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Summer Bodies
From the creators of the Moms Who Lie series, the first book in "The Turquoise Mist Thrillers", a 4-book Psychological Thriller series with twisty plots, relatable characters, and jaw-dropping cliffhangers. Can a troubled teen uncover the mysteries buried in the desert without joining them there?
Devastated after getting unjustly expelled from her elite private high school, Summer is forced to leave her trendy Boston home and move to a sleepy Arizona ghost town. Living with a half-brother she'd never met before, she's lonelier than ever, which usually gets her into trouble.
While partying at a creepy abandoned hotel, a teen she barely knows gets murdered. And the evidence points to her as the likely culprit.
To clear her name, she teams up with a couple of other misfit teens and her estranged half-brother. But she's not sure if she can trust them, or anybody else, because nobody in this small town is who they seem to be.
Can Summer solve the murders? Or will she end up in prison, or a grave?
"Summer Bodies" is the first book in the 4-Book "Turquoise Mist Thrillers" series by Brett Monk and McKenna Langford.
If you like unputdownable psychological thrillers with relatable teen and adult characters and a drop-the-mic cliffhanger at the end of each book, then you'll love the "Turquoise Mist Thrillers" series!
Devastated after getting unjustly expelled from her elite private high school, Summer is forced to leave her trendy Boston home and move to a sleepy Arizona ghost town. Living with a half-brother she'd never met before, she's lonelier than ever, which usually gets her into trouble.
While partying at a creepy abandoned hotel, a teen she barely knows gets murdered. And the evidence points to her as the likely culprit.
To clear her name, she teams up with a couple of other misfit teens and her estranged half-brother. But she's not sure if she can trust them, or anybody else, because nobody in this small town is who they seem to be.
Can Summer solve the murders? Or will she end up in prison, or a grave?
"Summer Bodies" is the first book in the 4-Book "Turquoise Mist Thrillers" series by Brett Monk and McKenna Langford.
If you like unputdownable psychological thrillers with relatable teen and adult characters and a drop-the-mic cliffhanger at the end of each book, then you'll love the "Turquoise Mist Thrillers" series!
- GenresYoung AdultMystery
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2023
232 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 28, 2023
Just as I expected this first book was fabulous! I'm not going to give a blurb that you can read for yourself when you buy the book, and you need to be reading this series. You were warned that these books end in cliffhangers, which I typically hate, and they do. I usually need to know what's next can't stand to wait but I must say that with these it's ok. The last series "Moms who Lie" was so great and I see these being the same way. This book definitely keeps you turning pages to see what's next. Be warned it is told from multiple povs and again end with a huge question, but I promise you will not be angry when all the books are done. Now to impatiently wait for book 2.
December 20, 2024
'Summer Bodies' is a promising first installment in a 4-book psychological thriller series. The story is set in Sugar Palms, a small town in Arizona. Summer, a teenage girl from Boston, arrives there to stay with her half-brother, Tripp, after being expelled from an elite high school. Early on in the story, she meets Blaize and Mira, two teenagers whose stories, along with Tripp's, are explored in the next three books. Upon a chance discovery of a dead teenager's body, Summer gets entangled in a big mystery of the ghost town of Sugar Palms.
The Authors make it very clear that each part of the series ends on a cliffhanger, and thus most of the questions raised in the story remain unanswered unless the reader chooses to explore the other books. The vast majority of the narrative revolves around interactions between the four teenagers, which provides an insight into their backgrounds and motives. While the characters are surely convincing and relatable, I found the pacing of the story a bit too slow for my liking.
As for the promised cliffhanger, attentive readers might see it coming, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I may not have been shocked by it, but it did leave me curious as to what happens next.
Overall, I believe 'Summer Bodies' delivers on its promise of being a psychological thriller with a twist. It might not be fast-paced or action-packed, but if you take to its likeable characters and feel up to discovering the dark secrets of Sugar Palms, you'll definitely have a good time.
The Authors make it very clear that each part of the series ends on a cliffhanger, and thus most of the questions raised in the story remain unanswered unless the reader chooses to explore the other books. The vast majority of the narrative revolves around interactions between the four teenagers, which provides an insight into their backgrounds and motives. While the characters are surely convincing and relatable, I found the pacing of the story a bit too slow for my liking.
As for the promised cliffhanger, attentive readers might see it coming, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I may not have been shocked by it, but it did leave me curious as to what happens next.
Overall, I believe 'Summer Bodies' delivers on its promise of being a psychological thriller with a twist. It might not be fast-paced or action-packed, but if you take to its likeable characters and feel up to discovering the dark secrets of Sugar Palms, you'll definitely have a good time.
November 11, 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
4/5⭐️
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰:
Book 1 of the Turquoise Mist Thrillers. This book will end on a jaw dropping cliffhanger, so hold on to your seat.
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Told from multiple character POVs, Summer Bodies brings a mysterious, attention grabbing story woven in suspense all the way through to the end.
Summer has moved to Arizona for the summer, living with a half brother she only recently learned about. Boredom leads her to crash into a party at the old Turquoise Mist Resort… but the party isn’t all she discovers. Literally stumbling onto a dead body on her first day in town doesn’t exactly scream innocent to the small town of Sugar Palm.
While the finding the true killer of the body Summer finds is the over all plot, there are other underlying and ongoing plot lines to follow also. Secrets from the past that have been buried but are being brought to light again and questioned even further… murders and deaths that may not be as cut and dry as they seem.
This was a great start to what’s bound to be a riveting series. I enjoyed the character growth from each character and the relationships they were creating. They all had ups and downs and obstacles to over come, and I fear this is only the beginning for some. I have so many questions and I’m looking forward to what Brett and McKenna bring throughout the rest of this series!
4/5⭐️
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰:
Book 1 of the Turquoise Mist Thrillers. This book will end on a jaw dropping cliffhanger, so hold on to your seat.
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Told from multiple character POVs, Summer Bodies brings a mysterious, attention grabbing story woven in suspense all the way through to the end.
Summer has moved to Arizona for the summer, living with a half brother she only recently learned about. Boredom leads her to crash into a party at the old Turquoise Mist Resort… but the party isn’t all she discovers. Literally stumbling onto a dead body on her first day in town doesn’t exactly scream innocent to the small town of Sugar Palm.
While the finding the true killer of the body Summer finds is the over all plot, there are other underlying and ongoing plot lines to follow also. Secrets from the past that have been buried but are being brought to light again and questioned even further… murders and deaths that may not be as cut and dry as they seem.
This was a great start to what’s bound to be a riveting series. I enjoyed the character growth from each character and the relationships they were creating. They all had ups and downs and obstacles to over come, and I fear this is only the beginning for some. I have so many questions and I’m looking forward to what Brett and McKenna bring throughout the rest of this series!
December 19, 2023
SUMMER BODIES (Turquoise Mist Thrillers) by Brett Monk and McKenna Langford is just the start of another great series and I am impatiently awaiting the next!
When seventeen year old Summer Chamberlain is sent to live with a half brother she never knew existed in Sugar Palms, AZ, she expects to have to make some …um adjustments. On her first night in town she “crashes” a party, meets the IT boy and finds a murdered teenager who was at the party. Wow! What a great first impression, right? As she falls under suspicion she starts working for brother Tripp at his diner and meets co-workers Blaize, a true crime buff and Mia who is attempting to go off her meds and acting strangely at times. As she grows closer to everyone they begin to seek answers as to what really happened that night. Was it someone who was at the party or something to do with Felicity Cole, who murdered her husband there some years ago, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that Turquoise Mist was once an asylum.
And what is Tripp up to, trying to find out about his mother? And why is he warning Summer away from HIS father?
So many moving parts, but you are so into the story that you don’t even notice. As with this pair’s previous series there is a huge cliffhanger at the end, which is deliciously satisfying. I can’t wait to see where it goes and will definitely be checking into their previous series.
Thank you to StoryOrigins and the authors for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
When seventeen year old Summer Chamberlain is sent to live with a half brother she never knew existed in Sugar Palms, AZ, she expects to have to make some …um adjustments. On her first night in town she “crashes” a party, meets the IT boy and finds a murdered teenager who was at the party. Wow! What a great first impression, right? As she falls under suspicion she starts working for brother Tripp at his diner and meets co-workers Blaize, a true crime buff and Mia who is attempting to go off her meds and acting strangely at times. As she grows closer to everyone they begin to seek answers as to what really happened that night. Was it someone who was at the party or something to do with Felicity Cole, who murdered her husband there some years ago, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that Turquoise Mist was once an asylum.
And what is Tripp up to, trying to find out about his mother? And why is he warning Summer away from HIS father?
So many moving parts, but you are so into the story that you don’t even notice. As with this pair’s previous series there is a huge cliffhanger at the end, which is deliciously satisfying. I can’t wait to see where it goes and will definitely be checking into their previous series.
Thank you to StoryOrigins and the authors for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
May 21, 2025
This was a rough starter for me. Most of the core characters are teenagers, and their writing very much had a strong “how do you do, fellow kids?” vibe to it, especially the gamer Blaize, who always formally referred to his “game console” (as opposed to his PlayStation or XBox). My other quibble was the first narration having a lot more flowery exposition, especially early on, than felt normal.
That said, the characters and stories built very well, with great use of unreliable narrator (one character is having some form of mental episodes and the other three POV characters don’t fully understand, leading to lots of drama).
The book does make it clear that it ends on a cliffhanger and it surely does. No central memory is resolved, though the characters and their relationships do advance and grow.
At various points, the narrative seems to lose sight of its mysteries (a girl is murdered the day one of the main characters comes to town, but it quickly becomes a backdrop to the interpersonal drama before coming back up as a plot point at the end).
Ultimately, they made me care about the characters, and that’s important. I’m just not sure the mysteries got enough build and focus for my tastes.
That said, the characters and stories built very well, with great use of unreliable narrator (one character is having some form of mental episodes and the other three POV characters don’t fully understand, leading to lots of drama).
The book does make it clear that it ends on a cliffhanger and it surely does. No central memory is resolved, though the characters and their relationships do advance and grow.
At various points, the narrative seems to lose sight of its mysteries (a girl is murdered the day one of the main characters comes to town, but it quickly becomes a backdrop to the interpersonal drama before coming back up as a plot point at the end).
Ultimately, they made me care about the characters, and that’s important. I’m just not sure the mysteries got enough build and focus for my tastes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2023
Like the "Moms Who Lie" series, I also loved "Summer Bodies"! This book kept my attention from the first to last page. I love the writing style of these authors. I was totally surprised at the ending. This book does have a cliffhanger, like the series before, but I love it! It keeps me wanting to read more. I totally recommend this book and can't wait to read the next one in the series. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. The opinion is my own.
November 13, 2023
This is a new author to me and I was glad I was able to review this book. I do not usually read YA, but decided to try this one solely based on the premise. The book was filled with action and intrigue. All of the characters had some kind of issue in their life and they all wanted to keep their issues a secret. When a murder happens; there are many possible subjects. I felt for each and every one of the young people. They just wanted someone to love them and accept them. This book was left on a cliffhanger and my jaw dropped.
November 13, 2023
Summer Bodies: Turquoise Mist Thrillers Book 1, my sixth read from authors Brett Monk & McKenna Langford and the first book in their Turquoise Mist Thrillers series. An entertaining, enjoyable, and suspenseful read, if you enjoyed their Moms Who Lie series you'll like this.“I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I'll definitely be reading more from these authors. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
October 29, 2023
WOW this was a good book. It was a page turner and I was hooked. This was a thriller and the suspense was intense of dramatic that had me drawn to what happens. It was an action packed of horror mystery. I was on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t even put it down. I was so scared and twists and turns these characters. I highly recommend this book you won’t regret reading it. I received a copy of the book via storyorigin and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Trina Jones
November 2, 2023
Wow! I have to read the next three books. Talk about a cliffhanger. Her mom dies when she is born, then her dad dies, then she is shipped to an Aunt she's never heard of, then off to a brother she didn't know existed. Sugar Palms Arizona, what a name. Unwanted by her brother, accused of murder, treated like a parasite and melting in the heat. It's only been a week what more can happen. Small town, big secrets, mysterious happenings. I am hooked
November 13, 2023
ARC review. There was so much to unpack in this story. And it leaves you on a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger that brings more questions that needs to be answered, when all the original questions were not yet answered. A ten age girl comes to live with her brother, whine she never knew existed, and happens upon a dead body. She is forced to go through the summer in a small town being blamed as the murderer. The question we want to know is who did it? 4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 12, 2025
I kinda found this book by accident, looking for a story that takes place in my home state to fulfill a reading challenge. I am so glad I found it! I loved the mysteries contained with the back stories, the characters were vividly written, and I felt like the author really has a great writing style. Usually, I take a break between books during a series, but I am going to jump right in to book number 2!
August 26, 2025
After Summer’s dad passed away she is forced to leave her posh Boston home and move to a desert ridden Arizona ghost town with a brother that never seemed interested in knowing her or getting to know her for that matter.
While attending a party in a “creepy abandoned hotel” she stumbles upon a murdered teenager. Stumbled being literal as she tripped and landed on the body. With all evidence pointed to her as the suspect she needs to team up with the brother that she never met to clear her name. Can she trust him or the small group of friends that she makes?
This was a stuff your kindle grab and I will absolutely be reading the rest of this series.
While attending a party in a “creepy abandoned hotel” she stumbles upon a murdered teenager. Stumbled being literal as she tripped and landed on the body. With all evidence pointed to her as the suspect she needs to team up with the brother that she never met to clear her name. Can she trust him or the small group of friends that she makes?
This was a stuff your kindle grab and I will absolutely be reading the rest of this series.
May 16, 2024
Absolute wasted evening of my life. It's so back and forth between characters and you solve absolutely nothing in this first book. It was so painful to read that I won't worry about moving to the next book.
December 20, 2024
This book ends on a hell of a cliffhanger, had me gasping. Gonna get Kindle Unlimited just to be able to read the other 3 books cause I have to know what is going on and what will happen next. I love that you follow 4 different people and get to hear their side of the story.
October 12, 2025
Pretty good plot. Liked the different kind of view. Sometimes the story line made it seem like they all had some kind of mental illness but only a couple of people actually have an illness. Liked the short chapters and the book was short
October 31, 2023
Clever title
Another thriller! Can hardly wait for the rest of the series. Summer. Trip to hot Arizona desert. Highly recommend if you can stand the heat.
Another thriller! Can hardly wait for the rest of the series. Summer. Trip to hot Arizona desert. Highly recommend if you can stand the heat.
November 20, 2024
Enjoyable Read
I enjoyed this book and its quirky characters. Anxious to find out more about them and get answers to questions.
I enjoyed this book and its quirky characters. Anxious to find out more about them and get answers to questions.
February 26, 2025
The writing style is a bit cheesy, but I like how in the dark I felt as a reader. But also the reveal right at the end? Called it from the START.
July 25, 2025
the book was good but for one I felt like it almost would have been better without the murder plot
August 26, 2025
I enjoyed this book greatly! Many points of view and drama!
Read
January 20, 2026Brilliant couldn't put it down starting the next one now totally gripping xx
December 21, 2025
dnf 63%.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews