Author: Tess Gerritsen
Published: March 18, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer
Format: Kindle, 363 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: The Martini Club #2
Blurb: When former spy Maggie Bird retired to the seaside hamlet of Purity, Maine, she settled in for a quiet life with breathtaking views. But enemies from her past soon threatened to destroy everything.
Maggie survived, thanks to her wits and the collective intelligence of the Martini Club, the circle of ex-CIA friends in her cocktail-sipping book club. Their handiwork, however, caught the attention of young police chief Jo Thibodeau. Now Jo and her neighborhood ex-spies have an uneasy alliance.
After a teenager vanishes—and Maggie’s neighbor becomes the prime suspect—she joins the investigation, determined to prove her friend’s innocence. But the girl’s wealthy family pushes for an arrest. And when authorities discover a long-dead corpse in a nearby pond, the case becomes doubly complicated, with unthinkable ties to long-buried secrets.
As Jo grapples with two unexplained mysteries, the Martini Club races to uncover the truth behind shadowy secrets…before more lives are lost.
My Opinion: There’s something about a book that refuses to let you predict its path. This novel is exactly that kind of read. It doesn’t stay where it begins—instead, it takes you on a journey that constantly keeps you on your toes.
As a bit of a backstory, The Martini Club is a group of seasoned, razor-sharp minds operating outside the usual constraints of law enforcement. While the local police chief might shake her head in frustration, deep down, she knows they’re indispensable.
Enjoying the previous book, I was ready for this challenge. I had set up my mental murder board. Red strings connecting suspects, timelines plotted, backstories emerging. As Gerritsen began unraveling conspiracies and histories, I’d pause, tilt my head, and think, “Ah, I’ve got it!” Then, I’d unwound the string, shift gears, and head in an entirely new direction. By the time I reached the end, I was sure I had solved it. I was certain it could only be one person. And yet—wrong. Utterly, fantastically wrong. That’s the genius of this book. Its plotting doesn’t hand you the baddie on a silver platter.
Beyond the twists and turns, the book weaves in moments of levity and heart. There’s a touch of humor that brightens the darker themes and a budding romance that’s been quietly simmering for two decades.
This second installment in the series gripped me as tightly as the first. For anyone new to Gerritsen’s Martini Club world, I’d strongly recommend starting with The Spy Coast, which lays the groundwork for the recurring characters. And the best part? This isn’t the end. The next book in the series is scheduled for release late next year.
Maggie survived, thanks to her wits and the collective intelligence of the Martini Club, the circle of ex-CIA friends in her cocktail-sipping book club. Their handiwork, however, caught the attention of young police chief Jo Thibodeau. Now Jo and her neighborhood ex-spies have an uneasy alliance.
After a teenager vanishes—and Maggie’s neighbor becomes the prime suspect—she joins the investigation, determined to prove her friend’s innocence. But the girl’s wealthy family pushes for an arrest. And when authorities discover a long-dead corpse in a nearby pond, the case becomes doubly complicated, with unthinkable ties to long-buried secrets.
As Jo grapples with two unexplained mysteries, the Martini Club races to uncover the truth behind shadowy secrets…before more lives are lost.
My Opinion: There’s something about a book that refuses to let you predict its path. This novel is exactly that kind of read. It doesn’t stay where it begins—instead, it takes you on a journey that constantly keeps you on your toes.
As a bit of a backstory, The Martini Club is a group of seasoned, razor-sharp minds operating outside the usual constraints of law enforcement. While the local police chief might shake her head in frustration, deep down, she knows they’re indispensable.
Enjoying the previous book, I was ready for this challenge. I had set up my mental murder board. Red strings connecting suspects, timelines plotted, backstories emerging. As Gerritsen began unraveling conspiracies and histories, I’d pause, tilt my head, and think, “Ah, I’ve got it!” Then, I’d unwound the string, shift gears, and head in an entirely new direction. By the time I reached the end, I was sure I had solved it. I was certain it could only be one person. And yet—wrong. Utterly, fantastically wrong. That’s the genius of this book. Its plotting doesn’t hand you the baddie on a silver platter.
Beyond the twists and turns, the book weaves in moments of levity and heart. There’s a touch of humor that brightens the darker themes and a budding romance that’s been quietly simmering for two decades.
This second installment in the series gripped me as tightly as the first. For anyone new to Gerritsen’s Martini Club world, I’d strongly recommend starting with The Spy Coast, which lays the groundwork for the recurring characters. And the best part? This isn’t the end. The next book in the series is scheduled for release late next year.
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