Beach Thriller
- Judith D Collins
- Jun 8
- 13 min read
By: Jamie Day
Narrators: Emily Shaffer, Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Pickens, Megan Tusing
Macmillan Audio
ISBN: 9781250358233
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 06/09/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
BEST SUMMER MYSTERY
JUN #LitLiftMiniAuthorChat Feature
The next riveting summer suspense by the author of THE BLOCK PARTY, ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY, and THE LAKE ESCAPE Jamie Day.
It's been nearly twenty years since Holly last visited the charming town of Beauport, Massachusetts, and it remains as enchanting as she remembers. The boardwalk is still lively with tourists browsing shops and exploring art galleries. Crescent Beach looks unchanged, with light reflecting off the cold Atlantic waves. However, Holly's painful memories still linger. She feels intense pangs of guilt, just as strong now as they were then—when her sister tragically died right here in Beauport, and Holly did nothing to stop it.
As a struggling writer, declining sales have forced Holly out of her cherished New York apartment. Now, she must live in the last place she wants: her family's long-abandoned beach house, where she last saw her sister alive.
Holly arrives on a mission from her literary agent to write a best-selling book. But she’s not the only one with an agenda. Someone is watching Holly's every move from the shadows. The Watcher sees all and knows what Holly doesn’t. Some secrets must remain buried.
With writer’s block and a long-neglected cottage to fix, Holly feels as though she’s drowning in financial burdens. Reinventing herself won’t be easy, but she does make some helpful friends along the way. There's Gail, the property-obsessed realtor who introduces her to a friendly handyman named Ethan. The local psychic, Serena, also supports her, although she warns of impending danger. Then there's the young, mysterious Jade, a runaway teen in Beauport on a secret mission. Jade has nowhere to go, so Holly takes her in. When Jade lands a job with the powerful Carmichael family, Holly feels overwhelmed with dread. The Carmichaels' influence in town has waned over the years, but they will always have a dark connection to her tragic past. Their hidden secrets could also endanger young Jade.
As threats from the ominous Watcher become increasingly sinister, Holly realizes that, even though the distant past is a faint echo, it is still close enough to be deadly.
About the Author
Jamie Day lives in one of those picture-perfect, coastal New England towns you see in the movies. And just like the movies, Jamie has two children and an adorable dog to fawn over. When not writing or reading, Jamie enjoys yoga, the ocean, cooking, and long walks on the beach with the dog, or the kids, or sometimes both. Connect with Jamie: INSTAGRAM
Jamie Day Thrillers
Praise
“Set in an idyllic New England seaside town, Jamie Day's new thriller is rife with juicy gossip, slippery locals, and more than one buried secret. Day is a master plotter--the twists piling up like waves on a shore--but also a born entertainer, ratcheting up the suspense while also delivering complicated family dynamics, a touching love story, and a sly sense of humor. A real page-turner.” -- Peter Swanson, author of KILL YOUR DARLINGS
Seductive, sinister, and impossible to put down, Beach Thriller proves that there’s nothing more dangerous than returning to the place where your worst secrets were born. Jamie Day turns a postcard-perfect seaside town into a pressure cooker of guilt, buried truths, and quiet menace, where the past watches―and waits. Smart, atmospheric, and deliciously unsettling, this is the kind of beach read that lures you in with sunlight and charm…then tightens its grip long after the last page. Bravo!
-- Kaira Rouda, author of WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS
In Beach Thriller, Jamie Day trades crashing waves for creeping dread. When a struggling writer returns to the beach town where her sister died, she plans to rewrite her future―but someone’s watching, and they know exactly where the bodies are hidden. Twisty, taut, and laced with unease, this is a seaside suspense story with teeth.
~ Kimberly Belle, author of THE EXPAT AFFAIR
“Take the familiar themes of sisterhood, a cold case and a woman’s reluctant return to her small home town, put them in the hands of master Jamie Day, and you have BEACH THRILLER, a slow build Gothic suspense that keeps you reading while on the edge of your seat.”
― Christina Dodd, author of THUS WITH A KISS I DIE
Exceptional Authors,
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
🛗 LitLiftMiniAuthorChat
The Jamie Day Edition
Beach Thriller
Welcome back to the lift, book lovers!
Today is a massive celebration on the platform with the dynamic duo. The incredibly talented Daniel Palmer is here under his sun-soaked, suspenseful alter ego, Jamie Day! Having previously featured Daniel for our #AuthorElevatorSeries, I am ecstatic to welcome him—and his brilliant creative partner, artist, and secret weapon, Kathleen—back into the elevator for this condensed, rapid-fire #LitLiftMiniAuthorChat to celebrate the publication day of BEACH THRILLER!
As a superfan who has read every single book by Daniel, D.J., Michael Palmer, and Jamie Day, I am obsessed with how this new release tackles the massive "meta-thriller" book-within-a-book trend.
Welcome, Jamie!
Book Floors
The “Name Change” Floor
You’ve gone from Daniel to D.J. and now Jamie Day.
Q. Is this a witness protection program for authors, or does a new name just make the 'beach vibes' hit harder?”
Daniel …
Jamie is the creative collaboration between myself (Daniel Palmer) and my partner/oil painter/gallery owner, Kathleen Miller. So yes–we live in a very creative household! I’ve always wanted to bring humor to my novels. I actually started out writing romantic comedies from the guy’s point of view. But there wasn’t a market for that back then, so I turned my attention to thrillers. To stay in this game you have to keep it fresh, so I was willing to try different genres–everyman thrillers, medical suspense, family dramas (those were the DJ books), but with Jamie I got to return to my comedic roots. The whole point was to let these stories breathe–keep the intensity going, make it pacey, fun, and unpredictable like a good thriller should be, but add snark, wit, humor, and social satire. Kat got involved from the start, helping with every facet of the process.
Lucky for me, she’s super well read, really sharp, has GREAT ideas, and we collaborate together really well. She’s also an obsessive mystery/fiction reader. The result is Jamie Day and it’s honestly the most fun I’ve had writing books in what has been a pretty long career. Hopefully, I won’t have to try anything new for a good long while. I’m kind of attached to the name and the process now!
The “Collaboration” Floor
Kathleen is your creative partner and secret weapon.
Q. Does she get to pick the 'villain,' or is she the one who ensures the female perspectives feel so authentic?”
Daniel ...
Kat is a Swiss army knife of literary luxuriance. Name it, she can do it–and that’s no easy feat. It took me about twelve years and a million words to get published, so I have a knack for what works, but Kat’s instincts for the craft are naturally astute. It helps that she also has a master’s degree in mental health counseling, so she really gets people, motivations, and how to craft characters that feel well-rounded. And yes, she brings the female perspective, which is incredibly important for crafting relatable characters. I think our skills and natural abilities complement each other really well. I have a favorite saying: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, bring a friend. I think Jamie can go far!
The “Irony” Floor
You live by the beach and write beach thrillers
Q. Do you actually relax on the beach, or are you just scouting for places to hide fictional bodies?”
Kat …
Is it wrong if we find looking for places to hide fictional bodies relaxing? Lol. We love what we do, so the two go hand in hand. Just like painting seascapes–the creative parts of our lives entwine with every other aspect and become part of who we are.
Oh, and there’s A LOT of time at the beach with our dogs.
The "Writer’s Room" Floor:
Q. If your current book were a cocktail (or mocktail), what would be the 'surprise ingredient' that gives it its kick?”
Jamie...
'Situationship on the Beach' (inspired by a couple relationships in Beach Thriller) 😂. Same ingredients as a Sex on the Beach,🍸but add bitters and a dash of ghost pepper extract. 🍹
The ”Silence Breaker” Floor
Q. If your book’s protagonist were standing in this elevator right now, what’s the first thing they’d do to break the silence?
Jamie ...
“Have you read Meow Mindfulness? That book is flying off the shelves.”
(Sorry, you have to have read the book to know what we’re talking about here, lol)
The "Chaos" Floor
Q. Did you follow a strict blueprint for this story, or was it a 'calculated chaos' that somehow worked?
Kat ...
I love the term ‘calculated chaos’--it applies well to our process. We both have attention issues and have found ways to manage/focus but our skill sets don’t always align. It’s often chaotic with us both working from home and having a slew of random thoughts/distractions/humor bouncing around! But when we get in our zone, we LOVE the results and know how much better the process (and outcome) is when we work together.
We call ourselves a blend of “plotter” and “pantser”. We always outline and come up with our basic characters/villains to start, but as we write, surprises happen and the story grows and morphs. It’s when the characters come to life that the best ideas hit!
The “Mood” Floor
Q. What’s the ideal 'pairing' for this book? A stormy night and tea, or a bright beach and a margarita?
Kat...
Honestly, I love that it can be either! I happen to LOVE both settings and I want a book to speak to the different parts of my own personality, as well as Daniel’s. We put a lot of ourselves into each novel, and so many ideas come to us while on a sunny walk at the beach, while much of the writing takes place at home with a cup of tea, the fireplace roaring, and maybe a nor’easter blowing off the ocean!
Daniel...
And this book is both gothic and beachy, which I don’t think has been done too often, but our hometown offers lots of inspiration for that setting.
The “Casting” Floor
Q. If your book were a Netflix series, who would be the one actor you’d dream of seeing in the lead role?
Daniel …
Oh my, I’m so old I don’t even know who is who anymore. Take me back to the 90s and I could give you a dozen plus names. Now? Just pick someone EVERYONE loves so they’ll watch the show–and add Nicole Kidman!
The "Final Floor"
Q. You have five seconds before the doors open—what's the one feeling you want a reader to have the moment they close your book?
Daniel...
Now, that was entertaining. That’s it. That’s our whole goal. We’re here to entertain you–the reader/listener. If we can do that, it’s mission accomplished.
The "Elevator Pitch" Twist
Q. We’ve got 5 floors left—pitch me your book using only emojis and sound effects. (or text)
Jamie ...
Author Floors
The "Secret Identity" Floor
Share with us 1–5 things about your Secret Identity.
Q. What would we be shocked to find out about your past lives, hidden talents (the rock & roll?), or weirdest habits?
Jamie...
~Kathleen is an oil painter, gallery owner, and animal rescue advocate.
~Daniel is a musician, a dad, and an aspiring philanthropist.
~So please, buy lots of our books, haha ;)
The “Surprise” Floor
Q, What is one 'fun fact' about your writing process for this book that would surprise your readers?
Jamie...
We don’t fight. We share the spotlight. We support each other. We think we write great books together and we have a blast doing it!
The "Kryptonite" Floor
Q. What is your biggest writing kryptonite—the one thing that can instantly derail a productive morning?
Daniel...
My phone. Nothing else.
Kat would say me. (Daniel here, haha)
The “Nostalgia” Floor
Q. What was your first car and your first job?
Daniel...
First car was a Honda Accord and first job after college was renting cars out of a trailer on the Auto Mile in Massachusetts. Total glamor gig!
Kat...
Hyundai Excel, and I worked at a grocery store. Definitely no frills!
The “Companion” Floor
Q. Name one thing special on your writing desk or in your creative space.
Kat...
My rescue chiweenie. She’s part of the process from start to finish (usually found under a blanket/on my lap).
The "Ritual" Floor
Q. Do you have a writing superstition or ritual that is 100% true for you, no matter how weird it sounds?
Daniel...
I like to revisit Stephen King’s masterwork: On Writing before I start a new book. It grounds me and reminds me of the rules of the road. The rest is up to my imagination.
The “One Item” Floor
Q. The elevator is stuck—what’s the one thing in your bag you can’t live without for the next hour?
Jamie...
For Kat...
It would be Greta the bookish Chiwenie and a HUGE bag of necessities–she’s a self-admitted “Princess and the Pea” and has lots of “just in case” items on hand, lol.
For Daniel...
Daniel would need his phone. That’s all. That damn phone!
Thank you, Jamie, (Daniel & Kat) for spending time with us today!
This has been a blast. Thank you, for providing the entertainment, as always.
Readers, this is just a taste of the fun & mystery within the pages of a book-within-a-book, BEACH THRILLER. The perfect summer read.
Order your copy today. Out June 9, 2026 in e-book & hardcover (St. Martin's Press) & audio format (Macmillan Audio) with an all-star cast perfrorming: Emily Shaffer, Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Pickens, Megan Tusing.
The "Jamie Day" Reveal:
"The secret is out! Bestselling thriller veteran Daniel Palmer has stepped into the light as Jamie Day, bringing a 'popcorn thriller' energy that’s perfect for your June beach bag."
The "Vibe" Check:
"Think of it as 'summer suspense with teeth.' It’s the perfect blend of family drama, small-town mystery, and that uneasy feeling that someone—the Watcher—is always looking over your shoulder."
The "Collaboration" Hook:
"Behind every great Jamie Day thriller is a powerhouse collaboration. Daniel’s partner, Kathleen, is the 'secret weapon' who helps ground these high-stakes stories in genuine human emotion."
My Review
From the author of The Block Party, One Big Happy Family, and The Lake Escape comes BEACH THRILLER, Jamie Day’s latest creative, dazzling beach mystery featuring a dual timeline narrative where author Holly Sinclair's present-day investigation is mirrored by her writing a manuscript of a twenty-year-old local tragedy, creating tension with a stalker known as The Watcher.
Congratulations to the absolute king of identity-shifting suspense! Jamie Day (the brilliant mastermind also known as Daniel Palmer and D.J. Palmer) officially drops the ultimate meta-suspense novel coming June 9, 2026. BEACH THRILLER is a masterfully layered book-within-a-book that will grip you from the very first page.
"Think of it as 'summer suspense with teeth.' It’s the perfect blend of family drama, small-town mystery, and that uneasy feeling that someone—the Watcher—is always looking over your shoulder."
MENACING METAFICTION “The ultimate book-within-a-book summer suspense.”
Elevator Pitch: A broke author returns to her rundown family beach house to write a saving-grace bestseller about her sister's tragic death, only to realize a masked watcher is stalking her every move to keep the past buried.
Vibe: A claustrophobic seaside panic attack mixed with razor-sharp meta-fiction irony. It gives off heavy "Adirondack chairs with menace" energy—sun-drenched, deceptively relaxing beach towels paired with the creeping paranoia of realization that your every move is being watched.
BEACHES & SCANDALS “A sun-soaked thriller where someone is always watching.”
The Vibe Check
🤫 Long-buried family scandals & elite dynastic secrets.
👁️ Super creepy, voyeuristic "Watcher" perspectives.
📖 Author as main characters caught in an echo-chamber plot.
🌊 Moody, atmospheric Massachusetts coastal settings.
Pacing: Character-driven slow burn that quickly accelerates into a high-octane popcorn thriller.
Setting: The atmospheric, deceptively charming coastal town of Beauport, Massachusetts, featuring a rundown beach cottage and the looming, elite Carmichael estate.
Genre: Psychological Suspense / Domestic Thriller / Meta-Fiction.
Themes: Generational secrets, systemic privilege, the crushing weight of survivor's guilt, and the dangerous cost of using real-world trauma for artistic reinvention.
Standout Characters: Jade, the sharp, hyper-observant teenage runaway squatting in the attic, and Serena, the local psychic whose eerie seance predictions inject true chilling dread.
THE MASTER OF SUSPENSE “Jamie Day hits a creative peak with his latest thriller.”
Author Writing Standout: Day expertly capitalizes on the wildly popular meta-thriller trend. Instead of just giving us a standard domestic mystery, he uses a "book-within-a-book" structural device where the protagonist's draft literally mirrors and uncovers the real-time danger. It creates a brilliant layer of dramatic irony that elevates the entire reading experience.
Takeaway: The truths we try hardest to bury always find a way to rush back in with the tide.
Title Significance: Beach Thriller acts as both the literal book in your hands and the fictional, career-saving manuscript Holly is actively writing to process her sister's death.
Why You Should Read: BEACH THRILLER masterfully subverts typical beach-read tropes, trading basic sun-soaked drama for creeping, claustrophobic paranoia and jaw-dropping timeline twists.
My Thoughts:
I can confidently say this is a stellar addition to the family catalog. As someone (fan girl) who has proudly read all of Daniel Palmer's clinical thrillers, D.J. Palmer's domestic puzzles, his late, legendary father Michael Palmer's medical masterpieces, and absolutely every single Jamie Day book, I can see how deeply the family DNA shapes this story. This book beautifully honors Michael's gift for unyielding pacing while maintaining Daniel's signature, high-octane psychological grit.
What makes BEACH THRILLER stand out so completely in his catalog is how flawlessly it tackles the meta-fiction device dominating the charts right now. Day plays with the mechanics of the writing process itself, turning authorship into something sinister. By interweaving Holly’s fiction draft with "The Watcher's" real-time surveillance, the narrative achieves a claustrophobic, echo-chamber effect.
Having tracked his evolution across every pseudonym and project, this book highlights his absolute peak command of the genre. It proves that no matter what name he writes under, this author understands exactly how to subvert traditional structures to build a mechanism of pure modern suspense.
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars "An absolute multi-generational masterpiece that resets the standard for summer suspense."
Recs: Perfect for fans of The Block Party, The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, All This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan, A Different Type of Poison by Liz Alterman, or anyone looking for a seaside mystery with real teeth.
🎧Audio Spotlight: A Multi-POV Masterclass
The multi-POV structure translates beautifully to audio, heightening the tension between Holly's anxiety and the chillingly calm perspective of The Watcher. The multi-cast recording features an absolute voice-acting dream team of my personal favorites: Emily Shaffer, Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Pickens, and Megan Tusing. An absolute auditory triumph that elevates an already spectacular narrative. For an author who expertly weaves layered meta-fiction, a multi-cast recording is the ultimate storytelling vehicle, and this production delivers a flawless performance.
The powerhouse voice-acting dream team brings the atmospheric, deceptively charming coastal town of Beauport to life with bone-chilling precision. Hearing the nested manuscript read aloud acts as a brilliant sonic echo chamber, maximizing the dramatic irony and making the book-within-a-book structure feel incredibly dynamic. Macmillan Audio has produced a masterclass in psychological tension; plugging into this stellar cast turns an exceptional read into an unforgettable, immersive summer thrill.
Closing: BEACH THRILLER is officially out June 9, 2026, from St. Martin's Press in all formats. Pre-order now to add to your collection or head to your local indie bookstore, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, or your favorite retailer to grab your physical copy, and prepare to stay up late checking your locks!
Special thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading and listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. #MacAudio2026
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: June 9, 2026
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