The Summer House Murder

by Ava Roberts

A summer trip to the Adirondacks is turned upside down when a woman’s body is discovered in the lake in this twisty thriller, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Paula Hawkins.

Sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina go on their annual visit to their remote summer house on Lake George expecting a tense vacation. Each has their own families to deal with plus their own secrets to hide. Esme, the oldest sister, is desperate to keep up appearances after discovering her husband’s infidelity with the one person who hurts her the most. Piper, the middle child, has a four-month-old baby boy and is too tired to keep playing peacekeeper to her siblings. Regina, the youngest, is a sarcastic rule breaker with a secret to hide that could cost her everything.

After tension boils over into an ugly fight late one night, the sisters go off in separate directions. Like most of their blowouts, they think they’ll cool off and resume the trip like normal the next morning. Only this time when dawn comes, a young woman’s body is discovered in the lake. As a criminal investigation narrows in on their family home, it becomes clear that the sister’s web of lies and secrets is inextricably linked to the woman in the lake.

A tense and fast-paced thriller, The Summer House Murder will leave audiences breathlessly listening until they reach the thrilling conclusion to this twisted family drama.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Ava Roberts is a clinical psychologist turned author who knows that the most unsettling things often lurk just beneath the surface. She is the author of The Vanishing Neighbor, Juniper Isle, the Thistler Thrillers series, and The Summer House Murder (2026). Kirkus Reviews called The Summer House Murder “a whirlwind domestic thriller that’s also a pitiless anatomy of the costs of motherhood and sisterhood.” She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and an overactive imagination.

Reviews

[Kelliann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three sisters reunite at a secluded lake house, but what should have been a peaceful vacation turns deadly. Old grudges resurface, a body is discovered, and suddenly no one can be trusted.

The writing is so vivid and immersive, I felt like the fourth sister, watching the chaos unravel firsthand. Every revelation had me second-guessing everyone – and getting it wrong every time.

If you love domestic thrillers with messy families, dark secrets, and shocking twists, you won’t want to miss this one.

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Drama! Drama! Drama! With a big family comes an abundance of drama, secrets, and unnecessary conflicts among siblings and close relatives. I can relate all too well, having grown up in a large family where constant competition and someone always getting blamed for something was the norm—UGH!

A summer trip to the Adirondacks turns into a thriller when a woman's body is found in the lake. Sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina arrive at their summer house on Lake George, each grappling with personal issues and secrets. Following a family fight, they separate, only to discover the body the next morning. As a criminal investigation unfolds, the sisters' hidden truths become intertwined with the mystery.

The story is narrated from the perspectives of Esme, Regina, Piper, Alexis, and Lana, weaving together two timelines: one from the past and one in the present. This approach helps us to fully understand what went wrong between the cousins and, most importantly, why. But you’ll have to keep reading to uncover the why, as that revelation is saved for the end! The characters in this tale can be quite unlikeable, while some are more relatable, but it’s fascinating to see how one person can manipulate the others—a scenario that hits close to home for many of us.

This well-crafted domestic murder mystery serves up revenge hot and delves into the concept of karma! The story captures the attention of everyone, until it doesn’t. Esme is left to grapple with the consequences of her actions regarding Alexis, and the twists in the storyline left me stunned. The ending, in particular, feels like a long-planned act of revenge. After all, some traumas can’t simply be brushed aside without facing repercussions—can they?

If you’re comfortable with toxic family dynamics, deeply buried secrets, and morally ambiguous characters, you’re in for a treat. The secluded setting plays a significant role in character development, so buckle up and pay attention, because this family trip is one you won’t soon forget—and hopefully, you’ll survive it! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I can only hope that no one in my immediate circle holds a grudge that could come back to haunt me in my golden years! Ha!

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was packed with drama, suspense, and great twists. I loved the fast pace and how easy it was to follow. What an amazing cast or strong characters! The way the lies can get uncovered and come back to haunt them added to the suspense on every page. I felt like I was right there in the middle of everything watching it all unfold! This is a must read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Supriya K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Summer House Murder
A Novel by Ava Roberts
Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers | General Fiction (Adult)
#TheSummerHouseMurder #NetGalley

My Review:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This story is fresh, amazing, and incredibly entertaining! It’s packed with suspense in every chapter and keeps you hooked from the start. What begins as a tense family getaway soon turns into a dark, emotional thriller full of secrets and shocking twists.

The story follows three sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina who return to their summer house on Lake George. After a heated argument one night, a woman’s body is found in the lake, and their lives spiral out of control. Each sister’s point of view adds mystery and emotion, revealing how deep their secrets go.

I loved Piper and Regina, especially Regina strong, complicated, and impossible not to root for. George and Alexis were characters I truly disliked but added the perfect tension.

There’s mystery in every scene who is the woman in the lake, who killed her, and what happened to the missing baby? The twists kept coming, and the ending completely blew me away.

Ava Roberts has written a gripping and emotional thriller that’s impossible to put down. Definitely a five-star read!

Thank you to #NetGalley and @CrookedLaneBooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Summer House Murders by Ava Roberts. Thanks to @crookedlanebooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Three sisters meet at their house in the Adirondacks for their annual summer visit, expecting a tense vacation. Sure enough, a big fight ensues and they go their own ways for the night. The next morning a woman’s body is found in their lake and tensions get worse as law enforcement investigates them.

While a story about sisters, none of them seem to like each other or get along very well, which makes for interesting drama but also made me sad. I kept waiting for them to have each others’ backs, but as the history of their past comes out, it becomes more understandable. That said, I did like each of their characters individually. The story was fast paced and had some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting.

“It was rigged. I was always going to be the loser, and she was always going to be the winner. The only way to play a rigged game is to cheat. So here we go.”

Read this if you like:
-Dysfunctional families and sibling relationships
-Infidelity tropes
-Adirondacks setting

The Summer House Murders comes out 4/17.

[Wormy Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Summer House Murder by Ava Roberts
4.5/5 ☆

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
☆ Dysfunctional families
☆ Domestic thriller
☆ Lake house

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: During an annual summer trip to their remote lake house in the Adirondacks, three sisters—each carrying their own secrets and strained relationships—find tensions reaching a breaking point after a late-night fight. But by morning, everything changes when a young woman’s body is discovered in the lake. As the investigation begins to close in, it becomes clear that the sisters’ hidden pasts and tangled lies may be more connected to the murder than they ever expected.


𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Literally flew through this in one sitting. I’m always gonna love a lake house thriller.

This is exactly what I want in a domestic thriller: messy family dynamics, buried secrets, and characters you can’t trust.

The sister relationships were the standout for me. They felt so real, complicated, and layered. There’s love there, but also resentment, jealousy, and years of unspoken tension, which made everything hit harder as the story unfolded. Everyone had something to hide, and I loved how my opinions kept shifting with every new reveal.

I loved the setting and the writing was so atmospheric I felt like I was there. I could picture everything so clearly, like I was right there watching it all unravel in real time.

The pacing is super fast with short, punchy chapters. I loved how the story slowly peeled back each layer of the family dynamic.

I will say I guessed part of the twist, but honestly it didn’t take away from the experience for me. There were still enough surprises and smaller reveals along the way to keep me hooked, and the tension never really let up. If anything, it made me more invested in seeing how everything would play out.

If you love domestic thrillers packed with toxic family dynamics, secrets, a hint of female rage, and nonstop drama, this one is such a fun, bingeable read.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the gifted copy!

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔.

This was a twisty, explosive thriller that explores family secrets and all the things we desperately try to keep buried. Sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina aren't naturally close, but provisions in their mother's will force them to vacation together every year for two weeks at the family's lake house. It's always tense, but this year each sister is bringing baggage that can't be rolled into the house on wheels.

Esme is the controlling older sister who comes across as dominant, cold, and unfeeling, but no one can guess the gut-wrenching secret she's holding on to. She can't confide in her sisters for support for fear they will judge her, so she suffers in silence. Piper is the exhausted middle sister who finally has her own baby to love, but her four-month-old doesn't sleep through the night, and she feels like a failure. Motherhood comes so easily to others, so why can't it to her? And then there's Regina, the free-spirited youngest who is holding on to something that could implode everyone's comfortable life.

The women snip back and forth at each other until the tension explodes late one night. The women go in separate directions to cool off, believing when morning comes, they will once more start again. However, the morning brings not peace and reconciliation but the discovery of a young woman's body in the lake. Through alternating points and view and dual timelines, I thought it was easy to guess the identity of the victim, but there is more here than meets the eye. This was a fun, totally immersive read that will have you second-guessing ever vacationing with family again. Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the early copy. This book is scheduled to publish April 7, 2026.

[Andrea Hulme · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great family drama this was. From the outside everything appears to be beautiful, friendly, loving, but dig even just a little bit under the surface and there's simmering sibling rivalry, secrets, lies and betrayal. A great mix for a fabulous storyline.

And not just siblings, but three sisters, which is even better! Esme, Regina, and Piper share a lavish lakeside property left to them by their parents. The drama is brought to us right from the outset. The story is told primarily from the point of view of the three sisters. We soon realise that there is a lot of friction, they have different personalities, and the pecking order is apparently well established. Then throw into the mix, Alexis, their cousin, who lost her parents at an early age. Her Aunt reluctantly took on the guardianship of Alexi but threw her out of the family home pretty quickly.

All of this underlying tension builds up to a maelstrom of events, emotions and bitter conflict. Especially when a big fight ensues and they go their own ways for the night. The next morning a woman’s body is found in the lake and tensions get worse as a police investigation points the finger at the sister's and their family.

The writing was sharp, fast paced and really drew you into the storyline and characters. The characters jumped off the pages and into my living room as I read this. They were flawed and challenging. My opinion of them kept changing throughout the book, which I really enjoyed. My favourite character turned out to be Piper.

This is an intelligent and well crafted thriller that leans heavily on family relationships, suspicion, intrigue and sibling rivalries. And an ending that I really didn't see coming.


Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the chance to review this ahead of publication date.

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

《4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️》

Each year, sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina reunite with their families at their remote summer house on Lake George. This year however, the trip is already tense. Esme is hiding the humiliation of her husband's affair, Piper is overwhelmed as a sleep deprived new mother, and Regina is dealing with financial problems that threaten her future. After a heated argument one night, the sisters storm off in different directions. By morning, the lake delivers something far worse than another family fight... a young woman's body floating in the water. As the police investigation closes in on their summer home, the sisters realize the victim may be tied to their past and to the web of secrets they've been desperately hiding. Old resentments, buried family history, and long-held grudges began to surface, and the sisters must confront the possibility that the killer may be someone within their own circle.

This story follows three sisters gathering at their family summer house, each carrying their own emotional baggage. What starts as a tense but normal family getaway quickly spirals when a body turns up and suddenly everyone is looking a little suspicious. The vibes shift fast from "family drama" to "someone here might be a killer". What I loved most was the sister dynamics! The relationships felt messy, complicated, and real. Watching the layers peel back on the secrets everyone had was half the fun. The setting is also perfect. Quiet water and that creeping feeling something isn't right? Perfect! It had that locked room vibe where all the suspects are all circling the same world. Family secrets, betrayal, and a murder investigation? Say less!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Roberts, and Crooked Lane Books for both an eARC and physical copy!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the annual visit at the summer house on Lake George, and Esme, Piper, and Regina, show up with their families. Each of the girls have their own secrets. Esme is the older sister. Her husband is a neurosurgeon, so she’s always trying to keep up appearances. Piper is the quiet one that no one notices and everyone walks all over. Regina is the youngest. They don’t always get along. More often than not, they don’t. After a fight one night, they each go their separate ways. Come morning, a body is found in the lake. As the investigation ensues, secrets come to light, and it seems this family is tied to the body in the lake.

I really enjoyed this author! Roberts’ writing is so vivid and it just flows so easily. Roberts easily makes you care about what is happening in the story, which way it’s going to go, and how it’s going to end. The book is told from multiple points of view, told both in the present and the past. One of the reasons that I really enjoy this author’s books is that everything in the book matters. It brings together pieces of the puzzle.

The family dynamics are intricate. It seems like multiple family members could have reason to kill someone, but who is responsible for the body in the lake? Who is the body in the lake? The way that Roberts reveals some of the twists is brilliant. There was one moment that I was so shocked, I gasped!

The ending was particularly ironic. But it was the perfect ending to this book. If you haven’t read this author, please make sure to add some of her books to your TBR. This one will be out in April!

[eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Sisters Esme, Piper, and Regina go on their annual visit to their summer house on Lake George expecting a tense vacation, as they all have their own families to deal with plus their own secrets to hide. After an ugly fight late one night, the sisters go off in separate directions to cool off and resume the trip like normal the next morning, like usual. However, this time, when morning comes, a young woman’s body is discovered in the lake.

A good, drama filled thriller that knows how to hook you in and keep you on your toes the entire time. There is enough mystery on each sister's part to make it impossible to put this down. The writing is so sharp and fun, it makes it so easy to fly though the story; I read it so quickly, dreading having to put it down, and I wanted to do nothing more than to get back to it as soon as possible. The characters feel very real in how flawed and, most of the time, hard to like they are, in a way— they keep messing up, doing things that have you rolling your eyes and wanting to do nothing more than to shake some sense into them, but also you can see where it's coming from, and it makes sense. It's honestly a very fast paced, entertaining read, and I had a great time. My only issue would be that the pacing felt a little weird at times— some bits in the middle felt very dragged and repetitive, while the ending felt very rushed in a way. But, overall, it didn't impact my reading experience all that much.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Terri (BooklyMatters) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twisty, engaging, and fun to read murder mystery, set in a gorgeous vacation home in the Adirondacks, and centering on a hugely dysfunctional family.

Sisters Esme (horribly status conscious), Piper (anxious and obsessive) and Regina (cocky and impulsive) are all married, all mothers, and all messed up. Particularly in their relationship with each other. So much so, that their mother, recently deceased, has left them the family lakeside vacation home, but with a caveat — they must spend two weeks every August vacationing in it, together. And that, indeed, is the catch, as these sisters are far from what one might consider as close.

Burdened with secrets, jealousy, competitiveness, and even raw and seething dislike, the sisters have each come to a bad place in their lives, for various reasons, when they find themselves in forced togetherness at their August summer home.

And it’s not long before one secret, refusing to remain long buried, breaches the forefront to stir the pot — in a terrible way — that will ultimately lead to murder.

A terrifically compelling story, which kept this reader hanging on, right to the satisfying and smile-inducing ending. Highly recommended for mystery lovers, and in particular, lovers of character-based plots writhing with families, dysfunction, and of course, murderous intent.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

(Four and half shiny stars, rounded up)

[Michael Norris · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW 📕

📗 The Summer Murder House
✍️ Ava Roberts
📣 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.25/5
Pub : 4/7/26
Thank you @crookedlanebooks and @avarobertsauthor for the ARC!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and it was my first time reading anything by this author. I really enjoyed it.

The story follows what’s supposed to be a normal family summer vacation… though it definitely turns out to be anything but normal.

The character development is done really well. You learn the history behind why the sisters can’t stand each other, and why their mother made it part of her will that they have to spend two weeks together at this house every summer. Ava Roberts style of writing really brings the tension to life—you can almost feel it in the air, like it’s thick enough to cut with a knife.

There’s also another woman who their mother briefly took in when they were kids. She was always causing trouble and clearly has secrets of her own. When she suddenly shows back up, everything starts spiraling from there.

There are so many twists—unanswered questions, affairs, missing kids, and even a dead body. All the while, the sisters still can’t get along.

They’re jealous of each other for different reasons—money, relationships, and even who has less. They’ll do almost anything to get what they want, and eventually they even start covering things up for each other. What could possibly go wrong?

Overall, this was a really fun summer read.

#thriller #reading #summer #vacation

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esme, Regina, and Piper share a lavish lakeside property left to them by their parents. But even without the friction created by their very different personalities, and the places held by each of the three sisters in the pecking order, their family life is haunted by the complicated legacy of their individual and collective relationships with Alexis, their cousin who was thrown out of the family home years ago by their mother - largely thanks to Esme's machinations.

And although Esme's life today may seem perfect to the casual eye, with her handsome husband, beautiful twin daughters, and considerable wealth, things are not as they appear. The other two sisters live in somewhat different circumstances, leading to mutual resentment. And Alexis has not forgotten her rejection by their family, either...

So, when a corpse shows up in the lake while the trio of sisters are having their annual vacation, maternally-mandated vacation together, all hell breaks loose as the finger of suspicion points in various directions.

This is an intelligent and well crafted thriller that leans heavily on family relationships and sibling rivalries to ramp up the tension. It is well worth your time!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

The Summer House Murder is an unputdownable, addictive and absolutely dysfunctional popcorn thriller that had me absolutely hooked. Grab your popcorn and dive into this crazy ride. You want toxic relationships? Dysfunctional families? Secrets galore, deception and lies? This book delivers on all fronts. It was such an entertaining ride. It was so much fun. It had me hooked and I couldn't put it down. The multiple POV’s, past and present timeline made this book completely addictive, those short cliffhanger chapters just kept me flipping the pages.

The characters in this book are all so entertaining. I didn't know who to trust, kept going back and forth on my suspicions. Some are quite relatable while some are absolutely despicable. The way the story was set up was so well done and consistently kept me wanting more. I needed to know the why and the who. Once the reveals came, as usual Roberts style they left me stunned. The plot is intricately constructed and woven, perfectly paced and highly addictive.

Overall, if you're looking for a super bingeable, fun and entertaining popcorn thriller filled with family drama, don't miss out on this one!

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @crookedlanebooks & @avarobertsauthor for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taut, suspenseful domestic thriller focusing on the tensions within sisterhood and motherhood.

The Howard sisters - Esme, Regina, and Piper - have inherited their mother’s summer with the proviso that every summer they stay in the house (all together) for two weeks. A cousin, Alexis, was raised with the girls but was cut out of the will. So this summer begins as all the rest but when a body is found in the lake, simmering tensions already existing between the sisters rise up and this summer doesn’t appear to a vacation anymore.

The book alters between present and “before.” Before features Alexis who is a rather unlikable character (and I’m being kind). She’s always casting problems between the sisters while she is being raised with the Howard girls. The present chapters are filled the jealousies and misunderstandings that arise in a family. When the body in the lake is discovered, it’s time to take sides -so it would seem. Alexis is the character around which this whole novel revolves. And at the ending - it’s a great one , I really truly disliked her.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Abigail Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SUMMER HOUSE MURDER:

This is the 4th book of Ava’s that I’ve read/listened to. Her writing and plot lines get better with each book. Her vivid descriptions of scenes and people made me visualize the summer house and surrounding area. In my mind, I had a combination of both the place I spent part of my honeymoon (Edisto Beach, SC) and Estes Park, CO. I could imagine how the characters looked and acted as well. The storyline was exciting and kept me guessing/making a list of culprits. I was truly surprised by the ending as all the leads in the book pointed in opposite directions. I had to force myself to put my Kindle down one night when I realized just how late it was. It only took me 2 days to devour this book, and if I hadn’t had to teach the next morning, I definitely would have finished it in basically one sitting.
Thank you, Ava and NetGalley for letting me have an advanced copy of the book to read. I can’t wait for more books to be released so I can gobble them up the way I did The Summer House.

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s summertime. And for sisters Esme, Regina and Piper (along with their families), it’s time for the annual return to their summer home. A property their mother left to the three of them. The only stipulation for ownership is that all three must reunite each summer…together!

Easy, peasy, right? Well friends, you don’t know these sisters!

Told from multiple POV and two timelines, we become acquainted with the trio as they grew up. Definitely explains their current actions!🤦🏻‍♀️

Oh…did I mention Alexis? No? She was briefly taken in by the family. Let’s just say that didn’t work out so well….😉

This was a fast, compulsive read that will keep you on your toes guessing. There are a few great surprises along the way as well!
But I feel as though I need a refresher course on how to spot a twist.😂
The clues were there (in hindsight of course) and yet I was always shocked! Well played!🙌

✍️ Ava Roberts
📄 320 pages
🗓️ Anticipated release date: April 7, 2026
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Thriller, mystery

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books

[RubieReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

**A Gripping Family Thriller That Kept Me Up All Night!**

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting! The three sisters were so well developed and flawed in realistic ways….. from Esme's heartbreak to Piper's new mom exhaustion to Regina's rebellious secrets.
When that body turned up in the lake, I was completely hooked.
The way Ava Roberts slowly unraveled each sister's secrets while the investigation closed in was masterfully done, and I couldn't stop turning pages.

What really made this book stand out was how authentic the family drama felt and how perfectly it blended with the murder mystery. The pacing was spot-on, the isolated Adirondacks setting added serious creepy vibes, and the twist at the end genuinely shocked me.
If you're looking for a thriller with complex characters and a mystery that keeps you guessing, this is it!

[Thrillerswineandchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

☀️ M U R D E R M O N D A Y review ☀️ featuring “The Summer House Murder” by Ava Roberts!

For two weeks every summer, sisters Esme, Regina and Piper head up to their family summer house in the Adirondacks with their families. But this is not your typical family vacation because each sister has their own secrets to hide and the tension between them can be unbearable at times. They just need to play nice and get through the next two weeks together … but who are they kidding. That’s an impossible task with this crew!

One night after a cut throat fight between the sisters, they wake up to find a women’s dead body in the lake. All of them are linked to the woman in some way and have something to gain by her death. Will family loyalty stand the test of time or will their individual hidden agendas expose one another’s secrets?

💭 FIVE freaking stars! I loved this book so much! The Adirondacks setting, the dysfunctional family, the never ending drama … get your popcorn ready folks! This family is beyond TOXIC, holds grudges and has an over abundance of skeletons in their closets. They are fuelled by greed, dominance over one another and shameless competition.

Thank you kindly to @avarobertsauthor @crookedlanebooks @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on April 7, 2026 and must be added to your summer thriller TBRs!

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark your calendars! On April 7 get your hands on the perfect thriller to prepare you for summer. The Summer House Murder has it all! I was immediately immersed in the sibling rivalry, marital discourse, and the unexpected dead body. “In a three-hour car ride, I’ve thought of at least three ways to kill him” is one of the best opening lines I have ever read. I was hooked! “Revenge isn't always easy. Sometimes it hurts to accomplish a goal.” Vengeance, deception, and betrayal saturate this addictive thriller. I enjoyed how the story was told from each sister’s perspective. The characters are well-developed, and each has a compelling storyline. The short chapters kept the tension rising as the twisted plot unfolded. I have read all of Ava Roberts's books and highly recommend them. She is definitely an auto-read author.

[Thriller Bookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting.

What I loved most about The Summer House Murder is how well everything comes together. The multiple POVs, the before-and-now timeline, the complicated family dynamics, and all the buried secrets make the story feel layered and incredibly engaging from start to finish.

This book has everything I love in a thriller: flawed but believable characters, messy relationships, psychological tension, and twists that kept me guessing. Every detail feels intentional, and the pacing made it very hard to put down.

Ava Roberts did such a great job building the emotional tension within this family while also delivering a truly addictive suspense story. This is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

I'm not sure the cover and title do justice to this complex family suspense story. Three sisters and their husbands and children gather at the Upstate New York lake house their parents left to them jointly. But family secrets from teh past collide with sttuggles the sisters are having (and hiding) in the present: infidelity, financial troubles, postpartum mental health issues. Combine that with a person with a big grudge and this newly renovated vacation house become a powder keg!

For me, this started out a little slow, but as it progressed and I could see where it might be headed, my interest grew. Overall, a solid family suspense story!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

[Megan Magee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is very perfect for thriller readers seeking an intermediate level of this genre. The POV's of the characters were challenging, as some of them didn't have too many characteristics that set them apart. I enjoy horrible characters only when there's been some sort of emotional development, and unfortunately- that is not the case here. The twists were pretty easy to guess as well, hence my assessment being a more moderate level thriller. It's okay for a beachside read, but nothing I'd be pressed to ensure I read. Thank you to the author and publisher for the chance to read and review this eARC!

[Caroline Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the right amount of complexity to this mystery novel, with plenty of secrets and tangled relationships. I like that the antagonist had reason to feel wronged by the main characters, so that the reader is able to have some empathy for her. With chapters written from each of the three sisters' and the antagonist's views, the reader really got to feel an affinity for each person's situation and perspective.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unpredictable domestic thriller set in Lake George. Three sisters gather at their inherited summer house, confronting demons from the past and mistakes of the present. As bodies start floating in the lake outside the home, will the sisters unite or turn against each other? Roberts writes a suspenseful summer thriller filled with drama, resentment, deceit, and twists!

Advanced reader copy provided by Crooked Lane Press. All opinions are my own.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great, it follows three sisters and their husbands and kids as they come together at their family’s summer house by a lake. It has multiple POV and also switches from present day to the past throughout the book. There’s plenty of sibling rivalry and drama, and when a body is found in the water, more secrets float to the surface.

Such a twisty book I didn’t know how it would play out until the end, it was right up my alley. I can’t wait to read more of Ava’s work.

[Jess.E.Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I liked the Storyline. It was interesting and kept you guessing.
However, at times it felt dragged out and repetitive.
And then, the ending felt a bit rushed.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Katie Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SUMMER HOUSE MURDER is a twisted family drama brimming with secrets, betrayals, and flawed characters you won’t be able to put down. Darkly addictive, this is one twisted family. You’ll never look at a lake house the same way again.