Evening Star: The Final Voyage of the Schooner Hesperia

by Alex Hickey

Abe Skinner, a seasoned sea captain haunted by grief and responsibility, leads the schooner Hesperia from Newfoundland across the treacherous winter seas of 1916. Driven by desperation to provide coal for his Newfoundland hometown, Skinner and his crew face the punishing whims of nature, the shadows of war, and personal demons that threaten to unravel them all.

As the Hesperia battles storms, shifting cargo, and the chilling mystery of ambergris treasure, every choice becomes a measure of character and fate. At home, Abe’s wife, Kate, clings to hope and the fragile threads of family, keeping watch for the return of those she loves as another Christmas passes with only silence from the sea. When disaster strikes on the icy shores of Langlade, survival hangs by a thread—and the cost of courage is written in the relentless waves.

Sweeping from the coal mines of Nova Scotia to the wild Atlantic and into the hearts of those left waiting, Evening Star is an unforgettable story of love, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds that shape us, even after the storm.

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2025

Reviews

[Karen Lundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Hickey’s rendering of the last voyage of the Hesperia is flawlessly written historical fiction based in real history. His recreation of the characters and events surrounding Captain Abram Skinner’s courageous dash to Nova Scotia in December of 1915 to secure a load of desperately needed coal for his community of St. Jacques, Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, kept me going every moment. Meticulous research shows throughout as the author recreates for the reader a time more than a hundred years in the past. Although Captain Skinner’s voyage would end in disaster, his life is one worth recording for his descendants and all those interested in the trials faced by outport communities in this time period and the captains and crews who risked their lives to bring what was needed to people who lived, all too frequently, precarious existences. I highly recommend this book.

[Loretta Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A wonderfully written tale about the Skinner family and the loss of “The Hesperia”. I’m glad someone is taking the time to finally write about these little known vessels and their crew. Thank you Mr. Hickey. I hope you will take on more of this forgotten history. Looking forward to reading more of your works.