Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you liked Bad Summer People, read The Guest List, The Perfect Couple, Big Little Lies and The Last House Guest. All are twisty thrillers set among wealthy vacationers, secrets and a death in a beautiful place.
Emma Rosenblum's novel is set on Fire Island, where a group of summer residents are drawn into a dark mystery after an unexpected disappearance. It is gossipy, glamorous and full of secrets. The books below share its resort settings, social tension and pleasure in watching the rich make mistakes.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Guest List | Lucy Foley | Adult | wedding murder |
| The Perfect Couple | Elin Hilderbrand | Adult | Nantucket wedding |
| Big Little Lies | Liane Moriarty | Adult | beachside secrets |
| The Last House Guest | Megan Miranda | Adult | summer town secrets |
| The Paper Palace | Miranda Cowley Heller | Adult | summer house drama |
| The Hotel Nantucket | Elin Hilderbrand | Adult | island hotel |
| Verity | Colleen Hoover | Adult | manuscript mystery |
| The Wife Between Us | Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen | Adult | twisty relationships |
| The Silent Patient | Alex Michaelides | Adult | psychological twist |
| In a Dark, Dark Wood | Ruth Ware | Adult | hen party horror |
| Malibu Rising | Taylor Jenkins Reid | Adult | party gone wrong |
| The Death of Mrs. Westaway | Ruth Ware | Adult | inherited secrets |
| One by One | Ruth Ware | Adult | ski chalet thriller |
| Then She Was Gone | Lisa Jewell | Adult | missing teenager |
| The Maid | Nita Prose | Adult | hotel mystery |
1. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
A wedding on an Irish island turns deadly. Dramatic and well plotted.
Best for: wedding murder.
2. The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
A body is found on the morning of an island wedding. Light, summery and twisty.
Best for: Nantucket wedding.
3. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Three mothers are drawn into a death. Funny, sharp and full of twists.
Best for: beachside secrets.
4. The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
A local woman is pulled into the death of her wealthy friend. Atmospheric and tense.
Best for: summer town secrets.
5. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
A woman on Cape Cod faces a choice between two lives. Lush and complicated.
Best for: summer house drama.
6. The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
A restored hotel hides secrets and a ghost. Warm, breezy and easy to read.
Best for: island hotel.
7. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A writer finds a disturbing manuscript while working in a couple's home. Dark and very popular.
Best for: manuscript mystery.
8. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
A divorced woman watches her ex-husband's new fiancee. Famous for its reveals.
Best for: twisty relationships.
9. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
A woman stops speaking after shooting her husband. Famous for its ending.
Best for: psychological twist.
10. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
A woman attends a reunion at a remote glass house. Atmospheric and suspenseful.
Best for: hen party horror.
11. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Four siblings throw a legendary party in 1983. Breezy and emotional.
Best for: party gone wrong.
12. The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
A tarot reader attends the funeral of a woman she doesn't know. Gothic and clever.
Best for: inherited secrets.
13. One by One by Ruth Ware
A tech company retreat turns deadly in a snowed-in chalet. Tense and claustrophobic.
Best for: ski chalet thriller.
14. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
A mother whose daughter vanished meets a man who changes everything. Gripping.
Best for: missing teenager.
15. The Maid by Nita Prose
A hotel maid discovers a guest dead and becomes a suspect. Quirky and charming.
Best for: hotel mystery.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Bad Summer People: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more island and resort mysteries choose The Guest List, The Perfect Couple or The Hotel Nantucket. For ensembles and gossip pick Big Little Lies. For gothic twists try Ruth Ware. For lighter reads choose The Maid. Summer thrillers are meant to be fast and fun, so pick the one with the setting you like best. These books suit holiday reading, and most are widely available as audiobooks and in libraries. If you want the gossipy tone, pick Big Little Lies and The Perfect Couple. If you want a locked-in mystery, try One by One or The Guest List. If you want something warmer, The Hotel Nantucket is a lighter beach read. Many of these books have rotating narrators, which is why audiobooks are a good fit for them.
Related: 15 Books Like The Summer I Turned Pretty You’ll Love: Summer Love Triangles and Coming-of-Age Romance · 15 Books Like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People You’ll Love: Habits, Leadership and Personal Growth
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bad Summer People about?
Fire Island summer residents are drawn into scandal and mystery when someone disappears.
Who wrote it?
Emma Rosenblum.
Where is it set?
On Fire Island, New York.
Is it a thriller or a comedy?
A little of both, with a gossipy, satirical tone.
Is it a standalone?
Yes.
Is it a quick read?
Yes, with short chapters and many viewpoints.
Is it good for the beach?
Yes, it is a classic summer read.
What should I read next?
Try The Guest List or The Perfect Couple.
Is Bad Summer People a murder mystery?
It centres on a disappearance and scandal among summer residents, with the mystery building slowly.
Is it good for fans of The White Lotus?
Yes. The wealthy resort setting and sharp social satire are a similar draw.