The Summer Cottage

by A.J. Carter

Secrets will be the death of you.

When Abi and Vicky holiday at a summer cottage with their husbands, they can’t wait to relax. But something sinister stirs when a woman from their past appears next door, claiming amnesia has erased their shared history.

Soon, a discovery of threatening notes escalates into devastating demands, and their perfect lives begin to shatter. With their husbands growing suspicious and time running out, Abi must confront a terrible their mysterious neighbour isn't just toying with their present – she's plotting revenge for what they did to her fifteen years ago.

A chilling psychological thriller that proves the most dangerous secrets are the ones we kill to keep buried.

—————

Genres: Thriller

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2025

About the author

AJ Carter is a psychological thriller author from Bristol, England. His first book, The Family Secret, is praised by critics around the world, and he continues to regularly deliver suspenseful novels you can’t put down.

Sign up to his mailing list today and be the first to hear about upcoming releases and hot new deals for existing books. You’ll also receive a FREE digital copy of The Couple Downstairs – an unputdownable domestic thriller you won’t find anywhere else in the world: https://BookHip.com/WAXFLLP

Reviews

[Mark]

2 couples, 4 people

2 of the 4 share a secret

3 cottages in Cornwall, each couple on either side of the middle cottage…..which shockingly has the secret within it

And then the trouble starts….and multiply’s and everyone knows something is wrong, just some know more than others

A classically good psychological story of something that was ‘buried’ unburying itself and causing chaos….however it wrong foots you, or did me, and I guessed at many theories before the reveal

AJ Carter is prolific in writing these stand alone thrillers but while they are as good as this I as a lover of these kind of thrillers am errr thrilled 😎

Another fine character led read

[Alana]

2.5 ⭐️ don’t waste your time!

[Aaliya xx]

AJ Carter sure does know how to write a gripping thriller. Will read more of his works when I get my hands on them :D

Character: 6.5
Setting & Atmosphere: 7
Plot & Structure: 7
Style & Language: 7
Themes & Motifs: 6.75
Narrative Perspective: 6.5
Reading Experience: 7
Average Score: 6.82

Rating: 3/5

Goodreads Rating | Score Threshold
1 | 3.00
2 | 6.00
3 | 7.50
4 | 9.00
5 | 10.00

[Cheryl]

OK read

This was an OK read. There were so many parts that were so unbelievable. And this authors writing style really needed to be edited. Every single paragraph had at least one simile and/or metaphor. Way too many regarding the waves, the salt air, the floor boards creaking and the sea gulls. It just loses its impact when used way too many times and repeatedly. So many of these books I read really need to be edited!

[Bri]

No

[Donna Mallery]

I was all set to give this book 5 stars. Although you have to suspend beliefs at times, it was a fun read. And reading about the relationships of best friends was refreshing. What knocked it down to 3 stars (I felt like two but respected the author) was the ending! It was so depressing! I also wonder in England has a statute of limitations??? Just a thought!

[Emma]

When AJ Carter sends me an advanced reader's copy of his new book, it’s an automatic signal to set aside whatever I’m currently reading.
His latest work, ‘The Summer Cottage’ is no exception.

Abi and Vicky arrive with their husbands, at their holiday cottages eager to embrace a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives. The peace is soon disrupted by the unexpected arrival of a woman from their past. This woman claims to have amnesia, a startling revelation that stirs long-buried emotions and raises unsettling questions about the nature of memory, friendship, and the shadows that linger even in the most serene of settings.

This novel gripped me from the very first page and didn’t let me go until the final word, making it yet another thrilling addition to AJ’s impressive work.
What captivated me most about ‘The Summer Cottage’ was its intricate blend of psychological suspense and thought-provoking themes.
Each chapter left me eager to dive into the next, creating an urge to keep the pages turning.
AJ Carter’s writing style is a significant factor in my admiration for his work. He possesses a remarkable ability to craft brilliant plots that are very engaging. What I particularly enjoy are the unexpected twists that he weaves throughout the storyline. Just when I thought I had figured everything out, Carter introduced a new element that turned my assumptions upside down.

[Myste Gardner]

JUST TELL THEM ALREADY! The ending, No.

[Chelsea Pop]

Meh… same descriptive words used over and over. Saw a review here that this book needing way more editing, agree
Enjoyed it but was a little frustrating at times.

[Katie Harris]

Good but ending could’ve been better

[Deidra Cramer]

Predictable

Predicted it was one of the men from the beginning, just had to wait to find out which. Too much space taken up by rambling emotions and reflections. Skimmed through most of it just to get to the parts that mattered. Was actually bored.

[Gena Webb]

Not all that good

Very wordy with whole pages of descriptions and metaphors. Highly improbable scenario and the worst ending ever. Good premise, interesting idea, fell flat in execution.

[Daniela Patterson]

Unbelievable.

It started out good, but it was not believable. I skimmed through just to get to the end. No one killed anyone for it to become full of lies by the Characters!

[Bianca F]

This was such a solid summer thriller and I was hooked! It gave me that perfect mix of suspense, secrets, and “I need to know what happens next” energy. I mean… when Esther showed up next door?? I was immediately like, WHY is she here? And even though I had a hunch about what was going on, the confirmation still totally shook me 😂

The story centers around two couples—Abi & Leo and Vicky & Ben—on what’s supposed to be a peaceful holiday at some cozy summer cottages in Cornwall. But when a mysterious woman moves in next door and claims to have no memory of her connection to them, things get weird fast. And by weird, I mean threatening notes, secrets resurfacing, and revenge that’s been 15 years in the making. 😳

I loved the way the story slowly unraveled.. two of the four are clearly hiding something, and the tension builds as the truth starts to claw its way to the surface. The layout of the cottages (each couple on either side of Esther) made everything feel even more claustrophobic and tense. You know something is about to blow up… you just don’t know when or how.
I really appreciated the messy, complicated dynamic between the two best friends. It felt real—flawed, loyal, and full of buried resentment.

What kept this from being a full 5-star for me was the ending. It just felt a little too heavy and bleak, and I wish there had been more to it.. more detail, more resolution. It left me with that weird empty feeling where you’re like, “wait… that’s it?” 😩

Still, a great read overall! If you’re into slow-burning suspense with layered friendships, buried secrets, and a creeping sense of dread this one delivers

[Hurrem Mordt]

I really enjoyed this book - I couldn’t put it down! But! The ending - what happened to Vicky? I really wanted some kind of resolution with those two and also with Leo, he didn’t really say much he just ended their marriage and that was that. No reaction to anything that Abi told him, I mean of course his silence and avoidance was a reaction but not as satisfying for me. Overall it was really enjoyable but I suppose I was hoping for a happier ending with more resolution. I loved hating Esther she was such a repellant character.
The writing style could have been better as the author did repeat a lot of the same phrases, sometimes only a page apart.

[Laura Manville]

I almost DNF but picked it back up and pushed through. Not great, 2 stars may be too generous but I did want to see what happened and there was one twist I didn’t see coming. I have no idea why one of the main characters was the way she was, no idea why the characters made the decisions they did.
Not a well written book, kid of stupid.
Leo was really the character with the least blame and most appealing.

[Victoria Burns]

Not Exactly Realistic

The story line was good but what i found lacking is the absence of background on the characters. Do none of them have families that might be concerned about what's been going on? No parents, siblings, brothers and sisters? As for the ending, police don't just show up with flashing lights. There would be an investigation by detectives bringing you in for questioning first.

[Naomi]

This was a boring book unfortunately. Way too many metaphors and why didn't they just tell them?? Also, I felt like they were at the cottage for many weeks(cause of all the waking up) but it was only a week?

How the men behaved towards their partners was a bit unbelievable, with the making excuses towards Esther. Leo treated Abi as if she was a child.

The ending is really unbelievable and not enjoyable at all. A.J. can do much better!

[Dakota Gryffin]

The two girls were excessively stupid. They didn’t want to ruin their marriages so they lied, gave away all their money, and tried to sleep with each other’s husband? What did they think was going to come out of this?

And then they do the exact same thing they did 15 years ago that got them in so much trouble the first time. I also hated that the bad guy is the only one that got a happy ending.

[Phyllis Fried]

Hard to put down

A very intense story about what can happen when you hold on to a terrible secret. It's quite descriptive and transports you to th the beach. A ghost from the past makes for a less than fun vacation for two longtime friends. It's definitely a page turner.
Highly recommended

[Teresa]

OMG! I'm still puzzled!

The Summer Cottage is another amazing AJ Carter thriller and this one certainly messes with your mind! The accident, the best friend, the husband's, the lost amnesiac school 'friend'; all of it twisted together in what was supposed to be a vacation! He truly knows the definition of a psychological thriller! Awesome!

[Ashley Hammill]

This was so boring. I skimmed about half the book because there were so many pages of unimportant details.

Spoiler: what bugged me the most was probably how they let Esther AND HER SISTER drown but never even really think about Ruth. It was like an afterthought like oh yeah guess she was there too lol. I really wish I dnf this one.

[Marcie Walters,]

Great book!

Another of his great books. When I pick up one of AJ’s books, I know that it will be good. He is a great writer, and the suspense is always there twist and turns. which I love. You will definitely love his books. Thank you, AJ for what you do. Keep writing please. Marcie

[Lisa-Marie Imray]

Easy to read thriller, was unnerving in parts. Did manage the guess the ‘twist’ but didn’t have the correct explanation for it so still got me a little bit. Author writes with such beautiful description, not just about environment/locations but metaphors and what’s going on in characters heads.

[Andrea Gilsenan]

THE SUMMER COTTAGE

Well, going by the title of the book I thought, well, this will be a good relaxing read. A good read it was, indeed, but relaxing it was not. I was gripped by the storyline and I did not see that coming!

[Kase]

The ending, oh my god!! I need another book, like now!!

The last 2/3 pages, I think my mouth was permantley open!

I love all of A J Carter's books, and I know that I am in for a right treat when start reading!

[Sharon Thomas]

Lots of secrets

Abi and Vicky have a secret from 15 years ago. Ester is out for revenge. Lots of secrets and unknowns come out in the end. Strong characters good storyline. No sex and no language.

[Tania Paweska]

Disappointing this one unfortunately. I had finished welcome to the family and I was hooked on that one. Just insanely good, so I quickly went into Kindle to find another one of his books. Unfortunately this one was a big let down.

But I’ll definitely read more of his books.

[Heather]

Great book. A lot of twists and turns through the end of the book.

[Autumn Hanson]

So pumped to already have another AJ Carter to read. They just get better and better!!

This one kept me on the edge of my seat and that plot twist....WOW! It's a must read!