A group of affluent individuals summer on fire island. The drama is plentiful for these beach goers, and when one of their own winds up dead, it becomes evident the murder isn’t the only secret being concealed.

This was a fun book, and the audio was excellent. I enjoyed the multiple POV and while there are a lot of characters, I felt I was able to get to know them pretty well due to the multiple POV. I liked how they all were “bad” in their own ways, and all very much unlikeable. This added to the story for me, as I believe the book was written to not “root” for anyone, but to dislike them all. This would be a great listen or read by the pool this summer!

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum is a captivating debut novel that explores the dark side of an exclusive beach community on Fire Island. With whip-smart prose and sharp satire, the book follows the lives of Jen, Lauren, Sam, and Jason, and Rachel, who is looking for love.

Jen and Lauren are the popular queens of Salcombe, manipulating everyone to get what they want. Sam and Jason, their husbands, have a deep-seated grudge against each other, and secrets that they have kept hidden for years. The arrival of Rachel adds some much-needed excitement to the summer, but everything changes when a body is discovered off the boardwalk.

The plot is full of twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat as they try to figure out who among the characters is capable of murder. Rosenblum has created a cast of complex, flawed characters that are all hiding something, and the tension between them builds to a thrilling climax.

Overall, Bad Summer People is a thrilling and stylish novel that offers a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy and privileged, with a twisty plot.

This was only a fine book in my opinion. It was very slow paced and there were so many characters that it was sometimes hard to figure who was who. All the characters were unlikeable as well so that made it a tougher read for me. I usually need someone to root for even if it is the "villain."

What a wickedly fun book! This is my first Emma Rosenblum book and it was exactly what I was hoping for: fast-paced, dark humor, and filled with unsavory but fascinating characters. It's not a thriller in the traditional sense but it's more of a dark soap opera with twists and turns that keep you guessing who the murdered victim is in the end. I love reading about uber wealthy selfish people who do terrible things and this definitely didn't disappoint. My only minor quibble is there is a lot of tennis. I'm a fan of tennis but I found it dragged on a bit during the big doubles tournament. The narrator is great and I highly recommend the audiobook version to readers. She makes the story really come to life.

While the story felt slow at times I really enjoyed the story. The characters were so scandalous and it was well narrrated.

This was such a fun listen! It reminded me a lot of "One of Us is Dead" by Jeneva Rose! So much drama and so many bad people! It was such a fun escape!

First and foremost, readers need to adjust expectations. Bad Summer People is in no way a thriller. It is a fun escape about truly terrible people. Think White Lotus plus Big Little Lies set in a small beach town with ridiculous rich residents. There is a death that readers know will happen from the beginning, however the who remains a mystery until about 80% into the story.

Overall, this was a great atmospheric read. A small gripe would be the reveal of the person who ultimately dies just seemed… anticlimactic? I do think it’s a commentary of the ripple effect of other’s bad decisions but it just fell a little flat.

In terms of the audiobook- January Lavoy nails the narration. She seems to grasp the absurdity of all the inner workings on this group of “friends”. I highly recommend readers chose this one on audio, I can see how some of the humor may be lost without Lavoy’s narrating choices.

This is the perfect summer read for those who like their fiction with a large dose of over the top drama. For readers who need some escapism in their life- Bad Summer People is the perfect read!

Really great book! There was drama, petty revenge, cattiness, and no one undeserving of receiving the wrath--or giving it. The narration was excellent, and the writing was engaging and entertaining. I need more like this!

When packing your beach bag this summer, make sure you grab Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum. It is a highly entertaining story full of stereotypical rich people from Fire Island, who are suspicious, backstabbing and murderous! Yes, this is a murder-mystery set in the Hamptons told through multiple points-of-view. The cast of characters were well-developed and Rosenblum depicts the egocentric group entertainingly, tennis whites and all.
Enjoy!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bad Summer People is a great beach read. If you are looking for drama with spice, this may be your new summer read!!

Fire Island is an annual summer beach town for wealthy New Yorkers. A place where gossip is queen and tennis is king. This summer deception looms over the small island creating havoc. Told from multiple perspectives, the characters will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Love a twisty ending, check this title out!!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for my ALC. All opinions express about this book are my own thoughts.

Fast-paced and engaging, this is the perfect Summer read for fans of: rich people behaving badly, beach reads, mysterious deaths, and so, so many frenemies. I really enjoyed the audiobook, and the ways it introduced us to the chorus of privileged, and largely unlikeable characters (primary and secondary), and I was thoroughly immersed. This was a lot of fun! The narrator was also excellent.

It’s finally summer on fire island and the group depends. Jen and Lauren run the group alongside their best friend husbands Sam and Jason. Rachel, endlessly single and in love with Sam sees something on the beach that could ruin the group forever, but when someone ends up dead off the side of the boardwalk though, everything blows up.

Ahhh summer adults behaving badly…sign me up! Everyone in this book has flaws out the wazoo, and I loved being there to watch the train wreck. This will be a great pool or beach read for this summer. The women are all catty as hell and secretly hate each other, which of course means they smile and hug in person and then gossip endlessly behind each others backs. I will say I think it’s mis-marked as a thriller, it’s more of a drama but with a little mystery. Either way, if you need a quick, fun, summer read this one will for sure hit the mark!

Following a group of wealthy, unlikable characters as they spend their summer on Fire Island. Rich people problems galore with a light murder mystery element. Nothing revolutionary here, but it’s a fun enough time and would be the perfect beach read.

Delighted to include this title in the May edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Bad Summer People has everything you'd expect from a beach bag read. The untrustworthy (and at most times despicable) cast of characters who migrate toward a small coastal town on Fire Island are as intriguing as they are unlikable. So when a body is found along the town's boardwalk, it is no surprise that any one of the lying, cheating and manipulating adults could be the culprit.

One stand out characteristic of this story that I absolutely loved is that the reader doesn't actually know who died until near the end of the book. All that we know is that one of the characters/narrators is not going to be alive by the story's end. I found this to be a fresh take on the summer vacation gone awry trope.

However, there is an absolute cluster of characters in this novel, and we hear different portions of the timeline leading up to the death from their multiple POV's. At times, I found myself having to go back in the audio to keep who was who (and who is sleeping with who) straight. This affluent, dishonest crowd all tended to blend together at times.

Once a did get a handle on who was who, the story flowed. And though this isn't an "edge of your seat" thriller, Ms. Rosenblum did surprise me with many of the twists in the storyline. It was well worth the time it took me to listen, and I foresee many enjoying "Bad Summer People" while enjoying their own summer of '23 vacations or lounging by their pools.

*A special thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance readers audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

There was scandal, and drama, and a mysterious death - and it was great! Oh, and did I mention the hot tennis pro?

In Bad Summer People, we meet a group of well-off city dwellers who spend their summers in Salcombe on Fire Island. The story drew me in from the beginning, and I loved listening to the dynamics of all of the characters! The author did a fantastic job walking us through all of the relationships - both friend and romantic - and I felt like I was a part of this quirky group.

This would be a great vacation read - I highly recommend it!

Title: A Delightful Summer Escape

First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to Netgalley and Macmillan Publishing for providing me with an early copy of "Bad Summer People" by Emma Rosenblum for review.

"Bad Summer People" is a satisfying domestic mystery/thriller with a good dose of humor. Rosenblum cleverly incorporates comedic elements that keep the tone light and enjoyable, making it a great choice for a beach read.

The characters in the novel are well fleshed out and are amusing in their shallow, yet relatable quirks. This adds to the overall charm of the story, as it keeps the reader engaged and entertained. The plot itself is intriguing, providing enough twists and turns to maintain interest, while still remaining accessible for a summer read.

While "Bad Summer People" may not be the most intense or groundbreaking thriller, it does deliver a delightful and entertaining experience. The balance of mystery, humor, and well-developed characters makes it an enjoyable escape for those looking to unwind with a good book.

In conclusion, if you're in search of a light and entertaining mystery/thriller to accompany you on your summer adventures, I recommend giving "Bad Summer People" by Emma Rosenblum a read. It may just be the perfect addition to your beach bag.

January LaVoy SLAYED again in her narration. Seriously, she has an incredible voice and character intonation that I am always happy to hear.

What I liked about this book was the easily digestible story. It was a book that I was able to pick up and finish quickly, while also not feeling like I needed to hear every single detail. It definitely hits the mark of a summer read.

All of the characters were rather unlikeable, but that is kind of the point. You have a whole island of the "super rich" being all levels of fake to one another. They basically hate each other, while simultaneously faking their way through summer friendships. Everyone is gossiping, lying, cheating, and even stealing. It's a hot mess, and I'm here for it. With the numerous characters and shifts between chapters, it took me about the half the book to feel like I actually knew who each person was and their connection to each other. It was just a few too many perspectives.

For me, it isn't a book that I'm going to be highly recommending to others. It's not a bad book, but I felt like it was missing the factors that make me wish I could start it from the beginning and reread. I also thought the ending was a bit meh...and felt a little cheated.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange of an honest review.

The title says it all. We have a large cast of said "friends" who vacation together one summer on Fire Island. These people fake it to make it and all hate one another in their own ways. They basically hang out with people they don't like, but pretend to like. They are bad people too. Full of infidelity and sneaking here and there.

While I can really enjoy rich people behaving badly, I found the large cast of characters too big and I grew wearisome of how awful they actually were. People aren't really like this in real life are they?

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook.

This book was an okay read for me. I feel like the characters are just horrible, which goes along with the title. They were just too much for me.