The Martini Club is a really fun idea for a series! Tess Gerritsen is an excellent writer and this book is no exception to that. This is a nice addition to what I hope will be a long series with the Martini Club. The story and characters were well developed and clearly presented. I loved how they solved the mystery! I definitely recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

The Summer Guests, Book 2 of The Martini Club Series by Tess Gerritsen

This book revolves around a few mysteries (recent and past), family secrets and loyalty, tensions between “summer people” and year-rounders.

I enjoy the camaraderie of the members of the Martini Club – ex-spies that trained together and worked together on occasion before retiring in Purity, Maine. They can’t help but get involved solving cases in their adopted hometown, using a mix of their spy skills and common sense. They have taken the acting chief of police, Jo Thibodeau under their wing – helping her solve new and old cases. Sometimes with helpful hints and sometimes leading her a bit astray.

Highly recommend in general and especially to fans of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club mystery series and Robert Thorogood’s Marlowe mystery series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy of this book.

An enjoyable read from one of my favourite authors who wrote the Rizzoli and Isles series. I feel this series could be another exciting one. This book has the tension and suspense that a crime thriller needs to keep the reader engaged and wanting more.

This second installment of Tess Gerritsen’s Martini Club is just as solid and suspenseful as the first book in the series. Our group of retired CIA agents are at it again, helping local police officer Jo Thibodeau solve the disappearance of a teenage girl, Zoe Conover, visiting Purity with one of the prestigious summer families. In the course of this investigation, the bones of a long-dead woman are found when the police dredge the lake looking for Zoe. The police investigation identifies Maggie’s neighbor, Luther, as their early, primary suspect in Zoe's disappearance, making this case another personal one for her. The Martini Club stays a few steps ahead of Jo throughout their investigation of the two crimes, but Jo grudgingly accepts their involvement and they eventually help one another solve the case.

This double-mystery is full of complicated layers and details that filled me with awe and appreciation for Tess Gerritsen’s ability and skill as a storyteller. I loved the book and already look forward to the third installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Spy Coast, Gerritsen’s first novel featuring the Martini Club, was the first of the author’s novels that I read and it quickly hooked me, and ever since finishing it I’ve been eagerly anticipating the sequel. While it isn’t published until March 2025, I was lucky to receive a DRC of The Summer Guests, which I started right away, and blitzed through — I’m very happy to report that it’s an excellent continuation of the series!

Every summer, the population of Purity, Maine, grows as city folk descend on their summer homes in the idyllic countryside. As is true of so many communities such as this, there is a tension between the full-time residents and seasonal residents — the former, after all, effectively serve the latter during the summers and as caretakers during the rest of the year. This summer, a member of a wealthy family with long ties to Purity has gone missing under strange circumstances, and the tensions within the community start to rise. Past mysteries also bubble to the surface, and Gerritsen does a fantastic job painting a portrait of the two “sides” of the Purity population, and how they have developed over time.

Retired spook Maggie and her fellow CIA retirees (the Martini Club) find themselves invested in the case. This is mainly because they’re constitutionally incapable of not meddling and investigating mysteries; but also because they’re very good at solving them. Acting-Chief of Purity PD Jo Thibodeau has developed a tentative working relationship with the Martini Club — she’s intent on keeping them out of the way (they are, after all, meddling in law enforcement matters), while simultaneously very aware of just how competent they are, and what a valuable asset they can be. It’s an uneasy, though ultimately positive, relationship. It is also a source of some levity in an otherwise serious story, as the retirees have a delightful playfulness and disregard for officialdom.

In addition to the mystery at the heart of the plot, The Summer Guests is also about getting older. It was very interesting (and often endearing), watching the Martini Club grapple with new challenges that have arisen since they retired from their espionage-based careers. Each of the characters, young and older, are three dimensional and engaging — even peripheral characters are well-drawn and realistic. Gerritsen expertly weaves the characters’ stories into the mystery at the centre of the plot, neither distracting from the other, building to a very satisfying read.

I really hope there are more novels in this series on the way. I’m just sad I’ll have a long wait until the next one… In a time when espionage fiction is having something of a renaissance, Gerritsen’s new series fits in rather nicely; while simultaneously taking a slightly and refreshing different approach to it. If you’re a fan of the crime/mystery genre, then I think you’ll find plenty to like in The Summer Guests and, if you haven’t read it yet, The Spy Coast — both of which are very highly recommended.

Having read the first book in the series I was looking forward to this one. I have to say it was very good much better then the first book as you knew the main characters better and the story felt more developed.

I love reading how the community and the characters solve the crime and in most cases are there for one another.

The red herrings and the twists and turns is what makes this book and not knowing who the killer is of the body in the lake or why has you wanting to read more. I knew that callies grandfather could not be involved as he's too much of a kind soul so when he was accused I knew the police had the wrong person. There were many times when I was facing through the chapters just to find out what was going to happen next which is always a good sign of a book worth reading.

Thanks net galley for the advanced reading as I am a huge fan of Tess Gerritsen.

THE SUMMER GUESTS was a welcome continuation of the Martini Club series, with a return to some favorite characters and the introduction of a new mystery. The story was well written and seamlessly moved from character to character, revealing a depth of narrative that would otherwise not exist. There were a few surprises along the way and while no twists were earth shattering, they were all nicely set up and ultimately believable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review THE SUMMER GUESTS.

Okay, this is cute. I mean, it’s murder and secrets and one seriously messed up family, but our Martini Club is adorable and I want to be them when I get older.

The book definitely kept my interest all and I was very curious about the reasons behind everything.

If there was one slightly down note, it was that the final reason was so prosaic. The author really hyped us up for something interesting and the final bit was just so…plain.

Otherwise, a really good read and I want more Martini Club.

• ARC via Publisher

Tess Gerritsen is quickly becoming a new favorite for me. After receiving an ARC for The Summer Guests I decided to pick up The Spy Coast so that I could be caught up before starting book two. This series was my first time reading a spy/espionage genre and now I’m hooked.
Tess Gerritsen is such a talented author, not only is she a master storyteller but her characters are so well written. I especially love how she is able to write such strong female characters without ever having to dumb down the male characters in order to make the women look stronger. The Summer Guests had me at the edge of my seat and guessing up until the very end. I look forward to continuing on with this series.

I really enjoyed this one it was fast paced and well plotted and I enjoyed the interplay between the characters and felt it all came together beautifully
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this story with me

Who knew I'd love a series about retired government agents fighting crime so much?! This is an awesome series and despite my friends not being government agents I hope we are as nosy and involved as the Martini club is when we hit their age! The mystery in this book was so good, so good that I didn't figure out who the bad person was until it was revealed and that is super rare for me!!

I absolutely recommend Gerritsen’s newest addition to her Martini Club series and hope she continues this series! As always it’s a page turner until the end…thanks for the advanced read!

Bestselling author, Tess Gerritsen, has released a new series, The Martini Club, where four retired CIA operatives have moved to a small town in Maine, and help the sheriff solve crimes. The second installment of this series is The Summer Guests.

As usual, Gerritsen lives up to her bestselling status in this spellbinding novel in which Ethan Conover and his wife of two years, Susan, travel to his family’s summer home in Maine to scatter his father’s ashes after a memorial service. Ethan is a writer, and has suffered from writer’s cramp drafting his second novel, and when arriving, finds himself writing feverishly due to what is happening there. His brother, Colin and his family are also there. The moneyed family has been going to * (the name of their estate there) for years, but this is the first time for Ethan, who has avoided the place for years, and his wife, and her daughter Zoe. While there, Zoe disappears, and some of the year round residents become suspects.

Gerritsen is an excellent storyteller, and it is evident in this novel. It is well organized and easy to follow. One of her strengths is her development of characters, and readers will find the characters viable and real. Susan, the protagonist, is especially well developed, and acts just like a loving mother whose daughter is missing. Elizabeth, the mother-in-law is typical of a snobby, rich woman, and Susan is afraid she is “good enough” to be a part of the Conover family. As the story unfolds, there are new sub-plots, and more supporting characters come out, making the story even more interesting, and keeping readers on the edge.

All told, this excellent novel is a good one for thriller aficionados to pick up. It is well written and fascinating.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Book two in the Martini Club gives the four retired CIA operatives, Maggie, Declan, Lloyd, and Ingrid, a chance to solve a whole passel of mysteries, including 2 murders and a past murder mystery as well.

A family comes to spend a few weeks at the palatial summer home. The young girl loves to swim. One day she goes missing. Everyone is inducted to find her and that's when the mysteries start unraveling.

I've been Tess Gerritsen fan forever, it seems. Her attention to minute details and the way her dialogue is always hiding and revealing something is excellent.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for a sneak peek at this upcoming title. 4 stars for a well thought-out mystery

I love this series with the retired CIA sleuths still contributing solving crime! This is a very good thriller that does keep you guessing until the end. Very good character development, and I love how the sheriff is getting her feet under her with the help of the sleuths. Tess Gerritsen is a great author!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Superb! I absolutely love these characters and the premise of the book. Great plot, which is to be expected by Tess Gerritsen, I have read everything she's ever written and will continue with this series. Can't wait for the next one.

This novel is skillfully crafted and captivating, featuring strong character development and plenty of twists to keep you intrigued. Although I felt the conclusion was somewhat hurried, I overall enjoyed the book and would be eager to explore more works by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

Having read the first book in this series, I was thrilled to get this second one. If anything, it is even better than the first one which was wonderful. I love the cast of characters and I admire how adeptly Gerritsen takes us along through all the twists and turns she so skillfully creates. About all I can really say is that I can't wait for the next one and I hope it is soon!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's bound to be a hit!

This book was great! As a lover of mysteries and thrillers, it certainly kept my attention. The storyline was twisty/turny, and I always wanted to keep reading to find out what happened. I loved how there were multiple mysteries wrapped into one overall story. The characters were well developed and interesting. The only two questions/complaints that I have are: 1. Was the Jesse storyline necessary? It never got wrapped up...Maggie never did anything with the photos she took in the apartment and the Luther/Callie/Jesse storyline just disappeared. Maybe for a Martini Club #3?! 2. It was a little unbelievable that Zoe was "abducted" the same day she was hanging out with Callie, another girl who had been abducted. Are there that many girls being abducted all over the place that they would have this in common? Seemed a little far-fetched. Overall, great book though, and I really enjoyed the storyline.

4.5 ⭐️ a very enjoyable read, which gripped me from the start and kept me entertained and guessing until the end. I like the Martini Club characters and the part of the world they live in. Secondary characters are well portrayed and easy to envisage.