I am a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrews and appreciate an opportunity to read her latest book early!
This story focuses on our main character Letty, who is on the run with her four year old niece Maya. Letty heeds Tanya's prescient warning: if anything happens to me, take Maya and run.

Letty finds refuge in in a motel in Florida that has ties to her sister and her past. The owner of the hotel and her police officer (love interest) son try to help Letty move on while Maya's father and Tanya's past continues to threaten them.

I did enjoy this story quite a bit but felt the ending could have been edited a bit - it seemed a bit more drawn out with unnecessary events.

I can always count on a Mary Kay Andrews book to take me away and give me a heroine that I love. The Newcomer did both of these and exceeded my high expectations for Ms. Andrews' work!!

The Newcomer was impossible to put down from start to finish and all the different threads of the story were braided together beautifully.

I adored almost every character in this novel from charming Maya to the annoying Oscar. All of them were perfect and enjoyable to get to know.

What I think I loved most about this novel is that the ending wasn't super rushed. It drew out a bit so that it didn't feel abrupt and I enjoyed that a lot.

I'd also read another story just about Vikki!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I have read several books by Mary Kay Andrews and this was by far my most favorite to date. I loved the plot and the way the story unfolded. Personally it had me on the edge of my seat as you start with Tanya's death and the disappearance of her daughter with her sister Aunt Letty. I loved the characters that you meet at the Murmuring Surf. Letty's character truly breaks your heart as you watch her journey and solve the mystery of who killed her sister.

Lettuce Carnahan discovers her sister Tanya murdered in her New York townhouse and following her sisters wishes, takes her niece Maya and runs. Evan Wingfield is a powerful and unscrupulous man that Letty is sure murdered her sister. She will protect Maya at all costs.
When she finds herself landing in a somewhat rundown motel in a small Florida beach town she has to beg a room from the owner as the ‘no vacancy’ sign flashes. The motel is filled with a group of odd snowbirds that have been coming here for years and are not about to let a woman and a child disrupt their vacation schedules. Despite the owner’s taking a liking to Letty and little Maya, there is the problem of Joe, the owner’s police officer son, who is snooping around the young woman and little girl with an itch that something just doesn’t add up.
Great story, entertaining, crazy characters. A charming read.

****The Newcomer is an engaging story on multiple fronts. It’s a mystery, a portrait of half-sisters, one of whom now is deceased; the other portrayed in the media as the killer, a story of greed, dirty dealings, lies, and a slow moving romance. Mary Kay Andrews’ characters run the gamut from “normal” to utterly ridiculous. There are a lot of secrets to be revealed...some of which are unexpected. In other words this is a book that should not be missed. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

A real page-turner, but perhaps a bit too long. Although there were some twists and turns in the plot, the ending was predictable. Maya was an adorable character! I would recommend this as a good book for the beach.

In Mary Kay Andrews' latest book, The Newcomer, Letty Carnahan finds her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her New York City townhouse and must act quickly to save her four year old niece Maya, who may have witnessed the crime. Letty remembers a recent conversation with her sister who insisted that if anything ever happened to her to take Maya, grab Tanya’s “go-bag” and run. She escapes to Treasure Island, Florida and finds The Murmuring Surf Motel. At The Surf she finds a nurturing motel manager, a ragtag group of retirement age snowbirds, and the motel manager’s attractive son, who just happens to be a detective on the local police force. As the book progresses, Letty learns her sister’s ex wasn’t the only one keeping secrets, Tanya had a few of her own.

It was interesting to read about life at these old beach side motels that were once ubiquitous in Florida but now are becoming quite rare. Letty and Maya find a real sense of family and community at The Surf that changes their lives in significant ways.

The Newcomer has mystery, family drama, humor and romance like only Mary Kay Andrews can weave together.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the uncorrected ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How have I just now discovered the author, Mary Kay Andrews? Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC of her new novel, The Newcomer, coming out in May 2021. I loved this book and cannot wait to seek out her other titles. The heroine of this delightful novel is Letty Carnahan who is on the run with her 4 year old niece, Maya, after discovering the body of her sister Tanya, who is murdered in her townhouse in NYC. Her sister, Tanya, always told her that if something bad happened to her she should take Maya and run with her. Tanya said she was afraid of her estranged boyfriend, Evan, who is Maya’s father and who also happens to be Letty’s former boyfriend and employer (because that adds a layer of drama to the relationships). Letty leaves without knowing what happened to her sister or having a real plan. She decides to follow the clues in her sister’s go bag, which includes an older magazine article about a motel in Florida called the Murmuring Surf Motel. Although the sign at the motel says there is no vacancy, the owner has a soft spot for Letty and Maya and lets them stay, to the dismay of the eccentric retirees and snowbirds who inhabit the motel. Letty does not know how long she should stay or who she can trust. Of course, it does not take long for Maya to win over all the residents and for Letty to realize she may have feelings for the owner’s son, Joe, who also happens to be a police officer. Can she allow herself to fall for him or does she have to keep up her guard? And who really killed Tanya? This story was such a blessing to read in the midst of this crazy pandemic. There were so many fun characters and I could easily picture the charm of the hotel and the desire to live by the sea. The second half of the book contained more suspense when an out of towner provides an unexpected update on the case and a mysterious stranger starts lurking around. There are plot twists I definitely did not see coming. Readers will definitely stick around to the end as they root for Letty and Maya and justice for Tanya. Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC. I cannot wait to recommend this book when it comes out this spring! In the meantime, go read everything else by this author. A new favorite!

Mary Kay Andrews has done it again! A great read filled with intrigue and surprises in one of my favorite places-Treasure Island in the Gulf Coast.
Letty has gone rogue with her sister, Tanya’s child after she discovers her dead. They escape to Treasure Island and a motel called The Murmuring Sands. What a cast of characters she discovers there! She and the child are safe for awhile until her sister’s past comes back to threaten. A great beach read!

I was given a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.

Tanya has been murdered and Letty is on the run with Tanya's daughter.

It's up to Letty to keep Maya safe while staying off the radar of NYPD' as a suspect and the revenge thirsting d baby daddy.

This plot has it all - Murder, dysfunctional family dynamics, illegal air bnb, failed acting careers, grifters a seaside motel filled with nosy octogenarians and sisters who had no clue who each other really are.

Fun, fast read that keeps layering story line upon story line.

Mary Kay Andrews is an author who never disappoints. Her latest book, THE NEWCOMER, is no exception. Letty is on the run from her sister’s killer, with her young niece, Maya. The police wrongly suspect her. She ends up in a rundown hotel in Florida, filled with senior citizens. The owner befriends her and gives her a job as a maid, and a room to sleep in. The owner’s son Joe is a policeman who knows Letty’s secret, but is willing to give her the benefit of proving her innocence. Bad guys, and romance ensue. The characters are so likable, we root for them. I enjoyed this book so much, I read it in a day. I received an ARC copy for my unbiased review.

What level would you go to keep a promise? For Letty, it was “all in”, dropping everything and running with her sister Tanya’s 4 year old daughter, Maya. Letty and Maya end up in Florida at hotel full of quirky guests and an owner who treats them like family. The NEWCOMER is a suspense filled roller coaster ride, as they try to manage their new circumstances and resolve the past that they ran from. I enjoyed this book and fell in love with Maya right away! I bet you will too. Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and netgalley.com for the ARC.

Fun mystery with a little bit of romance through out. There are a lot of secondary characters - the regulars snowbirds at the motel- but they round out the story well.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the arc.

I love a good suspense with romance sprinkled in and this was just right! The character development was great and they didn't have any silly misunderstandings that annoy me in other stories. They actually communicate, like normal adults!

Just what you would want from one of Mary Kay Andrews' books. A quick read that kept me entertained.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were engaging and the storyline with suspense and mystery was a good balance with light-heartedness of other parts. This was my first book by Andrews but I definitely want to read more.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
Letty finds her sister Tanya dead on the floor. Letty remembers Tanya's words recently - if anything happens to me, take Maya and RUN. (Maya is Tanya's 4 year-old daughter). Letty does what she is told ditching cars, buying cars, and leaves NYC behind and ends up in a tiny beach town in Florida.

Letty knows who killed Tanya - her ex - Maya's father, but proving it will be difficult. In the meantime, Tanya's ex - Evan - is telling ANYONE who will listen that Letty killed her sister and kidnapped her niece.

The twists and turns in this book are fantastic. A story well woven - it completely pulls you in.

You're going to want to read this in one sitting!
We meet our heroine, Letty, as she is pulling into the parking lot of the Murmuring Surf. As the tale unfolds we get glimpses to the past incidents that ultimately forced Letty to flee New York City with her four year old niece, Maya, in tow.
The Murmuring Surf is a charming, if aged, Florida beachside resort that is filled with regulars, those that have visited every year for decades. The guests have formed a tight knit community and they are a bit resistant to Maya and Letty's presence at first. Letty only knows she needs a safe place to keep Maya while she tries to decide what to do next. The one complication is Joe, who is a cop, but also the son of the Murmuring Surf's owner. His presence makes Letty nervous but she may have to trust him.
This book is a perfect beach escape filled with characters that come to life in a way that only Mary Kay Andrews can deliver. I highly recommend this story that delivers just the right balance of suspense, family, love and laughs.

Very good book. The characters evolved as the story progressed and were very lifelike. Of course, everything ended tied up in a nice bow.

I received a copy of The Newcomer from St. Martin's Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. I enjoy Mary Kay Andrews' books in general as they are quick reads for me and somewhat of a change in pace of my usual genres. The Newcomer did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the characters in this book. I found myself comparing this book to Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, as it made me want to visit The Murmuring Surf Motel, the setting for most of the book. Netflix simply MUST make this one into a movie, book clubs everywhere would be getting together to watch it for sure. Thank you for the opportunity to read The Newcomer, I enjoyed it and highly recommend it!