The End of Summer

The reader meets young Judy in June 1985, living with her aunt in her New York apartment. She left England, and her mother, looking for a better life but continues to exist by lying and stealing. Having spotted an interesting article about a wealthy, handsome widower in Cape Cod she plans her “escape” from New York - she steals money from her aunt, an unlocked car in the street below the apartment and heads north , continue to lie and steal as she goes!

We then meet Francesca, a well known and respected solicitor in London in 2024 and soon discover that she is Judy’s daughter. Francesca is being pursued by paparazzi reporters from whom she learns that the police are searching for her mother who is being accused of murdering a policeman in France. Francesca frantically but unsuccessfully tries to locate her mother …..

Charlotte Philby has written a superb novel of love and intrigue with numerous twists and turns. How will life for both mother and daughter finally turn out and will they eventually find each other??

This is definitely a 5* novel that I couldn’t put down.

A twisty, beautiful and multigenerational thriller which has such a sultry atmosphere, a sense of dread from the beginning and a slowly unravelling, engrossing story about love, loyalty and independence, It went in a direction I didn't expect, I loved the character of Judy, and I loved the slow unravelling of everything.

Charlotte Philby is such a brilliant writer.. I’ve loved all of her books and I just ate up The End of Summer like a delicious ice cream. Deserves to be a huge success.

A clever, stylish and tricksome literary thriller that I predict will be the talk of the summer. Glamorous and engrossing.

Utterly absorbing. It was such a refreshing read. I found the protagonists likeable and different. I wasn’t sure how things were going to pan out so kept me on toes. Loved it.

A thoroughly enjoyable story with lots of twists to keep you hooked in trying to work out where it will end. Leaving you also wanting that bit more....

Loved this book especially the character of Judy who embarks to ensnare a wealthy widow after reading about him in the paper. She is a very likeable character even though she is a con artist, you can't help but feel for her! Just how much longer can she live with all the lies and manipulation before someone finds out?

Many thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this. Will be looking for even more from Charlotte in the future!

Really enjoyed this, particularly the con woman aspect, and I also thought the twists were clever and layered. My first Charlotte Philby novel!

I really liked this book. It’s set over a number of timelines, which are well marked (unlike some recently read other books). We encounter Judy a likeable con artist both in 2024 and in her past. We also meet Fran again now and in her teens. Both characters are well depicted and the plot twists were skillfully hidden. I will recommend to my friends.