Lucy came to stay with her grandmother for the summer when she was 16. The Whitlams lived in the white mansion on the hill in a rural town on the Yorke Peninsular in South Australia. Lucy's grandmother's cottage was next door. Alongside the three Whitlam siblings Lucy was an unsophisticated teenager and she idolised them. Lucy's grandmother worked as a cleaner for the Whitlam family and she warned Lucy not to get too friendly with them.

At the end of the summer, on the last night Lucy was there, the mother, Brooke Whitlam, left home forever and Lucy witnessed something without really realising what she had seen.

Twenty years later Lucy's grandmother has died and Lucy comes back to clear out the cottage. A foot is washed up under the jetty on the Whitlam's property, and it is identified as Brooke's. Lucy renews her "friendship" with the Whitlam siblings, their father, and the local policeman.

This is Rebecca Heath's debut novel, and though her later novel THE DINNER PARTY is much better, THE SUMMER PARTY is very readable and the plot is well constructed. ( )

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Heath, and publisher Head of Zeus - an Aries book for the eARC of The Summer Party, out January 5th! This was a 4 star read, very intriguing and kept me guessing until the end.

When Lucy was a teenager, she spent one summer with her grandmother in a small Australian town. When the three rich Whitlam siblings invite her into their circle, she couldn't believe it. They all had the perfect lives; nice clothes, fancy house, anything they could dream of. Mae, the oldest, was regal and set to go off to college in the fall. Anabelle is a fashionista and Lucy's best friend. The only boy, Harry, is a charismatic artist who women flock to and Lucy melts every time he's near. They have one last party to end the summer, and Lucy is set to meet Harry in private for what she hopes is their first kiss. Plans go astray though, and she ends up partially overhearing an argument and what could have been a splash of water. It's now nineteen years later, and Lucy is back in Queen's Point, finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Does she hold the key to who the killer is?

All of the characters are relatively likeable, except for the one who ended up murdered. Lucy is again caught up in the Whitlam's lives, finding herself more on the outside now. Harry is a manipulative player who uses his looks to his advantage at every turn. Mae has become her mother, with her hands in everything in town, pretty much pulling everyone's strings. Anabelle is a married mother and seems to want to rekindle her friendship with Lucy. Officer Jake Parker is the quintessential good, small town cop. But they all have their secrets and everyone has a motive for killing. Can anyone figure it out before someone else ends up dead?

All in all, a fast, intriguing read told from multiple viewpoints and two different timelines. As the story unfolds, you think you know who had motive and opportunity, but things just keep getting twisted together. A gripping whodunit with a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it ending. I definitely recommend this one for mystery and thriller fans! ( )

When Lucy was a teenager, she spent one summer with her grandmother in a small Australian town. When the three rich Whitlam siblings invite her into their circle, she couldn't believe it. They all had the perfect lives; nice clothes, fancy house, anything they could dream of. Mae, the oldest, was regal and set to go off to college in the fall. Anabelle is a fashionista and Lucy's best friend. The only boy, Harry, is a charismatic artist who women flock to and Lucy melts every time he's near. They have one last party to end the summer, and Lucy is set to meet Harry in private for what she hopes is their first kiss. Plans go astray though, and she ends up partially overhearing an argument and what could have been a splash of water. It's now nineteen years later, and Lucy is back in Queen's Point, finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Does she hold the key to who the killer is?

All of the characters are relatively likeable, except for the one who ended up murdered. Lucy is again caught up in the Whitlam's lives, finding herself more on the outside now. Harry is a manipulative player who uses his looks to his advantage at every turn. Mae has become her mother, with her hands in everything in town, pretty much pulling everyone's strings. Anabelle is a married mother and seems to want to rekindle her friendship with Lucy. Officer Jake Parker is the quintessential good, small town cop. But they all have their secrets and everyone has a motive for killing. Can anyone figure it out before someone else ends up dead?

All in all, a fast, intriguing read told from multiple viewpoints and two different timelines. As the story unfolds, you think you know who had motive and opportunity, but things just keep getting twisted together. A gripping whodunit with a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it ending. I definitely recommend this one for mystery and thriller fans! ( )

Lucy, in her late 30s, is headed to her Grandmother’s cottage to clean it out and decide what to do with it. She wants reconnect with a siblings (Mae, Harry and Annabelle) of a wealthy family that she’s been obsessed with since her teens. Has tried throughout her life to befriend them, wanting to be a part of this perfect family. The Summer Party takes place when Lucy is 16, when a sudden turn of events take place. Flashbacks to that time and present bring the early tragedy to the forefront and embroils Lucy and the siblings in the center of a murder mystery.

Can’t say I liked any of the characters, except maybe the 4 legged one! No real wow moments, a little surprised with at one character towards the end. I did give Lucy kudos for doing what I didn’t expect. This was an OK read for me.

Thanks to Ms. Heath, Aria and Aries/Head of Zeus and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone! ( )

Rebecca Heath’s debut novel is a twisty thriller set in a small Australian coastal town. She develops her characters deeply and in a way that you believe you actually know them - some to like and some to despise - as the book progresses. This is a fast-paced exciting read worth your time if looking for a new author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the opportunity to read this ARC. ( )