The Fifth of July: A Novel - Softcover

Kelly is a former journalist and current novelist/advertising creative director. She is the author of Standing Still (2009) and The Bird House (2011), which both received outstanding trade reviews. She lives outside of Philadelphia.

"Gorgeously written and fully immersive, THE FIFTH OF JULY tells the story of the Warners, a family seemingly defined both by their own self-certainty ("Water doesn't bother a Warner") and skepticism of each other. I could feel the salt air, the sand between my toes, the crackle of secrets, lies, omissions, and later, the uncertainty of tragedy. With prose that positively vibrates and characters who defy expectation, Kelly Simmons brings us straight to Nantucket, into the bright, beating heart of this one-of-a-kind family, and never lets us go." - New York Times bestseller Kate Moretti, author of The Vanishing Year and Blackbird Season

"Simmons's (One More Day) cleverly dark family whodunit, narrated from multiple points of view, is just the perfect read for a day at the beach. The wonderful, salty Nantucket atmosphere and a cast of entertainingly questionable characters populate a fast-moving and spare plot." - Library Journal

"...artfully weaves tension and intrigue through the beautiful setting of Nantucket on the first week in July in her novel..." - HuffPost

"Simmons brilliantly draws readers into the family's pervasive cloud of suspicion and distrust, contrasting the picturesque idyllic innocence of Nantucket summers with the storms of adulthood. " - Shelf Awareness

"A light read as comfortable as a worn-in couch at a beach cottage." - Booklist