance, there was one moment where the main character's husband explains something to the main character that has already been mentioned several times throughout the book.

"'It's how we used to do it,' he reminds me, taking my hand and kissing it. 'Every year I'd come work here, March through September, and then stay with you October through February when the park closes.'"

This just isn't how people actually talk to one another. They both already know this information.

Beyond the hand holding, the main character's naivete just proved too much for me. Throughout the book, she espouses her husband's greatness a the while being repeatedly confronted with the fact that he is a bad man. There is one singular instance in this book, during present time or flashbacks, where he is truly nice to her. Beyond that, he doesn't have a single redeeming quality. Which is okay, characters can be completely morally corrupt, but I just couldn't understand what led her to be so loyal to him. There was no backstory of love-bombing or even a good part of their relationship so it just wasn't convincing to me that she was so willing to overlook indisputable evidence of his crimes. I would like to pick up more from this author in the future, I think maybe these characters in particular just didn't mesh with me.

whew. what a blast from the past. well, the 80's. 😂 this was my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading her other works.

this was a medium paced book that could easily be read in one sitting. I constantly wanted to know more! (and leaving me on a cliff hanger at the end of a chapter will do that!)

thanks to netgalley and the author for the ARC.

First I would like to thank NetGalley and Mirror House Press for the ARC of this novel.

This was another fun thriller from Faith Gardner. I loved the summer thriller vibes and the location of Breakneck Bay was great. I also enjoyed that every one seemed to be sketchy to me. I love when I suspect everyone.

There were times I felt that Kit seemed a little oblivious to everything going on around her and I just wanted to shake her a little bit. It wasn’t a super twisty thriller (it reminded me a lot of The Mirror House Girls in that way) but the final twist at the very end of the novel was great.

Overall, I enjoyed it and will continue to read Faith Gardners books.

3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for this review.

Breakneck Bay

. Where should I even start with this book?

Let me begin by saying this: please check the content warnings before diving in. While Breakneck Bay doesn’t hit you with dark content from page one, by the 20% mark things start to take a serious turn—and if you’re not prepared, it can hit like a brick wall.

The story opens with the mysterious disappearance of a girl named Gloria from a run-down 1980s waterpark. What begins as a missing persons case quickly spirals into something much darker. The story follows Kit, our main character, a newlywed trying to adjust to life with her husband Mitch, who runs Breakneck Bay. But as the investigation deepens, Kit finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, suspicion, and serial horror.

One thing that really caught me off guard (and is also where the trigger warnings come into play) is the dual POV element. We get chapters from a mysterious man named Hawk, and the perspective is chilling. These entries give you a window into the disturbing thoughts of a killer—and honestly, I was not prepared for how dark it got. It’s written in a way that’s effective but deeply unsettling.

The pacing is fast, with some chapters flying by and others slowing down just enough to let the dread settle in. The 1980s waterpark setting is nostalgic in a creepy, decaying way—it adds a unique atmosphere that sets Breakneck Bay apart from most thrillers. You can practically feel the humidity, the sunburned teenagers, and the rust on the rides.

Faith Gardner does a great job making you feel uneasy without relying on cheap jump scares or overdone gore. The tension creeps up on you instead, especially when past and present timelines begin to blur.

While I loved the pacing and concept, I wasn’t fully satisfied with the ending. I was hoping for something a bit different—maybe a stronger emotional resolution or a twist that landed harder. That said, it does offer a sense of closure, and for many readers, that might be enough.

Some side characters also felt like they had more to give. I would’ve liked a deeper dive into Gloria’s life or even the people working at the park.

This isn’t just your average summer thriller—it’s a haunting story wrapped in neon lights, chlorine, and secrets. If you’re looking for something with serial killer psychology, messy marriages, and a disturbing twist of nostalgia, this book is for you.

Recommended for a cool fall evening or a gloomy summer afternoon… but only after you read the trigger warnings.

🎢 ARC REVIEW🎢

Pub Date Jul 24th

A fun summer read! It started off really strong but lost its way a little through the middle. As an amusement park lover, the setting was right up my alley and then make it in the 70’s/80’s?! I’m SOLD. The ending was satisfying and overall I would recommend for a quick, summer popcorn thriller🎢

Thank you @netgalley @xpressotours

A dangerous water park, A missing girl and a wife trapped in a nightmare. Suspicion is on her husband and she has to confront the cracks in their life. I enjoyed this book, I did guess the twist early on but it was engaging and kept me interested.

This was my first book by this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more. This was a very dark, serial killer story set in the late 1970s early 1980s. While the story was predictable, I loved the fast pace and twists. I
The eerie water park setting and sketchy characters were done so well, but I wish the watermark was incorporated in the story more.
Overall, this was a very solid thriller that will appeal to a wide audience.

Thank you to Mirror House Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A thriller that takes place in a water park or amusement park has been high on my list for awhile. Getting this ARC was perfect timing. The mysteries abound, the twists fantastic, and the ending surprising. All of the things I like in a thriller. I enjoyed the FMC and the many whodunit moments in this book. Who is the killer? Who will take them down?

Not quit sure what to think of this ARC. It has really potential but i felt it fell flat and I’m not sure why. I really enjoyed Hawks POV, i kept going back and forth on who he was.
The ending kind of let me down. I understand why she did what she did but felt like she was selfish in not giving those families of those Hawk murdered peace in knowing what happened to their daughters/sisters/friends.

This was simply way too predictable and played out exactly how I thought it would. I kept reading hoping that a twist would come, but it just never happened. I thought the characters were dull and lacked depth - every conversation just seemed so…scripted? Quick, easy read but just not for me.

I loved the vibe of this book, anything 80’s era I’m all over. Breakneck Bay is a fast, entertaining thriller that for the most part does not disappoint. Only major letdown is the ending, it kind of fizzled because it was predictable. Otherwise this is an enjoyable thriller that’s worth the read!


Thanks to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you Netgally , this was the first arc I was ever approved to read. This book was fantastic. I could not put it down. You could binge read it in a few hours. This book was so nostalgic. Set in the 70’s and 80’s. I loved the character development. The scenery was so well done it was like watching a movie from my childhood. The plot and mystery was great. I would definitely classify this as a mystery not a thriller. It has my favorite trope, serial killer. The author’s writing style just flowed on the pages. It did have a few grammatical errors but nothing major. I will be recommending this book to all my book

Murder, disappearing girls, takes place in summer? Sign me up!

I had high hopes for this arc for the perfect summer read but honestly it was okay. I was able to tell who the killer was from very early on. The back and forth of past and present was not separated to my liking. I could be reading something about the present time for the story line and then out of nowhere it would switch to the past from another persons POV without any label of who it (character) until you were a couple sentences in.

And it felt stretch on in some areas.

The cover for this book Drew me in immediately with it being a water park setting and a serial killer on the loose ! It’s super fast paced and easy to read with quick chapters I read it in one sitting ! But I did feel like most of the plot wasn’t really taking place in the water park which with a lot of chapters solely talking place in the ouch shack (the name of that I loved ) . I did like the 80s setting and vibes but at the same time it didn’t feel like it was set in the 80s!
The plot I did find predictable with hawks identity being something I figured out very early on, I liked the povs we got from his perspective !
But the ending for me was disappointing it just fell flat in my expectations but nevertheless this was still a fun popcorn thriller that was an easy read !
Thank you netgalley and xpresso books for a copy of the e-arc in exchange for a honest review !

Title: Breakneck Bay
Author: Faith Gardner
Publisher: Mirror House Press
Genre: Psychological /Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: July 24, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages 374

Aww a throwback to the 80’s.
Newlyweds Kit and Mitch Blue have just moved to a water park where Mitch is the park manager.
Unfortunately the park isn’t what Kit was expecting. The park should attract families with children. However it seems to attract teens who all seem to be strung out on drugs, plus the water slides are dangerous death traps, and she’s not even enjoying the sunshine.
When a teenage employee vanishes after closing, leaving behind a blood-soaked crime scene-Mitch is a suspect.

Story of Mitch and Kit takes place in the 80 ‘s but there are chapters in the early 70’d featuring Hawk a serial killer ~called the “The Canine Killer” as his grisly slayings include what has become his signature in that he removes one of his victim’s canine teeth.
A connection!
I love thrillers and okay with dark and creep however this was dark and disturbing.

If you haven’t had enough of this story, there is a bonus epilogue available via download from Ms. Garden’s website.
https://www.faithgardner.com/bonus-epilogues
I am glad I read it!

My first Faith Gardner was "Mirror House Girls" which I loved and have been anxious to read another story written by her!

Want to thank NetGalley and Mirror House Press for this eGalley.
Publishing Date Scheduled for Tuesday July 24, 2025.

3.5⭐️

Many thanks to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy of Breakneck Bay all opinions are on my own.

This was a good read to add to my summer thriller list. It was quite twisty and kept me guessing until the end. I ended up wanting a little more and I think it was set up perfectly for it but ended up playing out on the safer side. Overall I enjoyed it and I did not figure it out in the end.

A dangerous waterpark filled with lies, missing girls, and murder. When a teenage employee of the waterpark vanishes into thin air a domino effect of events is set into motion. The park manager becomes a person of interest sending his wife into a tailspin. Holding a magnifying glass to her husband and their marriage she soon realizes she may not know the man she married at all. The only thing deadlier than this waterpark are the truth and secrets it hides.

This was my first time reading this author and I thought it was good. Interesting story, but could have used more character development. Will be reading more by her though.