The High Tide Club. Mary Kay Andrews

Published: St Martin's Press
Date: 8th May 2018
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 480
Genre: Mainstream Fiction
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Rating:
                   

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 was an entertaining read - lots happening, interesting and varied characters, a little bit of mystery and crime, and some life happenings that tugged at my heart.

I loved that it was a dual time story - usually I find those a little annoying, but this one is really done well and it all goes together seamlessly. It tells the story of Josephine, Milly, Ruth and Varina back in the day and how their lives intertwined and then they lost contact. Why? Josephine was a secretive lady but in my opinion she meant well. I liked her.  

The present day ladies called together by Josephine are Lizzie - related to Ruth, Felicity related to Varina who is still alive, and Brooke a lawyer daughter of Marie who is a daughter of Milly as it turns out.  I liked how they all developed and reacted to the various events, taking their time often to adjust. The last moments in the book are sweet.

Brooke is really a main character, she has a beautiful son Henry and a missing father for Henry that she still sort of wishes was still around. But its been three years, he doesn't know he is Henry's father and Brooke has found herself being courted by a lawyer she used to work with and now needs his help.

It kept me reading, even during a difficult time, so you might say its just the right kind of read to take your mind off real life.  A story of friendship, love, sadness and loss, forgiveness and new hope.