e-Audio, 09:48:42
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Release Date: May 23, 2023
Published by: Macmillan Audio
Read from: May 26-30, 2023
Stand-alone
Source: Libro FM ALC
TW: Death, Murder, Cheating
For Readers Interested In: Mystery, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Beach MysteryA whip-smart, propulsive debut about infidelity, backstabbing, and murderous intrigue, set against an exclusive summer haven on Fire Island
None of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder?
Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he’s the tennis pro-or someone else’s husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as quietly as any other.
Until a body is discovered, face down off the side of the boardwalk.
Stylish, subversive and darkly comedic, this is a story of what’s lurking under the surface of picture-perfect lives in a place where everyone has something to hide.
*MY THOUGHTS*
So when I heard of this I wasn’t going to read this. It sounded like your run of the mill beach thriller. But then I saw so many people talking about it and I knew I needed to read it too. I’m a huge fan of beachy thrillers. But when I got my hands on this one, it was not what I was expecting. Yes it was a mystery, but it was mostly like old gossipy adults who were all terrible.
Ok so first things first, the characters in this were all atrocious. Like literally all of them. There was cheating between all of them, there was a weird random romance that was like a bit of blackmail, there was stealing, and murder, and yeah, the list goes on. It was really weird. Like they all kept going to this stupid island to talk down about each other. It was legit weird. Like I get that you want to keep up appearances, but at the same time, these were some grown ass adults lol And none of them were paying each other’s bills, so it was basically just them being petty to each other. As a character driven reader I was annoyed for most of the freaking book.
The mystery itself was cool tho. I liked the writing style. I am a huge fan of non-linear timelines, so this was cool. It basically showed the murder first, and then it started from the beginning of the summer and worked its way throughout the summer. But it was told from all the different POVs. I think if they hadn’t been so damn petty I wouldn’t have been so mad. BUT, I didn’t like how all the details weren’t released until the end. It’s the author’s way to make sure you can’t guess whodunit. But that all fails if someone does. And yes, that is me. I figured it out. And that bummed me out.
This book wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. I never really feel like a character driven reader until I run into some unbearable ass characters. And this book definitely had those. I was fighting for my LIFE trying not to DNF it. But it was so bad that I just couldn’t look away. And I’m still glad I didn’t. It ended up being ok in other ways. Basically I liked it as a whole, but parts of it were not great lol
Overall, I give this
