Summer, 2000. In the tranquil town of Queen’s Point in southern Australia, the Whitlam family marks the end of every season with a lavish party in their clifftop mansion. Here, clutching her first glass of real champagne, the summer breeze intoxicating on her skin, sixteen-year-old Lucy Ross is kissed for the very first time. And then, in the shadows of the rose garden, she sees something she shouldn’t.
Winter, 2019. After two decades of silence, Lucy is back in Queen’s Point. She hasn’t planned on staying long. But when human remains wash up on the freezing beach, the police close the town. Unable to leave, Lucy is forced to rekindle old friendships – and examine old truths – she has long ago tried to forget. As long-buried secrets start to surface, Lucy must decide. Will she confront the past and tell the truth? Or will she still do anything to protect the people she loves?
The Summer Party is a debut adult novel by Rebecca Heath, who may be new to the writing scene, but has quickly left a mark with this glamorous, escapist psychological thriller set in Australia.
After losing the grandmother who raised her, Lucy returns to her childhood summer home in Queen’s Point to collect her late grandmother’s belongings. Her grandmother worked for the wealthy Whitlam family next door, and Lucy’s friendship with their children altered the course of her life.
Lucy is no stranger to death – her husband also died suddenly – so she plans to get in and out of Queen’s Point quickly. But then, a body washes up on the beach of Queen’s Point and Lucy finds herself involved in a murder investigation, prompting her past to unravel and confront hidden truths.
Told in Lucy’s POV in the present day and multiple perspectives in the past, you’ll find the dual timelines seamless and intriguing. Heath fully immerses you in this Australian landscape, setting up an atmospheric psychological thriller with captivating characters who all hold a piece in this complex puzzle.
Well-paced with a well-woven plot, you’ll easily find yourself drawn into this wealthy family dynasty where the worst of secrets are buried in the most glamorous of homes. As Lucy’s hazy memories of her past begin to clear, we see her come into her own and search for peace after holding a twenty-year-long burden. Many red herrings abound, and when the truth unfolds, it’s like nothing you’d expect!
Tense, compelling and full of depth, The Summer Party is a gripping mystery that would make the perfect addition to your summer reading pile. We can’t wait to see what Heath delivers us next.
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