When Tess Gerritsen launched a new series with The Spy Coast last year, it was immediately obvious that this concept was going to hook readers in—likely starting yet another long-running series for this legend of crime fiction. The idea of a community of retired spies living in secret among the citizens of small town Maine was just full of potential. Turns out those readerly instincts were correct because the second book in the series—The Summer Guests—is about to be released and it not only lives up to that debut, but in many ways exceeds expectations.
The Summer Guests once again transports readers to Purity, Maine, a quiet community that holds many secrets. Readers will quickly notice that this novel starts out very much like a traditional mystery—a young girl connected to one of the rich out-of-towner families that only spend their summers in Purity goes missing—and proceeds much like a police procedural. It’s not very long until a skeleton is discovered in Maiden Pond, the body of water that abuts several properties in the area. The Investigation(s) proceed as one might expect until about halfway through when some spy elements are introduced into the narrative.
Readers will expect this tonal shift, having already met Maggie Bird—a retired spy who lives in the area—in The Spy Coast. Maggie and her fellow retired spies meet occasionally for cocktails and chat. They call themselves The Martini Club and they just can’t seem to avoid getting caught up in local crime prevention/investigation. Much to the chagrin of local acting police chief, Jo Tribodeau, who can’t figure out why they always seem to be one step ahead in their scrutiny of suspects.
Old world money clashes with small town mentality throughout The Summer Guests. Readers will enjoy meeting the various members of the Conover Family—a quirky bunch with some long-standing feuds in the area. Along with The Martini Club, the case introduces some other members of the Purity community as well, some of whom are sure to become series regulars.
Tess Gerritsen uses multiple points of view to unspool this narrative. Readers mainly get the perspectives of three very different women. Maggie Bird: who is already a beloved character with the wit and reason to outsmart any foe. Jo Tribodeau: a loyal civil servant doing her best to keep her community safe and secure. And Susan Conover: an in-law to the mega-rich family, meaning she is still an outsider in ways that will cause her much angst.
The blend of crime fiction and spy thriller presented in The Summer Guests is perfectly balanced. Tess Gerritsen is wise enough to know that it would be unbelievable for a group of retired spies to repeatedly get tangled up in action-packed, international missions. However, the skills they learned in their field and the connections they have made are still very relevant and useful when investigating other crimes. And as with the first book in the series, the interplay between The Martini Club and Jo Tribodeau is delightful—a healthy mix of admiration and irritation.
Readers looking for a book that will sweep them away from reality for several hours wouldn’t go wrong picking up The Summer Guests. The pacing is near perfect, the cases are impeccably crafted, and the characters are delightful travel companions on the road to the shocking truth. Tess Gerritsen brings everything to a satisfactory conclusion—even tugging at our heartstrings—and leaves readers with the desire to return for book three in this unforgettable series.
BUY LINKS: The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen
Disclaimer: A print galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the publisher. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
