I thought this was a pretty good read that was easy to curl up with. The story was predictable, but had a great ending. I enjoyed the mystery and romance.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book.

Another great book from Mary Kay Andrews! This one sucked me in from the start - the descriptions were so vivid, I could see the little motel and the interesting cast of characters who call it "home". Full of interesting characters and strong women, this book was a refreshing bit of summer in dreary January.

My very first Mary Kay Andrews book. I must say I will definitely be reading more of her books. I had a hard time putting it down and found myself staying up very late to read. I fell in love with the characters. I “felt” the description of the settings. I could see the motel perfectly with her description. I could hear the ocean waves. I could imagine all of the regulars and their personalities.

Letty is on the run with her 4 year old niece, Maya. Running from her sisters very rich ex and Maya’s father, Evan. She goes to a place in Florida called Murmuring Surf, after finding the name of the hotel circled on a brochure in Tanya’s belongings. It’s exactly where she belongs.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love to know what the further hold for all of the characters. I will recommend this book to friends. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

While I felt that MKA did a wonderful job describing the town/beachside motel community, the book overall had a thin plot that could have benefitted from much stronger character development.. As with some of her other books, this one felt too long and I was ready for it to end about halfway through.

A life in peril. A disaster in the making. A con artist able to manipulate, gaslight, and terrorize an entire family.
Nobody knew the real Evan. However, he's had a history of abuse. A man that would do anything to save face, to receive a source of supply, to replenish his benefits for himself. A selfish man devoid of empathy. A man that literally sold out his own for the sake of himself.
A family should be primary concern above all else. It should by your top priority.
In this case 'tax dodger' was a more fitting terminology for this madman who destroyed the very thing he claimed to love with no remorse.
When Tanya was murdered it was their only daughter who was left to deal with the disturbing trauma. A trauma so devastating that it caused Letty to take Maya and flee for their lives.
This story is the remarkable journey on the run, hiding in hotels, seeking justice for Tanya and Maya.
The money trail was vast but the murder trail was anything but easily enforced. After all, for abuse victims we have to wait till we are harmed before sadly anything can be done. Threats are not necessarily against the law. It's the action to carry them out that violated any rules.
This hit home deeply because I lived a similar lifestyle while fighting for custody and child support. Prior to those filings being brought to court I spent many nights out at local hotels to protect us all and would call them 'mini vacations' for our kids safety.
I'll never forget the calls upon him uncovering the truth that I not only filed for support but also for protection from abuse.
In my case my abuser violated both with warrants and his arrest imminent but not till 15k arrears accrued.
Trust me it was a nightmare but one that those who survived malignant narcissism no all too well.
The fact that wills were discussed, marital assets, transfer of titles/property deeds, hiding of bank accounts into offshore funds was something many of us know all too well.
You have to protect yourself from these toxic individuals as they don't stop until you're destroyed!
Hiring someone to do one's dirty deeds was never a concern in my case but in this one it was central and pivotal to this masterful plot.
As a longtime fan of Mary Kay Andrews she simply gets better with each novel. She's like a glass of fine wine. Aging gracefully and beautifully.
There's nothing I didn't love in this book. It flowed incredibly well. It was a super mystery from the start. It felt like you were literally on a Bonny and Clyde scenario watching over your shoulder at all times.
An incredible and exhilarating new work that I highly recommend.
I'm thrilled that the ending worked out the way it did into the epilogue.

I loved this murder-mystery romance novel. It felt like a perfect read for this COVID lockdown, especially since we’re unable to travel to Florida for our annual trip. The description and little details of the life of snowbirds were great - those coming from the north year after year, with their bickering, companionship & competitiveness at bingo nights, for example.

While the twists and turns were somewhat predictable, this is exactly what I want when reading a novel like this - the feeling of success in putting pieces together and not needing to keep notes to keep overly-complicated plot-lines straight. The themes of experiencing ups and downs between sisters but knowing that siblings will do anything and everything to protect nieces & nephews; interactions with strangers who eventually become like family; strong female characters like Ava, Letty and Trudi who will not allow themselves to depend on a man to save them, ain’t with a man eventually realizing that he’s the one needing rescuing not the typical damsel in distress themes often seen in this genre really has me loving this novel!

Reading this novel - thanks to NetGalley - has also spurred me on to place holds for previous Mary Kay Andrew’s books at my local library. I’m very excited to have discovered a new-to-me author! :)

The Newcomer is a fantastic read! A fugitive’s journey for survival, escaping the city for the beach, is what the heroine has to do—with a four-year-old niece in tow. The plot unfolds as the heroine unravels the clues left by her murdered sister and lands in the middle of a five year old unsolved scam in an old-fashioned beach motel filled with eccentric geriatrics. Resourceful, resolved to keep her niece safe, and undaunted by the fear of the long-reaching tentacles of the real killer, as the newcomer, she settles in, finds work and acceptance in the strange community of old-timers. Better yet, prodded by the local cop and the FBI, she portrays her own demise, and in the dangerous adventures of trapping the criminals responsible for her sister’s death, the heroine finds love and a safe haven, complete with “family” and her forever home.

This book was great! I loved the romance story, tied into the crime aspect. I loved Joe! He was a character who I thought would drive me nuts at first, but quickly learned to love him!

This was a mix of unique characters , mystery, suspense, and romance with a little humor thrown in. It was a great beach read and kept me entertained until the last page. I look forward to MKA’s new book each year, and she did not disappoint with this one. I liked that plot and the atmospheric setting of Treasure Island. I live is a small beach town and MKA’s rich descriptions were right on.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Newcomer will be a hit for the summer beach read season. It includes murder, fugitives, romance, interesting and fun characters, and the real hook, a precocious four year old girl. We meet Letty as she is on the run with her niece, afraid she will be accused of her sister’s murder. She ends up at a beach front motel in Florida full of interesting and entertaining characters. There is enough suspense, humor, and plot twists to keep most every reader intrigued and and rushing to the end — but hating to let go of these characters so soon. I enjoy all Mary Kay Andrews books and this is a great one

This is going to be the beach read of the summer!! I literally could not put this book down and finished it in two days. You'll fall in love with little Maya and her Aunt Letty. All of the characters in this book are totally lovable and you'll just want to know what happens next.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of The Newcomer. I always enjoy a Mary Kay Andrews novel.
When the story opens, the heroine, Letty Carnahan, is on the run. Her sister, Tonya, has been murdered in her plush New York City apartment, with her four-year-old daughter, Maya, looking on. Tonya left instructions that, if anything happened to her, Letty should take Maya and a go-bag of cash and hightail it out of town. Letty is a suspect in her sister's murder, but she believes the killer is Evan Wingfield, a crooked real-estate tycoon with whom Tonya was in a heated custody battle over Maya.
Letty ends up at the Murmuring Surf Motel in a Florida gulf coast beach town, drawn there by a hint that it's connected to her sister's sordid past. She endears herself to Ava, the owner, who immediately falls in love with Maya. Ava's son Joe, a local cop, although suspicious of Letty at first, becomes a love interest.
I had to suspend disbelief at times; there were a few too many coincidences and perfect alignment of the stars. But the heroine was likable and it was a fun read; I kept turning the pages.

Review
Mary Kay did her usual fantastic job on this book. But I must tell you her writing style has changed a lot from her beginnings. The topics are way less frivolous. The storylines and characters are more profound and more mysterious. The last few books have less humor and off-the-wall characters in them. In this book, the main mystery is quite complicated, and because there are actually 2 mysteries going on, it can get a little complicated. There are some stereotypical characters in this book (the usual Florida Olde Pharte, for example), but you can see why as you read. I loved it.

This book was filled with mystery, intrigue, family, murder, unlikable characters (and I must admit that it took me a very long time to connect with and warm up to, Letty Carnahan and her niece Maya, our main character's) lies, romance, and the usual luscious descriptions of the deep South.

I have to admit that this book's twists were phenomenal, and I hope that there will be a book about Vikki Hill. She was a great secondary character!

This book will be a must-buy for avid Mary Kay Andrew's fans, and I highly recommend this book to those that love a good mystery and tales of the South. This is going to make for an exceptional beach read this year!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, author, and NetGalley.

I was interested in this book from the first page! Letty was a woman who I was able to get into her mind and follow all along. What she goes through, during the span of the book, is very moving. Both physically and emotionally. Mostly emotionally. Trying her best to keep her lovely niece Maya safe from all harm as she runs and hides from the law. Throughout the book, her new "family" comes to trust, love and want to protect her and Maya from all harm. This book will stick with me for a long time. Thank you so much Mary Kay for such a wonderful read! I'm looking forward to reading more of your books, now.

I am unable to put this review online yet. I will when the book comes out!

I found The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews to be at first frustratingly slow going, to the point I nearly set it aside, to an ultimately fast paced and engrossing read. By the novel’s end, I understood why Ms Andrews wove the story as she did, as it mirrored the secrecy of the late Tanya, at best a morally ambiguous person but one who deeply loved her child, and one who did all she could to protect her. The story takes place after Tanya’s murder, and follows her sister Letty, who is on the run with Tanya’s daughter, Maya. They end up at an older beachside motel where Letty finds sanctuary and protection from Ava DeCurtis and her family. The motel is occupied with crotchety seniors, mostly snowbirds escaping the cold northern winters. They add both frustration, color, and a occasional plot twist to the book. There is also a brewing romance between Letty and Ava’s son, Joe. Hands down I loved Ava and all she brought to this book the most.

I recommend this book and think it will be a great beach read this coming summer. Four Stars.

I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher. I was not compensated nor required to write a positive review and the opinions stated are solely my own.

This was my first time reading a book by Mary Kay Andrews. I've been wanting to read her work, and was drawn to this latest effort due to its being set in Treasure Island/St. Pete/Tampa, which is where I'm from. I liked how authentic the details of the setting were; Andrews perfectly captures the seediness and quirkiness inherent in the area that is, on its surface, an easy, breezy beach town. The entire beachside motel community is portrayed with vivid accuracy, from the ramshackle pool furniture, to the entitled, cheapskate clientele of snowbirds. I liked Letty as a protagonist and her relationship with her niece Maya. I do, however, think this book is geared towards an older audience than myself. It feels a bit dated to me, and it's way too long. I found myself ready for it to end about halfway through. I would recommend this to someone like my grandma or great aunt; older ladies who devour mystery fiction audiobooks by the dozens and need quantity over real depth or ingenuity.

Queen of Beach Reads is back with a delicious, intriguing, engaging, addictive, unputdownable gem to devour at one bite!

This is fast pacing, action packed, exciting murder mystery centered at the pop motel in Florida Beach-town.

Quick paced story starts with new comer/ fugitive Letty Carnahan’s arrival at the parking lot of Murmuring Surf motel with her sweet pie 4 years old niece Maya.

They are running from authorities because she finds sister lying on a blood bath at her house as her little nice is scared and traumatized. Her sister Tanya warned her about her ex Evan who is biological father of Maya could harm her before and her predictions eventually come true. Letty keeps her promise she gave to her sister: she takes her niece and she runs away because the scumbag ex Evan might have killed her sister and now he’s coming after her!

She views the magazine her sister left behind and sees the Murmuring Surf’s name has been pencilled. She thinks her sister tried to give her a message by directing her to this motel.

But as soon as she opens her eyes in her rental car Kia, she sees scrutinizing eyes of officer Joe banging her car door to warn her pull out her car because there is no vacancy at the motel.

Thankfully officer’s mother Ava who is also owner of the hotel is more helpful and merciful to her. She offers her to clean and move in the older storage room which has a bed and kitchenette with a reasonable price.

She takes the offer and tries so hard to provide a clean and happy place for her niece even though the old guests of the motel consisted of retirees and snow birds find that young lady’s sudden movement suspicious and give her hard time just like officer Joe did to her as soon as they met.

On the other hand Evan does everything he can to find her, sending a corrupted police officer/ detective behind her to arrange a contract killer. As Letty reads the news about herself showing her suspect from her sister’s murder and feels the doubtful looks of the guests she gets more panicked.

But we also witness how Ava and her teenage daughter Isabel starts forming an intimate bound with her. Ava gives her job at the motel and she realizes how she manages the place professionally and it seems like Joe starts liking her, too. Maybe his feelings more than liking her as a friend.

But as soon as Vikki arrives at the motel, the woman Evan hired to find her, things get more complicated. Letty has to come clean and instead of running away, she has to face with her demons and find the killer of her sister!

This is unputdownable, riveting, exciting, heart pounding murder mystery. I loved the back stories of hotel residences. The sweet Maya stole my heart. The romance part between Letty and Joe was a little instant. The enemies turned into friends and lovers way too much quickly. Joe was douchebag at the beginning and just like switching his buttons he turned into genuine, good hearted, caring boyfriend. But instead of that I enjoyed the whirlwind mystery and small holiday town motel premise.

This is one of the best books of the author which made me rounding up my 4.5 to 5 palmy, Floridian, sunny stars because the clever mystery and emotional story of sisters!

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this year’s one of the most anticipated books’ digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Mary Kay Andrews comes through with another fun rom-who-dun-it-com! This one is set in Treasure Island, Florida, and yes that's a real place! The setting is the Murmuring Surf Motel, an old-school mom-and=pop motel. Letty Carnahan is on the run with her niece, Her sister Tanya (Maya's mom) got entangled with a shady NYC real estate shark. Tanya had prepared Letty that if anything happened to her, Letty was to take Maya and the "go bag" that Tanya has hidden in her closet. In the bag, Letty finds a boatload of cash and a brochure for the Murmuring Surf Motel.

Once in Florida, Letty is befriended by the owner of the motel, Ava DeCurtis. Ava's son, Joe, is on the local police force. He has an idea that Letty is hiding something. But, he also sees her innate goodness and is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

In between Aloha Bingo and Ping Pong tournaments, Joe and Letty and FBI agent Vikki Hill work to solve not only Tanya's murder but also other schemes and scams.

Along the way, Joe DeCurtis becomes mighty fond of Letty. I thought Joe was just adorable.

This is just a fun read that will leave you smiling, with some crazy Floridian characters. It actually takes place in the county where I live, so it was fun to see so many familiar places and names - Publix, Tiki Gardens, Derby Lane, and more.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for the ARC!

A easy, beach read with a bit of romance and some mystery. The main characters in this book are easy to like. The storyline keeps you reading. I would say this is a solid book for its category much like Mary Kay Andrews other titles.

I would definitely recommend it!

Mary Kay Andrews' new novel, The Newcomer, depicts Letty and her young niece Maya fleeing from New York City to the warm shores of Florida. While in Florida, we meet a slew of quirky characters who help Letty, unbeknownst to them, solve the mystery of her sister's death and learn more about her mysterious life.

Although at times the book seems a bit unrealistic, I really liked it. Its quirkiness was just what I needed. If you are looking for a quirky book with a little mystery, this would probably be a good choice for you. I enjoyed the different characters and the little getaway in print. Thank you NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.