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paulabrandon's review against another edition
1.0
If Rebecca Heath intends to write another book, she should consider a move to YA fiction, because that's what this felt like. While there was a murder mystery element to it, much of it is our main character Lucy Ross going, "Ooh, I totally dig bad-boy artist, Harry Whitlam!" or, "Ooh, I totally dig good cop Jake Parker!" Remember how every YA book that came out featured a love triangle? That is this book to a T.
There are many reasons why this dumb book didn't work, but the main one would be Lucy Ross herself. She is one of the most immature, exasperating morons I've ever had to suffer as a main character in a thriller. (Although she's had some stiff competition this year.) She spent one summer with the Whitlams when she was 16. Twenty years ago. ONE SUMMER TWENTY YEARS AGO. And she is still absolutely obsessed with this family at 35. Being in awe of a rich family and seduced by their lifestyle at 16 years old is believable. Still being obsessed with them twenty years later, having had nothing to do with them since, is weird, creepy and so utterly pathetic. Lucy will sometimes admit to herself that she's being pathetic, but it doesn't really help the reader who has to suffer through it with her!
Lucy is back in the Whitlam's world when she returns to Queens Point to clear up her grandmother's estate. For some reason, she has to go through all of Nan's paperwork. For the life of me, I couldn't understand why. Sure, find mementos and other valued memories, but paperwork? Just chuck it! Anyway, a body turns up and it is actually the Whitlam matriarch, Brooke, who everyone thought had been alive for the past 19 years. But, nope! She was actually murdered 19 years ago at the Whitlam's annual summer party!
Are there chapters set in the past leading up to this summer party, you may ask? Why, yes! Of course! We read about how Lucy fell in with the Whitlam siblings, Anabelle, Mae and Harry, and how she fell desperately, desperately in love with Harry, who we keep getting told is utterly mesmerising and captivating, even though I never saw that or was shown it. He actually came across as a total try-hard putz to me, but I suppose 16-year-old Lucy didn't know any better.
Unfortunately, 35-year-old Lucy doesn't know any better either.
The book is basically Lucy following the Whitlam family members around like a puppy dog, begging for their attention, while wondering who could have murdered Brooke, who she has idolised since she was 16, despite knowing she was a stone-cold bitch hated by her husband and children. Or Lucy going, "Jake is hot," or Lucy going, "Harry is hot," or Lucy going, "Could Harry have killed his mother? But he's hot and I'm still obsessed with him." She really did my head in.
We get a revelation at the end that just completely sinks this thing in which Holy freaking hell, what an utterly asinine and stupid thing to throw into your book as some sort of plot twist. I was reading it and literally saying out loud, "This is absolutely ridiculous."
There's a litany of other things I could complain about when it comes to this stupid, badly-plotted book, but I'm tired. If I hash them up now, I'll just start getting angry again. I don't enjoy books that make me angry through having an idiot, immature main character and really f***ing stupid plot twists.
There are many reasons why this dumb book didn't work, but the main one would be Lucy Ross herself. She is one of the most immature, exasperating morons I've ever had to suffer as a main character in a thriller. (Although she's had some stiff competition this year.) She spent one summer with the Whitlams when she was 16. Twenty years ago. ONE SUMMER TWENTY YEARS AGO. And she is still absolutely obsessed with this family at 35. Being in awe of a rich family and seduced by their lifestyle at 16 years old is believable. Still being obsessed with them twenty years later, having had nothing to do with them since, is weird, creepy and so utterly pathetic. Lucy will sometimes admit to herself that she's being pathetic, but it doesn't really help the reader who has to suffer through it with her!
Lucy is back in the Whitlam's world when she returns to Queens Point to clear up her grandmother's estate. For some reason, she has to go through all of Nan's paperwork. For the life of me, I couldn't understand why. Sure, find mementos and other valued memories, but paperwork? Just chuck it! Anyway, a body turns up and it is actually the Whitlam matriarch, Brooke, who everyone thought had been alive for the past 19 years. But, nope! She was actually murdered 19 years ago at the Whitlam's annual summer party!
Are there chapters set in the past leading up to this summer party, you may ask? Why, yes! Of course! We read about how Lucy fell in with the Whitlam siblings, Anabelle, Mae and Harry, and how she fell desperately, desperately in love with Harry, who we keep getting told is utterly mesmerising and captivating, even though I never saw that or was shown it. He actually came across as a total try-hard putz to me, but I suppose 16-year-old Lucy didn't know any better.
Unfortunately, 35-year-old Lucy doesn't know any better either.
The book is basically Lucy following the Whitlam family members around like a puppy dog, begging for their attention, while wondering who could have murdered Brooke, who she has idolised since she was 16, despite knowing she was a stone-cold bitch hated by her husband and children. Or Lucy going, "Jake is hot," or Lucy going, "Harry is hot," or Lucy going, "Could Harry have killed his mother? But he's hot and I'm still obsessed with him." She really did my head in.
We get a revelation at the end that just completely sinks this thing in which
Spoiler
18-year-old handyman Dante was the mastermind behind Brooke's body being discovered and seeing everybody's secrets being uncovered. He even knew who killed her FFS! WHAT THE FUCK?!? Why didn't he leave these clues for...I don't know...THE FUCKING POLICE MAYBE?!?There's a litany of other things I could complain about when it comes to this stupid, badly-plotted book, but I'm tired. If I hash them up now, I'll just start getting angry again. I don't enjoy books that make me angry through having an idiot, immature main character and really f***ing stupid plot twists.
serenityofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
The Summer Party by Rebecca Heath is an enjoyable & engaging mystery set in a coastal town on the South Australian coast. Set over two timelines, now & 19 years ago, we discover what happened one fateful summer that resulted in the dead body of a glamourous, powerful local family’s matriarch being discovered on the beach below their property. Who killed her? Now that’s a bit of a long list - it seems a lot of people had reason to - & the fun is going along for the ride to discover all their long-held secrets!
If you love an Aussie mystery with an atmospheric beach setting and some great twists, I think you will really enjoy this one!
If you love an Aussie mystery with an atmospheric beach setting and some great twists, I think you will really enjoy this one!
lizg96's review
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Only interesting in the last 50 or so pages
kozinastar's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This book felt like such a waste of time. I only finished it out of pure boredom and determination.
The characters all (yes ALL) suck. I hated all of them—they’re liars, cheaters, stupid, stalkers, and just don’t make sense. They’re not even consistent!!!
Honestly I’ve never read a worse book.
The characters all (yes ALL) suck. I hated all of them—they’re liars, cheaters, stupid, stalkers, and just don’t make sense. They’re not even consistent!!!
Honestly I’ve never read a worse book.
crbrennan's review against another edition
4.0
Good story. There were a few twists at the end that didn't fully see coming, but it took a bit to get there. Saved all the action until that last third of the book.
lucykae's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Death, Toxic friendship, Blood, and Murder
willowtrost's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
dvanhuysen's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2.5/5. It started out slow and the author sprinkled in some elements of secrecy and mystery that kept you wanting to read. I was so hopeful that the ending would be surprising and the slow build up would be worth it. However, that was not the case and I had to reread the last few chapters because it felt very rushed and very confusing.
I didn’t appreciate there being a few sentences that insinuated large gender generalizations. For example “…the young man wearing a faded Bowie T shirt and jeans so tight Lucy hopes his mother isn’t hoping for grandchildren”. I felt there were a few unnecessary sentences such as these throughout.
I’m unsure if Lucy was supposed to be an unlikeable character. But I did enjoy her towards the first quarter of the book but it took a huge plummet after that.
2.5/5. It started out slow and the author sprinkled in some elements of secrecy and mystery that kept you wanting to read. I was so hopeful that the ending would be surprising and the slow build up would be worth it. However, that was not the case and I had to reread the last few chapters because it felt very rushed and very confusing.
I didn’t appreciate there being a few sentences that insinuated large gender generalizations. For example “…the young man wearing a faded Bowie T shirt and jeans so tight Lucy hopes his mother isn’t hoping for grandchildren”. I felt there were a few unnecessary sentences such as these throughout.
I’m unsure if Lucy was supposed to be an unlikeable character. But I did enjoy her towards the first quarter of the book but it took a huge plummet after that.