The Summer Guests

A RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB READ FOR SUMMER 2026
INCLUDES A BONUS SHORT STORY FEATURING MAGGIE BIRD AND THRILLER ICON, JACK REACHER

'Irresistible and highly recommended!' Lee Child, global bestselling writer behind the Jack Reacher series

'Immersive, compelling, utterly addictive – a masterclass in storytelling' Andrea Mara, Sunday Times bestselling author of All Her Fault

'A cracker of a mystery! I couldn’t put it down' Shari Lapena, international bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

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THE MARTINI CLUB ISN’T OPEN TO EVERYONE . . .

Maggie Bird’s ‘book group’ is an unusual one – a group of retired spies living an anonymous life in the seaside town of Purity. And this summer they plan little more than ‘reading’ (whilst sipping martinis), and some gentle birdwatching.

But trouble is just around the corner as the summer guests arrive.

For acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau, summer brings its own problems – packed streets, bar brawls, petty theft. And now, a missing teenager down by the lake.

When their good friend becomes a prime suspect in the girl's disappearance, Maggie and her Martini Club must put down their binoculars and roll up their sleeves. Leaving Jo to deal with not only a powerful family desperate for answers, but a meddlesome group of retirees.

Can Jo and the Martini Club find a way to work together, as they uncover one of the deadliest scandals their small town has ever seen?