A detective story – a gripping murder mystery – book three in the series. If you are a fan of police procedurals, grab this one – and the previous two books also!

Many thanks to NetGalley and CamCat Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the Ford Family Mystery series by Marcy McCreary. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Detective Susan Ford has a new partner, Jack Tomelli, who she's trying to get used to when they are called to a crime scene at a local summer theater. There they find the director gruesomely murdered. When Susan describes the way the victim was left at the scene to her dad, retired detective Will Ford, he recognizes the work of a serial killer from a case he worked in 1969. When the old case files are discovered, memories of that time come back. Now they must all work together before the killer strikes again.

I'm a big fan of this series and it keeps getting better! I love the relationship between Susan and her dad, and her dad's dedication to his job, retired or not. The story unspools through both timelines - from Woodstock in 1969, to present day - and both are captivating. There's a long list of suspects here and I was clueless until the end. I love a good police procedural and this one is that plus much more. While it works as a standalone, read the first two because they're so good! Hoping for more to come!

The Summer of Love and Death is a gripping murder mystery / police procedural where the director of a summer stock theater is found gruesomely murdered right before opening night of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. The case bears uncanny similarities to a string of murders that took place in the summer of 1969. Although 50 years separates the cases, could they be related?

My friends at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse have been buzzing about this one, and it’s easy to see why! I thoroughly enjoyed this dual timeline story that alternated between 2019 and 1969. The storyline is intricate and well-crafted, with many characters in the cast and crew making for lots of potential suspects. The plotting is tight, deftly connecting current events and those in 1969. McCreary’s depiction of 1969 is keenly on point, featuring not just the iconic Woodstock music festival but also other significant events and nostalgic pop culture references.

The Summer of Love and Death is the third in a series but can easily be read as a standalone. I can’t wait to go back and read the first two installments as well as read about Susan Ford in the future! Perfect for fans of Law & Order and lovers of whodunnit murder mysteries.

This is a very twisted murder mystery, involving multigenerational murderers and cops. I feel like I got lost a bit with all the twists and trying to keep up with names as they changed. Though the story it’s self was really good and something you might see on Law & Order.

In the Catskills of New York during the summer of 2019, Detective Susan Ford, who had been working alone, now teams up with Jack, her new partner. Their first case leads them to the Monticello Playhouse, where a production of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express is set to open that night. The play's director has been murdered and his gruesome condition bears a striking resemblance to a series of murders in 1969, a case that Susan's father, retired Detective Will Ford, was the lead investigator on. As the story shifts back to 1969, Will provides information on the case. He recalls his involvement in the Woodstock music festival and as he remembers more and more crucial information, Susan and Jack are able to put the pieces together to this mystery. With a cast of actors and crew, no one is beyond suspicion.

While The Summer of Love and Death is the third book in a series, it can be read as a standalone. Marcy McCreary's first two novels in the Ford Family Mystery series are so good that it makes sense to start from the beginning and read The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon and The Murder of Madison Garcia. This is McCreary's most intricate storyline, involving many characters and a secondary case that may or may not be connected. Along with Woodstock, McCreary does a great job weaving in other significant events from 1969, including the Miracle Mets and the Apollo 11 moon landing, into Will's story. For everyone who loves to play detective while reading a good mystery, add this book to your list.

Thank you NetGalley and CamCat Books for the copy of The Summer Of Love and Death by Marcy McCreary. I’m not sure this book was for me. I liked how the two timelines detailed similar murders but for some reason I couldn't get into the story or care about any of the characters. If you're looking for a quick and easy read, this one might be for you. I needed more action!

This is the 3rd book in the Ford Family Mysteries. I’ve been reading since the first and just love this series. Even though this is the 3rd book, it can also be read as a standalone.
This story is told in dual timelines and multiple POVs. It was woven together well. It was a bit of a slow burn at first but it definitely picked up! I would think I had it figured out only to get new info in the story and made me rethink my theory.

Detective Susan Ford and her new partner, Detective Jack Tomelli, are called to a crime scene at the local summer stock theater where they find the director of Murder on the Orient Express gruesomely murdered—naked, face caked in makeup, pillow at his feet, wrists and ankles bound by rope. When Susan describes the murder to her dad, retired detective Will Ford, he recognizes the MO of a 1969 serial killer . . . a case he worked fifty years ago. Will remembers a lot of things about that summer—the Woodstock Festival, the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Miracle Mets—yet he is fuzzy on the details of the decades-old case. But when Susan and Jack discover the old case files, his memories start trickling back. And with each old and new clue, Susan, Jack, and Will must narrow down the pool of suspects before the killer strikes again. This is quite a wild ride with lots of interesting characters, an amazing plot and enough twists to keep you engaged all the way through. Highly recommend!

The Summer of Love and Death is a suspenseful, noir whodunnit with interesting characters. I enjoyed the pairing of Detectives Susan Ford and Jack Tomelli working together to piece together the puzzle. I also loved the intricate plotting with the separate cases so many years apart becoming connected. I wish I had stumbled on this author sooner. I will definitely be looking for the first two books in this series after reading this one. For anyone jumping in here, you'll have no issues following this one as a standalone.

A captivating mystery. Compelling characters. Plenty of suspects to get your suspicious mind going. All of the above describes The Summer of Love and Death to a T. Thanks to an introduction to the series by Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse, I was delighted to meet the family of sleuths in this newest addition. Complex and deftly layered, there was no shortage of suspense despite the intricately laid out police procedural plot. To be frank, I found myself tearing through the pages until I reached the final soul-satisfying conclusion.

As for the cast (an apropos term given the storyline), the first-person narration and Susan’s well-rounded characterization meant for a realistic and deftly drawn persona. Adding to the genuine nature of all those involved were a collection of investigators and suspects who came alive on the page. Even better, thanks to a long character list and plenty of red herrings, there wasn’t a chance of me deciphering the who in this masterful whodunnit before the timely reveal. That’s not even counting the various subplots and dual timelines. Altogether, they kept me happily in the dark throughout this brilliant tale.

All said and done, I’m wishing that I had discovered this one way before now. The third in a series, I was relieved that it easily stood up as a stand-alone tale, but I will definitely be returning to book one, The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon, for all of the dirt on the Ford family ASAP. With a well-written and cleverly interwoven plot, plenty of nostalgia, and a heaping dose of family drama, this book will work for many a reader. So while you wait for this one to hit store shelves, follow my lead and start at the beginning. No matter what, these middle-aged individuals will keep you spellbound to the page. Rating of 4.5 stars (upgraded).

This is book 3 in a series. I did not read the first two, and feel this can definitely be read as a standalone. But I enjoyed it and plan to go back and read the others.

Detective Susan Ford comes from a family of police officers, her dad was also a detective. She has a new partner, Jack. Susan and Jack are called to the local summer theater where a murder has occurred.

I love a good serial killer storyline. This one had some twists and many suspects. Enjoyed Susan and her partner learning to work together. And enjoyed her father joining in and his flashbacks.

You almost feel a part of the investigation with this one and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, CamCat Books and Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Susan Ford and her new partner Detective John “Jack” Tomelli, are called to a crime scene at a local theater. The scene they find is not only brutal but highly unusual: the theater director is found bound to a bed, naked and with his face covered in makeup. When Susan describes the murder to her dad, retired Detective Will Ford, he recognizes the MO of a 1969 serial killer…a case he worked on fifty years ago. As Susan and Jack begin putting clues together, Will’s memories slowly start trickling in. The three of them must work together before the killer strikes again.

My friends at Thriller Lovers the Pulse have been raving about this one but I was a bit nervous going in, knowing it was part of a series. BUT, rest assured, it can easily be read as a standalone! I love police procedural type books, but this one was so much more than that. With a clever cast of likable characters and a mystery that had me intrigued from the beginning, “The Summer of Love and Death” was a refreshing change of pace from other stories I have read. The present day murder and the original case seem completely unrelated so I was wondering how the two storylines would come together. In a loot of ways, it reminded me of a Law & Order SVU episode (which is my #1 comfort show! LOL). After reading this book, I immediately added the two previous books in the series to my TBR.

Thank you to Marcy McCreary, CamCat Books, and Thriller Lovers the Pulse for the ARC! “The Summer of Love and Death” releases August 13, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_botlte) shortly :)

The book has it all; Mystery, A hint of romance, twists and turns and intriguing characters. The ending was so good. The plot is clever and well written. The writing is engaging. This has the dual timelines of 1969 and 2019.

The Director has been murdered at the local summer stock theatre and Detective Susan and her partner Jack has been called on the crime scene. As they do the investigation of the gruesome murder, they find clues leading to the murder. And as Susan discuss it with her father, a retired detective and there seems to be some connection between 1969 Serial case and the present case or there is a possibility that the killer is a copycat. While the details of the murder were gruesome, there were many intriguing and mind-blowing details about the previous cases. There were many twists and turns. I loved the hint of romance and I am happy with the ending. This is a multilayered story. It’s suspenseful and it will keep you guessing till the end.

Thanks to the publisher and Author.

"I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

This is from an ARC from NetGalley. McCreary always delivers when I am in a reading slump. Great book. Love the series.

When detectives Susan Ford and Jack Tomelli are called to the scene of a murder where the victim is found on the stage of a theater, it appears that someone is copying another murder that occurred 50 years ago during Woodstock in 1969. As it turns out, detective Ford’s father, Will, had been a detective on that case and joins them in the investigation, hoping that he can remember details that will help solve the mystery. These details come to him through flashbacks of his memories and the story switches between these past memories and the present day.

This book is the definition of a true whodunnit murder mystery! There are many characters introduced and everyone seems suspicious. The reader follows the detectives as they investigate and interview the various suspects and connections are revealed until the killer is finally found. I had a few theories about who did it but I was guessing until the very end! This is book #3 in a standalone series and I look forward to reading the other ones in the series!

Riveting from the first page, The Summer of Love and Death follows Detective Susan Ford on a murder investigation that mirrors the MO of a case her retired Detective father worked 50 years prior. Set in Woodstock, NY, there’s beaucoup nostalgia packed into these pages, along with a fascinating, multifaceted investigation. This book had a lot going on and it was all nicely wrapped up in the end.

Thank you, NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. The opinions are my own and freely given.

Detective Susan Ford is teamed up with a new partner John "Jack" Tomelli. They are called to the local playhouse where a body has been found on the stage. However, this murder is eerily similar to a few murders that happened in 1969.

This book details the investigation where everyone involved in the play is a suspect and Susan's dad, Will Ford a retired police detective. He searches through the case files hoping to trigger his memory and lead the current detectives in the right direction. The chapters are all present day, but at the end of each chapter it leads into a "mini" chapter of Will from 1969. Easy to follow. The chapters are a bit lengthy, but they are broken up nicely if you only have a few minutes to read.

I LOVE detective series, but I HATE starting the series in the middle; HOWEVER, this reads like a standalone and I was not confused at all as I did not read the previous two installments.

With the cases being 50 years apart, and most of the people from the original investigation dead, I could not figure out how these were connected. But they blended together nicely. I will say that I figured out who the killer was about a page before Susan did, but I flip flopped on several suspects throughout.
Definitely getting the first 2 books and look forward to the next.

The Summer of Love and Death by Marcy McCreary is a beautifully crafted mystery that masterfully employs dual timelines of 1969 and 2019 to solve the gruesome murder of the director of a popular summer stock theatre. Detective Susan Ford is assigned to the 2019 case. Her father worked on a case in 1969 with eerie similarities. There is so much to love about this story: evocative flashbacks to Woodstock and that period with the iconic music, a plot with twists and turns that kept me guessing and turning the page, a compelling protagonist who impressed me with her wit and dogged pursuit of the truth, and a ticking clock that ramped up the tension as the story unfolded, resulting in a well-earned surprising climax.

Marcy McCreary is a master of mystery. I love her books !! I am sad that the story is over and I will have to wait a long to time to read the next one. I reminded me of the McDowell colony in New Hampshire . I would recommend for all mystery lovers.