At a glance, the cover promises most of the things Andrews is an old hand at delivering: inviting dialogue, beautiful settings, low-stakes drama, and happy endings. It's no bratty spoiler to assure readers that The High Tide Club has all of these things. The real revelation here is that it has considerably more ... Andrews shuttles her narration back and forth in time, steadily increasing the tension as the mysteries of one era reinforce and amplify the mysteries of the other. This active play of time in the narrative steadily introduces a deeper and more bittersweet element into The High Tide Club than this author has ever risked in one of her sunny summer books ... The High Tide Club works in a murder, an old and long-simmering savage crime, high-stakes personal revelations deployed late in the story to keep things bubbling along, a touch of legal drama, and even some romance rendered with mercifully understated realism.
Settle into your chaise lounge because this story offers a little of everything to keep readers interested and intrigued ... lots of twists and surprises. In the end, Andrews satisfies the questions aroused by all the mysteries and ties together the past and the present in an elegant story that’s more than just a beach read.
It’s all here, folks: Small, quaint Southern beach town. Gorgeous, unspoiled barrier island. Undying female friendships. No-account men ... Plus, a legal conundrum straight out of John Grisham ... The High Tide club will not be mistaken for a work by Henry James, although the plot — heavy on romantic twists, terrible secrets and bald coincidences — would make a pretty good Italian opera. What it really makes is a beach book, with brisk plot, a dash of humor and plenty of female bonding.
The High Tide Club is a remarkable novel in which Mary Kay Andrews cleverly intertwines vignettes from the past with a modern-day narrative to give us a cohesive story that compels us to turn the pages to solve one mystery after another. No matter how good you are at guessing what's coming next, this book will surely hold shocking surprises and unexpected smiles throughout.
Andrews skillfully contrasts deception, betrayal, and murder with the scenic beauty of her Southern setting. Readers will enjoy the many twists and turns the novel takes as it moves toward its surprising and heartwarming conclusion. Ultimately a tale about redemption and enduring friendship, The High Tide Club links mysteries from the past and present to create a compelling story.
...a compelling novel about the people and places that shape a life and the secrets that create ripples for generations. With a unique setting, mysterious flashbacks, romance, and a surprising twist, this book will not disappoint readers looking for juicy escape.
Her dialogue is natural and funny, and even her minor characters are fully drawn with unique voices. The slight romantic thread between Brooke and her former boyfriend could be more detailed, but the focus is mainly on the friendships, old and new, between the members of the High Tide Club and their descendants. Another satisfying summer read from the queen of the beach.
