While The Newcomer is a murder mystery with some romance, it’s a light beach read as you might have already detected by the cover. The cast of characters are endearing. And there is no mistaking who the bad guys are. The circumstances are a bit far-fetched and the story is fairly predictable but I liked it. It gave me the change of pace I needed from heavier books.

Author Mary Kay Andrews gives her readers what they expect. Grab your beach towel, relax and enjoy. You may even want to go out and play some bingo afterwards.

"If anything happens to me, Evan did it. Take Maya and run." Tanya always warned her sister that Evan was dangerous. She made Lettie promise to protect four year old Maya. Just run. Run away as fast as you can.
When Lettie finds her sister dead on the floor of her plush NY townhouse and Maya cowering in a closet, she heeds her dead sisters advice and flees with little Maya.
Lettie has no plan - only a "go bag" that Tanya had prepared and a magazine with a Florida motel ad circled in it.
The Murmuring Surf Motel becomes the destination for Lettie and Maya. When they arrive, they find the motel totally booked and no room available for them. Luckily, Ana, the owner takes a shine to Maya and offers an unused storage room that has a minimal bathroom attached. Gratefully they settle in.
But Lettie's troubles are far from over. She is now a wanted person. Evan has blamed her for Tanya's death. She is on the front page of the NY papers.
Lettie has to clear her name. She has to prove who killed her sister. How? Of course, Ana, has a handsome police officer son. Of course he is won over and helps Lettie. For the next 150 pages we follow the trail from New York and FBI investigations into Evan and his corrupt business, con men and actual physical violence. Is is an overdrawn over long process.
And there is more. Not only are crimes solved but the future is revealed.
The basic plot is good but there are too many side issues. Read when you have plenty of time available.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #TheNewcomer

Romance and Mystery Beach Read

Another engaging book by Mary Kay Andrews, The Newcomer gives the reader a bit of everything -- romance, mystery, crusty characters, sweet engaging characters, and a fabulous old beach front motel setting. I am relatively late to reading Ms Andrews, but am thoroughly hooked now. This book is perfect for the beach, but has enough 'meat' (plot, characters, writing style) for your main summer read.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-limited e-arc via Netgalley with no obligations. This review is optional and my own opinion.

A good romantic suspense, gripping and entertaining.
Good character development, a plot that flows.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book was painfully boring for me to wade through. There was just so much unnecessary side story that contributed nothing to the plot.

The relationship between the male and female lead was very odd to me. They shared a few conversations about nothing important and then suddenly they kiss on the beach. There was no chemistry. No friendship. No nothing before that beach kiss.

This book just wasn't for me.

I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Mary Kay Andrews book. The covers always make me think they are a light read and I was proven wrong. This is the perfect summer read. There is suspense, romance, and friendship abundant in the book, but I wouldn’t call it fluff. I’ve read a lot of heavy books as of late and this was just what I needed.

Letty took her niece Maya and fled New York when she finds out her sister has been murdered. She always claimed if something happened to her it would be her exe to blame. They end up at a beach resort in Florida. The story unwinds as Letty acclimates herself to her new home while making sure Maya’s father doesn’t find them.

The pace was a little slow to start, but once I was drawn into the story, I just wanted to read more about the inn and the quirky cast of characters. The author does a great job of creating people you want to know more about. I don’t think anything about the plot or ending will surprise you, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This was the perfect choice to cleanse my palate and start my summer reading.

I thought this was going to be a cutesy beach read, but no it was a murder mystery and backhanded romance. Letty goes to pick up her niece Maya in their usual Sunday routine and finds her sister Tanya lying in a bloody heap in her apartment and Maya crying at the top of the stairs. Letty grabs Maya and flees remembering what Tanya kept repeating to her, if something happens to me it was Evan. Well the story goes on to tell how Letty and Tanya grew up with love from their granny and a mom who didn't care and absent dad. Events transpire that loops Letty in a precarious type of job and Tanya coming to stay with her and meeting Evan her sister's boss and boyfriend who ends up with Tanya. Letty and Maya end up on the run and settle in a small Florida resort motel and get attached to the folks there and the suspicious cop, who is also the son of the owner of the motel who takes a liking to Letty. Story could have been told in 100 less pages and it was pretty easy to figure out and see where it was going early on.

With a complicated synopsis, the basics are a young woman who's younger sister has been murdered escapes NYC with her niece and hopes to run from her problems and start a new life away from it all, but in Florida she continues to find out clues about her sister and eventually it all implodes.

I am thankful for Mary Kay Andrews books I don't read synopsis, because had I read this one, I am not sure if I would have so quickly dove into the book. I trust Andrews with my reading time and so far she hasn't disappointed!

Letty was the sweetest character with the purest of intentions to give her niece the childhood that she only wished she could have had herself or that her sister could have provided. Her niece, Maya was was just the sweetest addition of humor throughout the book as she interacted with all the occupants at the hotel and as she was adjusting to a new normal without her mother.

I loved the mix of a mystery with a women's fiction with strong women at the center of the story. Without spoiling all the things, I loved the last bit of the book and how the author let the conclusion happen, it was a bit predictable, but still satisfying in the end.

When Mary Kay Andrews releases a new book, you know summer is right around the corner. This is a story about Letty who after the suspicious death of her sister, took her sister’s daughter, Maya and left town. Letty soon discovers her sister’s life was full of secrets. Letty makes her way to a town that means something to her sister, but Letty is unsure why.

This book is fabulous and I can’t wait to start selling it in the store tomorrow. I listened to the audio and the book flowed smoothly. I loved the narrator’s voice of Maya. I enjoyed the suspense of the story. Mary Kay is a great storyteller. The characters are well developed.

Thanks for the advanced audio from NetGalley. Love to listen to the stories while in the car and exercising.

I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
This was a different book from Mary Kay than I am used to, but I really enjoyed it. Lots of drama and excitement and a very sweet ending

Mary Kay Andrew’s is the queen of the beach read. Her newest book has it all, packed between the covers. When Letty finds her sister dead, she grabs the go bag Tanya had stashed and her four year old niece and runs. Ending up at the Murmuring Sands, a hotel in Florida, Letty has no idea why she’s there, but she knows it’s was important to Tanya. With a cast of eccentric hotel guests and an owner that takes her under her wing, Letty soon lets up a little, but with Tanya’s killer on the loose and as her past comes to light, Letty’s not sure anywhere is safe for her and Maya. An addictive, fun read!

This was just the escape I needed, a nice long beach read. Set in the town of Treasure Island, Florida at the Murmuring Surf motel, it's a place caught in a time warp. Filled with retirees and snow birds, this place isn't fast to welcome a newcomer. Especially one like Letty with her niece, Maya in tow. There are lots of secrets and Letty's is a doozy. She fled New York City with Maya as soon as she found her sister, Tanya dead. Tanya had told Letty that if she were to be murdered it was by Evan, her ex and Maya's father. Taking the go bag along with an advert for the Murmuring Surf she runs. Soon the bad guys are circling along with some others who might do her harm. With a romance forming with the motel owner's son. the police detective will it be a rosy future for Letty and Maya or will it be jail for Letty?
I enjoyed just about all of this one only being irked more than a little bit by the way the romance was developed. Still, that wasn't a very big issue. The story was engaging and I adored Maya. She was one lucky little girl to have an aunt like Letty. The rest of the cast of characters made for the perfect beach read.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Are you looking for a companion for the beach, on the plane, or simply on your own back porch for the Memorial Day Weekend? Look no further than The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews.

We're drawn in immediately as we meet Letty who is running away from NYC after finding her sister, Tanya, murdered. In addition to taking Tanya’s “Go Bag” full of cash, she’s taking her four-year-old niece, Maya, with her in hopes of hiding from Tanya’s murderer – who is most likely Maya’s father.

The problem is that Letty is a suspect in the murder – and accused of kidnapping her niece. So, not only are they on the run from the murderer, they're also on the run from the authorities.

Letty and Maya find refuge in a small, Florida town and Beachside Motel – The Murmuring Surf – which is owned by kind hearted Ava. It’s almost like a step back in time with Snowbirds who winter in the same rooms year after year. And the old timers don’t necessarily take to Letty, aren’t thrilled at all about a little kid in their home away from home, but what can they do when Ava hires Letty to help her run the place?

And lest we forget that while running away from the authorities in NYC, Letty daily deals with the local police in the form of Ava’s son, Joe, who is a police detective.

Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story would twist or turn. Along with the daily drama of life in a small community of mostly (set-in-their-way senior citizens) we're thrown into the pasts of Letty, her deceased sister, and even the folks at the The Murmuring Surf.

Chock-full of kooky – albeit realistic characters, The Newcomer is a little mystery, a little romance, and the not-too-heavy but not-too-light book that will keep you company while you sip a cocktail topped with a little umbrella.

While sometimes a bit farfetched, and other times a bit predictable, overall, The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews is a solid, enjoyable romp.

I gratefully received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Letty is on the run with 4 year old niece in tow. When she discovers her sister’s body Letty knows she needs to take off. Her sister leaves behind several clues that lead Letty to hiding at The Murmuring Surf Motel. Being the newcomer, Letty immediately becomes a source of gossip and ultimately Letty befriends the motel’s owner along with her son who is a cop. Letty must decide who to trust and how to untangle the web of lies and betrayal that led to her sister’s murder.

I’m a sucker for a good beach read so I can’t believe I have not read any of Mary Kay Andrew’s books before. The Newcomer was a much more dark and suspenseful type of beach read but I found myself tearing through the pages to find out what happened. The cast of regulars at the motel had me cracking up and I really loved the women empowerment/women having each other’s backs throughout the story. A slow build murder mystery with just a touch of romance and family drama, this one will keep you hooked until the end!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fast-moving beach read for this summer's long-awaited travel!

Letty's sister Tanya was murdered, and Letty ran with her niece, Maya to protect her. Letty believes she knows who committed the murder, an ex-boyfriend and dangerous man named Evan. Tanya had left Letty a bag containing money and a magazine clipping of The Murmuring Surf motel in Florida. Thinking that would be a good place to hide, Letty travels there and manages to convince the owner, Ava, to let her and Maya stay.

Despite Ava's son's concerns, Ava gives Letty a job working at the motel. Joe is a policeman, and researches Letty and finds out about the murder and how Letty is being accused by Evan. Isabelle, Ava's daughter, chips in by babysitting Maya for Letty when needed; its a real family affair!

There are lots of twists and turns in this book, along with many colorful long-term elderly vacationers who come to The Murmuring Surf every year. They all might bicker from time to time, but when it counts they stick together.

I don't do spoilers, so I won't tell you how this book resolves, but if you're looking for a light, summer themed book that will have you thinking you're sitting on a white sand Florida beach, this is it.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

I read Mary Kay's new book every May and they just keep getting better! I loved this one. It was layered in an expert way and I always wanted to keep reading. I loved the characters, especially all the wacky residents of the Murmuring Surf.
This is a heartwarming story, with a mix of a mystery threaded through. A great addition to the summer beach read list!

The Newcomer is my first book by Mary Kay Andrews, and it will not be my last. The story is so compelling. It kept my naturally wandering mind locked onto the pages from beginning to end.

What I Loved

The story is so tightly constructed that its focus kept me focused even though it is on the longer side page-wise. And, I loved the general mystery/thriller plot - a sister murdered, an aunt and her four-year-old niece on the run to not be the next victims. The motel where they hide out could have been light, but it isn’t. The characters are as accurate as any senior citizen in Florida.
Okay, it did have its fun moments, but mostly it is just kept honest, which means a grab bag of cantankerous notions, health issues, and choices that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart.

I found every single character to be well-developed and made of complex layers, no matter how small their part in this story. Letty, the main character, quickly won my heart with her heroic actions and enormous heart. The way she protects her niece and creates a home for them in the most unlikely of places is inspiring. She had a rough childhood, but she came out of it with her sense of right and wrong fully intact, unlike her sister. She is just so darn admirable. You can’t help but root for her and be pulled into her world.

The normalcy in the middle of thrills just heightened the story to a new level. I enjoyed watching Letty and Maya find their place in the world – that place where they truly felt like they belonged and could be contributing members. Yet, it also helped to heighten the thrill of them being chased and the fear of being found. The normalcy gave them even more to lose, if the bad guys catch up with them.

What I Wish

I did like Letty and her romantic interest together. Still, there was something that didn’t hit as natural and right in a story that had done so well at showing everyday life. It started too abruptly, I think, whereas in the world they have come to build, it felt like a relationship that would have slowly built over time and involved many more interactions with the people important to both.

To Read or Not to Read

Suppose you are looking for a book that is as good at building a mystery/thriller storyline as it builds a story about relationships. In that case, the Newcomer is a book you won’t want to miss!.

Another great beach read brought you by Mary Kay Andrews. When this book opens we meet Letty who is on the run with her four year old niece Maya, after her sister Tanya is found dead. Letty is the main suspect, but she knows somehow her ex-boss and sister’s ex-boyfriend is the culprit. She winds up in a small motel in Florida because her sister indirectly lead her there.

We get a funny array of characters when she lands in Florida. From Joe the cop, to Eva tho motel owner and all the long term guests that come every winter season every year. When Joe figures out something is just not right with Letty’s presence he goes to great lengths to find her truth.

Mary Kay Andrew always gives us delightful beach reads. This one has mystery, romance and humor in this fun read. All the more she added the adorable Maya who will melt your heart the instant you meet her. This book is very fast paced and keeps you for wanting more. I can’t think of a perfect way to spend a day or two at the beach reading this gem.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Although not a book I would purchase in my professional role, it is one that I will be recommending in my personal life! Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc!

A young woman is hiding out at a Florida beach motel with her niece whose mother was murdered. Part mystery part romance it's an easy beach reach filled with quirky characters.