Are you looking for the perfect beach read and murder mystery, all in one go? Well look no further, my peeps, cause this is it.
Let’s be real, it isn't summer without that perfect beach read. And in order to qualify, it must meet certain criteria. It needs to be fun and frothy, but never superficial. It has to have that je ne sais quoi that grabs you from the first moment and keeps you glued to the pages. And most importantly, it must take place on a beach or in a beach town so you can live vicariously the sun-drenched lifestyle, wherever you may be. And this fulfills it all.
On the morning of Celeste Otis's extravagant Nantucket wedding to wealthy heir Benji Winbury, she wakes to find her maid of honor floating dead in the water. As the investigation heats up and the police carefully comb over every member of the wedding party, shocking secrets are slowly revealed. It seems everyone has something to hide.
The narrative alternates between the present-day investigation and the events leading up to it. Sometimes with a dual timeline, I'm only really there for one or the other, but not in this case. Here, both were equally riveting, and my attention never wavered, not even a blip. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and utterly inhaled the whole thing.
I have to applaud the murder mystery in here. It was superbly done and has all the hallmarks of a classic whodunnit: a small cast of characters, red herrings galore, and delicious twists and turns everywhere. The ending even managed to surprise me, which is saying something coming from a mystery aficionado like myself.
One thing to note is that while this book is marked as #3 in a series, it's fine to be read as a standalone. In fact, I haven't read either of the first two books and didn't even know this was part of a series when I started. As far as I understand it, the books all share some characters around town and that's about it, so you won't miss anything by jumping straight in.
I've been wracking my brain, trying to figure out when was the last time I found a perfect beach read that also happens to be a clever whodunnit. Certainly there are plenty of beach reads out there, and many incorporate a mystery element or thriller vibes. But a true whodunnit à la Agatha Christie? I'm coming up empty. Even Elin Hilderbrand, the queen of the former, has only written this one of the latter. And that's why this book is so special.
Every year, I look forward to my summer beach reads with glee. I anticipate the moment when I finally get to sit out in the sun and crack open that perfect book, ready to soak up the vibes and be transported to all that is glorious about the season. If you're anything like me, this one is not to be missed.
Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!
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