A chilling secret hidden deep beneath the surface
With cumulative sales of 40 million copies, the queen of thrillers, Tess Gerritsen
Martini Club Part 2
Amazon Editor's Picks Mystery/Thriller
BookBub's Best Mysteries/Thrillers of Spring 2025

For Acting Police Chief Joe Thibodeau, summer brings the usual problems of crowded streets, bar fights, and petty theft.
But now she's a teenage girl missing from the lakeside.
In the beach town of Purity, a teenage girl goes missing, one of the summer guests at a lakeside cottage, and a neighbor at the martini club is the prime suspect.

The Martini Club, a reading group of retired CIA agents, is a delightful and quirky gathering of five former colleagues who have come together to live anonymously.
They like to solve puzzles of events to exercise their withering brains.
This time, he gets involved in an investigation to prove his neighbor's innocence, and as he pursues the case, he discovers that they, former spies, are also involved in the case.
And when a body is found in the lake, the case becomes more complex, revealing unimaginable connections to long-buried secrets.

"Summer Guests" is a brilliantly constructed story with numerous twists and turns as it delves into decades-old secrets that are revealed in the search for the kidnapper of missing teenage girl Joy.
Beyond simple mystery, the novel also explores class conflicts in a small community, the power of friendship, and how past sins cast shadows on the present.

Told from multiple perspectives, this novel will draw readers into Susan's desperation to find her daughter, Joe's struggle to solve a tragic mystery, a martini club where he strives to remain relevant after retirement, and Reuben's haunting of a murder committed by his father decades ago.

On his last day, Purity Police Officer Randy Pelletier ordered a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin at the Marigold Cafe.

This was always the meal I ordered after my night shift, as compensation for the lonely hours I spent in my patrol car, keeping the town's streets and roads safe from drunk drivers, speeding tourists, and the occasional ferocious raccoon.
He sat at his regular corner table by the window, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun and watching what was happening on the main street.
A good police officer never lets his guard down even when he's off duty.
Equally important is that people passing by the café can also see through the window that he is there observing the situation.
--- p.7

Susan felt it was a little rude to pack her deceased father-in-law's ashes in the trunk along with her suitcase, but no one in her family objected, so why bother? Susan barely knew her father-in-law, having first met him three years ago when Ethan introduced her and her daughter, Joy, to his parents.
George, a Bostonian who enjoys wearing blazers and boat shoes, was polite enough to greet us.
But he was a man who kept a cool distance, reserving judgment until the two new additions to his family proved themselves worthy of the name Conover.
When he died of a stroke three months ago, Susan felt no particular sadness.
I knew so little about my father-in-law that I could not sense anything other than the fact that the urn contained the charred remains of a stranger.
Nevertheless, I felt it would be rude to treat him like any other burden.

But George's widow seemed unwilling to share Susan's feelings.
When she stopped in Brooklyn to pick up Ethan's mother, it was Elizabeth who placed her late husband's remains between her suitcases, and it was she who closed the trunk at the end.
--- pp.21-22

A pair of headlights blinked in the rearview mirror.
Joe watched the car approach, moving slowly as if looking for a place to park.
Even law-abiding citizens are bound to be frightened when they see a police cruiser, and the car is no different.
The car didn't stop and, strictly observing the speed limit, turned straight onto the coastal road.
A man was in the driver's seat, and a woman was sitting next to him, probably trying to find some privacy.

This is not that kind of place.

Joe wrote down the vehicle number and time.
Because you never know when it might be connected to the details of some event.

--- p.62

“It would have had little puffed sleeves,” Susan said, almost in a whisper.
“I bought it a few years ago, but I washed it so much that it’s almost worn out now.
“She has grown so much that the hem of her skirt has come up to her thighs, but since it is her favorite dress, I couldn’t let her not wear it… … .” Susan’s voice grew fainter.

Joe wrote a description of the dress in his notebook.
Details that my father can't remember, but my mother can.
My mother washed and folded the clothes over and over again.
A mother was concerned about the hem of her dress riding up along her daughter's growing legs.
“So Joey went out a little after 10 o’clock.
And then?”

As Ethan sighed, all the air in the living room seemed to escape.
“I didn’t realize how fast time was passing,” he admitted, his voice full of regret.
“I was so busy working upstairs that I didn’t notice anything.”
--- pp.68-69

The moment the front door closed, Joe turned his head toward Maggie.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was looking for Joey Conover.”
“That’s my job, not yours.”
“We can help you.”
“Don’t you have a farm to run?”
“Yes.”
“And the rest of you too,” Joe said, looking around at Maggie’s friends.
“Do you have any other hobbies or things to do? Like golf?”
“It’s not that challenging,” said Ingrid.
“I know you want to help.
“Retirement can be boring.”
“That’s not why we’re here,” Maggie said.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because Luther Yundt asked me for help.”
--- p.90

“Joey Conover is still missing, state police are involved in the search, and there are no tips or witnesses yet.” Joe sighed as he finally spotted Maggie and Declan.
“What is this? Are you all trying to attack me at once?”
“Oh, this is an unplanned ambush,” said Maggie.

“Okay, so what do you want to know?”
“It’s a girl’s bag.
“Can I take a look?”
"no."
“Just look at the contents.”
“I can’t help it because the crime lab has it.”
“What about your phone?” Lloyd said, stirring sugar into his coffee.
“Not yet?”
"yes."
“Did you get a geofence warrant?”
“Yes, but I haven’t received any call data from the provider yet.”
“What about Fog?” Ingrid asked.
“Did that girl’s phone show up there?”
“How do you know about fog?”
“Don’t you all know?”
“No, Mrs. Slocum.
“No one knows about fog.”
--- pp.111-112

She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.
The first kiss was awkward.
Declan was pinned to the sofa, unable to move or hug properly.
But strangely enough, I felt comfortable, perhaps because I was kissing my best friend.
This man was the one who always waited for her, even when she didn't notice.
My joints were stiff and my hair was graying, but my desire was suddenly rekindled.
Heat rose to her cheeks and she felt his hands unbuttoning her blouse.
I didn't know how much further I could progress with my leg in a cast on the couch, but I've overcome countless obstacles that were even more difficult.
This was also one of the things they longed to overcome.
--- p.287

“Are you affiliated with a government agency?”
"no."
“Do you work with law enforcement?”
Joe sighed.
"no."
“So you’re saying I’m an amateur?” He tilted his head back.
“Oh my god, am I in some fucking drama called ‘Jessica’s Mystery Theater’ or something?”
The door to the interrogation room opened.
As Elizabeth Conover entered the hallway, the two men turned their heads.
“I want to go home.
“If you’re done talking to me.”
“Of course, Mrs. Conover.” Alfond’s attitude instantly changed to that of a polite civil servant.
“And I would like to apologize for this misunderstanding.”
“Is that what they call bullying these days?”

--- pp.368-369