Book Recaps

DELTA COUNTY

OUR MAIN CHARACTER, HEATHER MATTHEWS, RETURNS TO DELTA COUNTY FOR HER 10 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION. HER PARENTS WERE KILLED IN A MYSTERIOUS CAR WRECK A DECADE BEFORE, CAUSED BY THE MOTHER OF HER HIGH SCHOOL BEST FRIEND, KELLY. THEY HAVEN'T SPOKEN SINCE. 

HEATHER AND KELLY REUNITE THE DAY BEFORE THE REUNION AND DECIDE TO GIVE THEIR FRIENDSHIP ANOTHER SHOT. THE NIGHT OF THE REUNION, KELLY DIES AFTER HITTING HER HEAD ON A ROCK AT A CAMP PARTY THE CLASSMATES ATTEND AFTER THE REUNION. THE CORONER RULES IT AN ACCIDENTAL DEATH.

HEATHER CONTINUOUSLY DEALS WITH MITZI, HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO IS UNBEARABLY CRUEL. SHE DECIDES TO MOVE BACK TO DELTA COUNTY WITH HER HUSBAND, RYAN, AND ENJOYS A BRIEF TIME OF PEACE IN HER LIFE WHEN SHE BECOMES A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER WHILE SHE REMODELS THEIR BEAUTIFUL NEW HOME ON OGDEN AVENUE. 

HER HUSBAND'S EX-GIRLFRIEND, JULIE, CAUSES SOME ARGUMENTS, ESPECIALLY AFTER SHE MARRIES AND HAS A CHILD WITH A MAN NAMED MARC WHO WAS HORRIBLE TO HEATHER IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. 

BY THE END OF THE BOOK, WE FIND OUT THAT MITZI'S HUSBAND, FRANK, HAS BEEN IN LOVE WITH KELLY'S MOTHER FOR DECADES AND KELLY IS ACTUALLY HIS DAUGHTER. WHILE KELLY'S MOTHER (LISA) IS ON HER DEATH BED, SHE AND FRANK TELL HEATHER THAT NOT ONLY DID MITZI CAUSE THE ACCIDENT THAT KILLED HEATHER'S PARENTS, THEY ALSO SUSPECT SHE KILLED KELLY THEN NIGHT OF THE CLASS REUNION. 

HEATHER GOES INTO A FIT OF RAGE AND DRIVES TO MITZI'S HOUSE TO CONFRONT HER. WHEN SHE GETS THERE, JULIE IS THERE WITH HER BABY AND HEATHER LOOKS AT HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE BABY BEARS A STRIKING RESEMBLENCE TO HER HUSBAND, RYAN. HEATHER LOSES HER MIND AND STRANGLES MITZI. 

AT THE VERY END OF THE BOOK, WE REALIZE THAT THE THERAPIST HEATHER HAS BEEN TALKING TO THROUGHOUT THE BOOK IS ACTUALLY VISITNG HER IN JAIL WHILE SHE AWAITS HER TRIAL. THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE BOOK REVEALS THAT HEATHER IS PREGNANT WITH HER HUSBAND'S BABY. 

DELTA COUNTY CHARACTER LIST

• HEATHER MATTHEWS
• RYAN, HUSBAND OF HEATHER
• MITZI, RYAN'S MOTHER
• FRANK, RYAN'S FATHER 
• KELLY, HEATHER'S BEST FRIEND
• LISA, KELLY'S MOTHER 
• THE SHARKS- HEATHER'S BEST FRIENDS. SAM, HEATHER, ALISA, REBECCA, AND KELLY 
• MITCH MILLER - A FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND THE LAST TO SEE KELLY ALIVE 
• JULIE - RYAN'S EX 
• MARC - JULIE'S HUSBAND 
• MERYL AND RICK - HEATHER'S AUNT AND UNCLE 

SUMMER OF '99

THIS BOOK STARTS OUT IN 1997 WHEN QUINN HARSTEAD ARRIVES AT CAMP SHADY OAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME. SHE MAKES A BEST FRIEND, JESSIE. OTHER THAN BEING TERRORIZED BY THE CAMP BULLY, CASSIE, THE GIRLS HAVE A GREAT TIME DURING THEIR SUMMERS AT CAMP. THEY EVEN HAVE SUMMER ROMANCES WITH TWO COUSINS, VINNY AND AIDEN. 

THE BOOK GOES BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE PAST AND PRESENT, ALSO SHOWING SCENES FROM CAMP AS WELL AS GROWING UP WITH HER BROTHER, MATT, AND FATHER IN GLADSTONE, MICHIGAN. 

IN THE PRESENT SCENES, WE SEE THAT QUINN HAS BECOME A RECLUSE AFTER WRITING A BEST SELLING BOOK ABOUT A TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP IN 1999. SHE HAS RECEIVED DEATH THREATS FOR PROFITING OFF A TRAGEDY. 

JESSIE IS STILL IN HER LIFE AND VISITS OFTEN. THE FLASHBACKS CONTINUE TO SHOW THEM SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF CASSIE HUNTINGTON EACH SUMMER AND COME TO A HEAD WHEN WE SEE CASSIE AND VINNY'S BODIES WASH ASHORE ON THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER CAMP IN 99. 

WE EVENTUALLY GET A CONFESSION LETTER FROM THE GIRLS' COUNSELOR, SARAH, WHO SAYS SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS AND WANTS TO COME CLEAN BEFORE SUCCUMBING TO CANCER. 

ON THE FINAL PAGE OF THE NOVEL, QUINN IS MARRIED TO AIDEN, HAS COME OUT OF HIDING, AND IS HEADING TO A GALA AT SHADY OAKS, WHICH IS NOW OWNED BY AIDEN. SHE IS REACHING IN JESSIE'S BAG FOR SOMETHING WHEN SHE FINDS THE SAME STATIONARY THAT SARAH WROTE HER CONFESSION LETTER ON, MEANING JESSIE WAS ACTUALLY THE AUTHOR OF THE NOTE AND SARAH IS NO LONGER AROUND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. 

SUMMER OF '99 CHARACTER LIST

• QUINN HARSTEAD
• JIM, QUINN'S DAD
• MATT, QUINN'S BROTHER
• JESSIE, QUINN'S BEST FRIEND 
• CHRISTY, QUINN'S ASSISTANT
• RANDALL, QUINN'S CHEF 
• BRUCE, HEAD OF QUINN'S SECURITY
• AIDEN, QUINN'S HUSBAND
• VINNY, AIDEN'S COUSIN 
• CASSIE, CAMP BULLY 
• RACHEL AND TRISHELLE, CASSIE'S FRIENDS
• MARGE, DAVE, SARAH - CAMP STAFF