What do you think?
Rate this book
The Honeymoon Suite
Not yet published
Expected 18 Jun 26
White Lotus
meets
The Talented Mr Ripley
in this sun-drenched psychological thriller set against the glittering backdrop of the Amalfi Coast in the sweltering summer of 1961 - where nothing is as it seems...
The perfect couple. Beautiful young bride Clara Carmichael and her wealthy new husband Spencer arrive on the Amalfi Coast. A glorious month of dazzling blue seas, lemon trees heavy with fruit, and their sparkling, marble-clad honeymoon suite stretches ahead of them.
The perfect honeymoon. For the newlyweds, the days slip by in a haze of boat rides, sun-bathing on the private beach, and cocktails beneath a star-studded sky. It's paradise - until a note is slipped under their door, and everything unravels.
The perfect lie? In black ink, the message is He's lying to you. Suddenly, Clara questions everything. Why does Spencer seem so familiar with their hotel? Why does she have the feeling she's being watched?
As she winds through the twists and turns of Amalfi Coast's sun-bleached alleyways and jagged cliffs, Clara is forced to confront the the man she married may not be who he says he is. And the closer she gets to the answers, the more danger she's in.
Seductive, suspenseful and dripping with old-world glamour, this is an addictive story of obsession, betrayal, and the darkness hiding just beneath the shimmering surface.
---
'Rebecca Taylor McKay has conjured up a slice of perfect intrigue with this sun drenched but dark and unsettling Italian honeymoon thriller . . . This is a superior vintage style thriller.' Chris Bridges, author of Sick to Death
'A seductive and secretive novel, simmering with threat. And the ending! Just glorious. I loved it.' Emma van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body
'A thrilling, sun-soaked dive into the dark places that love - and our own minds - can take us to. I read it in one sitting.' Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, author of Ordinary Saints
The perfect couple. Beautiful young bride Clara Carmichael and her wealthy new husband Spencer arrive on the Amalfi Coast. A glorious month of dazzling blue seas, lemon trees heavy with fruit, and their sparkling, marble-clad honeymoon suite stretches ahead of them.
The perfect honeymoon. For the newlyweds, the days slip by in a haze of boat rides, sun-bathing on the private beach, and cocktails beneath a star-studded sky. It's paradise - until a note is slipped under their door, and everything unravels.
The perfect lie? In black ink, the message is He's lying to you. Suddenly, Clara questions everything. Why does Spencer seem so familiar with their hotel? Why does she have the feeling she's being watched?
As she winds through the twists and turns of Amalfi Coast's sun-bleached alleyways and jagged cliffs, Clara is forced to confront the the man she married may not be who he says he is. And the closer she gets to the answers, the more danger she's in.
Seductive, suspenseful and dripping with old-world glamour, this is an addictive story of obsession, betrayal, and the darkness hiding just beneath the shimmering surface.
---
'Rebecca Taylor McKay has conjured up a slice of perfect intrigue with this sun drenched but dark and unsettling Italian honeymoon thriller . . . This is a superior vintage style thriller.' Chris Bridges, author of Sick to Death
'A seductive and secretive novel, simmering with threat. And the ending! Just glorious. I loved it.' Emma van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body
'A thrilling, sun-soaked dive into the dark places that love - and our own minds - can take us to. I read it in one sitting.' Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, author of Ordinary Saints
Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 18, 2026
61 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Taylor McKay
3 books1 followerBorn in West Yorkshire, a stone’s throw from Brontë Country, and named after Daphne du Maurier’s bestselling novel, Rebecca believes that her pull to the dark side of literature was inevitable.
She currently lives in Calderdale with her husband and two teenagers, where she writes full-time.
When Rebecca isn't at her desk, you’ll usually find her with her nose in a book, watching old films, or roaming the countryside in her wellies with her dogs.
Her debut novel, The Honeymoon Suite will be published in the UK on the 18th of June 2026.
Rebecca is represented by Laura Williams at Greene & Heaton.
She currently lives in Calderdale with her husband and two teenagers, where she writes full-time.
When Rebecca isn't at her desk, you’ll usually find her with her nose in a book, watching old films, or roaming the countryside in her wellies with her dogs.
Her debut novel, The Honeymoon Suite will be published in the UK on the 18th of June 2026.
Rebecca is represented by Laura Williams at Greene & Heaton.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Honeymoon Suite is a seductive, slow‑burn psychological thriller that captures the shimmering beauty of the Amalfi Coast while letting something far darker coil beneath the surface. From the moment Clara and Spencer arrive in their marble‑clad suite, the story feels drenched in sunlight and secrets — a paradise so perfect it almost dares you to look closer.
Clara is a wonderfully compelling narrator, caught between the glow of newlywed bliss and the uneasy sense that something isn’t quite right. The heat, the glamour, the endless blue of the sea all create a dreamy haze, and the novel uses that softness to its advantage. When the note appears — He’s lying to you — it slices through the idyll with a quiet, devastating precision. Suddenly every gesture, every glance, every too‑smooth explanation from Spencer takes on a different weight.
The setting is beautifully rendered, full of lemon groves, cliffside paths, and sun‑bleached alleyways that seem to twist just out of sight. As Clara begins to follow those twists, the tension builds with a delicious subtlety. The sense of being watched, the familiarity Spencer shouldn’t have, the feeling that the past is brushing against the present — it all gathers like a storm behind the glittering façade.
What makes the novel so addictive is the way it balances glamour with unease. The world is gorgeous, but the danger is intimate, creeping, and rooted in obsession. By the time Clara uncovers the truth, the story has shifted from a dreamy honeymoon to something far more sinister, and the final revelations land with a satisfying, sun‑scorched sting.
A lush, atmospheric thriller perfect for readers who love old‑world glamour, slow‑building suspense, and the unsettling knowledge that even paradise can hide a predator.
With thanks to Rebecca Taylor McKay, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Clara is a wonderfully compelling narrator, caught between the glow of newlywed bliss and the uneasy sense that something isn’t quite right. The heat, the glamour, the endless blue of the sea all create a dreamy haze, and the novel uses that softness to its advantage. When the note appears — He’s lying to you — it slices through the idyll with a quiet, devastating precision. Suddenly every gesture, every glance, every too‑smooth explanation from Spencer takes on a different weight.
The setting is beautifully rendered, full of lemon groves, cliffside paths, and sun‑bleached alleyways that seem to twist just out of sight. As Clara begins to follow those twists, the tension builds with a delicious subtlety. The sense of being watched, the familiarity Spencer shouldn’t have, the feeling that the past is brushing against the present — it all gathers like a storm behind the glittering façade.
What makes the novel so addictive is the way it balances glamour with unease. The world is gorgeous, but the danger is intimate, creeping, and rooted in obsession. By the time Clara uncovers the truth, the story has shifted from a dreamy honeymoon to something far more sinister, and the final revelations land with a satisfying, sun‑scorched sting.
A lush, atmospheric thriller perfect for readers who love old‑world glamour, slow‑building suspense, and the unsettling knowledge that even paradise can hide a predator.
With thanks to Rebecca Taylor McKay, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Clara Carmichael arrives on the Amalfi Coast with her new husband, Spencer, ready for a picture perfect honeymoon of sun, sea, and luxury. But their blissful routine is shattered when a note appears under their door with a chilling message: He’s lying to you. Suddenly nothing feels right. Spencer seems strangely familiar with the hotel, Clara senses she’s being watched, and doubts about her new marriage begin to spiral. As she searches for answers along the Amalfi Coast’s winding streets and dramatic cliffs, Clara is forced to confront the possibility that Spencer isn’t who he claims to be—and that uncovering the truth may put her in danger.
I found this novel surprisingly slow, and my attention drifted more often than I expected. The repeated references to Spencer’s his constant dismissal of Fred and Vivien became tiresome, especially since the connection between Spencer and Vivien is obvious from the outset; although it eventually ties the plot together, it wasn’t compelling enough to hold my interest. I also struggled with Clara’s lack of questioning—despite sensing something is wrong on their honeymoon, her reluctance to confront Spencer feels implausible. The characters overall lacked the depth needed to make me invest in their journey. By the halfway point I was tempted to stop reading, but I pushed through, hoping for a stronger payoff. While the threads do come together in the end, it ultimately wasn’t enough to leave me impressed. This is just my personal opinion, and others may very much enjoy the book, unfortunately this one was not for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own. 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
I found this novel surprisingly slow, and my attention drifted more often than I expected. The repeated references to Spencer’s his constant dismissal of Fred and Vivien became tiresome, especially since the connection between Spencer and Vivien is obvious from the outset; although it eventually ties the plot together, it wasn’t compelling enough to hold my interest. I also struggled with Clara’s lack of questioning—despite sensing something is wrong on their honeymoon, her reluctance to confront Spencer feels implausible. The characters overall lacked the depth needed to make me invest in their journey. By the halfway point I was tempted to stop reading, but I pushed through, hoping for a stronger payoff. While the threads do come together in the end, it ultimately wasn’t enough to leave me impressed. This is just my personal opinion, and others may very much enjoy the book, unfortunately this one was not for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own. 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
March 14, 2026
A honeymoon on the Amalfi coast - sounds idyllic except that Clara’s husband Spencer seems awfully familiar with the hotel staff for someone who claims he’s never been there before. Spencer is also strangely antagonistic towards their new friends Fred and Vivien. Then one day Clara finds a note pushed under the door to their room which says “He’s lying to you”. What is going on?
A deliciously slow build up of suspense that definitely doesn’t end the way you might expect. I really enjoyed this story which takes the psychological thriller to new heights.
A deliciously slow build up of suspense that definitely doesn’t end the way you might expect. I really enjoyed this story which takes the psychological thriller to new heights.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews