High Season by Katie Bishop is set in the Cote de Azur, Southern France. Timeline alternates between 2004 and 2024 with multiple points of view throughout.
The Draytons are a wealthy English family with a summer home in France- twin teenagers Tamara and Blake, younger sibling Nina and mother Evelyn, who has too many ex-husbands to keep track of. In 2004, teenager Tamara Drayton is found dead in the pool. Josie Jackson , a local teen was tried and found guilty of her murder. Little Nina Drayton who was 6 years old at the time, was the only one who could testify to seeing it happen. She was the star witness.
Fast forward twenty years and Josie is out of prison, trying to resume a normal life and failing miserably as her name has too much notoriety. Nina is all grown up, about to embark on a career in child psychology, which is an interesting choice considering she has struggled with depression and anxiety since the trial.
Now, a true crime podcaster has picked up the story of Tamara’s death and is bringing up all the uncertainties and questions that went unanswered twenty years ago. This brings Josie and Nina back to France and brings up a whole lot of past that eventually leads to the truth.
This was a fun, fast paced read, and if you enjoy true crime podcasts, this will give you that little something extra. I could say it could have gone even a little heavier on the podcast parts, but I am a fan of them. I loved the setting and isn’t it always a guilty pleasure to read about horrible rich people?
Story was pretty intense and the whole way through I was really looking forward to finding out what really happened. Ending was the only letdown of the whole book because it wasn’t as much of a surprise as I thought it would be, but still an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my ARC.

Nina Dayton sent a murderer to jail when she was only 5 years old. She’s the youngest person to ever testify in a murder trial in France after she witnesses her babysitter kill her older sister Tamara.

Or did she? Now 20 years later, Nina doesn’t remember what happened and is no longer sure what she saw back then. When a podcaster/documentarian contacts her to discuss the case she begins to look back. What really happened back then? Was her five year old memory trustworthy, or did the wrong person go to jail?

Told from the perspectives of several different characters, High Season dives into the world of crime podcasts, secret lives of the wealthy, and brings into question the reliability of memory.

I rate this book 4 stars. I found it engrossing and fast paced. I kept turning pages late into the night.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for making this book available in exchange for my honest review.

10 out of 10, must recommend! This story unfolds in four interconnected parts, weaving together a nonlinear timeline through the perspectives of multiple characters. Bishop expertly delivers pieces of this murder mystery in tiny doses that keep the reader yearning for more. I usually don't enjoy reading about characters from high society, but Bishop does a remarkable job making them both relatable and detestable at the same time. The author successfully humanizes the people who work for society’s elite, while also exposing the dehumanization these workers experience at the hands of their employers.

Plus, it's just a good story.

I will say, the real killer is a bit cliche and I figured it out far too early in the book. However, it was definitely worth the ride.

While a murder mystery, this reads a little more like a women’s fiction or coming of age. It’s more methodical, more about the characters, but I didn’t feel it was too slow or drawn out. All in all I really enjoyed it.

The multiple perspectives of the characters, as well as the dual timeline, gave a really well done picture of the life of teenagers growing up with class/wealth gaps, fighting to figure out who they are and who they are to others. Then as adults, how all that plus irrevocable mistakes change who you are, and you’re given the choice to question, fight, or do the right thing when offered. Well portrayed and interesting progression into the whodunit of the murder.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Intriguing plot with some really complicated characters. I really enjoyed the quick pacing of the story and the way in which everything unfolded. Loved the switching timelines from past to present. Great and satisfying ending! Would like to read more from this author!

A slow burn that keeps getting hotter. You will get pulled in and think you know what happens but then you won't.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Twenty years ago Tamara Drayton was found in the family pool on the night of her mother's high class birthday party which was held at the Côte d'Azur in France. After everyone was questioned, it was Tamara's 5 year old sister who actually testified that she saw her babysitter, Josie fighting with Tamara in the pool. As a result of this testimony Josie is sent to prison for the murder of Tamara.. Now 20 years later Josie is back and a pod caster wants to investigate this case to see if Josie was in fact innocent. Katie Bishop did a great job of telling this story in dual timelines jumping between 2004 the days leading up to Tamara's tragic death and 2024 investigating the case further to see what really happened that night so many years ago. Enjoy!!!

Summer. Saltwater. Sun. Nouveau riche. Faded terracotta. Youth. Friendship. And a murder.

Overall I loved this book, such a great summer mystery set on the coast of France and spanning 20 years. The story was a bit of a slow burn, but stick with it, the ending is great and I blew through the last 150 pages so quickly. The scenery is gorgeous, and I felt like this book was well written and plotted. This was my first read by this author and I will be checking out others!

Thanks again to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel!

High Season by Katie Bishop is a compelling novel that explores relationships, personal growth, and the transformative power of summer. Hannah, dealing with the end of a long-term relationship, spends the summer in a coastal town seeking solace and clarity. Bishop's rich writing captures the beauty of the setting and the intricacies of Hannah's emotions. The story delves into themes of change, resilience, and embracing new experiences. With well-developed characters and an immersive coastal setting, It is a thoughtful and engaging read about renewal and self-discovery.

Tamara a 17 year old is found dead in the swimming pool at her mother's party. Her 5-year-old sister Nina said it was the babysitter Josie, who did it. fast forward 20 years later and Nina is questioning her memories

This book is ADDICTIVE! The characters (Josie in particular) are beautifully realized, and the story is so multi-layered, it definitely keeps you engaged the whole way through.

The only reason that this wasn’t 5 stars for me was that I feel like the POV for Nina (who’s the character you start with) feels like it gets a little lost/not as fleshed out as the others. Otherwise, I highly recommend grabbing this for a very fun and suspenseful summer read in August!

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7321025663?book_show_action=false

BookTok review: https://www.tiktok.com/@lucy_readss/photo/7471394060108844331

Bookstagram review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGEXX8rPPpL/

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I felt the first half was slow but the second half was fast paced. I had a feeling that I knew what happened early on, but along the way I questioned my original thought and it did keep me guessing. The characters were well developed, the plot was suspenseful.

Wow! My first novel by this author and I was impressed. If you’re fans of Charlie Donlea, you’ll love this one. The characters were so well developed and I loved the setting of the story. I was captivated with this story. You are so back and forth wondering who the good guys/bad guys are!

This was really good. It’s about a murder that happened 20 years prior. Tamara, at the age of 17 was murdered in her own pool on the night of her mother’s birthday party. She had a twin brother Blake and a much younger sister Nina who was 5 at the time. Nina apparently witnessed the murder blaming Josie (she was also 17 and looked after Nina). Jump ahead 20 years and Nina is struggling with her witness account. A crime podcaster is digging into the murder. It’s a really good story. Kept me turning pages late into the night. I definitely recommend this one!

ARC Review: From NetGalley:
Release Date: 8-12-25
Author: Katie Bishop

This was my first ARC review and let’s just say that I was super geeked that I was given the opportunity. High Season is a who done it murder mystery. The plot is great, and I love the twist at the end. However, I felt like there was a lot of over-describing in the beginning and a lot of over-explaining in the middle. I felt the story dragged in places, and some parts were unnecessary. There is also a lot of jumping around between different POVs and times, but it is not too difficult to keep up with. Overall, I liked it but didn’t love it. I’m giving it three and a half stars!

“High Season”, has zipper qualities. We move through the delicious storytelling with speed and energy,
Between the gorgeous book cover and subject description (the blurb perfectly elucidates the content), I had a hunch this would be a great mystery-thriller — and it was!!!

It was the Birthday Bash of all bashings in 2004 at the Drayton family mansion on the Côte d’Azu, the mediterranean coast of south eastern France.
Seventeen year old Tamara Drayton is murdered in the family swimming pool during her Mommy’s birthday party celebration.
Josie Jackson, teenage babysitter, is the convicted murderer. She spent 10 years in prison.
The only witness was Tamara’s younger sister, Nina, all of 5 years of age.
The question that runs throughout the novel….
…. was Josie really guilty?

Twenty years later a true crime TikToker, Imogen Faye, reopens the case.
Let the mystery begin …..

Duel-timeline narratives highlight different perspectives. The structure works well…and kept me hooked to the very end.

Terrific characterization… with several other characters I haven’t mentioned …
yet it’s these ‘other’ characters (a twin brother, a best friend, a mother, and a few boyfriends) that add juicy-cryptic-enigma-puzzling-perplexities.

I loved the ‘escapism’ indulgences that “High Season” earmarked and attributed to me! “Never Speak of That Summer” ….
shhhh, okay?/!/?

SIMPLY GREAT FUN!!!

Additional pleasures and captivations:
….the atmospheric setting on the French Riviera,
touching coming-of-age and teenage angst moments, friendships, visuals of a Pink Villa, a little ‘glam’, a little naughtiness, interesting backstories, memory assessing, reliability, and accuracy, a look at ways childhood trauma can alter brain regions and the various ways it’s manifested into adulthood, wealth & class differences, manipulation, and other truth & consequences…..

A sweet & salty tantalizing mystery-thriller!!!
Satisfying page-turning intrigued to the very end!!

All of this YESSS!!!!

This book has it all. True crime to glamour and family drama.

I love books about podcast murder mysteries and this book delivered it seamlessly. Fantastic job on this book. High Season takes you on a ride and I loved every second of it.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing this thrilling novel's arc copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

A perfect summer mystery read that was very enjoyable and kept me guessing the whole way through. The story follows the main character, Nina, as she travels back to the south of France 20 years after she testified as 6 years old witness to a murder allegedly committed by her babysitter, Josie. But after all this time, Nina (and others involved) start to question what actually happened and if her memory of that night was in fact the reality.

The story is told through multiple perspectives and spans two decades, slowly revealing little clues each chapter. Plus, the imagery of the south of France was everything I needed to escape this dreary winter 👌

I really loved this book. This story took place in the south of France, during two timeliness. You have the rich that spend their summers partying, and the not so rich that live there year round. During the summer of 2004, one of those lovely rich girls, ends up in her pool dead. The only witness to what happened is her 6 year old sister. This is where the have and the have nots, collide. , Tamara is dead and her six year old sister, Nina, who witnessed the murder, with her testimony puts one of the town girls, Josie, in prison for 20 years. Twenty years later, Josie returns home from prison. She stays with her brother and his girlfriend. A Podcaster decides to come and interview Josie and hopefully Nina. She would like to do a documentary on the case and her all sides. Nina, has had anxiety most of her life because of what she saw. She is questioning herself, what she actually saw. Was she influenced by her family.? You will just have to read it to find out. Really interesting premise. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and hearing their sides of this story. Well done to Katie Bishop as I enjoyed this book very much. Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read it. Give this book a 4.5 out of 5.

On a summers night back in 2004, a 17 year girl ends up dead, leaving behind her twin brother, Blake, and her 6 year old sister, Nina, who becomes the youngest person ever to testify in a French murder trial.

Nina, at 6 years old, was the only one to witness the murder of her sister. 20 years later, memories have faded and left Nina with no idea of what really transpired that night. Truth always comes at a cost, and someone's going to pay.

I actually really liked this book! It definitely had a build up and then a twist that shocked me in the long run. I think the dual timeline was super interesting to read because we were slowly reading two halves of a story become a whole!