Read June 2019. Published 20th June 2019.
Littleport, Maine is a vacation destination for the wealthy, who come to spend their weekends and holidays in the quaint harbour town, but underneath this lies another Littleport - the one populated by the locals that live here year-round and serve to cater to the tastes of the rich visitors.
A gulf exists between the visitors and locals, which is seldom bridged by friendship - except for socialite Sadie Loman and local girl Avery Greer. The unlikely bond between Sadie and Avery means that they have become firm friends over the last ten years, and are rarely apart when Sadie is in town with her parents and brother. Although, Avery and Sadie have started to drift apart of late, and Sadie seems to be keeping secrets.
Avery has had a difficult childhood, being orphaned by a car crash that killed her parents, and Lomans have been very good to her. In fact Avery has become so close to the Lomans that she now runs their holiday rental properties for them, and lives in the guest house of their palatial summer home year round.
One night Sadie fails to turn up at the party marking the end of the summer season. The party comes to a premature end as the police arrive to break the news that Sadie's body has been found at the foot of some cliffs close to her parents' house. Many of the party-goers are under suspicion of being involved in Sadie's demise, but eventually the police deem it to be suicide.
A year later, Littleport is still reeling from Sadie's death. Her brother Parker is back in town for a memorial ceremony for Sadie and uncomfortable memories are being stirred up.
Avery cannot shake the feeling that the community, police and even Parker, blame her for Sadie's death.
Break-ins are being reported at the rental properties and the strange goings on seem to lead back to Avery. Someone seems to know more than they are saying and Avery becomes convinced that the police have made a mistake in ruling Sadie's death a suicide. She needs to find out what really happened to Sadie, before she is branded a killer.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tense little thriller set on the Maine coast - think Murder She Wrote, without Jessica Fletcher! The aftermath of Sadie's death will uncover delicious secrets and lies that go back years in the community of Littleport - both among the locals and the visitors.
The story goes at a good pace and the tension builds nicely, as Avery uncovers the clues left behind by Sadie - until you are convinced, along with Avery, that you know the identity of the killer. Oh no, think again! There is a lovely twist here that I did not see coming, but it fits so nicely with the events of the past. There is a nice little surprise at the end too, which wraps everything up in a satisfying way.
This is my first Megan Miranda book, but I actually have a copy of her previous book - The Perfect Stranger - sitting in my tbr pile and I have high hopes for it after having read The Last House Guest.
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