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[ [ [ Dancing Above the Waves [ DANCING ABOVE THE WAVES ] By Walerstein, Susan ( Author )Dec-01-2007 Paperback
I only hope that nobody else saw what I did . Wealthy Bostonian Jack "Scooter" McCalister has it all-money, charm, and the devotion of two different Sherry, his high-society wife, and Erica, his island-born mistress. But while driving recklessly to catch a ferry one rainy morning, Jack strikes a young girl and leaves the scene of the accident, not even bothering to see if she is alive or dead. With this one fateful decision, Jack's perfect world shatters.
Like a coastline lashed by a wintry sea, guilt and confusion wreak havoc on Jack's carefully managed existence. He struggles to keep the pieces of his life together until a dangerous witness to the accident begins blackmailing him, threatening to expose the truth. Pushed to the brink by his unknown tormentor, a double life, a faltering magazine business, and his ever-present remorse, Jack is caught in a web of lies. Now, Jack must break free before he loses his career, his sanity-and his life.
Like a coastline lashed by a wintry sea, guilt and confusion wreak havoc on Jack's carefully managed existence. He struggles to keep the pieces of his life together until a dangerous witness to the accident begins blackmailing him, threatening to expose the truth. Pushed to the brink by his unknown tormentor, a double life, a faltering magazine business, and his ever-present remorse, Jack is caught in a web of lies. Now, Jack must break free before he loses his career, his sanity-and his life.
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First published December 27, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 27, 2009
Jack McCalister is a wealthy businessman living his life between two homes—a sprawling estate on the fictional Cape Cod island of Clary's Cove and a grand mansion in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston. One foggy morning, while rushing to make the ferry from the island back to Boston, he accidentally hits a teenage girl who had run into the street right in front of his car. Scared and not knowing what to do, he flees the scene without stopping and doesn't report the accident to anyone, hoping no one saw what he did.
But someone else did see what happened... and they plan to use the knowledge to get what they want out of Jack...
This book was alright, though didn't really have me on the edge of my seat. Billed as a suspense thriller, it contained a little too much romance and drama for my liking which made the genre categorization seem a bit off; my idea of suspense thrillers being more Koontz-like. I feel this book read more like a general fiction title actually.
I immediately picked up on was the fact that this a first work for the author. I found the descriptions a bit over done and the storytelling a bit formulaic. The overly descriptive parts wouldn't have bothered me as much if there weren't so many of them in parts which had nothing to do with the story—who really cares how many cups of oil Erica uses in her salad?—or would go off into another time and place right in the middle of the current time line which sometimes made my eyes glaze over. However, this obviously didn't bother other readers as much as it did me, as evidenced by its several good reviews at Amazon.
As a matter of fact, there were times where the extra descriptions served the author well. A born and bred Boston girl myself (I live in the suburbs now), I immediately recognized the locations and landmarks, and even the local customs and mannerisms of the people, in the writing. Some things about New England are very distinctive, and in this regard, the extra detail employed here worked well to enhance the entire sense of place in the story, and give it that unique New England feel.
So despite my initial reservations, I decided to dig in my heels and continue reading, and I found things picked up after the first forty or so pages as the story began to sufficiently hold my interest. I can't say this was one of my favorite reads, and it was a bit outside my usual genre, but in the end it turned out to be a vaguely satisfying read nonetheless.
But someone else did see what happened... and they plan to use the knowledge to get what they want out of Jack...
This book was alright, though didn't really have me on the edge of my seat. Billed as a suspense thriller, it contained a little too much romance and drama for my liking which made the genre categorization seem a bit off; my idea of suspense thrillers being more Koontz-like. I feel this book read more like a general fiction title actually.
I immediately picked up on was the fact that this a first work for the author. I found the descriptions a bit over done and the storytelling a bit formulaic. The overly descriptive parts wouldn't have bothered me as much if there weren't so many of them in parts which had nothing to do with the story—who really cares how many cups of oil Erica uses in her salad?—or would go off into another time and place right in the middle of the current time line which sometimes made my eyes glaze over. However, this obviously didn't bother other readers as much as it did me, as evidenced by its several good reviews at Amazon.
As a matter of fact, there were times where the extra descriptions served the author well. A born and bred Boston girl myself (I live in the suburbs now), I immediately recognized the locations and landmarks, and even the local customs and mannerisms of the people, in the writing. Some things about New England are very distinctive, and in this regard, the extra detail employed here worked well to enhance the entire sense of place in the story, and give it that unique New England feel.
So despite my initial reservations, I decided to dig in my heels and continue reading, and I found things picked up after the first forty or so pages as the story began to sufficiently hold my interest. I can't say this was one of my favorite reads, and it was a bit outside my usual genre, but in the end it turned out to be a vaguely satisfying read nonetheless.
July 30, 2008
Dancing Above the Waves by Susan Wallerstein reminds me of a mixture of Out of the Fog by Joseph C. Lincoln (1940) and The Player by Michael Tolkin (1991). The "Player" this time is Jack "Scooter" McCalister, the owner of a Boston magazine. Like Griffin Mill who has the death of a writer hanging over him, Jack McCalister has the hit and run death of Carrie Roberts haunting him.
It's the location, Clary's Cove, along the cove near Boston and being somewhat like any number of fictional spots between Boston and Cape Cod that reminds me of Lincoln's mystery (also based around a hit and run).
Set during the late fall and early winter, Dancing Above the Waves takes full advantage of Boston's weather. The angry sea and turbulent winds play such a strong role in this romantic thriller.
Although the main focus of the novel is the fall out from Jack's crime, Dancing Above the Waves also looks at how the accident affects his mistress, Erica. She is one of a number of witnesses to his hit and run but decides to protect him even though his actions puts her feelings for him into doubt.
Dancing Above the Waves is a short, 213 pages, but intricate and intelligently written book.
It's the location, Clary's Cove, along the cove near Boston and being somewhat like any number of fictional spots between Boston and Cape Cod that reminds me of Lincoln's mystery (also based around a hit and run).
Set during the late fall and early winter, Dancing Above the Waves takes full advantage of Boston's weather. The angry sea and turbulent winds play such a strong role in this romantic thriller.
Although the main focus of the novel is the fall out from Jack's crime, Dancing Above the Waves also looks at how the accident affects his mistress, Erica. She is one of a number of witnesses to his hit and run but decides to protect him even though his actions puts her feelings for him into doubt.
Dancing Above the Waves is a short, 213 pages, but intricate and intelligently written book.
July 19, 2011
If anyone is looking for a fun engaging summer read, this is the book for you. I first saw the book on a shelf at Barnes and Noble and I was intrigued by the title. I started the book on a vacation at the beach in Hawaii and I think I got a sunburn because I could not put it down. There are many twists and turns in this unexpected New England Beach town saga with wealth, clashes, jealousy,secrets, revenge, and of course love. This book has all the right ingredients and Ms. Walerstein put them together in a delicious way. I read the book several years ago, but I actually think it is time for me to read it again, this year in the shade.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews