3.5 for me - there’s a lot going on in this novel, but little of it is new: the haves and the have nots, teenage angst, 25 year old murder - all in a beautiful setting in the south of France. Throw in a true crime podcaster, and you have the true killer being revealed and most of the characters having a happy ending.
Thanks for NetGalley and St. Martins for an early edition to read.

"Never speak of that summer.

On a beautiful summer's night twenty years ago, troubled seventeen-year-old Tamara Drayton was found floating face-down in the pool of her family's idyllic mansion in the south of France, leaving her twin brother, golden-boy Blake, to pick up the pieces of their shattered family.

Also left behind was their sister Nina who, at six years old, became the youngest person ever to testify in a French murder trial. Because she's the only one who saw what happened - who watched as her babysitter, Josie Jackson, pushed Tamara under the water, and held her there until she stopped breathing.

Didn't she? Twenty years later, Nina's memories have faded, leaving her with no idea of what really transpired that night. When a new true crime documentary about her sister's murder is announced, Nina thinks this might be her chance to finally find out.

But the truth always comes at a cost. Who will pay the price?

Set over two unforgettable summers two decades apart, High Season is a dark, tense exploration of the nature of memory, the enduring power of truth, and all the gray areas in between."

Long hot summers are always memorable. Through in a murder and it's a summer you're not bound to ever forget.

What really happened to Tamara? Nina doesn’t know. But she ruined Nina’s life over it. I enjoyed this mystery! The dynamics of the friendships and differences in social status, all set in a beachy tourist town? Yes please.

Katie Bishop's new thriller follows Nina, whose testimony as a five-year-old sent a family friend to prison for her sister's murder. Twenty years later, in a sweltering French Riviera town, those childhood memories start to unravel.

Bishop weaves between past and present, building tension as Nina questions everything she thought she knew. The characters feel real, the mystery grips you, and the writing pulls you right into the sticky Mediterranean heat. While it occasionally slows down, the story's exploration of memory, trauma, and truth makes this more than just another whodunit.

A smart, suspenseful read that'll keep you guessing until the end.

I will take a summer house on the coast of France. The azure blue sparkling in the sunlight. The mansion built right on the edge, appearing ready to collapse into the sea. An intense heatwave becoming the talk of the town. Making everyone miserable and hot. Teenagers eager to dive into the refreshing waves. All of their thoughts going to their first loves, first kiss, first everything, and what it all means. The power struggle between the extremely rich who flock to this area during the summer. The people of the town eagerly awaiting jobs. Jobs that take them inside the wealth. Show them a peak into their world, wishing that they could have a quarter of what these people take for granted. The one perfect night that Evelyn Drayton strives for every year, her birthday party. All their rich friend's flock to their mansion. Waiting to be wined and dined. What occurs has been haunting everyone involved for the last twenty years. This story is told through a dual timeline, current and the summer it all went down.

What happens when you are just five years old and you are the star witness in a murder trial? Your testimony puts away your babysitter. Nina Drayton has always wondered if what she told the court was the truth. The problem is she cannot remember what occurred that night. Her mind blocking out the tragic event of seeing her sister being killed. Nina's entire life has circled that night. What happened, how could she have testified and then lost those memories. Nina has tried not to go to France. She has missed her mother's yearly birthday bash. Yes, she still has them even though her daughter, Tamara, was killed on that night. This year Nina decides to go. A woman with a podcast has been digging deeper into Tamara's murder. Nina cannot let it go. Could she be wrong and Josie is innocent?

This is a fantastic, atmospheric read, which had me wondering what actually happened to Tamara? I loved the characters. Ranging from sweet and innocent to seriously demented. Intense family drama and how it played out in the Drayton household. Everything can look lovely from the outside, open the door and step inside. The yelling, the cheating, the selfish mother, the father that never visits. There is a reason this family is a bit messed up and I was here for all the juicy tidbits. Their truth will set them free! Thank you to Katie Bishop and St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy of this intriguing read.

This book follows Nina, who returns to her childhood home in France to relive the memories of her sister's murder there to see if they were accurate. Josie is the person who went to prison for the murder, but she may not have done it. A tiktoker who does true crime content helps find new evidence and find the truth to this case. This is a dual pov book, which I liked because the chapters from the past enriched the information I was learning from the present about Nina's sister. I really liked the writing style for this book, but it ended up being a little long for me. I enjoyed most of it except for the unnecessary plot points that were randomly added it seemed.

As I started reading Kate Bishop’s novel, I was hesitant as to whether or not I was going to love it. I worried that the social media/ podcast angle had been overdone & wouldn’t be able to set itself apart. Thankfully, I was wrong. High Season had me hooked as soon as the setting had me visualizing the steep walk down the cliff side to the picturesque blue waters of Côte d'Azur. This novel captivated me from the beginning and had me trying to find any spare moments to read a chapter or two to see what actually happened to Tamara Dayton.

Absolutely loved!

I definitely enjoyed this book. The writing was great! I loved the characters; I think there was great character development and I appreciated the backstories. The pacing of the story was kind of slow but I still really enjoyed the book. Great summer read!

One of the interesting situations with mysteries is that there are so many different types. High Season is a suspense. And it does this very well. So let’s get into it.

Theme: High Season’s overarching subject is about justice.

Characters: There is a large cast of main characters. And much to the author’s credit, they were thoroughly fleshed out and I had no trouble keeping track of who was who. The two primary characters, Nina Drayton and Josie Jackson are very sympathetic. The majority of the characters are imperfect, but have redeeming qualities.

Setting: The story takes place in coastal France. The tension between the privileged that visit their vacation homes in summer and those that serve them is entwined with the setting itself.

Plot Structure: The plot itself is exactly as described in the NetGalley summary. As it unfolds, the author bounces back and forth between the original events of twenty years before and the current situation as the murder is re-investigated. Additionally, the story is told from multiple viewpoints, which typically changes from one chapter to the next. Surprisingly, this is not as confusing as it sounds.

The pacing is slow, and the suspense palpable.

The writing: Katie Bishop is a talented writer. It’s easy to envision the scenes she is describing, and to feel the emotions of the characters. These are the primary things any reader wants from a story. Despite the complexity of the plot structure, it is coherent and easy to follow.

My Personal Reaction: Here’s where it gets tricky. While I love a good mystery, long, drawn out suspense is not my jam. But that in no way indicates that it was done badly.

If I had any criticisms, and really they are more personal preferences rather than true criticisms, it would be that the pacing was too slow and I found the shifts between time periods and viewpoints somewhat jarring.
Pros:

Excellent writing

Well fleshed out characters

A good mystery

A good suspense

Cons:

Slow pacing

Many viewpoint and time period changes, which felt jarring.

Will I Read More of This Author?

It depends…. I have no issue with her writing skills. They are top notch. But I would not read her again in this genre. I try to avoid suspense no matter who the author is.

Some themes of Bishop's thriller reminded me of another upcoming release - Greenwich by Kate Broad. Both deal with issues of class and money, nannies/babysitters over the summer season, and an ensuing death. While Broad's book is set state-side, Bishop's takes place on the French coast. At times there is a strong sense of atmosphere, both in the Drayton's home and the Cote d'Azur more generally, but Bishop relies too heavily on describing the sun on the water repeatedly, especially as the book progresses. There is a nice mix of characters who are unique and have interesting dynamics with one another, and the focus shifts between the different "players" in the story, providing many credible theories as to why Tamara Drayton ended up dead in her family's pool. I didn't enjoy the sections where an influencer shares various facts about the story with her audience since she doesn't become a full-fledged character until late in the novel, and much of her information could have been worked into passages with main characters. Overall, it's a breezy summer read with an enjoyable twist, and I would definitely read more from Bishop in the future.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Wow what a thriller of a read where Nina witnesses something horrible but as life goes on everyone second guessed that she saw what she saw. I was stressing at some parts of this book and as a true crime lover in real life I loved seeing how that played into this whole plot. I was anxious as I turned each page wondering what really happened and how it would end.

Could you imagine growing up believing your family had your best interests at heart, that while you tried to become an adult who could help children in their most traumatic times you would be hoping to heal your inner child’s trauma just to uncover that it’s possible you have been gaslit your whole life?
This story has so many moving parts of great characters that you feel so sorry for and how their lives turned out by one person’s decision to stay quiet and another’s person’s decision to hide a dark side…..
Have you ever just wondered what if I told the truth?

Katie Bishop’s The High Season is a gripping and emotionally layered debut that explores power, memory, and the lasting impact of past relationships. With atmospheric writing and a slow-burning tension, the novel peels back the layers of a young woman’s summer romance turned dark. Haunting and thought-provoking, it lingers long after the final page.

June 3, 2025
I thought this was an excellent story, well written and very interesting. Ok the thrust of this novel revolves around Nina a 6 year old who becomes the main witness of her much older sister Tamara Drayton’s death. She claims she saw her baby sitter Josie drown Tamara who also had a twin brother named Blake and they were 17 years old. This accusation led to Josie going to jail for ten years and left a major impact on Nina. This took place in 2004 in France where the Drayton’s were well known in France thus the title High Season. The book is told in four parts but jumps from 2004 to 2024. Now in 2024 Nina went to school to become a psychologist but remains haunted from this wondering did she send an innocent girl to prison. Now, enter a podcast revolving about this case and the validity of a six year old’s testimony. Nina herself wonders what did she really see. The end had a major twist but I knew there would be one. I felt the book dragged a little bit but all in all it was well written and really a great story which a self indulgent mother who had the twins and then ended that marriage and had Nina 11 years later so this was not a stable home life. I want to thank net galley and the publisher for this ARC. I highly recommend this book if you like psychological thrillers with interesting personalities and a thrilling end.

"High Season" is set over the course of two summers in the Côte d’Azur. The first summer follows the incredibly rich Drayton family who own the "pink house" and the second summer is after a tragedy strikes and Tamara Drayton is found dead in her pool by her little sister, Nina. In the flashback summer, Nina immediately points the finger at Josie, a definite "have not" in their posh world. The aftereffects of Tamara's death are explored in the contemporary narrative.
I enjoyed the shifting of narratives. I especially enjoyed Josie and Nina's storylines. It never felt repetitive and I read it quickly. I am a sucker for rich people with problems though. Especially rich people on lavish vacations with problems. Throw a murder in there and I am hooked.
The plot twist wasn't particularly stunning but I enjoyed the story up until that point and what I felt like was a fairly rushed ending. Loved the characters and plot, even if it wasn't a completely new story in the "rich people with problems" genre.
Enjoyed reading it once, but probably would not again.

First, I really like this cover. OK, now on to the rest.

📖: Is the testimony of a five-year old appropriate for a murder conviction? Now nearing thirty, Nina Drayton can’t shake the dreadful feeling her childhood memory failed her, that maybe Josie Jackson shouldn’t have been sent to prison. Through dual timelines and the lenses of multiple characters, the events that lead to that night reveal the truth.

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- complex family & friendship dynamics
- rich people problems
- a documentary element (plays a smaller role)

💭: I enjoyed this reading experience for a few reasons:

1) I love a strong female friendship element, especially because those stories tend to get me emotionally invested.

2) There were a few people Katie Bishop wanted us to care about, and she succeeded. It could have been easy to dislike all of these characters, but her writing created emotional depth and opportunities for compassion. I'm digging more character driven mysteries lately, and this one worked.

3) I don’t usually care about fancy vacation settings, but I felt like the French beach town and “the pink house” were characters that changed over time with the rest of them.

Listen. Don't go into this expecting a wild, twisty, thrilling ride. There's absolutely a mystery element, but it's more than that. It's haunting, maddening, melancholic, and unexpectedly joyful at times. Take your popcorn elsewhere, babes.

Rating: I really liked it! (4)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for early access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Pub Day: 8/12/2025

Seventeen-year-old Tamara Drayton is dead—found face-down in the pool during her mother’s birthday party. Her younger sister Nina, only five at the time, is the sole witness. Her testimony helps put their babysitter, Josie Jackson, behind bars.

Now, twenty years later, Nina’s trying to move forward. She’s landed her first full-time job—as a child psychologist, no less—a career choice her mother and brother think is… questionable, given her past. But Nina believes the opposite. She knows what childhood trauma feels like, and she’s using that lived experience to help other kids find their way through the dark.

But the past doesn’t stay quiet for long. A true crime documentary is bringing the case back into the spotlight, and Nina is being asked to participate. The only problem? She doesn’t remember what really happened that night.

And as a huge fan of the Crime Junkie podcast, this setup scratched an itch I didn’t even realize I had. You’ve got old money, family secrets, murky memories, and now a whole new layer of online theories thanks to Imogen Faye, a wildly popular true crime TikTok creator who's leading the documentary’s storytelling. Her transcripts are sprinkled throughout the book—along with chaotic and eerily insightful fan comments—and it adds this extra layer of “wait… could they be right?” Some of the theories had me questioning everything. And then Bishop’s writing pulls you down another rabbit hole, and you're back to second-guessing yourself. It’s such a smart way to build tension while also feeding your inner conspiracy theorist.

The book starts off a little slow, and I’ll admit—I wasn’t fully sold during Part One. But then Part Two hit like a switch flipped, and I was all in. The pacing took off, the characters got messier (in the best way), and suddenly I was forgetting to start dinner because I needed just one more chapter. (Okay, maybe five.)

Katie Bishop nailed the dual timeline and multi-POV approach here. We get to follow Nina in both the past and present, plus insights from Tamara herself and a few other key players I won’t spoil. The back-and-forth works so well, and I loved how my opinions of every single character kept shifting. Josie? Guilty. No, wait… misunderstood. Tamara? Victim. Or maybe the villain? It’s like Bishop wanted us to feel as confused and emotionally tangled as Nina—and it worked.

And the ending? I loved it. There was one storyline I wish had a smidge more closure (I won’t say which one because spoilers), but the final chapters still delivered. It felt satisfying without being too tidy, and I closed the book with that perfect mix of closure and still-wanting-to-Google-everything-about-it energy.

If you’re into slow-burn mysteries, character-driven thrillers, or anything that gives off big “unsolved Netflix doc” energy, this one should go on your list. Just prepare to question everyone and possibly start your own red-string murder board along the way.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Told in a dual timeline, twenty years apart, this is a story of murder, family dynamics and the ways in which trauma can shape one’s life.

When Tamara is found floating dead in the family’s pool, it is 5-year-old Nina who will have to testify as to what she saw. But is a young child trustworthy? The jury thought so, and the deceased’s best friend ends up serving ten years in prison.

When a true crime blogger chooses this story to investigate, memories shift and become clearer. What actually did happen to Tamara?

The well rounded characters, the setting of the French Riviera, and the perfectly laid out ending make this a sure fire bestseller. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early reader copy of this 4-star book.

A wonderful kickoff to my summer reading, High Season is a story about family, secrets, and loyalty. This story transported me to the French Riviera and did a wonderful job at immersing the reader in the European high season. While I found the alternating timelines and the number of characters confusing at times, I very much enjoyed this story and I know that other others will as well. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy for review consideration.

I thought this book was great, but it was really slow. Once I got over the hump at the beginning, I was hooked on the characters and plot!