Bad Summer People is an excellent thriller. It lives up to its name because none of these characters were likable, and they were most definitely bad, yet they were all humanized through their storyline, and despite the fact you despised these characters, the story itself was in my opinion compulsively addictive. The narrator January Lavoy, did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life, perfectly straddling the fence between just reading the story and dramatizing it. I have read a lot of thrillers, and for me Bad Summer People is one of the very best that I have read, it was both delicious and decadent. It needs to be on everyone's summer reading list.

It was truly a mess of terribly unhappy people, all trying to pretend that they weren't terribly unhappy people. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and found their behaviors to be a little reckless, especially for a group of grown adults. I did enjoy the slight mystery element and never really knowing what they would do next. The narrator was great.

Let me start by saying that this book plays out like a trashy telenovela that you can't stop watching! Throw a bunch of privileged people together, on a summer vacation island, and things go south quickly. Jen and Lauren, along with their husbands, who have been best friends since childhood, vacation in Salcombe every summer yet this summer is quite like no other as someone is found dead on the island. There is a new tennis pro in town, there are couples having affairs, a resident gossiper, and older ladies leading their tennis program, which happens to be very competitive on the island amongst its residents - there is scandal left and right in this book!

The characters are not likable at all, but the author does a good job at making you want to follow their stories and kept me coming back to listen to their drama. There are quite a few characters in this book, so if you are listening to the audiobook, you must pay attention. The narrator does alter her voice to indicate a new cast member speaking, so you can follow along nicely, but you can get lost if you aren't paying attention.

I could totally see this book being turned into a Netflix show for its mere drama and loathable characters - the kind that makes you not tell your friends you're addicted to watching because it's trashy TV.

**This book is not a thriller, even though it's marketed as such.

Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC of this book!

This is one of those delightfully bad reads that once you start, you have to finish. All of the characters are pretty awful, but the author has written them so well that you're not completely turned off. There are a lot of different points of view which can be hard to keep track of, but I loved how various perspectives regarding the same event were shown. It kind of reminded me of "Malibu Rising" by TJR. This book is marketed as a thriller, but it's a very slow burn and more contemporary fiction than anything else.

Every summer, the exclusive and preppy families of Salcombe, Fire Island, return to vacation. Some have homes that have been passed down for generations while others are new to the island or don't quite fit in with the gossiping, backstabbing, tennis fanatic tribe of parents. This summer is no different, but the arrival of an attractive tennis coach, plus family secrets that have thawed and surfaced with the coming of summer, bring an air of tension to the wealthy power couples on Fire Island.

Delicious and Gaudy, this is the perfect Summery read.

Set on Fire Island, this is a book about a lot of wealthy, entitled women who may be nice to each other’s faces, but behind their backs it’s another story. Cheating, lying, you name it, these women are into it. If you’re a fan of the Real Housewives series, this is for you. I found it hard to enjoy this book because the characters were so unlikable, which is probably why I don’t watch the Real Housewives

Maybe I've been spoiled by really good neighborhood/bad people drama. I don't know. But I haven't read a great one in about six months now. Maybe on a quiet street and one of us is already dead ruined me for other books in this niche.

Bad Summer People isn't horrid. It just isn't anything. I was really looking forward to it but it was disappointing. Just meh.

Bad Summer People was the perfect read for a beach vacation. The story is set in a small town on Fire Island. The Summer season has begun and the affluent community has returned to their summer homes. The story revolves around the members of the community. With affairs, jealousies, unrequited love, and theft topping the secrets among the group, I would classify most everyone as a frenemy. Digging into everyone's lives was captivating. The book starts out with a body being found at the end of the season. We then go back to the start of the season. Unraveling, personalities, relationships, and deceptions kept the story moving quickly and I was entertained through out. I didn't expect the ending, but it felt fitting.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy to enjoy!

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend putting it on your summer TBR. Every character has a secret, and eventually the secrets come out. There are a lot of characters, so you really need to pay attention. I thought the narrator did a good job with keeping the listener engaged.