Stone Cove Island

by Suzanne Myers

When a catastrophic hurricane devastates Stone Cove Island, a quaint New England resort community, everyone pulls together to rebuild. Seventeen-year-old Eliza Elliot volunteers to clean out the island's iconic lighthouse and stumbles upon a secret in the wreckage: a handwritten letter. On first glance, it hardly makes sense. But the longer Eliza studies it, the more convinced she becomes that it's an anonymous confession to a 30-year-old crime: the unsolved murder of a local teen named Bess Linsky.
Soon Eliza finds herself in the throes of an investigation she never wanted or asked for. As Stone Cove Island fights to recover from disaster, Eliza plunges the locals back into a nightmare they believed was long buried.
Everybody is a suspect. Everywhere she turns, there might be an enemy. And everything she ever believed about her home is false.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Fiction, Family, Contemporary, Thriller, Teen

Audiobook

First published November 11, 2014

About the author

Suzanne Myers was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Toronto, Canada. She is a graduate of Princeton University and USC Film School. Her feature film Alchemy won the SXSW film festival. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.

Reviews

[AH · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a 3.0-3.5 star read for me. Stone Cove Island was a quick read. The book was not at all what I expected; I thought it was to be more of an apocalyptic hurricane disaster book. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was more of a murder mystery. There was also a cute little romance as well.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Soho Teen for a review copy of this book.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very curious about this title because mystery is a genre that appeals to me very much. I looked forward to reading Stone Cove Island especially because of the island setting and I knew that murder taking place on such an isolated island would undoubtedly make for an edge-of-the-seat kind of read.

Stone Cove Island is not the best mystery book I have read, but it was an enjoyable read. I'll get the things that didn't work out of the way first. I had trouble connecting with our main character Eliza. Now, there was nothing wrong with her as such. She was a brilliant and intelligent main character, but I personally did not think that her character was well-developed enough for me to form an emotional connection with her. In honestly, I felt similarly about all of the characters in this book apart from the parents and Bess, the girl who was murdered years ago. I was sad that I didn't enjoy the romance between Eliza and Charlie either. It happened way too fast and there was very little build up. I did, however, appreciate how they worked together towards solving the mystery and how much they respected each other's abilities.

I was very much into the mystery in the beginning and I was excited to find out about what happened to Bess especially because everyone on the island was so secretive about it. The diary pages from Eliza's mom were an extra touch that added to making the mystery even more excited. I found myself flipping the pages wanting to find out what was going to happen next. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed by the big reveal at the end. Call me sadistic, but I wanted something a little more darker and gruesome I guess and I wanted to see how that would shake this close-knit community. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy Stone Cove Island. I very much did, but I was expecting something a little more edgier by the end.

While Stone Cove Island wasn't the best book I have ever read, there were moments when I was completely engrossed. If you're looking for a quick mystery to pass some time, I would highly recommend this book.

[Melissa Chung · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first buddy read book with Ashley of November. Our theme this month was Lighthouses. I saw this book years ago and thought it sounded like a good YA read. I'm glad I finally got to pick it up. It is a murder mystery set on an island off of the New England area. Giving it 3 stars.

Eliza Elliot is our main character. She is 17, an only child and has grew up on the island of Stone Cove. This close nit community has always been her refuge. She never dreamed about ever leaving her hometown. That all changed after a devastating hurricane destroyed most of the small resort town. Picking up the pieces after the hurricane was painful, but what Eliza found in the lighthouse was even more so. A letter written to a Bess Linsky an unsolved murder victim, dredges up old feelings in her parents that was supposed to stay in the past. When Eliza delves deeper into this murder mystery the town starts getting anxious. Eliza has to know the truth. Who was Bess? How does she fit in with her parents? Why didn't the town want to solve her murder? What is going on?

As YA mysteries go, this wasn't so bad. I say it that way because a lot of YA mysteries are pretty predictable. This one had it's moments. I definitely knew what was going to happen at the end about half way through the book. The ending seemed a bit rushed or at least too sweet for my taste. As most YA's go there is a love interest in this book as well.

I didn't mind Eliza as a character. Her love interest Charlie is kind of meh as love interests go. The story doesn't really hint if he had a thing for her when they were kids or even when they were in high school together. So seeing them together was a little sudden. Then again, teens are hormonal and fall in love quickly.

I don't really have much to say about this one. It was just okay. Probably won't read it again.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stone Cove Island is reeling in the wake of Hurricane Victor. Power is off and on, the ferry is out for the foreseeable future, and many of the islanders have had to take refuge in the local school gym.

Eliza Elliot loves her island home and wants to do something to help, so she organizes a volunteer clean up, in the hopes that many of the other local teens will join in. Eliza is assigned the historic lighthouse, which leads to her discovery of a potential clue in an unsolved murder that dates back to her parents' teen years. Strangely, it's a case Eliza and her own peers have never even heard of: twenty-five years earlier, Bess Linsky vanished. Her bloodied clothes and her hair were found at the lighthouse but no body was ever recovered. Eliza's discovery wants to find out more, but all of her inquiries are met with stubborn silence and warnings not to mention Bess or her murder again. As her fellow islanders become even more secretive about Bess, Eliza begins to see potential suspects in almost everyone she meets.

Initially I wasn't sure how I felt about the way Eliza stumbled upon the letter. Considering she immediately finds out that Bess was her mother's best friend, it just seemed a little too easy. Much of the book unfolded this way, in fact. Unfortunately, I didn't want easy. I wanted the plot to be more complex.

Stone Cove Island was one I'd really been looking forward to, so it was kind of a big disappointment that it didn't live up to my expectations. The characters are fine and the pacing is quite good for a mystery. Ultimately, though, there just wasn't enough suspense or actual mystery to this mystery for me.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received this book for free from Soho Teen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*Genre* Contemporary, Mystery, Young Adult
*Rating* 3.0

*My Thoughts*

At the center of Stone Cove Island, is the mystery behind Bess Linsky's disappearance 25 years ago. After Hurricane Victor hits the island, 17-year old Eliza Elliot stumbles upon a letter presumably written by either Bess or her killer. When Bess disappeared, Myths and Legends state that she drowned, or was killed. Evidence left behind indicated that there "may" have been a struggle but Bess's body was never been found, and the subsequent investigation quickly died due to lack of evidence.

Eliza's discover opens up a can of worms, or as the song goes, she completely unravels the sweater that is Stone Cove Island's past indiscretions. There are no clear cut answers to this mystery, but there is an adorable romance that blooms between Eliza and Charlie Pender who helps Eliza uncover the truth behind Bess's disappearance. In fact, I liked the romance angle and what happens between the two characters much more than the mystery.

*Full Review posted @ Gizmos Reviews* Link to Follow

*Recvd 07/02/2014 via Edelweiss* Published: November 11th 2014 by Soho Teen

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was curious to read this book when I saw it promoted saying "Stepford Wives meets Stephen King". Like who would not get hooked by that tag line and want to read the book. The author did write this more for the younger teen readers. The mystery that the people of Stone Cove Island were hiding was not portrayed as dark. It was on the lighter side. Even the murder was light so that it did not seem so gruesome. The author did feel like Eliza needed help solving the mystery so she gave Eliza a budding romance with Charlie. Yet the romance was on the sweet side with a few kisses here and there.

Back to the mystery, I was thinking and hoping that this story were be more chilling and dark. Yet as the story went on I could not help but think I have read this story before several times. I did finish it because I wanted to see how the story would end. When it did I was like "ok". I did see some bits of promise in this book and so I will keep an eye on this author and hope her next book is better.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 4-star review up until the end. It's an intriguing YA mystery that pulled me in and kept me entertained. One thing I really admired was the way the author handled the teenage romance. I can't think of another romance that doesn't put a focus on either the woman's level of inexperience or experience and the unavoidable cultural value or meaning that is attached to those two states. Eliza and Charlie just ARE and the fact that that is refreshing gives me pause about the way female sexuality is still expressed in literature. (By the by, I do appreciate how important it is for books to explore various emotions and social situations and relate to teens at all levels of sexual experience, but it was so nice to have this topic be natural and not specified in a book where the topic isn't key.) The minus 1 star came at the very end, where everything wrapped up in a not fully explained whirl. Something was off with the way the characters reacted (or didn't) to the major reveals, and the let's-get-this-wrapped-up ending felt unsatisfying.

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, you can predict as much about the ending, and there was no murder mystery. Yet another shitty book, and why does someone always have to be a knocked up slutty teenager. Christian conservative values anyone??

[Drucilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was heading for a 3 star rating, but it fell apart in the third act. Nothing came together. The Black Anchor club was cool, but I felt like nothing was really done with it until later in the book and by that point, it never felt like it could be a threat. Same with Eliza's mom getting arrested. It comes so late and we never get a reason why it happened so it never feels urgent. I thought the reveal of what happened to Bess was cool, but the fact that Bess and Charlie actually found her broke my suspension of disbelief. Bess and Charlie also had no chemistry together. On a positive note, seeing Eliza's mom struggle with depression and how Eliza reacts to it was a great addition.

[Ashley Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 out of 5 stars

I picked this up on a whim to do a buddy read and I was pleasantly surprised! This was a solid YA thriller. Was it a little cliche? Yes but it came out in 2014 when all YA books were a little cliche so it gets a pass. But I genuinely was interested in finding out the mystery. I was able to guess most things but a few twists took me by surprise. I do wish the ending was a little more drawn out and explained, but it's not the worst it could have been. All in all I think this is an underrated YA thriller that I wish more people would pick up. It's a fun time!

[Aspen Homsher · Rating 3 out of 5]

My only gripe was when we got to the ending it seemed to me like the story was finished off in like 3-4 pages. The story itself was great, however to me it seemed as if the author had a contract for 240 some odd pages realized she was on page 236 and was like crap I gotta wrap it up and it was over. Other than that the plot line was great, the story and character development was great just the ending to me felt very rushed.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA mystery that takes place on an Island just off the Massachusetts coast. A hurricane "stirs" up lots of secrets that 2 teens are determined to get answers about. They discover alot about their Island and their families. Maybe more then they want.

[Janice Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the hurricane damage description and the letter but then felt that the black anchor and clues dragged a lot and some of the story never really got resolved such as the dad’s role in the black anchor group. I wanted to know more specifics about how it got tidied up.

[Maggie Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great mystery that kept me guessing until the big reveal. I also loved the descriptions of the island and island life, especially as someone who wants to live on a small island like Stone Cove year round.

[Mary George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful.

[TheReadingKnitter/ Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was overall good. I liked the main characters and didn’t guess the twist until it was about to happen.

[Gloria Fines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery!!

[Mia Speidel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book that took an unexpected turn.

[Sharon Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy, quick read. Bit predictable

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok mystery. Was just hoping for more suspense.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I picked up this book because it's been compared to Stephen King and The Stepford Wives--one of my favorite writers, and one of my favorite books. Bonus: at 241 pages Stone Cove Island promised to be a quick, and hopefully thrilling, read. Well, it is quick...

And yes, like King's Delores Claiborne, it takes place on a small New England island full of buried secrets. And yes, as in Stepford, Stone Cove Island is home to a nefarious secret society dedicated to keeping the town picture perfect. Add to this a hurricane, an enigmatic hate letter, a 25-year-old unsolved murder, plus one Nancy-Drew-and-Hardy-Boy-esque duo, and Stone Cove Island seems primed to be a thrill-ride of a mystery. Unfortunately, this story promises a level of sophistication beyond what it ultimately delivers.

The opening chapters are haunting and engaging in their own, salty way. First, (via a diary entry written by our narrator's mother, Willa) we learn about Bess, a teenager who was murdered on the island back in the 1980's and the hateful letter Bess received just days before she died. Next, we flash forward 25 years to our narrator, Eliza, as she deals with the aftermath of a hurricane that just ravaged her island. As Eliza walks the debris-littered streets, we are introduced to the quaint and isolated island of Stone Cove. It is here (and sadly, only here) that the story shines with authenticity. We get a vivid picture of a close-knit, nautical community with strong, conservative family values. We also meet Charlie, recent high-school graduate, aspiring journalist/sleuth, and obvious love interest. Together, Eliza and Charlie decide to do something to aid the town. While cleaning up storm debris in the island's lighthouse, Eliza discovers the aforementioned letter to Bess, takes it to her parents and learns about the unsolved murder which has been kept a secret by the island-folk all these years. Nutshelled: Bess disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a pile of severed hair and a bloody shirt in the lighthouse; so who killed her and why, and what did they do with her body? Looks like we have the workings of a mystery here, and Charlie is eager to help Eliza solve it. Sounds like fun, right?

Except, it's not exactly. Because solving this mystery involves the stale browsing of lots of library microfiche and Willa's old diary entries, plus interviewing lots of flat characters who, despite their dedication to keeping this secret a secret, are super willing to gossip and share shades of what we already know. Despite one tepid warning for Eliza to stop snooping if she's knows what's good for her, there is simply no urgency or tension here. After all, this is a 25-year-old cold case, and the main suspects (a.k.a. the leaders of the black anchor society) are not all that threatening--seeing as how they never actually threaten Eliza or Charlie.

That said, Stone Cove Island is a page turner, and throughout the majority of the story I maintained high hopes for a solid ending. Then, about three-quarters of the way in, things become hard to swallow. (Semi-Spoiler) First, out of nowhere, the local authorities reopen the case and Eliza's mom is hauled in as their #1 suspect. Eliza guesses their suspicion has to do with something written in Willa's diary, but we never learn specifics--making the whole `arrest' feel like nothing more than a plot device.

Then, it happens. Eliza and Charlie uncover the big (but ambiguous) clue.

(HUGE SPOILERS!) Turns out, Bess was the one who wrote that hate letter to herself all those years ago. She compiled it out of old English essays she wrote (because, hey, why not?). While the revelation is intriguing, the lightening-quick conclusion that our sleuths arrive at comes WAY TOO EASY: Bess must have faked her death... It takes Eliza and Charlie one stolen boat ride and a library newsletter, and they track Bess down, piece of cake. Even easier: convincing Bess to return to the island to turn herself in after she swears to them she will never return to the island. It pretty much plays out like this:

Bess: I will never return to that horrible island. (End Chapter)

(Next Chapter) Bess returns to the horrible island--"though it took some convincing." ...This is literally all we get.

Like the rest of Stone Cove Island, this ending had some serious potential. But, ultimately, because of a lack of vivid plot and character development it feels contrived, rushed, and hokey like a soap opera. Unlike King and Stepford, there's not much intellectually or emotionally heavy about Stone Cove...even as it manages to sink like a black anchor.

[JennRenee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my attention right away. I grabbed it first off netgalley then grabbed it on audio. It was a great audio. I was hooked into the story from the very beginning. The story had a lot to give. It was a great mystery but also had some realistic issues in the mix. It was great paced, a pretty fast read, and it was very captivating. I was happy with the read from the first page to the last page.



Eliza grew up on Stone Cove Island and one of the downsides to growing up on the island are the storms, the boredom. The upsides, knowing everyone around and of course the simple life of living on the island. All this changes after one night of a pretty bad hurricane that leaves the island in wreckage. Eliza finds a letter int he clean up that leads to a pretty good mystery, a murder mystery. Everyone on the island has kept this murder a secret and now Eliza finds herself investigating a 30 year old murder on an island where everyone she thought she knew isn't what they seem.


I went into this book expecting more of a thriller suspense and I really got something a bit better. I was prepared for a mystery and there was a mystery. A pretty good one. For most of the book I didn't know where the story was taking me and the ending was quite different than I had anticipated. It was a great ending. Everything leading up to the ending was pretty good too. There really wasn't much in the thrills department, but that was okay with me. What I did get with the mystery, the emotions, the romance, the adventure, it was enough for me to have a quite satisfying read.

Eliza was a pretty good character. She was realistic for me and she had a lot to deal with in terms of her home life. Her mother was pretty kooky, paranoid, a bit crazy and her father was doing his best to balance it out for Eliza. Eliza thought her home life was pretty good even though her mother had her issues. She didn't have an extravagant type of life, it was pretty simple but she was happy. her life was turn upside down a bit once the hurricane hit and she found a letter that sounded like a pretty threatening letter and of course that letter led to a very old murder mystery. A murder that happened to someone her parents knew, a murder where the murderer was never caught. A murder that seemed to have quite a few towns people involved. A murder that is the reason her mother has some pretty deep issues. A murder that Eliza was determined to solve. Eliza was smart and she had a way of finding out what she needed to find out. She was resourceful. She was also loyal to her family, respectful, a bit on the quiet side. She was independent and pretty stable. I really liked her.

Another main character in this story was Charlie and I loved Charlie. He seemed to be a pretty solid character. He had his stuff together and was a pretty smart guy. Sweet too. I never found him overly swoony but he was pretty charming and he fit well with Eliza's character.

Something I appreciated about this book was the characters. They had just enough background issues to make them well rounded but none of their issues were overwhelming. They were not whiny or self centered. They knew things weren't perfect but they didn't let it stop their lives. Their issues too a backseat to the mystery but were still in the story to give it a more realistic feel.

The mystery was definitely my favorite part and is what kept me reading but the romance was good too. It was very slow building and it was sweet, kind of just there in the background but still pretty obvious it was there and waiting to happen. When it did happen it was pretty amazing and I just fell for it. It was perfect for this story.

The story was written well, I was captivated from the beginning to the end. The story was enough on its own to keep me interested, to find out what happens next, to get to the end. Add in the great characters, the sweet romance, it was a just the right ingredients for a great story.

The only thing that I could have wished for was a bit more thrills, but other than that, it was really really good.


I loved it from beginning to end. A great mystery to curl up with on a cold winter night.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun mystery novel! I loved the setting of a small town island where everyone knows one another. The ending was pretty surprising and I enjoyed reading the journey to solve the mystery. My only problem was that the romance between Eliza and Charlie, it didn't seem genuine and didn't really get me excited.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I am a bit disappointed, I am glad I read this book.

I will put up a good/bad review, since I feel like doing one of those again. :)

Good~
-The setting. An island, a storm and no way to access the main land easily. Add to that some 20-something murder mystery and voilà, this is one of my favourite settings (next to Boarding School + Mystery).
-The storm and the details. We knew the book would be about the storm, but I didn't expect it would take this much of the book. Don't get me wrong, this is good. I liked the details of how it affected the town, the despair by people, the fighting spirit people showed when being pushed in said situation.
-The characters, though I also didn't always like them. I will tell more in the Bad part of the review.
I did like our main girl for how she fought on, not being stopped by anything that came into her path. She just forged ahead, wanted to find out about the mystery even when she found out stuff that compromised her family and her view of the town/island she lived on.
-The mystery, well at least for the most of the book.
-The cover!

Bad~
-The romance. It just didn't fit and I felt it was forced. For some magical coincidence our main girl's so-so crush was on the island during the storm (yeah, he had some lame reason to be here, but I don't buy it), and magically they got together. I didn't feel any spark or connection between them. For the main girl I could slightly see a bit of a romance spark, but for Charlie? None, not at all. And with the exception of a few kisses they felt more like friends with benefits or a brother/sister relationship gone wrong.
Please authors, don't add romance when it is not needed.
-The mystery, the whole conclusion and all that happened in the later parts just destroyed the mystery to me. I won't spoil anything, so I will keep it to that, and just add that I am really disappointed.
-The main character's attitude towards her mom. I know, I know, she is a teenager and her mom is quite... well weird, but seriously, I disliked her for how she thought about her mom.

But all in all it is still a good novel and I am really happy that I decided to continue and read this one completely. I am not sure if I would recommend it. Yes, even with a 4 star this one is a tricky one to recommend. Since I don't want to have people to be disappointed with the mystery as I did.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Maria Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stone Cove Island is a YA mystery written by Suzanne Myers.

Blurb:

Following a devastating hurricane an earnest, young woman, Eliza Elliott, is out to solve a 25-year-old crime based on a mysterious letter.

Charlie Pender, a recent high-school graduate and aspiring journalist, returns to visit and find himself grounded on the island when the roads and ferry are destroyed.

*Spoilers*

A hurricane, an enigmatic letter, a decades-old unsolved murder, Stone Cove Island seems primed to be a thrill-ride of a mystery. Unfortunately, this story line doesn’t quite deliver.

The chaos brought on by a hurricane was a great introduction and definite attention grabber, but the act of nature contributed little to the plot itself. In the first few chapters we learn about Bess, a teenager murdered on the island in the 1980's. This quaint nautical community has secrets and soon clues of a sinister secret society emerges.

When Eliza lends a hand with clean-up efforts she discovers a disturbing letter. She quickly enlists her parents to help her decipher the ‘meaning’ of the note. Eliza then learns of a crime committed on the island years back. She’s shocked to learn the townspeople have kept this hidden for so many years.

The story continues along at a very slow pace and about three-quarters of the way in, out of nowhere, the local authorities reopen the case and Eliza's mom is hauled away as the number one suspect. Then, it happens! Eliza and Charlie miraculously uncover the clue…Bess faked her death and she’s alive living on the mainland (?).

In Stone Cove Island story line is feeble. I was unable to connect emotionally with either protagonist as both the hero and heroine lack character development. Eliza’s POV frequently toggled between adolescent and an adult. As for Charlie, I found him to be bland and contribute minimally to the story line. I should say at first, I thought the budding romance between the two was cute but as the story progresses it is more of annoying distraction. Sadly, I almost stopped reading the book twice, but because I never read YA I pressed on in an effort to give the book a chance.

Ms. Myers attempt at a mystery is fair, but I believe much more is needed in the area of tension and conflict. I give Stone Cove Island two stars.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like many other readers, I was initially sucked in by the excellent setting and deeply creepy prologue. Sadly, the rest of the novel just didn't deliver. In the first place, the mystery became deeply boring once it was revealed (abruptly and without real justification) that the "murdered" teen had faked her own death and run off to the mainland. Secondly, the Big Threat that was supposedly the Black Anchor Society....wasn't. Like, what did they even do? Who were they really? Did they actually kill anyone or not? And what was the thing with the hair? I also didn't follow some of the leaps of logic that the MCs made, or what was really happening in much of the last few chapters. It was as if all the earlier detailed setting up just toppled over once the author decided that Bess wasn't really dead. One wonders whether she was told she had to make it less grisly for a younger audience, and all the wind dropped out of her sails; there's a lot of retroactive plotting going on here.

Apart from that, and the romance, which has basically no chemistry or tension whatsoever, I was most appalled by Eliza's (and by extension the author's) treatment of Willa, Eliza's mother. She regards her mom as contemptible, strange and weak for having what seems to me to be clear OCD, with probable anorexia and/or an anxiety disorder. For crying out loud, the poor woman was literally suicidal at one point! While the depiction of these issues, and Eliza's initial response to them, is perhaps accurate, the handling of them plot-wise is extremely poor and grossly insensitive. Never do we see Eliza revise her attitude to her mother or attempt to truly empathise with or understand her, although the possibility is hinted at once or twice. Nor is Willa's part in the story adequately resolved at the end of the novel. As someone for whom those issues hit close to home, I was quite angry and disappointed in how they were handled here and the message this book sends to teens with mentally ill family or friends. I started out really enjoying the book, but all things considered I'm afraid I can't recommend it.

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stone Cove Island by Suzanne Myers is a great suspense romance read. It is a mixture of romance, mystery, suspense and community that is blended together very well.

A New England resort town is nearly destroyed by a hurricane. The community works together to try to rebuild what they have lost. Seventeen year old Eliza volunteers to work inside the lighthouse to help restore some of the chaos. While doing this, she discovers a letter that appears to be a confession to a thirty year old murder. When her parents and the community find out about the letter, everyone begins acting suspicious and nervous. Can someone in the community be responsible for the death so many years ago?

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very skilled at creating suspense and tension and kept me guessing throughout the entire book. Her writing is descriptive and it is very easy to picture the community devastation after the hurricane and all the drama that unfolds during the book. The book pulled me in from the very beginning and pulled me along throughout the entire story. The characters are well developed and are enjoyable to meet and get to know.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted mystery suspense read. It is amazing to me that this is the author’s debut novel. I cannot wait to read future books that she writes.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Soho Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Sandra (Waiting For Wentworth) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This turned out to be a really good YA murder mystery with an unpredictable outcome. Well written and easy to read, it managed to capture my attention from beginning to end.

Eliza and Charlie were both likable, but I didn't get to know either of them very well. While I enjoyed the romance between Eliza and Charlie, their relationship developed a bit too quickly for my taste. But I actually liked how well they worked together to solve the mystery, and the romance wasn't the main focus of the story, so it was all good in the end.

With each new character that was introduced, I couldn't help but wonder who the murderer was. Everyone that Eliza came in contact with was a suspect. As Eliza and Charlie delved deeper into the island's dark past, long buried secrets finally came to the surface. When all is said and done, will Eliza ever be able to view her quaint hometown and it's residents the same way ever again?

The story was easy enough to follow, but it did become a little complicated at times with all of the characters and their back stories. The build up of the mystery was compounded by the secretive nature of the residents and Eliza's determination to discover the truth regardless of the consequences. Overall, Stone Cove Island was enjoyable enough and held my interest throughout. I just wish there had been more build up and suspense. This was a clean YA book that would be perfect for a younger teen reader.

[Missie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the setting. I think it would be so neat to live on a island and have to take the ferry to get to a bigger town. I bet that it would be so peaceful and an amazing place to sit down and read.

Eliza was a great MC. I thought she was really strong for her age, especially having to deal with her mother's depression and anxiety.

The whole story that starts at the beginning where a girl goes missing and they only found some of her hair was really interesting. The mystery of the story really kept me intrigued.

There was so much of the story building up to solving the mystery that once you got to the end of the book it was all rushed and not really flushed out.

There is a group of people on the island that do not seem to really get what they deserve and us as a reader are left to wonder what really happened to that group of people (trying not give anything away)

The story was good but it just wasn't super "fleshy." I would have liked a bit more world-building and maybe some flash backs to the past to really fill in the holes.

For more reviews visit
A Flurry of Ponderings

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clean romance, mystery, YA
Short read (my only complaint). A mysterious disappearance/death in the past comes to light in the present. Eliza finds a note that alludes to something that happens in the past when cleaning up after a hurricane that devastates here secluded island home. She gets some help from Ben, a high school graduate who is visiting the island and stranded after the storm and unable to leave.
Her digging and curiosity uncover secrets from the past that connect their small island community in many different ways. Small town murder, and the suspects and everyone are connected in ways that aren't obvious in the present.
Quick read if you enjoy mysteries. Not as violent as some, some unresolved plot lines (what happened to the secret society, and all it's members, the intimations of murder and other things?), but still I think it fit the genre, and those were the adult problems that were in the background of the novel. It is really about Eliza and her escape in the end from the island. I think I understood that lack of resolution (although I did want to know how she was going to pay for college, just because you get in, doesn't mean you have the money to pay for it) for some portions of the story.