The Newcomers | A Summer Beach Mystery

4/5 stars

After she discovers her sister has been murdered, Letty escapes to FLorina with her 4-year-old niece. She lands at a quaint motel in Treasure Island and quickly calls it home. As she works to get justice for her sister, Letty finds herself falling for the motel owner’s son, Joe. Joe is a detective and Letty must read lightly or else find herself behind bars thanks to her sister’s shady past. 

Overall, this was a pretty good summer mystery. The other books I’ve read by Mary Kay Andrews have been more typical summer romances. The Newcomers was a nice change of pace. I really liked all of the characters and could feel the charm of Treasure Island. This was a light read with funny moments that eased the suspense and mystery. 

The book was a bit long with added fluff but still enjoyable. While not all of the passages were directly relevant to the actual mystery, they added to developing the tight-knit community of the motel and helped me get to know the characters more. I was honestly expecting a bit more romance, but was pleasantly surprised by Letty’s independence and spirit. 

Overall, this was a charming summer romance that offered a bit more mystery and depth than a usual beach read.