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The Last Summer of the Camperdowns: A Novel
The Last Summer of the Camperdowns: A Novel | Elizabeth Kelly
18 posts | 20 read | 28 to read
Washington Post Notable Fiction of 2013 Set on Cape Cod during one tumultuous summer, Elizabeth Kellys gothic family story will delight readers of The Family Fang and The Giants House. The Last Summer of the Camperdowns, from the best-selling author of Apologize, Apologize!, introduces Riddle James Camperdown, the twelve-year-old daughter of the idealistic Camp and his manicured, razor-sharp wife, Greer. Its 1972, and Riddles father is running for office from the family compound in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Between Camps desire to toughen her up and Greers demand for glamour, Riddle has her hands full juggling her eccentric parents. When she accidentally witnesses a crime close to home, her confusion and fear keep her silent. As the summer unfolds, the consequences of her silence multiply. Another mysterious and powerful family, the Devlins, slowly emerges as the keepers of astonishing secrets that could shatter the Camperdowns. As an old love triangle, bitter war wounds, and the struggle for status spiral out of control, Riddle can only watch, hoping for the courage to reveal the truth. The Last Summer of the Camperdowns is poised to become the summers uproarious and dramatic must-read.
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LeslieO
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Took me awhile to get into this one but it all came together in the end. Glad I stuck with it. #summerreading #summerinthetitle

Palimpsest I love scented geraniums. I have a rose one and it‘s my favorite plant. 4y
LeslieO @Palimpsest mine is red. Rose sounds pretty! 4y
32 likes1 stack add2 comments
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LeslieO
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#ThoughtfulThursday
🌼 summer is short in Buffalo and it‘s been beautiful this year so I‘m not ready to let go. But I do love Fall.
🌼 took me a while to get into the tagged book but now I‘m hooked.
Join in littens

MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing 🌻☺️ 4y
22 likes1 comment
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Mshookquilts
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Bailedbailed

I really haven‘t got into this audiobook. Now, my girls will tell you I listen to audiobooks while doing just about anything. (My family refers to it as putting my ears on.) So, when I tell you listening to this first 5 hours has been like pulling teeth and that I‘m finding myself choosing NOT to listen to the audiobook at every opportunity, you get my drift. I decided this book is obviously not for me.

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Reviewsbylola
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November was a slower month for me. I read 11 books in total. One audiobook, three ebooks, and seven physical books. I didn‘t have many standouts, but I Capture the Castle was my favorite and a five star read. I also made some progress on #pop18 and #booked2018 but it‘s time to really buckle down!!

batsy Glad to hear that you loved I Capture the Castle 💚 6y
Bklover Not to mention a zillion pages of “The Chris Watts Saga” 😉 6y
Reviewsbylola TRUE!! 😂😂 @Bklover 6y
BookwormM I Capture the Castle is one of my all time favs 6y
britt_brooke And yet 11 is still pretty amazing! 💚 I read I Capture the Castle last year. Totally delightful read. 6y
110 likes5 comments
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Reviewsbylola
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Mehso-so

Riddle is a ridiculously named 13 year old with over dramatic, cold parents. It‘s 1972 and something weird is going on with the disappearance of local boy Charlie Devlin.

I liked certain things about this book. The story, overall, was interesting. I loved Riddle‘s parents Camp and Greer, despite them being total assholes. But I had a difficult time with the writing style. Too many similes and metaphors. #nofemmeber #LMPC #yourbestamericangirl

Megabooks Apparently we both having a mediocre time 🤷🏻‍♀️😞 6y
Billypar I definitely have a threshold for acceptable levels of similes and metaphors- having too many is distracting, and poorly chosen ones can be cringeworthy 😬 6y
emilyhaldi I already know I hate this book based on your review 😂 6y
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Cinfhen Agreed @emilyhaldi and any author who names a protagonist Riddle sucks!!!!! 6y
Cinfhen And the parents are named Camp and Greer 🤮 6y
merelybookish I hate when a character has a ridiculous name! 6y
Susannah I read this for my book club. I read it in a hurry, so I don‘t remember the excessive similes and metaphors. I was definitely ambivalent about the whole reading experience though. Not a favorite of my book club. More 🤷‍♀️ than anything else. (edited) 6y
93 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Amabear
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Pickpick

Wow. What a book. I‘m still processing.
1- this is not about camping 😂🤦🏻‍♀️
2- you know an #LMPBC is good when everyone‘s writing “OMG” every few pages! 😍

I‘m really impressed. I didn‘t like the politic discussions or the small petty talk, I just can‘t relate to those parts so I lost interest. But I‘m glad I pushed past them.
I don‘t think Iv ever read a book where I hated the majority of the characters for so long, (continued in comments)

Amabear ... only to appreciate each of them at the end. Heck the two characters I loved the most I ended up not loving at all! I really related to the main character, and understood her so completely. She was me as a teenage girl it seems (minus the murder mystery and wealth) and my heart was broken for her time and time again. This book may haunt me. I LOVED the last page so so much. I never would have chosen to read this book. But I‘m so glad I did. 6y
Amabear This book had me furious, elated, on the edge of my seat, disgusted, and tender hearted. I need a nice simple read next 😂 because that was a roller coaster. Well written- loved the wit and quirky descriptive language, I would def recommend this book. My first mystery Iv read officially! 5/5 ⭐️ 6y
Reviewsbylola Hey Leann, I wanted to check in and see if you had mailed this to me. I never got it and I‘m worried it‘s been lost in the mail. 😬 6y
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Amabear @Reviewsbylola oh no! Let me check, I thought I did! We just moved so I‘ll look tonight when I get home! 6y
Reviewsbylola Ok just let me know! 6y
Amabear @Reviewsbylola oops! It was on my bookshelf! I swore I mailed it 😂 sorry! Going to the post office this morning. ❤️ 6y
Reviewsbylola Ok I‘ll keep an eye out! 6y
Amabear @Reviewsbylola Just mailed it! 6y
Amabear @Reviewsbylola did you get it?? I‘m almost done with your original! 6y
Reviewsbylola Yes I did! Thank you! 6y
56 likes2 stack adds11 comments
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Amabear
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😂 this boy

Mdargusch Adorable! 6y
70 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Amabear
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Started this one for #LMPBC last night! Now that the hurricane has passed us I can rest and read again!
Many of my friends across N.C. have lost homes and had damage so prayers for them please!

Isn‘t this opening line great? Simple yet draws you in. And the following two are even more thrilling. I‘m addicted as a writer to opening lines. What‘s your favorite you‘ve read?

Mdargusch “The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.” 6y
50 likes2 comments
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Laughterhp
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Pickpick

I was so frustrated as I was reading this book, wanting to shake Riddle! I was grumbling the whole time reading this book. Everyone in this book is over dramatic and unlikeable. But the ending of this book and the unraveling of the mystery, made this book a Pick for me! Great choice for #LMPBC

Reviewsbylola Can‘t wait to see your thoughts! 6y
Mdargusch Ha! I did not feel that way about Riddle. I just loved this book. 💙 6y
45 likes2 comments
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Mdargusch
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#theflame that ignites a fire at the beginning of this book, starts a summer of dark mystery in the life of 12 year old Riddle Camperdown. The secrets, love triangle, and murders are interspersed with a dark humor making this one of my favorite reads of 2018. #heatofjuly

emilyhaldi Went to stack it but turns out I already have! (edited) 6y
BarbaraBB I Stacked this one too, when you mentioned it before. This cover is better 😉😘 6y
95 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Laughterhp
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@Mdargusch I received your package today! Man you are fast! I haven‘t even finished my book yet! 🤦‍♀️

I just wanted to check, is it okay to write in the book? I only ask because you provided this adorable notepad! But I saw you wrote in the book.

#LMPBC Round 3!

suvata Nice! 6y
Mdargusch Definitely write in the book. I just sent you a little something extra. Also, don‘t worry that it‘s early. I just thought since I had another box to mail, I‘d put yours in the mail too. I hope you like it! 6y
Amabear 😍🙌🏻 6y
Amabear I‘m having a hard time finding time to read! I usually get through a book so fast but minor disasters keep preventing it 😂 I‘m gonna have to book a day off soon 6y
Laughterhp @Amabear Taking a day off to read sounds great!! 6y
55 likes5 comments
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Mdargusch
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I‘m surprised there‘s not more #litsylove for this book! The writing is unique with delicious descriptions and the narrator reminds me of an American Flavia deLuce. But the story is dark, with a mysterious occurrence, a creepy ranch hand, a boy that has disappeared, a barn that is burned down, and secrets... lots of secrets. I‘ve laughed out loud almost every page. #heatofjuly #burn #lmpbc #groupd

Melissa_J I hadn‘t heard of this one. It sounds good! 6y
rachelm American Flavia? I'm in. 6y
batsy An American Flavia with dark and creepy elements sounds so good! 6y
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Reviewsbylola Glad you‘re liking this! I‘m starting the last #lmpc next then I have to start my new one. I‘m behind! 6y
emilyhaldi “Laughing every page” has me #stacking!! 6y
raeintheworld Sold! 6y
Pamwurtzler I have this on my kindle - I‘ll have to bump it up based on your rec! 6y
Jess_Read_This Lovely photo! You completely sold me on this book with the bit “American Flavia de Luce”. I adore Flavia! 6y
Laura317 An American Flavia sold me too! 6y
Mdargusch Ha! I hope you all agree with me. Riddle Camperdown has that sassy attitude and dry sense of humor that I love about Flavia. @rachelm @batsy @Jess_Read_This @Laura317 6y
Mdargusch It gets mixed reviews but it has my kind of humor @Melissa_J @emilyhaldi @raeintheworld @Pamwurtzler 6y
Mdargusch You are really behind @Reviewsbylola but you also read faster than me. 6y
Reviewsbylola I‘m almost done with the book club book. That was my first priority! 6y
mrp27 It's been on my tbr for awhile now. Looks like it's time to push it up! 6y
BarbaraBB Your review makes me stacking which I, based on the cover, never would have done! 6y
Cinfhen Great photo 6y
rubyslippersreads You had me at American Flavia. And your lovely photo. 6y
Mdargusch The little basset hound on the front is part of the story @barbarabb but I agree. The title was what got my attention while looking through the Book Outlet sale books. 6y
143 likes16 stack adds19 comments
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Mdargusch
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I‘ve narrowed down my choices for #lmpbc #round3 #groupd
Thoughts?

8leagueboot I don‘t know anything about the book, but “The Gods of Gotham” is such a badass title. 6y
Amabear I vote gods of Gotham! Sounds awesome 6y
Amabear But both actually sound good! 6y
See All 6 Comments
Reviewsbylola I‘m open to either! 6y
Laughterhp Both sound good! So I‘m open to either! 😊 6y
jillrhudy The Gods of Gotham and that ENTIRE series are superb 6y
82 likes6 comments
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crhealey
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Fresh pesto, my summer drink of choice (a Cape Codder), and my favorite genre: a New England family summer saga. #summerhasarrived

Chelsea.Poole Looks perfect ☺️ 6y
11 likes1 comment
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PopTheBubbly
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Pickpick

Dark, twisty, creepy. Loved it.

DebbieGrillo Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon 7y
PopTheBubbly I am SO excited! 7y
4 likes1 stack add2 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

I had no idea what a gypsy horse was before I read this book. The tension, suspense and foreboding in this book is off the charts. So many layers of time, deceit, betrayal and you and the central character Riddle just want to know what the hell is going on at the same time knowing that you just can't handle the truth. Can hardly breathe. All the stars

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mcctrish
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Where I read #riotgrams just settling in and starting this ( I love a book with a blue cover 💙)

11 likes1 stack add
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readswellwithothers
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When there is a library sale on a rainy day at the end of a long, emotional week, it reminds me that at the core of me is a happy, peaceful place. And that place has a shitton of books waiting to be read. #librarybookhaul (PS: Can you believe I haven't read All The Light yet?! #latetotheparty)

DGRachel I haven't either, but I enjoyed 8y
16 likes1 comment