Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced copy of Beach Thriller in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: June 9, 2026
Summary:
The next riveting summer suspense by the author of THE BLOCK PARTY, ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY, and THE LAKE ESCAPE Jamie Day.
Holly Sinclair, a struggling writer, is forced from her cherished New York apartment and returns to her family’s seaside cottage in the charming town of Beauport, Massachusetts—a home she hasn’t seen in nearly twenty years. Guilt grabs her the moment she arrives. Years ago, her sister died here, and Holly still blames herself.
She arrives on a mission from her literary agent to write a best-selling novel. Her future depends on it. But she’s not the only one with an agenda. Someone is watching Holly’s every move from the shadows. Desperate for a good idea, Holly makes the fateful choice to write about her past. The Watcher sees all and knows what Holly doesn’t: Some secrets must remain buried.
As threats from the ominous Watcher become increasingly sinister, Holly realizes that, even though the past is a faint echo, it is still close enough to be deadly.
My thoughts:
This is the latest summer thriller by Jamie Day and it really is the perfect summer read!
This had everything I love in my thrillers – a cold case, an unreliable narrator, and a book-within-a-book. Add in the beach town setting, some family drama and a little suspense and I couldn’t put this one down! With the short chapters and truths being revealed slowly, I found this to be completely binge-able. And those sections from the anonymous “watcher” — I loved those!! It gave the story just the right eerie undertone without making it too creepy.
This book is perfect for those who love small-town mysteries with lots of secrets and plenty of suspects to guess from. Every time thought I had this one figured out, the story would take an unexpected turn and I just loved that! The twists and reveals are really perfectly timed, leading to such a satisfying, thrilling ending.
Audio thoughts:
This was great on audio with the full-cast narration. The narrators – Emily Shaffer, Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Pickens and Megan Tusing — all did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. They all infuse just the right amount of emotion into their voices as needed.
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