I enjoyed this audiobook! It was a medium paced mystery that plopped you right in the middle of a divided community. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced listening opportunity!

Tallulah Wentworth is a life long resident of Sullivan Island. With all the newcomer to the island, this social maven hosts legendary monthly dinners to unite an unlikely group of women into the very best of friends. As in all small communities, things aren't always laid back and friendly and the most recent controversy involves how to manage the maritime forest that’s sprung up on accreted land. When a neighborhood meet-and-greet devolves into violence, several pillars of the community are led away in handcuffs. The next morning, a very real, dead body is found in Sarabeth Boone’s spooky Halloween graveyard display. Who is dead? Who is responsible?

It sounds like a fun cozy mystery, but that is actually just a small part of the story. Susan M. Boyer takes us on a journey to meet all the characters, to learn about their lives, their troubles, and their relationships. This more a story about family, friendship and community, with a mystery that ties it all together. As the story unfolds we see that everyone has problems that we are familiar with. Repairs to our homes (in this case quite structural), adult children and grandchildren moving back home, political issues breaking apart friendships, relationships stagnating, suspicions about partners and even secrets being kept by parents. As all these things play out, there are subtle clues about the murder. Overall, this was an interesting story, but it took me a bit to get pulled in, which is unusual for a Susan M. Boyer book. I think I was expecting more mystery, and less about the community. Having said that, I still enjoyed this story and all the wonderful descriptions of the area, community and characters. I did a read/listen with the audiobook being narrated by Courtney Patterson. She does a great job with the various characters and their voices. Her pacing is perfect for a southern mystery.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. I really enjoyed this book. I was not expecting a little murder mystery at the very end but it is very small tiny part of the story. The characters were all great and I loved that it took place in the south. This is mostly older characters in age so if you are looking for younger this is not a book for you. But I would suggest you maybe give it a try! I actually laughed out loud so many times listening to the narrator, who by the way is amazing and did a great job! Highly recommend. I would read another book by this author again.

Sullivan's Island Supper Club didn’t quite work for me. It’s marketed as a cozy Southern murder mystery, but the murder doesn’t even happen until the very end, and the resolution feels rushed. Most of the story revolves around the characters’ personal and romantic drama, which made it hard to keep track of everyone—especially since I listened to the audiobook. While the narration was solid, I think this is a series you need to start from the beginning to fully appreciate.

2.5 stars (rounded to three).

Sullivan's Island Supper Club had its moments, but I found it tough to follow without having read the first book. The story, marketed as a cozy southern murder mystery, takes a long time to reach the actual murder, which happens near the end and is resolved quickly. Most of the book focuses on the characters' personal and romantic issues, making it hard to keep track of everyone, especially in audiobook format. While the narration was solid, I’d recommend starting this series from the beginning to fully enjoy it.

Normally I don't find it difficult to follow the plot of a book (which is part of a series), and its characters even if I haven't read the first book.

However, I struggled with this particular book even though it is only the second book in the series. According to the blurb it is supposed to be a southern cosy murder mystery but the actual murder does not take place until the 85-90% mark and it gets solved in a jiffy.

Plus, there are a lot of characters and the major portion of the book is taken up by their personal, professional and and romantic issues which seems to be carried forward from the first book. It was a struggle keeping track of all the characters while listening to the audiobook even though there was nothing wrong with the vocal performance. I feel this is a series that should best be read from the beginning to better understand all the characters and their stories and it is highly rated on Goodreads.

I received an ALC of the book from the publisher Dreamscape Select/Stella Maris Books LLC and the author via NetGalley.

Rating: ⭐⭐✨💫

Having read Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island, I was excited to read another book in the new Carolina Tales series. The characters are richly developed and I love the description of the South Carolina Lowcountry. It is fun getting caught up in the characters and the relationships between them. I so want to be invited to be a part of their supper club. Between the ocean breezes, delicious food, and delightful people, I would be happy to spend the rest of my life on Sullivan’s Island.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stella Maris Books LLC for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Fiction
Mystery
Women’s Fiction

The Sullivan's Island Supper Club is a warm hearted Southern story that follows a group of friends no longer in the first blush of youth.

Dealing with themes of love, loss, recovery and rejuvenation, the book follows the life of inhabitants on the island, from the excitement of new people - including a female US Marshal and her very odd husband! - moving in, to the locals' battles over beach vegetation.

While most of the book is about friendship, parenthood and other relationships between the cast of characters, there is a very entertaining segment very close to the end which was my favourite part. An easy read, this one gets 3.5 stars.

I recieved an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review.I would rate this book a 3.5, but I'll round it up to a 4. I enjoyed the story; however, there were too many characters, making it hard to keep track of them. Additionally, the ending felt rushed and wasn't well-crafted.

It was great being back on Sullivan Island. Set just outside Charleston, South Carolina, it has all the southern beauty and charm of the low country.

I love these characters! They are a hilarious group of locals, some old friends and some new, who now meet for Tallulah Wentworth’s monthly dinners—the supper club.

But something fishy is happening with a US Marshal on the island and the rising issue about the maritime forest blocking certain residents’ views. Oh, and then there’s the body found in one of the newest supper club’s member's lawn decorations! All this adds suspense and intrigue, yet it never loses that warm feeling of friendship and hospitality.

Whether you're a cozy mystery fan, enjoy Southern fiction, or just love funny, nosy, but charming characters that steal your heart, it's all here. The vivid writing made me feel like I had visited Sullivan’s Island—the windswept beach, beautiful homes, and all the food!

🎧I enjoyed pairing my reading with the audiobook. Courtney Patterson’s narration really captured the personalities of these characters.



Thank you @susanmboyer for a signed copy of the book.

And thank you @dreamscape_media for the gifted audiobook via NetGalley.

3.5 stars. I enjoyed the narration. At times it was hard to keep track of all the characters and the mystery part was very rushed at the end.

The Sullivan's Island Supper Club is a wonderful community of friends who get together at least every month for supper. They are a wide ranging group of mostly couples who each have their own lives and challenges. However one thing they all have is a great spirit of friendship.

The book opens with a dead body on the lawn of one of the couples, and then we a taken back some months in time, leading up to this dreadful happening. Along the way we find  characters who are faced mostly with the common problems of anyone's life. House problems, relationship worries, loosing a partner, being single, facing menopause, and returning children that you thought had left for good.

As well there are differences of opinions about the way the maritime forest should be handled and there are some strong opinions and actions that go beyond where they should.

Yet threaded through all this is the strong sense of community, and being there for each other. I couldn't help falling for them all.

So many characters did give me trouble especially at the beginning. There is a previous book in this series that I hadn't read so maybe if I had it would have been easier.

The narrator is amazing. She brings each character to life and I think it is her telling of the story that puts a real sparkle on this group of characters. I can certainly recommend the audiobook version.

Oh yes and the mystery of the dead body is finally solved.

This is a beautiful story of friendship, showing how you can make it through any troubles as long as you have the right support. Everyone in this book is struggling in their own way, whether big or small. The author doesn't skim over any of the issues but helps the characters work through them to a good conclusion for all of them.

The descriptions in this book are amazing, I could picture myself walking along the beach, listening to the waves with the sand beneath my toes. All of the characters were well thought out and complex but lovable.

The mystery was very slow burn, and it felt a bit rushed at the end. I enjoyed the build-up, and I was able to put the clues together myself to get the right solution. I just wish the conclusion was fleshed out a bit more, I don't feel like Knox got the ending he deserved.

Trouble finds itself again at Sullivan's Island. Literally at the supper club! This idyllic island is a place that I would love to retire to minus all the murders! There is a bit of contested issue at the island where many locals cannot seem to agree on anything. I have found this series to be character driven which I love. There are many themes that differentiates each couple's issue and it's great because it makes them so much more realistic. Issues that arise and how each couple handles those issues is quite fun to read. The mystery in this one was so much fun, that I didn't even see it coming! It completely surprised me. The narrator, Courtney Patterson does a wonderful job bringing all of the characters to life. The variety of tones and inflections were great. I cannot wait to listen to the next installment.

You will definitely drive slower if listening to this audiobook in the car - or find yourself lingering in the driveway.. The characters and the setting along with the excellent voice of the narrator are mesmerizing.

I've been a fan of Susan M. Boyer's books since I read Lowcountry Boil back in 2013. I was sad to see the end of her Liz Talbot series, but thoroughly enjoyed the first book in her new Carolina Tales series. So naturally I was excited to dive into this, the second in the Carolina Tales series. And happily I enjoyed it just as much as her others. It had been a couple of years since I'd read Big Trouble on Sullivan's Island, so must admit it took me a bit to remember a few of the characters and their connections. But Boyer does a nice job of reintroducing them as the story unfolds from several points of view. As usual there's humor, there are quirky characters, there's heart, and there's a wonderful sense of place that shows that Boyer must love the South Carolina Lowcountry. And of course there's an interesting mystery (or two) as well. I listened to the audiobook, and Courtney Patterson's narration was a delight - she did an excellent job of giving multiple characters their own distinct voices. All in all, it's a most enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select/Stella Maris Books, LLC for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

This was my first Susan Boyer novel, but it will not be the last. The way the quirky characters are interconnected makes for an interesting ready. By the end of the book, I wanted to start my own supper club. The strong southern woman make you want to pull up a chair and join them. However a dead body causes some tensions but the book is full of scenery, love, and intrigue. I have already picked up another book in this series. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

An enjoyable addition to the series that can be read as a stand-alone. Well developed large cast of characters. Family, good friends, neighbors both wonderful and ugh, gossip, moving forward, a dream house that is a bit of a nightmare and a whole lot of subterfuge all woven into a wonderful story. The narration was terrific. .

Set in a beachside town not far from Charleston, South Carolina, we meet a number of characters—those new to town and those who were born and raised on Sullivan’s Island. Tallulah’s monthly dinners are the talk of their group of friends and honored are those who are welcomed into the fold.

Like any small town, there are issues, but the one that is the most controversial is the management of the maritime forest which is on accreted land. The neighborhood meet-and-greet which was supposed to be a happy gathering, ends with people arrested, someone dead and the realization that not everyone is who they seemed.

I really enjoyed listening to this novel and would definitely like to read or listen to more novels by Susan M. Boyer. I also enjoyed the narrator, Courtney Patterson.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheSullivansIslandSupperClub

Tallulah Wentworth loves trowing rather elaborate supper parties for her many friends. Once a month they come together and enjoy an evening of fine dining and talking about everything under the sun. All of them have their own troubles - writer's block, house trouble, relationship problems, environmental disputes... But thankfully, helping each other is as normal for this friend group as offering a vegetarian option at dinner.

Sadly, I'm quite disappointed in this book. Mainly because I went into it with the wrong expectations. When I read the summery provided by the publisher, I thought this would be a cosy southern murder mystery. This is not the case. The teased murder occurs 90% into the book and is solved in a snap. All the other troubles and "mysteries" are interpersonal and - mostly - boring.

There is a very large cast of character's and I often got confused as to who was who... I also didn't connect with any of them and really didn't care about their problems. As this is the second book in the series and I didn't read the first, this may be a problem of my own making.

The audiobook narrator gave her best and had a wonderful southern twang but couldn't get me any more excited either.

So, all in all read this if you want to enjoy a book about a slice of life on a southern island but not if you want a murder mystery.

Only 2.5 stars 😢

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!