The Weekenders

By: Mary Kay Andrews

Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney

Length: 15 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Some people come only for the weekends - and it's something they look forward to all week long. When Riley Griggs is waiting for her husband to arrive at the ferry one Friday afternoon, she is instead served with papers informing her that her island home is being foreclosed. To make matters worse, her husband is nowhere to be found.

She turns to her island friends for help and support, but all of them have their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens. Cocktail parties and crab boil aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.

©2016 Whodunnit, Inc. (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

Not MKA's best. Not even her 20th best....

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD (relationship only, not the murder): The book takes all the fun out of dysfunctional. The narration is very good, but the story is depressing, and not in any redeemable way. There is a murder mystery, which is not the worst ever written but is nothing remarkable. There is the trademark dose of MKA snark with some clever putdown quips. There is a romance, but the story provides no reason for a happy relationship ending other than a couple of evenings in bed. Riley, our heroine, seems to have few admirable qualities. She supposedly had a highly successful career at one point, but when we meet her she is a bullied doormat, subservient to her 12-year-old daughter, overbearing mother, drunken brother, and even her murdered husband. I never understood how she could forgive and accept the most heinous offenses of her family members but still hold a grudge against her college ball date, Nate, for getting drunk and throwing up. She kept revisiting his youthful offense in spite of overwhelming evidence of his currently excellent character and his unwavering mature devotion. The only reason for the eventual happy ending was Nate's long-standing obsession with the girl he loved years ago and her eventual grudging acceptance of him. This story has such a hastily concluded and unresolved happy ending that I can only see a bad future for Nate. He ends up with a spoiled and bratty step-daughter, an alcoholic brother-in-law, a snobby mother-in-law, and a wife who sides with her dysfunctional family over the one truly good person in her life.

Really?

I know I’m old school, and I make no apologies for that, but the daughter character in this book made me crazy, as did the mom. The little witch could call names, cuss, say anything she wanted with no reprimand whatsoever from the mom. The unreality of that situation took me totally out of the story several times. What a shame, as the storyline was interesting, but the character interaction was not realistic.

loved it!

easy to read, at the beginning one gets hooked and story keeps you wondering up till the end

Review

Story is a good Sumer read but had so many holes in the plot Too many charters and too many sub plots

Always a good listen

I love listening to any Mary Kay Andrews book while driving on trips. I have enjoyed all, as well as this one. Not my favorite of her books, but it hit the spot!

Drugs, Alcohol....really?

I have no problem with a character in a story having an alcohol problem and 'Billy's' storyline was well done. My problem is why the main character's problem wasn't addressed. I've worked with many people who have addiction problems sand I'm not sure why she was so concerned with her brother and no one was concerned with hers. Since this wasn't addressed I feel like the Xanax episode was not vital to the story nor in good taste. Does the author was an alcohol/drug problem?

Nor her usual fun summer read

First, let me say, I love Mary Kay Andrews. I believe I've read everything she's written. This story was a bit depressing and dark though, and when the "villain" was finally revealed, it seemed almost a joke. I also don't feel the gratuitous sex scenes and cursing add anything positive to her stories, which usually are so fun to read and can easily stand on their own. As an audible listener, it's even more offensive when these scenes are narrated aloud. I love a good whodunnit, and I have enjoyed many of her Callahan Garrity mysteries, but this one left me disappointed. On a positive note, the narrator was pretty good, so I was able to finish the book. I'd like some more of Mary Kay Andrews' fun Savannah tales.

Formula so abused it's broken

What did you like best about The Weekenders? What did you like least?

I can't say I liked anything about this novel, to be truthful.

Would you ever listen to anything by Mary Kay Andrews again?

I think the author has her formula down pat. One 30ish or 40ish woman, one man her age, at least one party divorced. Add in a gay man for 'color', make sure that somebody is moneyed, don't forget the dog. Mix together. Release in time for summer. Rake in royalty checks. I don't think I'll buy anything from her again.

Which scene was your favorite?

The moment I gave up torturing myself

Was The Weekenders worth the listening time?

No.

kept me listening

twists and turns. some predictable putcomes and some suprises that just snuck up on you.

The Weekenders is so well written and narrated. If you don't purchase it's your loss.

This book will grab you and keep you coming back for more until you get to the final chapter when disappointment will set in and make you sad. Your sadness will occur because you'll realize that this great book is coming to an end and you're going to miss the characters and their story. The Weekenders is entertaining and believable; it's a great escape from stress and work, or it can just be a really great listen.