A Sea of Spectres

by Nancy Taber

On the choppy coastline of Prince Edward Island an ocean-phobic detective evades the deadly lure of a phantom ship by delving into her family's history and harnessing her matrilineal powers of premonition.

Raina is an accomplished detective working against smugglers and traffickers on PEI, and she’s eager for an imminent promotion. But there’s a catch: she has to go work on a Coast Guard ship for a week. And Raina, though Island born and raised, loathes the sea. When she gets too close to it, the phantom ship starts calling to her, and the lure of its deadly cold flames threatens to overwhelm her.

When she starts pulling the threads of a missing-person case, she discovers how Doiron women’s uncanny abilities have impacted her ancestral line: Madeleine’s powers tried to keep her family safe during the Expulsion of the Acadians in 1758; Celeste’s tempted her to take back what was rightfully hers in 1864. Generation after generation of women have had to reckon with what their abilities can and can’t do to protect their families. And now it’s Raina’s turn. Is she strong enough to carry her family’s legacy? Or will that legacy carry her—out into the burning sea of spectres?

Debut novelist Nancy Taber deftly braids three timelines together, each as engaging and fully drawn as the other. With whip-smart contemporary dialogue and moving, evocative historical writing, she brings to life three different generations of Acadian women in a riveting, crackling, chilling mystery.

Genres: Historical, Canada

248 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2024

About the author

Nancy Taber loves stories about strong complex women. She writes in the genres of non-fiction, historical fiction, mystery, and speculative fiction. Nancy is a former military officer who served as a Sea King helicopter Tactical Coordinator. Part of her job once included leaping out of a helicopter into the ocean. Now, most of her job includes sitting at a computer, drinking massive amounts of coffee, and dropping her characters into wild and sometimes weird circumstances. Nancy is a professor at Brock University, a fiction writing instructor, a facilitator with Writers Collective of Canada, was named a Top Woman in Defence 2022 by Esprit de Corps magazine, and was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame.
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Reviews

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

***2025 Summer: Murder Across Canada***

Prince Edward Island

The author has Acadian heritage, which she draws on to inform her characters, as well as PEI history and legends. Her mother gave her an article on a male ancestor, in which his wife Madeleine is mentioned merely as the stepmother to his children. Taber decided to give Madeleine her story. I learned things, notably that the British expelled some Acadians back to France. I confess that I only remembered those who ended up in Louisiana (hence the Cajuns) or returned to the Maritime provinces.

There are three timelines, of three women in the family line: Raina in the present, Celeste in 1864, and Madeleine during the expulsion of the Acadians (1759). I liked Raina, our modern day police officer, who sees a ghostly ship that draws her. She resists, knowing that the living cannot board it. She has devoted herself and her career to staying away from the ocean. Not an easy task when you live on a tiny island. She returns to her home town to investigate a missing person and, on her first night back, handcuffs herself to the bed to prevent wandering off to join the ghostly crew.

I enjoyed the Madeleine chapters too. As I say, I learned Acadian history. But I also got to see Madeleine deal with her version of the Sight and trying to coexist within the Catholic faith. It's a life full of tragedy, but there's hope there. It's the Celeste timeline that I didn't care as much about. I actually counted the Celeste chapters at one point to convince myself that I could hack reading the rest of the book. This character and her sister were based on a historical newspaper item in Charlottetown, during the negotiation of Confederation.

There are pluses and minuses to this novel. On the plus side, I liked the family history aspects and the paranormal details. The minuses for me were the stilted writing and the rather wooden character development. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, especially about what the characters were feeling. Raina and her mother were able to overcome a lot of emotional history far too easily, to my way of thinking. The third person POV distanced me from the women's experiences and made the story feel more like a news article or textbook. Nevertheless, there were flashes of better things here and there in the text (Raina desperately handcuffing herself to the bed, for instance).

Taber has potential. This title appears to be her first published fictional work (she has several nonfiction titles). I have no doubt that she will continue to write, gain experience, and improve the emotional intelligence in her fiction.

[Diane Close · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the description and early reviews, I assumed this book was going to be a police procedural set in the waters around Nova Scotia and PEI combined with a touch of superstition. What it actually turned out to be was a paranormal nautical-based experience combined with local superstitious lore couched in historical facts, with only the opening and closing chapters barely touching on the police investigation.

In mystery book terms, I'd have to class it as a cozy because relationships and setting were more important than anything to do with actual policing. It's a hard one for me to rate, because I did end up liking the story, but it's not my usual mystery novel fare. I did find the historical aspects interesting, and I liked the fact that the paranormal bits were not too intrusive, and things didn't always go the way that people thought they would, and that the paranormal abilities ended up being rooted in motivating goodness and pure heart rather than just plain divination.

I'm looking forward to reading another adventure with this group of folks, but I hope the next novel has more actual police bits and time spent on the water, instead of glossing over both as happened here in the final chapters.

I give this 3 1/2 stars, rounded up for the unique historical aspect.

[Laura Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! I absolutely loved this novel and highly recommend it. Stay tuned for my full review.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is both a fascinating look at personal experiences of ordinary people during the Acadian expulsion, and a cozy family mystery set in the present day. Raina, a police officer on Prince Edward Island, is investigating the disappearance of a young woman who turns up in a surprising place. In 1864, Celeste, a cleaner at the bank, and her sister Noelle display poor judgement while living with the harridan who runs the boarding house they live in. In 1756, Madeleine and her husband Alexis (which of course got me singing “Ah toi belle hirondelle qui vole ici, n’as tu pas vu dans ces iles mon Alexis”) and their blended family are forced out of Acadia to sail to France. I was very much drawn to this last story and felt deeply for poor Madelaine; and to Celeste, whose history is more of a fairy tale with a happy ending. I’m not generally entertained by stories of superstition, visions, myth and legend, so was a bit left out of Raina and Simone’s story line, I guess because I grew up with so much of that. The author was actually born in PEI and is a former military officer; I was interested more than anything else in her author’s note, and curious about how the book came to be. The writing was a wee bit telly, with background info being dumped into conversations rather than shown organically, but I think that’s just a debut author thing and will resolve itself in future books. I’m really not into supernatural plots so I kinda skipped those passages, and the tap-tap-tappity-tap business got old really fast. One thing that did strike me as an old Maritimer myself was how American these PEI people sounded. I’ve never in my life, living in or visiting the Maritime provinces, heard anyone call their mother “mom.” My mother and her sisters called their mother “mama” (anglicization of maman I guess) and everyone else just said “mum.” Too much American TV on the Island? There were also a few odd linguistic anachronisms in the historical passages, like a character saying they were bored of something. Giving this 3 stars plus an extra because Canadian writer, Canadian characters and a Canadian setting, and looking forward to seeing more of this author.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sea of Spectres completely pulled me in. I loved this book… the characters were deeply engaging and genuinely lovable, and I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys very quickly.

The premise is incredibly compelling, blending historical fiction with a supernatural mystery in a way that feels seamless and atmospheric rather than gimmicky. The past and present weave together beautifully, and the story never loses its emotional core.

What stood out most to me was how thoughtfully the book explores the power of women, ancestry, and family connection. There’s a real sense of legacy here… of stories carried forward, of voices that refuse to be silenced, and of strength passed down through generations.

Haunting, heartfelt, and immersive, this is the kind of book that lingers after you finish it. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy history with a touch of the supernatural and a lot of heart.

[USOM · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

From the beginning, I loved the setting of A Sea of Spectres. There's a feeling of isolation, a small community, and family. What begins as a story about family ends up becoming this inter-generational story about sacrifice, power, and family. It's this rich tapestry of character work as well as historical fiction. While the beginning with the character POV switches was confusing, I ended up understanding it and sinking in, it was just a bit disorienting at the beginning.

[Symantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 stars!

The dual POV between three timelines, the family dynamic throughout all of the timelines, as well as the sacrificial love that is demonstrated makes this book a beautiful work of art. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Acorn Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Renate Boorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very compelling action-packed book that spans generations. The visions seen by the Doiron women spurred them on to make life changing decisions but there was always a question about whether they had interpreted them correctly.

Thank you Goodreads and Nancy for a free copy of A Sea of Serpents.

[Sara Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through one of the Goodreads giveaways, but that doesn’t influence my review.

I really liked this book, it was cool reading a book set in an area not too far from where I grew up! And I loved how the multiple POVs from the different generations provided different stories but then they all came together in the end.

[Pamela Nowina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love ghost stories. I love stories about strong women. I love stories about the history of our beautiful Maritime provinces. I love this book. Madeline, Celeste, and Raina face the challenges of their particular era with courage, determination, and a conviction that they can influence future, and just possibly, past, generations. A haunting, heartbreaking, hopeful book.

[Kathy Belicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly entertaining book—a great choice to take on vacation. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful, the characters oh-so-likable. It ended too quickly--I really hope there'll be a sequel!

[James Junke · Rating 4 out of 5]

For her first book of fiction she did well. Learned a lot about Acadian folklore and PEI. Forgot how central superstition was in people’s lives. Makes for a much better story too. Each retelling makes the tale that much taller. She clearly enjoyed the process.

[Susan Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Local lore and superstition are well-woven within the three timelines from which this story is told. The historical details of this Women's Fiction novel are fascinating, and it is a well-told story with an interesting plot.

[Susan Guetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun read

The author skillfully brought the past and present together for an engaging ride through history and fantastical mysteries to tie everything together

[Nancy Taber]

I’m thrilled to share A Sea of Spectres with readers! Follow me at https://www.nancytaber.ca/ and please rate and leave a review for the novel here on Goodreads.

[Else · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating plot, excellent pacing. Can’t wait for the sequel!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Could not put it down it was so captivating. I loved every character and their story. I want to find out more about them and continue their journey.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines some supernatural lore with a bit of a PEI and beyond history lesson and I loved it. Very readable, well paced, suspenseful.

[J. Else · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down through the generations, a family mystery unfolds. When an ancestor’s journal is found, Raina may finally uncover answers to the mysterious and deadly call she hears from a flaming phantom ship that no one else can see or hear. The journal’s pages reveal her female ancestors’ lives, their own mysterious powers, and their connection to the phantom ship. Can their experiences help Raina resist the call that nearly took her life and continues to attempt to pull her into a watery grave?

From the 1758 Acadian Expulsion from Prince Edward Island to the present day, Taber weaves between three different generations. Each woman has a unique power, but not every descendant is born with abilities. Raina’s own mother wished for them, and her jealousy of Raina’s abilities has built a rift between them. Without guidance, Raina tried to suppress the sea’s call. When her job forces her to return to her hometown, Raina must confront not only the mystery surrounding the phantom ship but also the tension between her and her mother. Why each woman’s powers are so different, though, isn’t well-explained.

The three settings are peppered with immersive details and provide an intriguing look into the lives of women who must overcome the odds and take control of their lives. The three women’s viewpoints blend well and, by the end, weave together in satisfying ways. There’s a significant mystery that’s left hanging open, which makes me curious if more is to come. A lovely supernatural tale about the strength of family.

Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!