The Last Good Summer

Finished ✔️ The Last Summer by J.J. Green and it was absolutely amazing!! 😍🤩
5 ⭐️’s
Kindle Unlimited: No
Completely gripping dual timeline novel
Takes about Derry, Ireland 🇮🇪
Takes place in Ireland in 1986
Loved that the chapters alternated between two time periods
Gasped when I finished some of the chapters
The plot was engrossing and amazing
Beautifully written
Brilliantly told story
Yes, I’d recommend
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In 1986, Belle's family welcome in a stranger, Fionn to live in the house. She and her sister though aren't allowed to tell anyone about it. Years later, Belle is shocked to see Fionn in her house at night, and even more shocked when she gets a call from her sister that Fionn was actually murdered that morning. Going back home for his funeral, she starts looking into his death. Uncovering an environmental scandal, she also has to reckon with her past.

I think was a slow burn of a book. It was good overall but it definitely builds on itself! I got shades of Erin Brockovich with more mystery elements thrown in.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing story!! Very well written. The characters were very well written. I could connect with them very well. I couldn’t put this book down. I always needed to know what happened next. I will definitely be recommending this book. I loved it so much!!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Last Good Summer' by J. J Green.

Read and reviewed for Rachel's Random Resources Tours, NetGalley, J. J. Green and The Book Guild.

Publication date 24th January 2023.

This is J.J Green's debut novel.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching gorgeous cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title.I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being The Book Guild. I have yet to read a book published by The Book Guild that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 46 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in Donegal, so if Derry and Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪 , UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact been to Ireland several times and love it there so am looking forward to "visiting" again.


This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Belle Mcghee. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

Love, love, LOVED this incredibly fast paced, addictive thriller that is absolutely packed with secrets, love, twists and lies!!

This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions that really set the scene and put you in the storyline. The cover and synopsis suit the book perfectly.

The storyline was captivating and addictive from the first page until the last and I was completely invested in it. It was absolutely rammed full of lies, secrets, regrets, tension, love, corruption, romance, twists, suspense and everything you could ask for in a page turning gripping thriller. I just could not put this book down and finished it in one sitting. I loved how J.J Green managed to weave the past and present storylines so cleverly together that it drip feeds the reader information enough information to help them try and work out what's happened and happening themselves without giving anything away too easily. The storyline is also sadly realistic in regards to the environment, pollution and waste aspects and shows how much damage is being done to this planet. It also wouldn't surprise me that what happens in the book on that topic happens in areas around the world. I was absolutely mind blown when I discovered that this was her first album which I only found out when I was writing this review!! The amazing way that this book is written and the fantastic storyline is of the same level you would get from an author who has been writing for years so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS. J. J on an absolutely explosive debut!! If this is how good your first book is I cannot wait to see what you create next!!! During the book there are so many butterfly affects which goes to show how one small action can have such a large ripple affect which could continue for years. This book was extremely fast paced with something constantly happening to keep you addicted. Every time I kept telling myself one more chapter the one I was in ended at a point where there was no way I could stop reading so I absolutely devoured it in one sitting!! It was absolutely ram packed with mystery, secrets, jealousy, tension, suspense and absolutely everything you could ask for in a gripping and moody thriller. I was constantly guessing and questioning myself about who was behind what and when everything was revealed I was absolutely shocked and had been completely wrong about everything!! This is not an easy feat considering how many books I read a year so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS J. J !!! J. J's evocative writing drags you deep into the storyline from the first sentence to the very last and will keep you up until the very last word! THAT ladies and gentleman is a true sign of an absolute must read. I absolutely loved the ending which was definitely an unexpected twist, not only finding out who did what but the mind blowing and unexpected ending!. I also love the fact that it wasn't all roses at the end and it didn't end as I expected it would in regards to Belle and Dermot which I thought made it even more realistic! I would absolutely LOVE to see this turned into a movie and would wait up all night to get tickets to watch it!! An absolute must read!!

I hope your busy writing your next book J. J as I just cannot wait to see what bombshell twist and explosive storyline you have up your sleeve for us next!!!!


It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.
Do not start this book until you have cleared your schedules as you will not be able to put it down!!

The characters have a mix of personalities and are all strong and realistic. My feelings on Rose changed throughout the book. During the '1986 chapters I found her to be quite childish at times but I also felt sorry for her at others. However, as an adult I did feel sorry for her as she was punishing herself for what she did as a child. One of the things that I loved about her thoggh is how strong and independent she was, as a female reader coming across strong female protagonists is always a bonus for me. No matter what was thrown at her she refused to back down until she had discovered the truth regardless of whose toes she stepped on. It was intriguing to see her relationship with her sister Maeveen changed and developed throughout the storyline. They were constantly arguing as children and Belle was jealous of Marveen's relationship with Fionn. As adults they were still bickering but you could see that they also cared for another. Maeveen also annoyed me at times with how she was overly dramatic about certain events at dinner in front of her husband Cillian about Fionn and it made me feel awkward for and sorry for Cillian. I wasn't sure how I felt about Dermot when I first met him and wasn't sure whether to trust him but as the storyline continued he did start growing on me. There were several occasions where Dermot and some of the other characters made me laugh especially with the Beavis and Butthead nicknames. I loved this addition as, although it is a crime thriller, it is nice to lighten the storyline with some humour. I won't say anything else as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. However, regardless of whether you love or hate these characters each of them played their parts perfectly to make this the addictive storyline that it is!!

Congratulations J.J Green on an absolutely huge success!! Welcome to my favourite author list and I cannot wait to see what you have up your sleeve next. This has got to be one of the best debut books I have ever read so well done and here's to your next success 🥂!!

Overall an absolutely unputdownable, action packed, intriguing thriller ram packed with secrets, murder, corruption, lies and everything you could ask for in an addictive page turner!!

Genres covered in this book include Crime Thriller, Literature & and Fiction, Crime Fiction, Irish Crime, Mystery, Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Mark Edwards, Cathryn Grant, Teresa Driscoll, Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, K. L. Slater, Mark Edwards and anyone looking for a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout!!

321 pages.

This book is just £3.99 to purchase on kindle and £9.49 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I liked this well enough. It was a great example of how messy the teenage years can be and how teens can't keep secrets, as well as a great book on fighting the powers that be, if they are poisoning people.
It was very scary and sad.

Thank you for this ARC.

The Last Good Summer by J.J. Green is a story of corruption and murder in Ireland. This is a dual-timeline novel, which is becoming a favorite genre. It takes place in Donegal in 1986 and in present-day Dublin.

Belle McGhee is thirteen in 1986 and in the summer of that year, Fionn Power comes to stay in the McGhee household. Belle and her sister Rose are told that he will be staying with them for a time.

Present day, Belle, or McGhee as she prefers to be called is an award-winning journalist in Dublin. She comes home due to the death of her friend Fionn when in Dublin she thought she saw Fionn by her window only to learn that he had been murdered.

While home she becomes embroiled in what Fionn was up to, he was investigating the illegal dumping of chemicals, and he had all the information about what he was investigating, so McGhee was able to follow in his footsteps if you will. In her continuing investigation, she finds corruption along the way. Was this why he was murdered?

As her investigation not only into Fionn's murder but also into an environmental scandal that would cause harm to the people that live around the dump spots, she meets a causing of Fionn, a relationship ensues but McGhee does not want to get close to him, she has a lot of baggage as a child, she did something that she is ashamed of and if her family found out, well let's just say there would be repercussions.

This is a story that covers some of "the troubles" in Northern Ireland in the 80s, the aftermath of the IRA, but also covers corruption in the local government. A well-written debut of a novel that caught my attention because I am a huge fan of anything Irish. I really enjoyed this story and I hope to read more by this Irish author!

Belle McGee is an award winning journalist based in Dublin. She is from Donegal but keeps her distance due to a traumatic event in her childhood she is running from. When an old friend is brutally murdered she returns home for the funeral and discovers a story worth investigating.

The story is told across two timelines, the Belle in the past is a bratty unlikeable child but the adult Belle in the present is successful, intelligent & quite likeable. She struggles with her childhood throughout the story.

The story itself is very interesting, it touches on the troubles in Northern Ireland but not too much. The tension builds nicely the whole way through.

If I had one criticism I think it ended very abruptly but it did give me food for thought. It’s worth a read.

A really gripping read.
At the start i wasn't sure and it took me a little while but was glad i persevered.
Told in two time lines which kept me guessing for some time.
The ending was a little abrupt which i hope means there is a future book in the pipeline.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I absolutely loved this book! It's a fast paced dual time thriller which kept me wanting to read it all in one go. This story switches between two time periods and is set in Derry, Donegal and Dublin. This worked very well and I felt that I could keep up with the storyline, plot and characters easily. I loved reading the descriptions within both Ireland/Northern Ireland and felt that I could see everything happening. This story would be great for a TV series.

The characters were strong, believable and extremely interesting as was the storyline. I enjoyed this book so much and looked forward to reading it to every evening. I would highly recommend it and am looking forward to reading more of J.J. Green's work in the future

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in return for an honest review.

The Last Good Summer - J.J. Green

A great read with captivating character development. Fans of mysteries, general fiction, spy novels, and international mysteries should enjoy this book. I am a fan primarily of police procedurals and I enjoyed it.

The story moves back and forth from the main character's (Belle McGee) childhood to her young adulthood as the story of her immediate family and her friend's lives evolve.

One day, when Belle is 13, her parents bring home Fionn Power, instructing both Belle and her older sister to say nothing about Fionn's arrival, and he is hidden away in a secret room within the house, supposedly to get rest, as he has been unwell. The girl's mother initially tells her two daughters that Fionn is a first cousin, but to both girls that seems untrue.The girl's father swears both daughters to secrecy regarding their new (very attractive) young border. The older daughter, Belle's sister is tasked by the parents as responsible for the young man, and ultimately both sisters develop feelings for Fionn.

In Belle's case, the feelings for Fionn begin as warming embers, but soon burst into the flames of first love, and she makes an instant decision that causes her a lifetime of regrets.

Belle ultimately develops into a crack investigative reporter. McGee (the name Belle goes by when in her reporter persona) goes up against a very corrupt trash disposal industry that services a large portion of Ireland.

The ending of this novel was just slightly abrupt, otherwise a spanning epic of an interesting story.

Thanks to both Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

What a great novel! JJ Green has done the characters justice and has woven a tail that is engaging, compelling, and hard to put down. I do think it was predictable, but not in a bad way, and not one that deters the reader from finishing. As a dual timeline novel, it is done impeccably with transitions, and the main character is lovable and relatable. I feel like the “scary” parts were not that scary, and some thought could have been put into the two goons being a little more intimidating. As a debut novel, this is very well done, and will sell very well. It was very easy to follow, and the first two chapters at the tone for the whole entire book. Strong female lead is always a plus! Definitely would recommend to book clubs and fluff readers.

Wow! This book was so incredibly good!! It takes place in the past and the present in alternating chapters. I did find some of the present day chapters tedious, there is a lot of detail about environmental waste and illegal dumping that I couldn’t get into. But the writing was fabulous and the ending was touching and heartbreaking. Just like real life, things are rarely tied up in a neat little bow. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.

Excellent in so many ways - setting, use of different timeframes, character development and really clever plot. Reminded me of Dervla McTiernan at her best.

The Last Good Summer by J. J. Green was an interesting read set from the summer of 1986. Belle McGee is just thirteen and lives in Northern Ireland, with her mother and father and her sister called Rose. This story switches between two time periods and is set in Derry, Donegal and Dublin. Belle's parents brings home a relation called Fionn Power. Rose and Belle's mother informs them he is their cousin and he is hidden away in a secret room within their family house, Fionn is meant to get some rest as he has been unwell. With so much secrets regarding Fionn both sisters have a lot of questions about him.

Who is Fionn really?

Are they related?

What is wrong with him?

Belle returns home, she is now an award-winning journalist in Dublin and goes by is McGee, Rose tells Belle on the phone that Fionn has been was found dead that very morning.

What has happened to him?

Belle' want to find answers about Fionn and she exposes corruption and scandal. She is forced to stop running from the shameful truth of 1986 onwards.

This book is So good and would make a great series on Television especially as its full of great twists and turns throughout that will just have you hooked and want to find out more about Belle's family

I highly recommend this book.

Big Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"The Last Good Summer" by J. J. Green takes readers on a captivating journey through time, unraveling a tragic chain of events that forever impacts the life of thirteen-year-old Belle McGee. Set against the backdrop of the summer of 1986, this novel combines elements of mystery, family secrets, and the enduring power of truth.

J. J. Green skillfully weaves together two timelines, seamlessly shifting between the summer of 1986 and the present day. This dual narrative enhances the suspense and intrigue, as the pieces of the puzzle slowly fall into place. The author's ability to create a sense of mystery and maintain a compelling pace throughout the story is commendable. Each chapter unfolds with new revelations and unexpected twists, keeping readers eagerly turning pages to uncover the truth.

"The Last Good Summer" is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that keeps readers engrossed until the very end. J. J. Green delivers a tale that combines mystery, family drama, and personal growth, leaving us with a powerful reminder of the importance of truth and the healing that comes from confronting the past.

The Last Good Summer tells the story of Belle McGee, who in the summer of 1986 is a thirteen year old whose life is turned upside down when Fionn Power, a young man who her parents claim is a cousin, stays with her family. Belle is now an investigative journalist living in Dublin. She comes home one night and finds Fionn in her hallway; however, he disappears. After a call to her sister reveals that Fionn had actually been found dead earlier that day, Belle travels back to her hometown where she discovers the truth of the summer of 1986.

I really enjoyed this book. I love how it went back and forth between 1986 and the present. It gelled so well with uncovering bits and pieces of the story at just the right time. There weren't many jaw-dropping twists but it still had me wanting to know more about the corruption and scandals. I was rooting for the main character the entire time and absolutely loved the ending of this book.

I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I loved the fact that this book centres around the 1980's Love a book that does this. Dual timeline of 1986 then and present now. I didnt find the enviromental aspect of the book interesting but the writing style kept me interested to keep reading.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

Great book and story - definitely worth reading.

The setting for this one is Ireland in the summer of 1986 - (the year I was born!) and in the present day. The timeline flicks effortlessly back and forth between past and present events which works really well, sometimes this style of storytelling can be confusing but you are not going to have that problem here as it is written so well!
There is a classic butterfly effect moment here which is the root of the story, I loved that! I found myself asking the question ‘does every action deserve a reaction?’ And ‘How does one live with the consequences of their actions?’ - both of these questions were answered within the story and I felt the author had got the mix of mystery, red herrings and curved balls just right!