The Darkest Summer is a slow-burning, atmospheric suspense novel that masterfully captures the uneasy tension between past and present, innocence and trauma, love and betrayal. At its heart is Sera, a grieving widow navigating the return to her childhood village with her young daughter, only to be confronted by the ghosts of a long-lost friendship—ghosts that have returned in the flesh, with secrets buried deeper than she ever imagined.

The story unfolds like a long-forgotten photograph developing in reverse: hazy at first, full of nostalgia and unanswered questions, before the darkness creeps in around the edges. The reappearance of Dee and her brother Leo after thirty years isn’t a joyous reunion—it’s a catalyst for unraveling a web of buried truths. Dee is no longer the carefree girl Sera once loved like a sister; she’s withdrawn, erratic, and hiding something that feels increasingly dangerous.

Authorial restraint plays a big role in the novel's success. The suspense builds slowly but deliberately, allowing readers to really feel the oppressive heat of that long-ago summer, the unease in the quiet Hampshire village, and the emotional weight of Sera’s grief. As the story oscillates between past and present, it asks poignant questions about how much we truly know the people we love—and how time and trauma can reshape even the most unbreakable bonds.

Where The Darkest Summer shines most is in its layered emotional beats. The bond between Sera and her daughter Katie is sweet and grounding, and the contrast between Sera’s lost innocence and the sharp truths of adulthood adds richness to the narrative. The only reason it’s not a full five stars is that the pacing, particularly in the first half, may feel a bit slow for some readers expecting a more traditional thriller structure. But those who stay the course will be rewarded with a finale that is both haunting and satisfying.

The Darkest Summer is perfect for fans of Claire Douglas, Lucy Clarke, and Lisa Jewell—a psychological drama wrapped in secrets, with just enough menace to keep you turning the pages. A thoughtful, brooding mystery about the cost of silence, the weight of memory, and the dark corners we never fully escape.

The writing style did not work for me - choppy. I wanted to hear from the characters. The Plot dragged, predictable. Did not hold my interest.

I have never read a book by this author before, so I did not know what to expect. This is always a bit exiting. A bit like diving into the deep end. 

I like that though. Was I on the verge to gain a new best 'friend' or were we going to be like two ships sailing in the night passing each other by, never to see one another again?

I immediately loved the author's writing style. It was very inviting and more like a friend telling me a story and not like me reading a book. 

Sera is a lovely character. She still is suffering, not only from the fact that her bestie vanished years ago, but she is also still dealing with her husband's death. She tries to build a new life for herself and her young daughter with the help of her mum.

But miracles do happen and Sera is reunited with her childhood friend Dee. There is one small problem though. Who is this person? She looks like Dee. She is Dee, but she has lost her bubbliness. She is a shell of the girl she used to be.

Sera is determined to find out what has happened. Secrets are revealed. A lot of them...

I utterly enjoyed this story where we travelled between the present and the past. It was an easy read. I just would have loved a small epilogue maybe. I wondered what happened to 2 characters.

Great book. Great storytelling. 5 stars.

Thank you

Omg talk about a roller coaster read wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat threw out I just couldn't put it down this writer keeps you hooked and once your hooked your not letting go I found this book thrilling the characters were fantastic and well thought out and the little clues all the way threw keep you guessing until the end this book stays with you long after you close the book this book is well worth the read I promise you wont be disappointed

Why in the world do people go missing and then suddenly show up after so many years. What happened to them? This book has multiple POV that I enjoyed reading and it was not hard to follow. I often wondered what secrets were being kept and kept guessing, to which I was completely wrong. I liked the suspense of this book.

A good read. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot. I haven't read anything from the author before but will definitely look out for more.

This was a very good read, it’s full of twists and turns throughout that you don’t expect. An enjoyable psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I found it an easy read and the style of writing was perfect. The characters were intriguing and the plot was great full of suspense. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be keeping my eye out for more in the future. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading books for this genre.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

This was a pretty good book. I wish that I had actually liked some of the main characters so the end would have been more shocking. I read it and that was good enough for me.
#TheDarkestSummer #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Darkest Summer by Ella Drummond.

This is a story about a young mom, living with her own mom while she grieves the loss of her husband. While in her hometown, two people from her past reappear after disappearing when they were kids. But are these the same people that she knew when she was young? Or have things taken a dark turn.

Reading this book felt more like having a really vivid dream. Like, I'm there, but not really. I never really latched on to the characters, I never really got invested in the plot. I was able to stay focused enough to what was going on, but was ultimately happy when it ended because I never felt much interest.

I would like to thank Hera books and the Netgalley website for allowing me to read this book.

I was immediately attracted by the pretty cover of this book where you can see the main heroine dipping her feet in water.

We learn that one hot summer Dee disappeared and now she's back. But it's not the same as it was before. Sera and Dee were best friends. And fifteen years ago Dee and her brother Leo left Sera.

Now Sera's grown up, she has a daughter Katie who at five years old, she returns to the house where she grew up after her husband died.

Sera is grieving, but her past is tormenting her. As for Dee and Leo, they return to their village in Hampshire.

Dee remains silent, her demons torment her, she is no longer the girl Sera knew and when she discovers certain secrets, Sera will find that the girl she knew so well is long gone and that now that she is an adult she could endanger her loved ones.

I immediately hooked on to the story, which is so moving at certain points, captivating, full of suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters. Can't wait to read other books by this author who has an addictive pen.

This was a really fun read, it kept me interested and wanting to know what was going to happen next. The characters all added something to the story making it a very well rounded out novel. I would recommend this book for sure!

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a first-read from this author, and while it had it's flaws, I still very much enjoyed this one.
Flicking back between the past and the present, 'The Darkest Summer' tells a twisty tale of secrets, friendship, and murder.
For me, this was a fairly easy read, it was perfectly paced and had a selction of questionable characters that had me guessing and intrigued the whole way through. The majority of the characters were very well-written, and I instantly warmed to Sera, and Henri.

However, this read is short a couple of stars because; 1, I really didn't know what to make of Leo. He was an odd character whose sudden change in demeanor baffled me; and 2, Hazel was an important focus of the plot, it annoyed me a little that she wasn't involved in the present story, and no one thought to talk to her about the events and secrets that were being revealed? I found that very strange.

This book had so many twists and turns I wouldn't even know where to start this review. It was gripping from beginning to end, and worth your effort. Recommended.

I’d never read anything by this author and this book was a pleasant surprise! It had me wanting to read more and more. I would definitely recommend and now plan to read more books by this author! If you want to read a twisty book of secrets and lies, this would make the perfect summer read! 4/5.

Full of twists and turns, I was a bit confused in parts but overall this book was gripping and exciting.

The darkest summer by Ella Drummond
I give this 2.5 stars
One hot summer, Dee disappeared. Now she’s back…but she’s not the girl you knew
Sera and Dee are childhood friends until Dee and her family disappear without a trace.Years later Dee and her brother Leo turn up but what's has happened in the past between their mothers and why are they back home again.
I found this book hard going,l didn't enjoy the writing style and there wasn't enough to make me want to continue reading it.l finished it so l could review it.Sadly not for me!

*thank you to Netgalley, Ella Drummond and Hera Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3 stars.

This is not a psychological thriller. It' is, in my opinion, woman's fiction. The story was good for the most part but I kept expecting a shocking suspenseful event to pop up but the further along I read, and then once it did get to what I think was was ment to be the big reveal, it was rather flat. It didn't have any shock value and I found the last quarter to be a bit of a struggle to get through because my interest had been going in and out. 

But if you are wanting just a good drama story then this one is a good pick. There is a mysterious feel to the story that leaves you curious, but that's basically it. So while I would not recommend it as a psychological thriller, as woman's fiction, I would suggest giving it a go.

This book was great. It had so many twists and turns throughout the book. It was addictive, gripping and overall a great book

I have never read anything by this author before. But I will be looking out for more of her work.

Started off a bit slow and the characters were a little bland but it picked up and was pretty interesting to keep me turning the pages. I wanted a little more on how the characters were feeling. Like more detail but I enjoyed the mysteries. A decent read.