Summer Beach Reading is tearing up Fire Island… and the book isn’t even out yet! The media executive’s novel about murder, sex and lies in the affluent town of Saltaire – based on the real-life drama of the Long Island community – has residents reeling
- Emma Rosenblum’s Bad Summer People is due out next year
- The book is set in Saltaire, a town on Fire Island where Rosenblum grew up
- The novel deals with the affairs and secrets of the city’s wealthy residents
- While the name has changed to Salcombe and book publisher Flatiron insists it is fiction, residents are upset because Rosenblum is taking inspiration from them
- Some say the characters are based on their real lives and fear their secrets will be spilled on Rosenblum’s pages
The cheeky scandal of cheap beach reading is a coveted summer treat for many bookworms.
But what if the making of the book is even juicier than the content of its pages?
That’s the question for Bad Summer People, an unpublished novel by Bustle’s head of content, Emma Rosenblum, who was inspired by the quiet town of Saltaire on Fire Island.
Rosenblum’s father, Scott, was once the mayor of Seaside Down and she has lived there for much of her life.
Now she’s raising eyebrows in the city after using its landmarks — and possibly even its residents — as a backdrop for her book.
Bustle executive Emma Rosenblum’s debut novel, Bad Summer People, is already making waves on Fire Island and has yet to be published
The town of Saltaire on Fire Island is filled with wealthy Manhattanites who don’t make the most of the flashy crowd of the Hamptons
Insider quotes local residents as terrified their secrets will be spilled on Rosenblum’s pages.
The book is about a murder in town, but according to inside sources, it also revolves around the characters’ affairs and scandals.
“People are offended because she’s such a key holder, such a privileged part of the community that spilling is a no-go for her,” one person said.
The leaked manuscript revealed that the murder victim in the conspiracy shares a name, job and “summer hobby” with a very real resident.
A character is quoted as saying she can’t wait to never hear the words “Black Lives Matter” again.
Rosenblum declined comment when contacted by , as did Flatiron Books.
Rosenblum poked fun at the scandal on her Instagram Story earlier this week, posting from Saltaire
Fire Island is best known for its gay party scene, but the town of Saltaire has flown relatively under the radar for a long time
The book’s synopsis reads: “Each summer, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, privileged New Yorkers flock to second homes on Fire Island with kids, nannies, and picnic baskets.
“Swapping busy jobs and city life for gossip, tennis and adultery, Bad Summer People’s summer looks no different – until a body is discovered at the edge of the boardwalk.”
“As summer unfolds, cracks begin to appear between the perfect couples and their perfect lives. None of them would admit to being particularly good. But which of them is actually capable of murder?’
Part of the drama revolves around the residents’ desire to keep their summer spot a secret from other Manhattan residents.
Fire Island is best known for its gay party scene, although the small, quieter town of Saltaire has largely stayed under the radar for years.
There are fears the book threatens to ruin that by making it a summertime hotspot.
Bad Summer People is slated for release next May.