Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is everything I love about a story and much more. The Saint (Saint Cecelia) is a family-owned and operated resort on an island off the coast of Georgia. Traci Eddings, who grew up a local (an 'ain't'), grew up and married Hoke Eddings, heir apparent. After he died in a tragic plane crash, it was up to Traci to take over running The Saint. With a post-covid economy, staffing requires thinking outside the box, and Traci is up to the challenge. But once the summer begins, missing inventory, a death, and other mysteries expose a long-running scheme. 

Mary Kay Andrews never fails to deliver a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat. Summers at the Saint is a thrilling mystery that had me guessing until the end. While I did manage to piece together some of the puzzle, the suspense was in waiting for Traci to figure it out before it was too late. This plot thread was a chef's kiss of suspense that held me riveted.

The setting is glorious. The author's vivid descriptions of the beach, the resort, and the island's natural beauty made me feel like I was there. I quickly wondered if I could find a job at a beach resort. I wonder if they ever employ resort Counselors because I would be very interested in that job!

The characters are wonderfully developed, relatable, and thoroughly authentic. The messy family dynamics, such as the power struggles and hidden secrets, kept me entertained when the suspense calmed. For example, Traci's relationship with her in-laws becomes more complicated as the story unfolds. Sometimes, the story felt a bit like a reality show about people who work at a summer resort and the wealthy family who owns it, but then, as the characters grew, made themselves known, and had to confront a tragic loss, it became so much more and just grabbed my heart and broke it.

Summers at the Saint is the kind of summer read you hope to find but often don't - it's pure reading perfection!