The Newcomer: A Novel

Mary Kay Andrews

May 2021 · Sold by St. Martin's Press

About this ebook

Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author and Queen of the Beach Reads delivers her next page-turner for the summer with The Newcomer.

In trouble and on the run...

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister’s warnings: “If anything bad happens to me—it’s Evan. Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.”

With a trunkful of emotional baggage...

So Letty grabs her sister’s Mercedes and hits the road with her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a “go-bag” of cash and a big honking diamond ring—but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island. She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

The No Vacancy sign is flashing & the sharks are circling...

And that’s the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn—or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past.

Ratings and reviews

This book is part mystery, part romance and all about family. When Letty is awakened in the parking lot of The Murmuring Surf motel in Florida, she had no idea that policeman Joe who awakened her would play such a big part in her life. Letty was running from NYC and had her niece Maya with her, a precocious four year old who wants her mommy. Unfortunately, Letty had discovered her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her NY condo and had fled with Maya, escaping the possible murderer. The story has some parts that are too coincidental, but all of the pieces flowed together well and made the story an awesome read. The characters were fun to read about, especially the snow birds who inhabited The Murmuring Surf and made constant demands on Ava, the owner and Joe’s mom. Ava was a determined owner of a classic motel, setting high standards for her tenants and providing all kinds of opportunities fo them to socialize. Her acceptance of Letty without asking questions made the story. There were too many minor characters to name, but one of the most memorable is Vicki Hill, the FBI agent who reminded me of Stephanie Plum from the Evanovich series. She was bold, brash and reckless, but she also got the job done. The plot was an enjoyable read with some unexpected twists and a great ending! Fans of romance with mystery will love this book as much as I did. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Exceptionally Good and Suspenseful Crime - Romance This is such a good bok that I hated to put it down. This story is a mix of several genres, as most good books are. It has crime and suspense, the story of many women, and a nice romance. There is an old-fashioned beach motel in today's Tampa/St. Pete Florida and an adorable 4-year-old girl. The story captures people as they really are, not as some fictionalized version of perfection. This has the reader cringing sometimes and cheering other times. I so enjoyed this book! I highly recommend it. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors. Her novels are rich in characters and deep in emotional connections with her readers and The Newcomer has these qualities in spades. This story is based on a woman who walks in on a murder scene, scoops up her 4 year old niece and flees. She ends up in Florida at a beach side motel inhabited by octogenerian snowbirds and instantly becomes the "newcomer". The reader is introduced to an array of personalities, from the soft-hearted motel owner, the cynical police detective and all of the oldsters. As the days pass, Letty and 4 year old Maya slowly chip away at the hard hearts at the Murmuring Surf motel. When the criminals close in, will Letty remain an outsider or will she finally find the family she craves?

About the author

MARY KAY ANDREWS is The New York Times bestselling author of Sunset Beach, The High Tide Club, The Beach House Cookbook, The Weekenders, Beach Town, Save the Date, Ladies’ Night, Christmas Bliss, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, Savannah Blues, and Hello, Summer. A former journalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.