🎢 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.

I gave this 3.5 stars. I really wanted more from the ending, It felt like it was leading to a twist that never happened. I did enjoy it overall and it kept my interest throughout the story. Kit was not the most lovable character, she lacked common sense and her inner dialogue was annoying at times. Maybe she has adhd? If this had a good twist or more to the ending I think it could have been over 4 stars. It just left me hanging.

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I flew through it in a day and was absolutely into every second. I feel like there were definitely a lot of twists that I did NOT expect and it made for a great reading experience.

I’m usually one to guess how books are going to play out within the first couple of chapters but this one really had me stumped! Once I got farther in I was shocked at how it was all playing out.

I will absolutely be recommending this book to my book club once it is released!

Thanks NetGalley & Xpresso Books Tours for the opportunity to read the eARC of Breakneck Bay

3 stars

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I was immediately intrigued due to the setting at a Waterpark. Also, if there's a serial killer plot, count me in. This thriller is fast paced, has quick chapters, and dual POVs that flip back and forth between Kit and Hawk. This book was entertaining, but there were a couple things that made this story one I liked but not loved

1. The setting was the PERFECT place for a serial killer thriller, however, I feel like the story didn't take place at the waterpark enough, not counting all the chapters in the Ouch Shack. There was so much potential to make this a park that was haunted by a killer but it just fell in to the background
2. The plot was fairly predictable. I had a really good feeling who Hawk was pretty early in the book. I did, however, enjoy Hawk's POV and getting the serial killer mentality.
3. The ending wasn't that shocking to me. I almost wish there was some big event at the end to tie it all up but it was just slow and underwhelming
4. Rhonda drove me bonkers and I'm not sure how Kit didn't punch her in the face a few times. I also though Rhonda was going to be more of a villain than what she turned out to be.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. It's a quick popcorn thriller and an entertaining summer read.

Breakneck Bay was a compelling domestic suspense novel with plenty of twists and emotional depth. The main character, Kit, really carried the story for me. Her determination and refusal to give up, even when everything seemed stacked against her, made her easy to root for.

One of the coolest parts of this book was the setting. Being set in the 80s at a waterpark gave it such a unique vibe. Growing up in the 90s and 2000s and frequently visiting Wisconsin Dells made it easy for me to picture everything so clearly. The slides, the sounds, the summer energy, it all felt vivid and familiar in the best way.

The plot kept me engaged, and while I guessed a few pieces early on, there were still plenty of surprises. The writing was fast paced and emotionally charged, blending mystery with themes of resilience, trust, and betrayal. I appreciated how the story balanced suspense with character development, especially as Kit’s strength was tested in so many ways.

A solid and engaging read that I would recommend to fans of twisty domestic dramas with a strong female lead and a memorable setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

a dark and shaky read and once im all here for. sometimes a book hits thats spot. and this book certainly does that.

This was a twisting, high-speed thrill ride that left me shaken and sputtering. I honestly needed a second to catch my breath after reading it. I felt like I was actually inside Action Park (the creepy water park from the 80s with lawsuits galore, watch the documentary!). Faith's writing floors me, as always, and this might be my favourite book she's written yet.
Kit works at Breakneck Bay with her husband. and if there is anything to really learn from this book its that ive never been so fearful of water-parks! dont go to run run like this one thats for sure. your risking a need for a lawsuit and perhaps even your life.
when arriving at work one day a crime scene or murder scene appears to be whats left of the office. but is Mitch involved,set up and with a missing worker from the park now apparent could all these things be connected. coudl they be connected to Mitch?
i really got Kits dilemmas in this book. you felt for her. how can you start seeing your partner as someone who is killing people? and then how do you ever not see it?
the mystery of this book kept me hooked and i wasn't sure a quite the way through just who my suspects were. the pace was great and this book allowed you to swoop through it like i did in one sitting.
this book reminded me of an adult and upgraded kind of uneasy fear story from your teens. but definitely a lot smarter and mature than those. it had those creepy, staged at a place(water-park) vibes to it.
a really good book.

This is a fast paced thriller that kept me turning the pages.

It was set in the 80’s, searching for a serial killer, in a creepy location, what else do you need?

This was intriguing and suspenseful, very entertaining that you can read in one or two sittings.

Highly recommend.

Thank you so much Mirror House Press and Faith Gardner for my eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I saw that one of my favorite authors; Noelle W. Ihli read this and left a 5-star review.
I was lucky enough to get the ARC from Net Galley and OMG!!!!!!!!!!
I am so happy I picked up this book! I was very invested from the beginning. I really love the writing; I love the park theme that was going on. I will say it was more of a mystery than a thriller, I think there weren't any big plot twist. I was kind of expecting a bit more! However, I enjoyed it 100%. I really loved the different POV's, and the storyline was done really good. I was in a reading slump and this book for sure helped me get out of it. Finally, I appreciate how some topics were addressed, I love that there was hope for the characters. I 100% recommend reading this book! It's a great fast read.