The premise is great and so were the reviews but i found this book to be rather long and drawn out. The writing is good but it seemed to drag on a but much.

I thought this was a pretty poor book. The characters speak in a way that people don't really talk in normal life. I guess there was supposed to be some horror and mystery, but that was lost on me. Not recommended.

Summary: When a group of old college friends reunites for a summer vacation at a beach house in coastal Massachusetts, a sudden disappearance and the arrival of a seductive stranger threaten to unearth the darkest secrets of their relationships.

I liked the eerie atmospheric aspects of this story. There’s lots of good descriptions of the natural landscape and the historic beach house. It is a slow burn read and focuses a lot on the internal life of the MC as well as the relationships of the characters. I had the feeling I was an invisible participant in the story observing and listening in on their private conversations.

This book will resonate with people that like Adrienne Young and Charlotte McConaghy it’s more subtle in its approach not a flashy sensational thriller but that’s what makes it different and interesting.

For years, Jim and his closest friends from college have spent summers at a house Jim inherited when he was young. In recent years, though, the group has begun to drift apart. This summer they all agreed to spend part of the season back at the house on Buzzard Bay, and Jim is looking forward to reconnecting with everyone.

But the summer gets off to a strange start, when Jim arrives and realizes someone broke into the house over the off-season. Then, Bruce, a member of the group who has often set himself apart, disappears without a trace a few weeks into the summer. A series of break-ins in the town, some mysterious occurrences at Jim’s house, and the arrival of a strange visitor has all the remaining friends on edge — and wondering what, and who, they can really trust.

This was a highly engaging book. The author does a terrific job of exploring the nature of college friendships as one moves deeper into adulthood — how spouses fit into the group and how to maintain bonds with those who you consider your closest friends when your experiences deeper in adulthood feel increasingly divergent. The book effectively builds a sense of unease while keeping the reader both on edge and deeply curious about where the story is going.

Highly recommended.

When I sat down to review Dwyer Murphy's The House on Buzzard Bay, I was thinking...what did I like about it? It's hard to articulate any one thing, but the sum of the parts...I loved. Was it Jim as the every man, that we can all probably relate to? Was it the dynamic between old friends? Or was it the spooky old house and the spiritualist vibe? The arrival of a mysterious young woman? All of these things together just really made this book work. It's atmospheric and enthralling, and the ending is absolutely perfect, The House on Buzzard Bay isn't a popcorn thriller with constant twists and reveals, but I loved the mystery of it all.

I’m not sure what to make of this novel. It isn’t really a whodunit, nor a haunted house story. It isn’t a “friends with a secret reunite” book, or a “town where everyone is hiding something.” I guess it’s neither, or all of them at once. It is a very slow-burner, very descriptive and atmospheric, and full of dialogues that should be pointless but are really fascinating. Jim and his closest friends return together to their beach house for the first time in many years. They’ve drifted apart, but still have that closeness that we only feel with friends who are like family. One of them disappears, but it’s not clear if he left or if something happened. There is a medium and a seance, a mysterious French girl who suddenly shows up to stay, and a lot of summer activities. The one thing I kept thinking throughout is that Jim could be the modern American version of Meursault from The Stranger, or a middle-aged Holden Caulfield. He is just as apathetic as them. Don’t get me wrong, both are amongst my favorite books ever, so I was really engrossed by Jim’s narrative. The rest of the characters are believable, in that they all have their virtues and flaws. The plot is not suspenseful because not much really happens, but I was completely engrossed by the story. This is one of those books that I should have hated but I truly enjoyed. Must be the writing.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Viking.

This is Big Chill gone wrong. Peoples reactions are complex and lying and denials make for an interesting read!

What begins as a fun summer reunion and vacation for old college friends turns darker and haunting as old tensions and grievances are uncovered through too many days of close company. Jim, his wife, children and their closest friends are finally all together again after summers where at least one of the old friends couldn't make the reunion. This year they have all returned to Jim's house on Buzzard's Bay and when one of them disappears suddenly the mood quickly sours. This is not the book you want to read if you're heading off to a fun beach vacation, but if you're looking for a gothic, unsettling mystery this would be it.

Old friends reuniting years after they finished college or had a part in something particularly unpleasant has become a very popular trope. Murphy’s book stands out because of the setting and creepy atmosphere