A great read! I want sure whether to go for this one as it’s the second in a series, but I am so pleased I did. I definitely plan to read the first one now, but this worked well as a standalone.

Set in a small town in Maine, when a teenager visiting for the summer goes missing, Acting Police Chief Jo, has her work cut out. Thankfully, although Jo could never admit it, The Martini Club are several steps ahead. The five retired CIA agents are great characters! Nobody knows their history and so they seem to be able to get away with pretty much everything as they’re just cute old people, right?!

There were lots of twists as Jo and her unofficial helpers peeled back the layers of this brilliantly thought out plot, which linked to several families in the small town and uncovered secrets from over 50 years ago. Highly recommended.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Tess Gerritsen and Random House Transworld for an ARC in return for an honest review.

4.5/5

Thank you Bantam and Netgalley for a copy of this book!

Tess Gerritsen is one of my favourite authors and after enjoying the first book in The Martini Club series, I was so looking forward to this one (book 2 of the series).

Maggie Bird’s ‘book group’ aka a group of retired spy’s are back after a teenager goes missing down by the lake where the summer people stay. The Martini Club’s good friend becomes a prime suspect and they get to work to help acting Police Cheif Jo Thibodeau uncover what really happened to the missing teen.

In book 1, you get a lot of back story into Maggie Bird and while reading this book, having knowledge of all that back story made this book so much more enjoyable! I love all the characters so so much! I wish they were real as I would love to join their ‘book club.’

You could probably read this as standalone but I really would recommend reading book 1 first (even if it isn’t quite as good IMO).

Spy thrillers aren’t my usual thing but this has been done so well and it definitely feels more like a police procedural/cozy mystery type novel. I enjoyed the story, it was filled with so many twists and turns.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

When a young girl goes missing and her neighbour is the main suspect retired spy Maggie Bird and her friends use all their skills to help the local police find the real culprit.

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen sees a welcome return to The Martini Club, a group of spies who have retired to the small town of Purity in Maine. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, The Spy Coast (review here), I felt that this second book was a cut above. By keeping the story local we got to see more interaction between the characters and a glimpse at the subtle ways in which the skills and knowledge of the retired spies can be utilised.

A cry for help from Maggie's neighbour has the group springing to action. Luther Yount looks like something that has just walked out of the forest but Maggie knows he's a retired professor with a gentle nature, all he wants is a quiet life and the perfect surroundings to raise his teenage granddaughter. Suspicion falls on Yount as he was the last person to see the missing girl, unfortunately, his alibi is a little vague so Maggie and her friends spring into action to help clear Luther's name.

We see the group utilise all of the skills they honed in their careers to uncover clues, usually a step ahead of the local police, and sometimes discover things the police missed in their search. Acting police chief Jo Thibodeau is constantly frustrated by the abilities of Maggie and her friends and irked that no matter how many times she tells them not to get involved they ignore her.

There is a menacing feeling throughout the story, mixed with a lot of dry wit. During the search for the missing girl remains are found, leading to another investigation and adding to the sense that something sinister is happening in a place so quiet and peaceful that locals don't lock their doors. The police are at a loss trying to identify the remains, but Maggie and her friends are dogged and refuse to give up. What they discover is shocking and has huge implications for lots of people.

I loved the setting, holiday cottages in a lakeside setting, wealthy families, a new wife, a missing teenager. Lots of small town narrow mindedness in this book which was well portrayed...but the retirees involving themselves in the investigation, and generally making a nuisance of themselves is not something that I really enjoy. I found the character of Maggie quite irritating and found it detracted from the story. I found it a bit drawn out towards the end and skimmed to get to the end.

Another great book by Tess Gerritsen.
Maggie is a retired CIA agent and when a teenager visiting the small community goes missing Maggie`s retired martini club goes to investigate against the local police`s advice and the secrets of the small community are revealed and the suspense keeps you reading.
Some great characters in the club that keep you amused.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

Always a fantastic book from Tess Gerritsen! One of the first authors that I ever read and I will always pick up her books! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

The Summer Guests is the second book in Tess Gerritsen's new 'Martini Club' series in which four ex-CIA friends (Maggie, Declan, Ingrid, and Ben), have retired in the remote and picturesque town of Purity in Maine and use their 'particular set of skills' to help solve local crime.

The Conovan's extended family have returned to their summer cottage in the woods by Maiden pool. Susan's daughter Zoe goes missing. A neighbour is the last to see her alive and becomes the prime suspect so he asks his friend Maggie Bird for her help.

The plot is great, very intricate and very well planned out. I do wish the same could be said for the Martini Club characters. I haven't read the first book, The Spy Coast, but there seems to be an assumption by the author that you know these character and their background.

The real strength of this book is the Interim Chief Jo Thibodeau who reminds me of Agent Baker from TV's Resident Alien. She's a very intelligent and diligent Chief who I honestly believe would have solved this case without the help of Maggie Bird and her friends.

I have to compare this to Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club, both being cosy mysteries about retired senior citizens. I think 'The Summer Guests' is the better book as it is better written and has a cleverer plot, but the main characters come to life more in 'The Thursday Murder Club'. Maggie and co appear with the arrogance of being the smartest person in the room. For instance, when they interviewed a young girl before the police, it could have derailed the investigation. When questioned by the police she kept saying she'd already told that to Maggie. I found it just as infuriating as Jo Thibodeau!

All of that being said, I really did love this book. The story had me gripped. I felt so sorry for the mum, poor Susan. We follow the police chiefs investigation more that Maggie's. The locals that live around the lake help add substance to the story with their age old hatrid of the holiday crowd. It was lovely that the missing girl wasn't just the usual 'victim' and was a strong character in her own right, with her love of swimming being a great narrative.

I'll definitely be reading book 1, The Spy Coast, to find out more about the Martini Club and hopefully get some of their background stories that were missing here.

I would like to convey my thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

The Summer Guests is due to be published on 27th March 2025 by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers

I enjoy a good crime novel and this doesn’t disappoint. I love the idea of a bunch of retired spooks using their skills to help while looking like harmless old people who are dismissed.

The story unfolds and you are left guessing as to who is the culprit and twists and turns while you think you know who it is.

Great read

My first Tess Gerritsen book and it was a good thriller full of twists and turns. I like the Martini Club characters, they reminded me a little of the Thursday Murder Club characters. A really unexpected ending!

The book is the second in the Martini Club series. I haven't read the first book, and this one works well as a standalone.

Maggie is a former spy, living in the quiet town of Purity, Maine. She and her former CIA friends have created the Martini Club, and assist the local Police Chief Jo - whether they are asked or not. When a teenager visiting Purity for the summer disappears, Maggie is determined to prove the innocence of her neighbour. Can Maggie and her friends help find the teen, and work out the strange history of her family?

I loved the elderly spies, and the book was a quick, easy read, with writing that draws the reader in. I really liked Jo, who was torn between accepting help and sticking to the rules. I look forward to reading the third in the series - and have already purchased the first to read now!

A missing child leads the Martini club to put aside their bird watching retirement and once again use skills that they attained while working within the CIA to locate her. The main opposition to their help is the child's family who are wealthy out of owners who have expensive summer cottages by the lake.
When I got this copy I had not read the first book so set about with that one first, this is not required as the book is superbly written and covers all the salient points that even if you have not read The Spy Coast you will not miss out. It is full of twists and turns where not just the police but also our ex spooks are lead down the wrong path with incorrect assumptions, needless to say they do solve the case and much more besides.
The characters are superb and I love that fact that it is focusing on an older generation, ones that to all intents and purpose would be overlooked. The are well crafted complete with the inevitable aches and pains that would be common in this generation. Also there is moments of light hearted humour like with the Waiting for God type reference in the care home.
I can't wait for the next one.

A big welcome back to the Martini club, a loose configuration of ex spies living in the aptly named Purity (it’s not so pure :) For those of you who have not read the first in the series “The spy Coast” the Martini club comprises unofficial leader Maggie, Declan, her possible boyfriend, Ben, Ingrid and Lloyd. Retirement has brought little respite for the five and when a young girl Zoe is reported missing they are determined to help acting chief Jo Thibodeau solve the case, even if acting chief Thibodeau does not want any help.

Susan, Ethan and their daughter Zoe are travelling to Maiden Pond to scatter the ashes of Ehtan’s father George. There he will meet with George’s widow Elizabeth, his brother Colin, wife Brooke and their young son Kit. However all is not well in this family, when Zoe disappears, the past resurfaces and deadly family secrets emerge with near fatal results

I thought this was an excellent story weaving parts of questionable CIA history (and educating me in the process)with a top notch edge of the seat thriller. I love this new series that the author has commenced, what a wonderful direction for her to take, and a treat for the reader. Highly recommended.

What a brilliant book to kick off the new year!

It centres on the disappearance of teenager Zoe, who was visiting Purity with her mother and stepfathers family. Once the Martini Club’ get involved, truths come to light, family secrets are uncovered and long standing mysteries are explained. The Summer Guests was a gripping read which kept me guessing until the end. Tess Gerritsen has written this in a really clever way that weaves the lives of multiple families through the one main plot.

I hadn’t realised this was the second in the ‘martini club’, I look forward to reading the first!

Huge thank you for the ARC of this excellent book.

A very welcome 2nd book in the Martini Club series by Tess Gerritsen. I have always liked her books but this particular newer series is great! The characters (Maggie, Bird's Book Group) are funny at times, warming and determined to help Jo the Police Chief to solve her crimes.

This story is about a family of regular summer visitors, who own the biggest of the house on the lakeshore and a young girl that goes missing. Now one of the groups friends and neighbours is accused of being involved and therefore the Martini Club, get cracking and help Jo to solve the crime.

It's a terrific read, it keeps you guessing all the way through, with characters you grow to love and loathe!

Bring on no 3 in the series please !

Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for ARC.
This is a second in a new series by the veteran thriller writer Gerritsen.
Maggie Bird is retired and living the good life in Maine, with a close group of friends of a similar age. Year round residents in a tourist area, they are braced every year for the influx of wealthy, entitled people flocking to the lakes, bringing money but also attendant inconveniences. Early this summer a young girl goes missing, and the girl's family seem to think the likely suspect is one of Maggie's friends. Despite being asked not to interfere by acting police chief Jo Thibodeau, Bird and her 'book group'/neighbourhood watch/something else altogether can't help but think that's the only way to give the girl a chance at surviving.
Of course, small town, wealthy visitors, everyone has secrets they are afraid of exposing to the light and this hampers Thibodeau's investigation. The unofficial book group has resources the local police definitely don't have.

As you'd expect, Gerritsen knows her job, and this careens along very well from chapter to chapter, giving the reader exactly enough to keep us turning the pages as fast as we can.

To say it's based on a true story of government corruption and cover-up would be stretching a point, but the seed of the idea is rooted in real-world USA recent history and if you're not aware of that shocking scandal you will find the ending extremely satisfying.
I read as a stand-alone but I think it might be good to get the 'book group' back story so I'm ready for that next.

This is the first Tess Gerritsen book I have read for a while and I really enjoyed it. This is the second in a series at the Martini club, but it didn't matter that I hadn't read the first.
Maggie and her friends start investigating the disappearance of a girl, one of the summer guests.
Family secrets are unearthed as they work, alongside acting chief, to solve the crime.

#TheSummerGuests #NetGalley This is the second book in the "Martini Club" series but is perfectly capable of being read as a stand alone. Great writing, s you would expect from Tess Gerritsen, plenty of action and drama and twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. I am really warming to the characters of Maggie Bird and co and I can't wait for the next installment in this series. A great 5 star read.

The Summer Guests is the second book in the series of ‘The Martini Club’.
I read this as a stand-alone and it was easy to follow without having read the first installment.
When a visiting teenager goes missing on her first vacation in Purity, Maine, the already overworked acting chief of police Jo Thibodeau can do without the interference of a group of retired CIA agents who want to use their skills to help her investigate the disappearance.
A cosy crime in the style of The Thursday Murder Club, this novel is full of well-developed and likable characters.
A fun and engaging story, expertly plotted with tightly woven twists and turns throughout.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

I love Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles series, but I just can't develop the same excitement for this series. The writing is great as always, but I don't feel as attached to these characters and the books are much slower which I don't love. The story here was fine, but it kind of dragged in the middle and then it never really got as exciting as I wanted it to get. There were also so many characters, both new ones and ones from the previous book that it was sometimes hard to keep track. If you like a cozy mystery this one is for you but it wasn't really my thing.

When a young girl dissapears and a close friend is suspected, Maggie Bird and co are drawn into another of Jo Thibodeau’s cases.

Missing girl Zoe is one of the summer visitors vacationing on Maiden Pond in the cottages owned by the Conovers, Greenes, Tarkins, and Arthur Fox.

The Tarkins are disgraced after a terrible incident with their father in the 70s. The others are a tight-knit clan with shared secrets.

In their search for Zoe, the police find a skeleton in the pond. What has Zoe walked into, will they find her alive, and what other secrets does Maiden Pond hold?

I much prefer Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series and haven’t developed the same attachment to the Martini Club. A middling thriller which is a take on cosy crime with a peppering of ex CIA.