This was a great mix of mystery/suspense and a slow burn love story! This is my second book by Mary Kay Andrews and it's once again a book that I want to keep reading past my bedtime but isn't so suspenseful that'll keep me awake at night.

I am a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrews! Yet, I gotta say, The Newcomer was a slow start for me. It took me about 50 pages to really start to feel invested in Letty. On the run, after discovering her sister dead, Letty takes off to a little seaside town with her niece Maya. At the request of her sister, Tanya, Letty's only mission is to keep Maya away. Heeding her sister's warning, Letty tells no one where she's headed and when she arrives, she can't help but wonder why on Earth her sister sent her to this independently owned motel that has seen better days. What Letty doesn't realize is just how sorely she sticks out. The vacationers at the motel are all regulars with stickler attitudes for their ways and a pretty evident dislike for kids, or rather the noise and activity they bring with them. While Letty and Maya quickly make friends with the owner, who allows them to stay in exchange for helping with cleaning around the property, the owner's son, a cop, is quickly suspicious or the new arrivals.

Even though the book started off slowly, with a lot of pieces moving around, the end result was WORTH IT! I started off by saying I love Mary Kay Andrews, and she has done it again! I really enjoyed this read. I liked the complexity of the characters and how dynamic they were. Andrews described for her characters the multi-faceted personas we all have in different situations. Letty's life wasn't always taking care of a child or putting someone else first, but in this new role, Letty pushes forward with fierceness to protect Maya even at the expense of her own identity. Andrews manages to show the dimensions of her characters across the book. What I find rare about her writing is her ability to build her characters to feel relatable and believable.

I highly recommend reading this book!

I did enjoy this quick pace story by Mary Kay Andrews that is set in a small beach town community in Florida. In the first few pages, we meet Letty who is on the run with her 4-year-old niece Maya. They drive south from NYC and end up in a Florida motel by the sea. Letty decides to settle there and we meet all sorts of characters that are interesting and generally likable. I loved the beach setting. It makes me dream of being by the sea and listening to the waves.
The mystery element in the book was well developed and helped keep my attention the whole time. I am glad I was given an opportunity to read this book before its publication. It was my first book by Mary Kay Andrews and it certainly won't be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Letty has taken her dead sister’s 4-year-old daughter and made a run to Florida. She suspects her sister’s ex killed her. Letty stays at an older motel in the gulf area. She slowly wins over the snowbirds living there. But the ex is circling while Letty tries to prove her innocence.

I enjoyed the book but it is slow paced and much of the mystery is easily solved. Not my favorite but still enjoyable.

Lettuce finds her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her New York City apartment and is sure that Tanya’s ex-husband Evan did it.. So Letty and her 4 year old niece decide to follow the only clue that they can find which leads them to a Florida beach town. Secrets, family and a fun read.

Awesome beach read! The story has mystery, who done it, a adorable little girl named Maya. The characters are wonderful and very believable. As I can attest to the “Snowbirds” storyline, being at one time in that line of work.
Letty finds herself on the run with her niece from New Year, her sister, Maya mother she had found dead in her apartment. Tanya made her promise if anything happen to her to take Maya and run. Letty winds up in Treasure Island at a small motel, the Murmuring Surf. For some unknown reason Tanya had a magazine article of it circled in her go bag. It had to mean something? Hiding out there from Evan, Maya dad was the only thing Letty could think to do for now.
Joe the son of the owner see a women sleeping in the parking lot of the Murmuring Surf. It’s early morning and he raps on the driver’s window and tells her to move on. Being part time handyman and full time cop gives him the right, but Letty explains she is waiting for the office to open to get a room.
Something isn’t right about the whole thing, but the little girl wakes up and has to pee. Letty grabs her and heads to the office for the restroom. Even though it’s “Snowbird” season and the motel is full, Joe’s mom the owner takes pity on Letty and offers her the old efficiency unit. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.
This story grabs you right away and will keep you turning pages all through the night.

I loved this book! I always look forward to another Mary Kay Andrews book in the spring. This one just really hit the spot though. With some mystery and a little romance in the story, I just couldn't stop reading. I loved the way the story evolved and the characters were laugh out loud funny. Highly recommended author and book!

This beach read takes place in Florida and key lime pie seemed like the perfect pair! This book is part mystery, part suspense, part family drama, and part romance. I listened to this via audio, thank you @macmillan.audio for my ALC and I enjoyed the narration!This is my first by the author and have heard she is the queen of beach reads. I enjoyed the regulars of the motel who are mostly retirees and snowbirds and their drama - they make a colorful cast of characters! I was interested in uncovering Tanya's past and secrets but overall, the middle felt quite long and I started to lose steam. But, there is a very satisfying ending that ties together well! ⁣

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC and early listen. Luckily I was able to listen to and read this book. Really enjoy this author's writing and stories. All her characters feel real and not one dimensional. There was a lot going on this story but easy to follow. The narrator did a fabulous job with all the characters. Not once did I have to go back and try to figure out which character was which. Loved the mystery.

Here's a question for you - how do you know when summer is just around the corner? And the answer is.....when Mary Kay Andrews releases a new book! The Newcomer releases today - and it's such a great read!
We meet our lead character Letty as she pulls into the Murmuring Surf Motel (don't you love the kitschy name?), in the Florida town of Treasure Island. She's driven non stop from New York with her four year old niece. Why? The unthinkable has happened - Letty's sister and Maya's mother Tanya is dead. Tanya always said "If anything bad happens to me - it’s Evan. (her ex) Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.”

In the last few books MK has added a mystery alongside the romance and feel good nature of her books. It really works for me, adding another layer to her books.

I loved each and every character in the book - from Letty and the extremely cute Maya, to the warm and welcoming motel owner Ava, her daughter Isabelle, the crotchety, but lovable senior residents, Ava's handsome son Joe - and more. They're all so well drawn and likeable. All except that Evan - MK did just as good a job drawing such a loathsome antagonist.

I loved the setting! It reminded me so much of my holidays when I was younger and I would happily stay there today as well. It has such a welcoming feel - kinda like a 'Cheers' vibe.

And yes, romance is another facet that makes Andrews books such great summer reading. It's not overt, sappy or in your face. The attraction is well done and fits seamlessly into the plot.

Now, take these wonderful characters, the fantastic setting and weave in the mystery of who killed Tanya. What have you got? A book you don't want to put down. And I didn't. Five stars for another engaging, heartwarming, eminently readable, take me away from it all, beach worthy read.

After finding her sister Tanya dead, knowing it was only her awful ex that could have done it, Letty grabs her niece Maya and leaves town. She arrives in a small Florida town and checks into The Murmuring Surf, a motel that her sister had a brochure from. The locals start talking and Letty wonders how long she’ll be able to keep her secrets.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to receive my first ever galley of a Mary Kay Andrews book to read! She is one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she writes! This book was soooooo good! A little mystery, a little family drama, and a little love and you have a recipe for a great beach read! Or if you’re like me and wish you were at the beach, a great read for your deck with a cold beverage. 😊

Thank you #netgalley and #stmartinspress for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #thenewcomer #marykayandrews

This was so cute!!! I love the cover art and would buy a physical copy of this one. It was a cute story and I look forward to recommending it.

Letty's on the run with her 5-year-old niece Maya after Letty finds her sister, Maya's mom, murdered in her penthouse apartment. With Maya's high-powered, rich father on her heels, Letty needs to lay low and figure out how to keep Maya safe while proving Maya's father was her sister's killer. Letty ends up at the Murmuring Surf beach motel, a family-run establishment with quite the cast of summer renters. Each character in this book is so different that they all provide something to the plot. It's not often that even minor characters have plot points such as this! As far as romance goes, though, the chemistry between Letty and local cop (and part of the motel family) Joe is a bit weak. I really liked both Letty and Joe - they were realistic characters with realistic flaws who respond to the plot in what I would think are realistic ways - but the romance doesn't really show up until towards the second half of the book and it's almost a bit of a surprise. But again, I appreciated the realism of the characters and overall the story was quite interesting.

From the beginning, I could relate to Letty Carnahan. She has promised her sister that if anything happens to her, she would take her daughter and disappear. She is single and trying to navigate a four year old, is trying. Maya is the one that steals the book. She is so precious and she makes you just smile. In her sister's go bag is this page from the Murmuring Surf Motel. This is a place where the snowbirds come down to Florida during the winter. The whole group are a cast of characters. The owner, Ava, is a single mom that raised her son and daughter their. Son Joe DeCurtis is a police officer. Joes knows something is wrong but doesn't believe what the papers are saying. The investigation brings in the FBI. Together they solve the case. What no one knew is that Maya's mother made sure there was a will naming Letty as Maya's guardian and left her everything to be held in trust. Now the question is, where to raise her? Stay in New York or go back to Florida where there is love and a quasi family? Love wins out.

Ok, so I'm new to Mary Kay Andrews, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Yes, by the cover it looks very chick-lit-ish (? 🤷🏻‍♀️) - and it very much is. Nothing wrong with chick-lit, actually it's exactly what I was looking for.

I was craving something with a little bit of action, with a dash of family drama, and a large sprinkling of romance with a really handsome guy (Hey Joe, how you doing? ** btw, I may have watched too many episodes of Friends in my lifetime). However, I wasn't expecting the saucy senior moments at the motel - that was an unexpected treat.

Yes, a little predictable at times, but THE NEWCOMER is oh so satisfying.

Also, if your wondering what to drink while reading this book, I highly recommend Mojitos All. Day. Long!

4 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you #netgalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for this advance copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my arc of this title. All opinions are my own.

One sentence review: A charming novel that is part romance and part mystery and has a wonderful array of characters that I couldn't help but fall in love with.

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews is the perfect beach read for someone who likes an element of mystery in their romance. The story centers around Letty, who flees New York City with her four year old niece, Maya, after having found her sister murdered. Letty is running away from her sister's significant other who she thinks just murdered her sister. She flees to a beach town in Florida looking for some answers to clues that were left behind by her sister.

Ms. Andrews created some wonderful characters that I absolutely adored. But without a doubt the four year old Maya steals the show. Seriously this kid is just so cute and charming. It made me want my kids back when they were that age (and not taller than me like they are now). Another element of the novel I really enjoyed was the setting on the beach in Florida. I now really want to go play in the sand and water in Florida.

The storyline proceeds at a swift pace and the plot will keep you wondering where the story is headed. The book is definitely a romance/mystery hybrid that delivers a fair amount of romance. There is a little bit more steam than closed door, but not by much.

I'd say if you are someone who enjoys romances and novels - this is a perfect pick for you. If you tend to like your mysteries or romances to adhere strictly to one genre - I think this book would still work as long as you go in knowing what you are getting.

It's almost summer and that means another book by Mary Kay Andrews....AKA Queen of the Beach Reads. The Newcomer has a little bit for everyone...family, a bit of romance and a touch of mystery. When Letty finds her sister dead in her condo she grabs her niece Maya and heads to what she hopes is safety, a small run-down beach motel in Florida. Once there she finds a community of snow-birds and colorful characters. Not to mention the attractive son of the owners who just happens to be a police officer. This book is quintessential MKA style women's fiction, you can't go wrong with her books.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

All I can say is WOW!!!! What an explosive book. Exceptional writing and characterizations.

I received an ebook from Netgalley and this is my voluntary, honest review.

Could this fish out of water be in too deep? Read THE NEWCOMER to find out! With her signature mix of mystery, small town drama, and a dash of romance, MKA has done it again!

This is NOT your typical suspense murder mystery! It is also a beach read with romance and family drama. The characters are so intriguing (especially precious little Maya Papaya), and truly made the book what it is (well besides the BRILLIANT and TALENTED writing of course). To be able to blend so many different genres into one novel successfully like this is truly commendable, but there is just something about the characters in this book that just stand out to me the most. Grab this one for your beach read!

What can I say about Mary Kay Andrews that hasn’t already been said? She is the queen of beach reads and I absolutely love her writing! Her newest, The Newcomer, is no exception!

This was a very fast paced story that had me reeled in from the start. I don’t want to say too much without spoiling it, but you won’t regret reading this one. This is one of my favorite books so far by Andrews. I loved the mystery and emotional aspect of this story and I know you will too!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.