The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen #TheSummerGuests @tessgerritsen @alisonbarrow @PenguinUKBooks #TheMartiniClub

 

THE MARTINI CLUB ISN’T OPEN TO EVERYONE . . .

Maggie Bird’s ‘book group’ is an unusual one – a group of retired spies living an anonymous life in the seaside town of Purity. And this summer they plan little more than ‘reading’ (whilst sipping martinis), and some gentle birdwatching.

But trouble is just around the corner as the summer guests arrive.

For acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau, summer brings its own problems – packed streets, bar brawls, petty theft. And now, a missing teenager down by the lake.

When their good friend becomes a prime suspect in the girl's disappearance, Maggie and her Martini Club must put down their binoculars and roll up their sleeves. Leaving Jo to deal with not only a powerful family desperate for answers, but a meddlesome group of retirees.

Can Jo and the Martini Club find a way to work together, as they uncover one of the deadliest scandals their small town has ever seen?

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen was published in hardback by Bantam on 27 March 2025. My thanks to the publisher who sent my book for review. 

The Summer Guests is book two in the Martini Club series. However it can easily be read as a stand alone story, the author ensures that her readers are kept well informed about who is who! 

The members of The Martini Club live and meet in a small town in Maine called Purity, and is led by Maggie Bird.  All of the members are retired after fascinating and often challenging careers as spies. They like to talk about books and have a drink together.  However, their backgrounds and their sharp minds mean that they often find themselves involved in things that are not really their business. 

The usual flock of summer guests have arrived in Purity. Susan and her teenage daughter Zoe have joined Susan's in-laws for a break.  Zoe goes missing and whilst Susan is distraught, other family members don't seem to be too worried.

Acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau is soon on the case and her immediate suspect is an elderly local man. When Maggie and the rest of the Martini Club hear this, they are appalled. They know he's not responsible, they know him, he's their friend and he has a granddaughter who is a similar age to Zoe. Despite Jo's displeasure, Maggie and her gang start their own investigations.

The story is told from various points of view of some of the main characters, and the author does this very well. Each voice is unique and each character has their own take on what is happening.  I especially like the sense of place that the author creates. I know that Purity is based on the town in which she lives in real life and she really does bring it to life. 

This is quite an involved mystery, some may label it 'cosy', but there are some dark and dangerous issues covered within the plot, it's certainly not all sweetness and light. 

An enjoyable series with characters that have depth and are also fun. Recommended by me. 

International bestselling author TESS GERRITSEN began to write fiction whilst on maternity leave as a physician. She published her first novel in 1987 and has since sold over forty million copies of her books in forty countries.

Her series featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the television series Rizzoli and Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.

Now retired from medicine, she lives in Maine and writes full time.

www.tessgerritsen.com

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