A Dream of Death

Finished December 26

Dream of Death by Connie Berry

This is the first book in the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series. Kate is an antique dealer who lives in Ohio. She met her late husband at university there where he taught. He was from the Scottish island of Glenroth and Kate has visited a couple of times, but hasn't been back since his death three years ago. Their children are at university and she leads a busy life. 

When her sister-in-law Elenor calls her begging to her come she does, but it doesn't mean that she's comfortable about it. Her visitor coincides with the Tartan Ball, a late fall annual event. She's staying at the hotel that Elenor owned and ran, and where the ball takes place. 

Elenor doesn't fill her in completely about why she's asked her to come, but she has shown Kate a lovely historical casket, and given her a novel about a famous event on the island that a local historian has written, asking her to read it. 

At the ball a couple of announcements that Elenor makes don't go over very well with the locals, and Elenor ends up going back to her apartment in the hotel early. Kate is disturbed the next morning to find that Elenor is dead, and that her death was a copycat murder of one more than two centuries earlier, the woman the novel is about. 

With the local police dismissive of her ideas, Kate follows the clues that she sees through the eyes of someone who is aware of some history, but not a local herself. As she works out who she can trust, she finds herself confiding in the hotel's only other guest, a police investigator from England. 

I liked the historical aspect of the plot, as well as the information around antiques. This is in some ways a woman's story, both now and in the past, and Kate is a good observer. I'd definitely be interested in reading more in the series.

One Perfect Couple

Finished November 18

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

The main character here is Lyla, a vaccine scientist who has been dating her actor boyfriend Nico for nearly three years. Lyla has been working short-term contracts for quite a while and her current one isn't going well as she has been unable to replicate the results of a former researcher. Nico has also been unable to find steady work.

One day Nico proposes that they compete on a new reality show called One Perfect Couple, which is sort of a combination of Survivor and The Bachelor. There isn't a lot of lead time on the project, but Lyla eventually agrees to make Nico happy. She arranges to do the write-up for her research while on the trip, since she is pretty much finished the lab work. 

The setting for the show is a resort that is being built on a small island a long boat ride from Jakarta. The couples begin to get to know each other on the boat ride, and Lyla finds herself coached by the others on how to act for the cameras and not look awkward.

Before the ship gets to the island all the participants are required to give up their devices, so as not to give away any information about the show. 

The other couples are a mix of actors and influencers except Joel, who is a college teacher. The pair ups are Joel and Romi, Dan and Santana, Bayer and Angel, and Conor and Zana. 

There is a lot of information that Lyla wasn't privy to, due to the and Nico being added last minute. This definitely affects the way things unfold. There is some drama between the participants and the resort isn't anywhere near ready for people to stay. The staff is non existent and the food offered to the couples very limited. When a storm hits the island on the first night things begin to go downhill quick. Soon, instead of people helping each other survive it seems that someone is determined to be the last one left. 

Full of suspense and with interesting characters, this is a real page-turner. 

The Bridesmaid

Finished October 28

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn

This is a dark novel, as seems to be common for this author. The suspense builds as we move through the book, especially when we move from the beginning New York City location to the island of Elysium, a privately owned island off the coast of Colombia. In a hotel in New York, where Adrianna Kensington is gathering with her bridesmaid before a final dress fitting, one of the bridesmaid's is found hanging in a ballroom, posed in a bridal gown, with other gowns hanging beside her. The bridesmaid was an investigative journalist working on a story about the bride's kidnapping, which occurred at her 21st birthday party on Elysium. She was found locked in the estate's panic room three days after going missing, and the case is still unsolved.

Holly, a forensic expert who was mentored by the dead bridesmaid, is brought in by the police and Adriana's fiancé to help with the new murder case. She has also been cast as the replacement bridesmaid to avoid too many people being told her real purpose. As her assistant, a senior police officer accompanies her. 

The original bridesmaids were all former students at the private Kensington School, owned by Adriana's family. The school began on Elysium, later moving to New York. 

As Holly works her way deeper into the case, she also works her way into the family history, and what is currently happening on the island. It also seems that the murder case and kidnapping case are linked in some way. 

I liked the character of Holly who has lots of tricks up her sleeve, but who is also emotional about the loss of her friend. Her police partner is key to her success, calming her down if needed and helping her focus on each situation.  

The House in the Water

Finished August 9

The House in the Water by Victoria Scott

This novel has two timelines. One is in 2013, where Meredith has fallen in love with a dilapidated estate on an island in the Thames river. The house hasn't been lived in for years and needs a lot of work. She convinces her husband Philip to agree to them buying it. Most of the money will come from Meredith, an inheritance after the recent death of her parents. She and Philip have been through a lot and she has left her job in finance to recover and sees the house as an opportunity to go in a different direction, hosting events and offering rooms to guests. 

The second timeline is in 1942 when Ellen, a skilled nurse, has been transferred from a hospital in Egypt to this house turned hospital for those undergoing what we now refer to as PTSD. The atmosphere is very different from the psychiatrist she worked with in Egypt, and she doesn't always agree with the brutal methods she witnesses and assists with. Arriving just after Ellen is a pilot who has been sent there for help so that he can return to duties. Pilots are badly needed. The two connect and find themselves drawn to each other. 

Philip is also a pilot, and thus is away a lot. Meredith finds herself seeing people in and near the house and hearing them as well. She doesn't know if she is seeing ghosts or if there is really someone there. She also finds that some in town aren't supportive of the changes that she and Philip have put forward for the house and thus finds herself often lonely. 

As the two women adjust to their new home and the work they face, they both undergo changes, learning new skills and becoming more adept and courageous when facing challenges. 

I really enjoyed this read.  There are themes of mental health and isolation, as well as growth. 

The Blue Hour

Finished August 22

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

This novel is centered around Eris, a small island in Scotland, accessible only during low tide via a causeway. Vanessa Chapman, a famous artist known for her moods and innovative work, owned the island and lived there in a house she renovated after it being unoccupied for many years. She also transformed the barn into her studio, doing not only painting, but also pottery and multimedia work there. Despite her ownership, the island outside of the buildings is open to the public and does get some visitor traffic. 

When Vanessa's ex-husband Julian disappeared shortly after a visit with her, she became the prime suspect, but the police couldn't find any evidence to charge her of the crime. 

An exhibition that Vanessa was planning was inexplicably cancelled just after the disappearance, leading to a rift with her long-time agent, Douglas Fairburn, a man who was also a lover despite his married status. With Vanessa's recent death, her friend Grace, a local doctor, inherited the island and the task of sifting through her work and papers to transfer the artistic material to the Fairburn Foundation, a gallery owned by aforementioned Douglas. Douglas has also recently died in an accident and his son Sebastian is putting pressure on Grace to transfer the remaining artistic material to the foundation. 

When one of Chapman's multimedia pieces causes an investigation following an exhibition at the Tate, questions are raised about Julian's death again. 

Gallery curator Becker is tasked with meeting with Grace to convince her to finalize the transfer. Becker is a big fan of Vanessa Chapman and knows her work well. He wants to have a cordial meeting to convince Grace, but the meeting unveils other information that he and the gallery weren't aware of. There is an interesting plot element, that of Becker's wife, Helena, now pregnant, who was previously Sebastian's fiancée. 

There are many interesting facets to this story from the history of the island itself to many questions that become apparent over the course of the novel. Is Julian dead, and if so was he killed and where is his body? Was Douglas' death really an accident? What happened to the missing art pieces Vanessa had listed for the cancelled exhibit? Why did Vanessa leave her art legacy to the Fairburn Foundation despite her falling out with Douglas? What was the nature of the relationship between Vanessa and Grace? 

The two main narrators here are Becker and Grace, and each have their own secrets and motivations. Becker is a man who lacks confidence despite his knowledge and expertise, and Grace is a woman who has struggled with rejection and friendships. 

This is a slow-moving page-turner, with lots of suspense.  

Goodnight Stranger

Finished May 26

Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault

This tale is set mostly on Wolf Island, a fictional island near Martha's Vineyard. The main character Lydia Moore is 29 and feeling like she is stuck, unable to have a fulfilling life. She went to college for almost one term, but returned home due to her mother's illness. She has stayed in the family home, with her twin brother Lucas, who has extreme anxiety. She works seasonally in the information booth near the ferry dock. She likes to look at those exiting the ferry and classify them as tourist, visitor, or resident. One day she notices someone who doesn't fit, and makes eye contact with him. She feels compelled to meet him and soon he has found his way into her life.

Lucas is sure this man, Cole Anthony, is the reincarnation of their dead sibling, Baby B (real name Colin), who died when they were infants. If he hadn't, they would be triplets. Lydia isn't convinced despite things that he does or knows about them. She is determined to find his real identity to save herself from what she feels is a man taking over her life. 

Along the way, she finds help from an unlikely new friend, and perhaps a way to break out of the rut her life was in before. She also gets to know some of her fellow islanders and things about the island that are new to her. 

This is a story with a dark tone, as Lydia feels menaced by this man she has met. Sometimes it feels like things are eerie and haunting, and sometimes just uneasy. I liked how Lydia was able to find strength within herself to continue her search for the truth. 

A story that is hard to put down.  

The Hidden Beach

Finished November 14

The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan

This novel has a lot going on. The main character, Bell Everhurst has been working as a nanny for three years for a professional couple in Stockholm. Bell is in her mid-twenties and, while English, had a Swedish grandmother and so speaks Swedish as well. The backstory for her presence in Stockholm comes out over the course of the book. 

The family she works for has a 9 year old son Linus, and twin girls, Elise and Tilde, who are four. Hanna is a physician and on the day the book begins, has had an emergency with a patient. When Bell takes a call from a clinic with an odd message, things as she know them, begin to unravel. 

With Linus's father emerging from a coma, things are now uncertain. He has significant influence, and Bell gradually senses that Hanna has less control of the situation than she would like. 

When summer arrives and the family goes off to their summer home, on a small island, things seem more normal, and Bell holds the fort there, entertaining and minding the kids during the day, with Hanna taking over after dark, and Max coming for the weekends. 

We also see Hanna's friends: her roommate Kris, a chef, and his doctor boyfriend Marc, and Tove, a server in the bar downstairs from their apartment. They also have a small cottage on the island archipelago, and often come down at weekends. 

When Midsommar arrives, Bell is given extra time off, and preps the friends place for their arrival, meeting a quiet man as she gathers supplies. While their first meeting doesn't go that well, there is a connection of sorts, and she sees him later during the festivities and still later, when taking a moment to herself. This night will set the scene for later developments, as Linus's father steps into the story in a bigger way. 

The story has an element of mystery, romance and lightheartedness, as well as a more serious plot underneath. Very enjoyable read. 

Haven

Finished April 18

Haven by Emma Donoghue

This is a story set long ago, around the year 600 AD. It takes place on the coast of Ireland, on a very small island. This was a time when monks were setting small settlements in remote places and this story is one of such a settlement. The story begins at the monastery of Cluain Mhic Nois (now known as Clonmacnoise) near the Riven Shannon in central Ireland. It is spring, just after Easter, and there are a number of visitors to the monastery, among them Artt, a scholar, priest, and hermit.Artt is very much an ascetic, extending the rules of fasting beyond what is the norm for his times and pushing himself away from any indulgence. He believes monks should spend their time fasting, praying, and working, and be celibate. 

A young monk Trian, still a teenager was the one to ferry him over from across the river and receive him by washing his feet. Trian is musical, handy on a pipe. Trian is also one quick to notice need and rush to meet it. He came to the monastery at the age of thirteen, given up by his family who had trouble supporting all in their family. 

Cormac is an man who came late to monkhood, after surviving a plague that killed his wife and children and then later a dispute with another clan. He was injured a brought to the monks for healing. He was a farmer, and builder, and is handy with a lyre, often called to entertain when that is needed. 

Late in the night after the feast Artt wakes the Abbot to tell him his dream, that he has been called to lead a small group (just himself and two other monks, one young and one old) to a small island to found a monastic retreat. The monks he saw in his dream are Cormac and Trian, and they both agree to go with him. 

They take little with them, keeping their boat as light as possible, the minimum of food and tools. They take a holy chest with the necessities for mass and for copying holy texts. Artt has culled the rest of their supplies, leaving behind the spare sail, whetstones, scrapers, and most of the iron tools, fishing spear, axe, most extra clothing, blankets, musical instruments, and many of the nicer bits of food like honey. 

The small group travel downriver and to the ocean and end up on a small island now known as Skellig Michael. The island is mostly rock, with many nests of puffins, auks, and other seabirds. As they settle in and find ways to gather the necessities, such as water and start a garden, they find much to challenge them. 

This is a book that looks at the hardship these men agree to for their faith, sees where they waver, and where decisions are made that will have impact later. This is a book that moves slowly, yet irrevocably forward. We share the monks' hope and despair, and find more than we imagined we would. 

Beautifully written, with scenes that will haunt you later. An excellent read. 

Cygnet

Finished August 31
Cygnet by Season Butler

Kid, a seventeen-year-old girl has come to a remote island off the New Hampshire coast to live with her grandmother. Kid has led a peripatetic life, as her parents wandered from city to city, in search of a life. Her mother was a scavenger, who taught Kid to find food where she could and to cook. She also taught her how to avoid the worst of her father's mood swings. But as her parents gradually succumbed to drugs, Kid became more alone, and it was only when social services removed her from her parents that she was taken in by her grandmother Lolly.
The island, Swan Island, is home to a community of retired people, many with a hippie vibe, some of whom resent the intrusion of Kid, especially as her stay lengthens beyond that originally proposed by Lolly. As the book opens, Kid is living alone in Lolly's house, after Lolly's sudden death, hoping for her parents' return, desperately watching as the sea reclaims the land the house is on.
She manages to make her living working for one of the wealthier retirees who wants to remake her past. As Kid rewrites diaries and letters, doctors photographs, and makes other changes to reflect the woman's imagined perfect past, she also begins a relationship with a young man who visits his own grandmother. The young man, Jason, also supplies the island with a variety of legal and illegal pharmaceuticals, and acts as the middleman for their own modest pot-growing business. 
Kid has also grown close to another retiree, who is sinking fast, first through dementia and then through physical setbacks.
There are other nearby islands, one the former home of a beloved poet, another the site of a marine research team from the nearby university, a third a popular camping destination. These islands play a role in Kid's future as well.
As Kid comes to her eighteenth birthday, she must make choices about her life, and find a way to move on without the help of others.

Island Summers

Finished November 25
Island Summers: Memories of a Norwegian Childhood by Tilly Culme-Seymour

This memoir covers not only the author's childhood, but the entire family history of this island and what led to her grandmother purchasing it. Tilly has no real memories of her grandmother Mor-mor as she was very young when she died. But she did have access to the recollections of others and of her grandmother's and mother's diaries. The island is located in the south of Norway, with the nearest mainland town, where supplies were often obtained, being Lillesand.
The family lived mostly in England except to come to this island in the summer, a tradition begun in 1947 when Olga Olsen, Tilly's grandmother bought the island and had a cottage and boathouse built on it. The cottage was finished by 1949 and the family began to visit as a group, but Mor-mor always took some time by herself. Both Tilly's grandmother and mother had second marriages, with Tilly being the youngest daughter of her mother's second marriage. The family history is laid out along with the history of the cottage and the family's use of the island. Tilly's mother took on the cottage from her mother with the blessing of her siblings, and the new generation is using it extensively, with Tilly herself loving the off-season when things are quieter, after spending some late winter months there in 2006.
This is an engaging open memoir and the maps and photos help make the island come alive. The stories detail everyday life on the island, and give a sense of how the family dynamics work both now and in the past. A very interesting family memoir.

The Summer Book

Finished September 29
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal

This classic is a collection of vignettes illustrating summer months spent on an island in the Finnish archipelago. Jansson spent a great deal of her life on such an island, so knew it well. Here we have Sophia, a young girl spending the summer on the island with her grandmother and her father. The point of view moves seamlessly between Sophia and her grandmother, changing back and forth often and in a way that flows. The grandmother is ageing and her body doesn't always allow her to do what she wishes. Sometimes she gets cranky, but her love for Sophia shows. Sophia is impetuous and eager, but also emotional and sentimental. Her emotions are not checked and we see her anger, frustration, and eagerness. She seems to have boundless energy.
These glimpses reveal all the aspects of summer, from visitors to storms, lazy days to short jaunts. Sophia's father is a shadowy figure, present in the background only in all except the storm vignette where he plays a larger role. The two females are co-conspirators and entertain and look after each other. A lovely little book, timeless and full of nature.