The Sky Beneath Her: A Novel

by Mary Ellen Taylor

An unforgettable tale of lost love and buried truths, where the mysteries of a famous shipwreck hold the key to one woman’s future—and the truth of her mother’s final days.

It’s been seven years since a tragic diving accident took her mother’s life, leaving Tula Cassidy with a crushing fear of the sea. The ocean she once loved is no longer a part of her. And she can’t imagine it ever will be again.

Until her return to the Outer Banks changes everything.

While clearing out an old beach house, Tula receives a mysterious manuscript about the Oceanus. The passenger ship’s final voyage ended in disaster in 1942, and its underwater wreckage ultimately became her mother’s final resting place.

As Tula unravels the ship’s haunting history, she uncovers not only an unexpected family connection, but also a story of survival that helps her understand her own journey toward healing.

With help from Nathan, the charming dive instructor she left behind years ago, Tula faces her deepest fears to unlock the secrets of both past and present. Sometimes the greatest journeys begin when we find the courage to dive back in.

335 pages, Paperback

Expected publication July 1, 2026

About the author

A southerner by birth, Mary Ellen Taylor’s love of her home state of Virginia and its past is evident in her contemporary women's fiction novels, from her first THE UNION STREET BAKERY to her latest, THE WORDS WE WHISPER, which debuts July 20, 2021. Her novels explore issues of family, home and belonging and entwine the past and present.
Richmond born, Mary Ellen has lived there most of her life. Alongside writing, cooking and baking are important creative outlets for Mary Ellen, who's been known to name recipes in honor of her characters. Just a few years ago, she earned her Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate at the University of Richmond's Culinary Arts Program. "In some ways, I liken baking to my efforts as a writer. You need to learn the basic tools of the trade before you can push the limits and create a distinctive sweet dessert or savory novel.”
Mary Ellen is also known nationally as New York Times and USA Today bestselling suspense novelist Mary Burton. Together, they have published forty-five novels, with Mary Burton’s latest, NEAR YOU, debuting April 13, 2021.
When not traveling or holed up writing, she and her husband spend time alternately enjoying their empty nest and spoiling their miniature dachshunds, Buddy, Bella and Tiki.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sky Beneath Her by Mary Ellen Taylor. This beautifully written novel seamlessly blends a present-day storyline with a compelling historical narrative set aboard an ocean voyage in 1942.

I was just as pulled into the present-day storyline as I was the 1942 voyage—both are richly detailed and easy to get lost in. The character development truly stands out. Each character feels real and relatable, and I appreciated how both Tula in the present and Gertrude in the past are navigating their own traumas, which made it even easier for me to become emotionally invested in their journeys.

I have yet to come across one of Mary Ellen Taylor’s books that I didn’t genuinely enjoy, and this one was no exception—it completely pulled me in and had me reading well past my bedtime!

I received an advance copy of this book from the author, but all opinions are my own. Readers who enjoy dual timelines, strong character development, and emotionally engaging stories will definitely want to pick this one up.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to thank the author, Mary Ellen Taylor for the advanced copy.

I really enjoy her style of writing. This book tells 2 stories set in two different times. We are following Tula Cassidy as she tries to get her life back on track after the death of her mom. We are also following the passengers of a ship that was sunk by a German sub. in 1942.

Tula is asked to return to the Outer Banks, where she lost her mom in a diving accident, to clean out the house of her bosses great uncle. While there she discovers pictures of her mom as a young girl and a manuscript about the passenger ship Oceanus.

This book was really good. I admit for me it seemed to start slow and I was more interested in the 1942 storyline more than Tula's. The more I read, the more I was drawn into both worlds quickly. The people from the passenger ship were really brought to life and I was really interested in what the out come for some of them was.

I highly recommend this book!

[Debbie Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dual timeline book is one that will grab your attention. It tells the stories of Tula Cassidy (present day) and Gertrude (from 1942).

Tula is still devastated about the death of her mother, 7 years earlier. It happened on a dive to search the Oceanus shipwreck off the Outer Banks. When she's offered the opportunity to return to the area to clean out a house that will be sold, she finds some interesting materials and a connection to her mother. How will Tula piece together the clues and how does Gertrude figure into the Oceanus ship?

If you haven't read any of Mary Ellen Taylor's previous books, this book will make you rush out and get them.

A fantastic, engaging story! I highly recommend.

[Pamela Dawn Forbis]

The Sky Beneath Her by Mary Ellen Taylor is an engaging novel that tugs at the heartstrings. Seven years ago, Tula Cassidy lost her only parent, her mother, during a diving accident in the Atlantic Ocean while exploring the 1942 shipwrecked Oceanus off the coast of the Outer Banks. When Tula resurfaced, her mother never followed, and the tragedy stole her love for the sea. She stayed away from diving until returning to the Oceanus years later. The story moves between past and present, delving into Tula’s ancestry during a voyage to America on the Oceanus—the same journey when it was torpedoed and sunk. It’s a tale about losing a parent, discovering who you are as an adult, romance and navigating the twists and turns among family and friend relationships.

[Melonie Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was utterly amazing! One of the best books I have read in a long time! I love the slow unraveling of the story from past to present. Just enough information to let you piece together the mystery of the past and its connection to the present. The truth of what happened seemed to be just waiting for you to discover as you progressed thru the book. The characters were so vivid and full of secrets it kept me hooked from the first page to the last. The setting is the Outer Banks is also perfect to this story as the story centers around the Oceanus Shipwreck and its secrets. I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to see what Mary Ellen Taylor writes next and I am sure it will be just as magical as this novel!!!

[Yeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gripping, twist-filled novel by Mary Ellen Taylor keeps readers guessing to the end, weaving a powerful connection between past and present as the broken yet resilient characters, especially protagonist Tula, confront long-buried pain surrounding her mother’s death; as Tula uncovers more about that tragic day, she learns that nothing she could have done would have changed the outcome, and the book’s shocking moments and emotional stakes make it highly recommended for anyone seeking a suspenseful, emotionally resonant read.

[Bobbie]

First I want to thank author Mary Ellen Taylor for sending an ARC of The Sky Beneath Her to me.
“The ocean wants you to settle the past.”
Lots of questions beginning with how the ship Oceanus connects to Tula. From chapter 2 we know the ship will be torpedoed in four days! The chapters take place in 1942 or 2026.
Tula is currently working as a paralegal when she gets a message that her boss wants to see her!
Once you start reading this novel it is hard to put it down!
The Sky Beneath Her will publish July 1, 2026.