Source: St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review
Goodreads Summary:
When ninety-nine-year-old heiress Josephine Bettendorf Warrick summons Brooke Trappnell to Talisa Island, her 20,000 acre remote barrier island home, Brooke is puzzled. Everybody in the South has heard about the eccentric millionaire mistress of Talisa, but Brooke has never met her. Josephine’s cryptic note says she wants to discuss an important legal matter with Brooke, who is an attorney, but Brooke knows that Mrs. Warrick has long been a client of a prestigious Atlanta law firm.
Over a few meetings, the ailing Josephine spins a tale of old friendships, secrets, betrayal and a long-unsolved murder. She tells Brooke she is hiring her for two reasons: to protect her island and legacy from those who would despoil her land, and secondly, to help her make amends with the heirs of the long dead women who were her closest friends, the girls of The High Tide Club—so named because of their youthful skinny dipping escapades—Millie, Ruth and Varina. When Josephine dies with her secrets intact, Brooke is charged with contacting Josephine’s friends’ descendants and bringing them together on Talisa for a reunion of women who’ve actually never met.
The High Tide Club is Mary Kay Andrews at her Queen of the Beach Reads best, a compelling and witty tale of romance thwarted, friendships renewed, justice delivered, and true love found.
My thoughts:
For some, summer kicks off with the first barbecue, the first 90 degree day, breaking out the flip-flops and shorts and sunblock. For me, the unofficial start of summer is reading a Mary Kay Andrews book. It is how I change seasons, by my reading choices. I switch from heavier, intense books or cozy mysteries or scary thrillers to books that are set by the sea, sand, and have some romance in there too. This one was a bit different. Despite the beachy cover, it is not a beach book, with sand and flip-flops and fruity drinks. However, Mary Kay Andrews always writes an entertaining tale, and this one was just plain riveting.
Is there anything more carefree and joyous than skinny dipping by the light of a full moon? And nowadays, not even scandalous, unlike when friends Josephine, Ruth, Millie, and Varinia first traded in their swimsuits for their birthday suits in the 40s. Who knew then where there lives would take them - what young person does?
By the time attorney Brooke Trapnell meets Josephine Warrick, Josephine is 99 years old, eccentric, and loaded. And living on her family island, in a home that is crumbling around her. To add to it, she is battling cancer while trying to hang on to the family land. That is where Brooke comes in. Josephine wants Brooke to help her keep her island and also to create a legacy for her old friends, The High Tide Club, or at least their descendants.
This seemingly simple task soon unravels a lifetime of secrets and mysteries, that seem to slowly spill out of Shellhaven, Jospehine's tumbledown mansion. One secret leads to another and another, until finally, all secrets are brought to light. There is mystery and intrigue and glamour - unfortunately, there is also classicism and racism, which I guess would be historically accurate for some people for that time and location, although ugly (the deep south in the 1940s). This book kept me on my toes, and kept me guessing, and I did not want to stop reading until I found out all the answers!
Another great book by Andrews!
I'm glad it was a good one. I really liked what I read from its summary.
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