The Summer House Murder
- Judith D Collins
- Apr 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 9
By: Ava Roberts
Narrator: Zura Johnson.
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ISBN: 9798892424851
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: 04/07/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
A summer trip to the Adirondacks is turned upside down when a woman’s body is discovered in the lake in this twisty thriller, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Paula Hawkins.
Sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina go on their annual visit to their remote summer house on Lake George expecting a tense vacation.
Each has their own families to deal with plus their own secrets to hide. Esme, the oldest sister, is desperate to keep up appearances after discovering her husband’s infidelity with the one person who hurts her the most. Piper, the middle child, has a four-month-old baby boy and is too tired to keep playing peacekeeper to her siblings. Regina, the youngest, is a sarcastic rule breaker with a secret to hide that could cost her everything.
After tension boils over into an ugly fight late one night, the sisters go off in separate directions. Like most of their blowouts, they think they’ll cool off and resume the trip like normal the next morning. Only this time when dawn comes, a young woman’s body is discovered in the lake. As a criminal investigation narrows in on their family home, it becomes clear that the sister’s web of lies and secrets is inextricably linked to the woman in the lake.
A tense and fast-paced thriller, The Summer House Murder will leave readers breathlessly turning the page until they reach the thrilling conclusion to this twisted family drama.
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My Review
In Ava Roberts' gripping and atmospheric domestic thriller, THE SUMMER HOUSE MURDER, three estranged sisters—Esme, Piper, and Regina—return to their idyllic Lake George home, a place once filled with laughter and shared memories, now tinged with unresolved toxic tensions. The reunion quickly spirals into chaos after a fierce argument erupts, shattering the fragile peace among them.
Amidst the backdrop of the vibrant summer landscape, the sisters find themselves embroiled in a chilling mystery following the shocking murder of the nanny, Brigit. As they navigate the complicated web of family secrets, the plot thickens with a cast of intriguing suspects, including their seemingly charming husbands and a bitter cousin, Alexis, whose determination to claim their inheritance adds a sinister twist to the unfolding drama.
As accusations fly and trust erodes, the sisters must confront not only their past but also the dark truths that lurk within their own family.
Highlights...
Per their mother's will, the sisters must spend two weeks together to keep their lake house, creating high tension.
A woman named Brigit is found dead in the lake, forcing the sisters to hide secrets while suspecting their own families.
Esme’s husband is cheating, Piper suffers from postpartum issues, and Regina is broke.
Then there is the sisters' half-sister/cousin, Alexis, who brings more suspense and drama.
The narrative deepens with complex character motivations, revealing a rich tapestry of hidden agendas and desires. As the story unfolds, a tangled web of deeply rooted family secrets emerges, adding layers of intrigue and tension that keep readers on the edge of their seats.
My thoughts...
The captivating twisty narrative explores the complex and often turbulent dynamics of family relationships (sisterhood and motherhood), peeling back the layers of emotional turmoil and unspoken tensions buried beneath the surface.
At the heart of THE SUMMER HOUSE MURDER is a poignant examination of the profound sacrifices made to maintain an illusion of perfection in the eyes of society. The characters grapple with their own desires and struggles, all while desperately trying to uphold a veneer of harmony and success, ultimately revealing the cost of such façades on their lives and connections.
Drawing from her background as a clinical psychologist, Roberts intricately interlaces profound psychological insights with the familiar elements of thriller storytelling. This blend not only enhances the tension but also provides a richer understanding of the characters' motivations and struggles, making the story both compelling and thought-provoking.
The isolated Lake George setting is lush and beautiful, creating a "locked room" vibe where the quiet water reflects the creeping feeling that something is wrong beneath the surface. The oppressive weather serves as a physical manifestation of the simmering tensions between the characters.
The central takeaway of character-driven, THE SUMMER HOUSE MURDER is that secrets and suppressed trauma are more destructive than any external threat.
While the sisters fight for the house, it eventually becomes their prison, proving that material gain at the expense of relationships is a hollow victory. The inheritance turns toxic; it does not bring them together, but poisons their remaining bond.
Ultimately, the book warns that you can never truly outrun your past. The author focuses on the "why," not just "how," as the secrets are revealed. Denial is a deadly blind spot; the more you try to look perfect, the more vulnerable you are to being destroyed.
Recs...
If you are a fan of Jamie Day's The Lake Escape with high-stakes tension and a lake house setting, you will enjoy THE SUMMER HOUSE MURDER with family secrets, psychological twists, and an isolated summer getaway thriller. Both stories turn a serene vacation setting into a claustrophobic psychological battleground where you can't even look out your own window without seeing your enemy.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Praise
“A sizzling mystery . . . will have readers guessing until the very end.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A whirlwind domestic thriller that’s also a pitiless anatomy of the costs of motherhood and sisterhood.”
—Kirkus Review
“This latest from Roberts is recommended for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.”
—Library Journal
“[A] riveting little house of horror . . . The perfect summer read.”
—First Clue
“The Summer House Murder is a wildly entertaining, perfectly plotted action-packed thriller about how hard it is to outrun the past…and how dangerous that race can be. A beautiful house, estranged sisters, a body in the lake. Every delicious diabolical move on this strained family vacation ratchets up the tension until secrets explode and the ending hits with a satisfying punch.”
—Darby Kane, #1 international bestselling author author of Such a Clever Girl
“Dark and seriously creepy, The Summer House Murder is the perfect thriller. Expertly plotted and utterly gripping, the tension never, ever lets up. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.”
—Natalie Barelli, bestselling author of Finders Keepers
“A perfectly twisted summer read to be enjoyed all year long.”
—Amber Cowie, award-winning author of The Off Season
“Tensions simmer and secrets resurface with deadly results in Ava Roberts’ explosive The Summer House Murder. This artfully-plotted shocker offers a fresh take on the inheritance whodunit, exploring the aftermath of a bequest, the power of place, and the cost of turning your back on family. You’ve never met sisters like these ones! Fans of Sally Hepworth will swoon.”
—Tessa Wegert, author of the Shana Merchant series and In the Bones
“The Summer House Murder is a twisted family drama brimming with secrets, betrayals, and flawed characters you won’t be able to put down. Darkly addictive, this is one twisted family. You’ll never look at a lake house the same way again.”
—Katie Garner, author of The Night It Ended and The Family Inside
“I had so much fun reading The Summer House Murder! It’s got a gorgeous lake house. Scorching summer heat. And a family with serious baggage. Ava Roberts delivers a twisty, fast-paced thriller where sisterhood curdles into secret alliances, shocking family secrets, and revenge—revealing just how far we’ll go to belong, even if it means dragging perfect lives under.”
—Maia Chance, author of The Body Next Door and The Ravine
About the Author
Ava Roberts is a clinical psychologist turned suspense novelist who knows that the most unsettling things often lurk just beneath the surface. Originally from the West Coast, she now lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and an overactive imagination.
She is the author of The Vanishing Neighbor and Juniper Isle, the Thistler Thrillers series, beginning with The Perfect Boyfriend and The Perfect You, and The Summer House Murder (2026).
Her books are published by Severn River Publishing and Crooked Lane Books. Ava is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. WEBSITE
