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Where Light Comes and Goes
Book 2 in the Dr. Abby Wilmore Series
Where Light Comes and Goes brings back Dr. Abby Wilmore, the young family physician who was the protagonist of Miller’s first novel, The Color of Rock . Abby has accepted the directorship of a summer clinic in Yellowstone National Park where she hopes to expand her medical skills. She arrives to find herself working above the increasingly restless Yellowstone supervolcano, treating visitors, staff, and locals, all while evading the advances of a lecherous concession manager and maintaining a long-distance relationship with her partner who stays at the Grand Canyon Clinic. As tremors in the park escalate and the lakes seethe with bubbling gases, Abby learns that some-one is mysteriously killing the bison.
What follows is an engrossing mystery unfolding in a spectacular setting with rich, quirky, and endearing characters and unexpected plot turns. While an overworked Abby makes new friends among her clinic staff and patients, tension builds as the volcano seems to be moving closer to a major eruption and the bison killings become more frequent. Soon, Abby finds herself in mortal danger as the story races to a thrilling and unexpected conclusion.
Sandra Cavallo Miller demonstrated in The Color of Rock that she is a gifted storyteller. Where Light Comes and Goes deftly combines a gripping mystery set in the accurately depicted routine of a busy medical practice amid the wonders of Yellowstone’s magnificent scenery and wildlife. This is entertaining reading at its best.
Where Light Comes and Goes brings back Dr. Abby Wilmore, the young family physician who was the protagonist of Miller’s first novel, The Color of Rock . Abby has accepted the directorship of a summer clinic in Yellowstone National Park where she hopes to expand her medical skills. She arrives to find herself working above the increasingly restless Yellowstone supervolcano, treating visitors, staff, and locals, all while evading the advances of a lecherous concession manager and maintaining a long-distance relationship with her partner who stays at the Grand Canyon Clinic. As tremors in the park escalate and the lakes seethe with bubbling gases, Abby learns that some-one is mysteriously killing the bison.
What follows is an engrossing mystery unfolding in a spectacular setting with rich, quirky, and endearing characters and unexpected plot turns. While an overworked Abby makes new friends among her clinic staff and patients, tension builds as the volcano seems to be moving closer to a major eruption and the bison killings become more frequent. Soon, Abby finds herself in mortal danger as the story races to a thrilling and unexpected conclusion.
Sandra Cavallo Miller demonstrated in The Color of Rock that she is a gifted storyteller. Where Light Comes and Goes deftly combines a gripping mystery set in the accurately depicted routine of a busy medical practice amid the wonders of Yellowstone’s magnificent scenery and wildlife. This is entertaining reading at its best.
- GenresMystery
232 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2020
6 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Cavallo Miller
9 books49 followersI am a recently retired family physician in Phoenix who has always been a writer in my secret heart. Very little fiction has been written about women physicians, and I find it a great challenge to show the struggles and triumphs of day-to-day practice in an entertaining and informative way. To show the human side and at the same time create an adventurous story. When not writing, you might find me on a horse, hiking with a dog, or exploring my latest hobby, volcanology.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 9, 2020
Where Light Comes and Goes by Sandra Cavallo Miller is a 2020 University of Nevada Press publication.
Medical mysteries and intrigue!
This second installment in the Dr. Abby Wilmore series begins with Abby accepting a summer position at a clinic in Yellowstone National Park. This means a separation from her lover, but the change of scenery might be good for her. However, upon arrival she is faced with an entirely different set of problems that cause her anxiety levels to skyrocket- such as the mysterious killing area bison and an intense patient she would like to help but who remains an enigma.
I am so happy I stumbled across this series. The first installment did place more of an emphasis on the romantic elements, although it could also be classified as a novel of suspense. However, the first installment was all about setting the stage for future installments. Now that our main characters have been established, this story has a bit more of an edge to it, with the focus more on the mystery and adventures of working in a national park than on the romantic element. The characters in this chapter were also a bit more interesting, if I may say so, and I enjoyed meeting the people Abby worked with.
The setting, mingled with the medical conundrums, drama, and suspense are a truly distinctive combination. Abby is such a relatable and realistic character, and the well-drawn secondary characters add another level of depth to the story.
I am excited to see how things will progress from here- this series has a real potential to grow and develop- and could have a broad appeal across several genres. Anyone who enjoys mysteries, light romantic suspense, or medical dramas, will find these books appealing.
Overall, this is an interesting and unique series. It flows well, is easy to read, and hard to put down!
4 stars
Medical mysteries and intrigue!
This second installment in the Dr. Abby Wilmore series begins with Abby accepting a summer position at a clinic in Yellowstone National Park. This means a separation from her lover, but the change of scenery might be good for her. However, upon arrival she is faced with an entirely different set of problems that cause her anxiety levels to skyrocket- such as the mysterious killing area bison and an intense patient she would like to help but who remains an enigma.
I am so happy I stumbled across this series. The first installment did place more of an emphasis on the romantic elements, although it could also be classified as a novel of suspense. However, the first installment was all about setting the stage for future installments. Now that our main characters have been established, this story has a bit more of an edge to it, with the focus more on the mystery and adventures of working in a national park than on the romantic element. The characters in this chapter were also a bit more interesting, if I may say so, and I enjoyed meeting the people Abby worked with.
The setting, mingled with the medical conundrums, drama, and suspense are a truly distinctive combination. Abby is such a relatable and realistic character, and the well-drawn secondary characters add another level of depth to the story.
I am excited to see how things will progress from here- this series has a real potential to grow and develop- and could have a broad appeal across several genres. Anyone who enjoys mysteries, light romantic suspense, or medical dramas, will find these books appealing.
Overall, this is an interesting and unique series. It flows well, is easy to read, and hard to put down!
4 stars
July 28, 2020
Sandra Cavallo Miller has found a niche, thrillers with our most iconic National Parks as setting. Although I didn't read the first in the series set at the Grand Canyon, I thoroughly enjoyed this follow-up with Old Faithful geysering away in the background. My visit to Yellowstone decades ago, left lasting memories, and I can still smell the sulphur overlaid by pine. Miller does a fine job of bringing her story to life, with a doctor at its center, a doctor with problems (naturally). There were a few problems in inconsistency with some characters, but overall, this was a pleasant read especially during a year when travel is difficult if not impossible.
October 13, 2020
I happened to take a very nice trip down memory lane today. Growing up as the eldest daughter of a family practice physician (called a GP in the old days), I spent many hours in my father's office and so much about this book took me way back to those days. How I loved working there, meeting the patients, learning some skills, and performing all sorts of other duties. You just can't beat the variety of illnesses and ailments seen in such a place. As an RN now, I really enjoy novels with a medical bent and this one hit that sweet spot. Enough clinical detail to satisfy with a continuation of the story that started when I "met" Dr. Abigail (Abby) Wilmore in THE COLOR OF ROCK. Abby is a family practice physician who goes to Yellowstone National Park for a 3-month summer stint at a new clinic there that caters to tourists and the people who live or work in the area.
It was particularly fun to be able to read this second in the series immediately after finishing the first. I must say that I enjoyed this one more, probably because I just skimmed the parts that had to do with Abby's sex life and focused on the parts that interested me. I love how the author describes the beauty of the National Parks and it certainly gave me some travel lust to visit both the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. The patients and their cases were varied and the activities in the clinic demonstrated that family practice is always surprising as one never knows who, with what, will come through the doors. It was a great mix of scenery and medicine augmented by the geology, astronomy, and seismology that the author inserts to further educate and entertain.
Abby is a fun character but she certainly manages to get herself into some predicaments and she is growing on me. I really liked all the other secondary characters in the story as well as the author provides them with personality and depth. This one also had a bit of a mystery: who is killing the bison and why. In all, a very enjoyable book and I am really hoping for another in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and University of Nevada Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
It was particularly fun to be able to read this second in the series immediately after finishing the first. I must say that I enjoyed this one more, probably because I just skimmed the parts that had to do with Abby's sex life and focused on the parts that interested me. I love how the author describes the beauty of the National Parks and it certainly gave me some travel lust to visit both the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. The patients and their cases were varied and the activities in the clinic demonstrated that family practice is always surprising as one never knows who, with what, will come through the doors. It was a great mix of scenery and medicine augmented by the geology, astronomy, and seismology that the author inserts to further educate and entertain.
Abby is a fun character but she certainly manages to get herself into some predicaments and she is growing on me. I really liked all the other secondary characters in the story as well as the author provides them with personality and depth. This one also had a bit of a mystery: who is killing the bison and why. In all, a very enjoyable book and I am really hoping for another in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and University of Nevada Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
October 14, 2020
A entertaining book that covers a variety of topics and also has a mystery component to it. This book is detailed in its descriptions of nature, geysers, volcanoes and the beauty of the terrain of the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone Park areas. Entwined with this we have two physicians who not only appreciate this beauty but also the captivating celestial skies but more importantly the people they administer health care to in these regions. There are some villains in this book but for the most part the characters are appealing and somewhat unique . The book discusses such topics as anxiety, rape, mental illness, isolation, healing and is full of compassion, caring and love.
October 20, 2020
What an enjoyable read! Where Light Comes and Goes focuses on so many of the things I love, with just the right amount of action, mystery, and romance, in the beauty of U.S. national parks. The author’s style was effortless, balanced and well-paced, with the ideal blend of description, exposition, dialog and action. I find it annoying when writers artificially withhold information to create suspense, but just as soon as a question came into my mind it was answered, which led me to trust the writer and kept me turning pages.
Having spent my life in the medical field, I appreciate the authentic portrayal of today’s physicians. In a world that often expects perfection from, misunderstands, and distrusts the medical field, the author tells us about the real unsung heroes—the great majority of doctors who want only to be free to help ailing patients with their knowledge, sometimes assailed by doubts in an imperfect science, but doing their best, even under unreasonable criticism and near impossible demands. The author does not glorify medicine, but tells it like it is.
These doctors are also real people with personal lives, and the author explores, through a variety of quirky characters and incidents, the development and importance of respect and close friendships. The mature romance that is developing between Dr. Abby Wilmore and Dr. John Pepper is handled perfectly, showing the dependency on many levels that is developing between two imperfect people who truly care for each other, weaving it smoothly into the story in just the right understated way.
Read this! You’ll be glad you did.
Having spent my life in the medical field, I appreciate the authentic portrayal of today’s physicians. In a world that often expects perfection from, misunderstands, and distrusts the medical field, the author tells us about the real unsung heroes—the great majority of doctors who want only to be free to help ailing patients with their knowledge, sometimes assailed by doubts in an imperfect science, but doing their best, even under unreasonable criticism and near impossible demands. The author does not glorify medicine, but tells it like it is.
These doctors are also real people with personal lives, and the author explores, through a variety of quirky characters and incidents, the development and importance of respect and close friendships. The mature romance that is developing between Dr. Abby Wilmore and Dr. John Pepper is handled perfectly, showing the dependency on many levels that is developing between two imperfect people who truly care for each other, weaving it smoothly into the story in just the right understated way.
Read this! You’ll be glad you did.
May 27, 2020
This is the first book I have read by Ms. Miller. I was truly impressed with this experience! This book was in the mystery/thriller genre, and did a wonderful job of keeping the reader drawn in and guessing.
This book was the perfect length for the storyline. I loved how the ending even left the reader feeling like the story continues, but yet did not leave anything in the air. It was not an abrupt ending! The characters were wonderfully in depth. I loved the twists and turns as the reader discovered the hidden little secrets in each of the characters. All of the characters had flaws, which made the storyline that much more intriguing.
I especially loved the descriptions of the landscapes, wildlife, and all of the surroundings. Ms. Miller proved to be a wonderful story teller. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys not being able to guess every event before it happens! I will be watching for more of her works! Happy reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from University of Nevada Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book was the perfect length for the storyline. I loved how the ending even left the reader feeling like the story continues, but yet did not leave anything in the air. It was not an abrupt ending! The characters were wonderfully in depth. I loved the twists and turns as the reader discovered the hidden little secrets in each of the characters. All of the characters had flaws, which made the storyline that much more intriguing.
I especially loved the descriptions of the landscapes, wildlife, and all of the surroundings. Ms. Miller proved to be a wonderful story teller. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys not being able to guess every event before it happens! I will be watching for more of her works! Happy reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from University of Nevada Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 5, 2024
I read the first book in this series, The Color of Rock, because I'm currently a little obsessed with the Grand Canyon, where it was set. I really enjoyed the setting and the medical aspects of it.
I also really enjoyed the setting and medical aspects of this one.
The characters were fun to watch, and I was rooting for them, but sometimes Abby felt a little too perfect (even with her imperfections), and the found-family aspect was a tad too sweet for me.
Overall, it was a pleasant, quick read.
But…the grammar. [SOAPBOX ALERT] I have the distinct impression that someone told the author that "was" is a bad word (common but misguided writing advice that people take WAY too literally). There were a lot of awkward fragments because of the author's aversion to the poor word. If you can't use "was" (or -ing words, another oft-maligned part of our language), you also can't use the past progressive tense, which is a valid and important part of our language, and the best way to express an interrupted action. So you end up getting sentences like "She ran when the phone rang" when actually it should have been "She was running when the phone rang." Those two sentences have ENTIRELY different meanings because…grammar! And if the past progressive is bad, according to whatever terrible writing advice the author got, then the past perfect is also bad, apparently. Example 1: "A man came into the clinic. He went hiking in the heat." Example 2: "A man came into the clinic. He had gone hiking in the heat." Again, these mean two completely different things. Why not choose the correct grammar to express the correct chronological order? Because "had" is also a bad word???? Givers of advice to writers, stop demonizing tenses! [END SOAPBOX] All this made the writing rather clunky for me.
Still, it was enjoyable, and I love seeing the national parks as characters.
I also really enjoyed the setting and medical aspects of this one.
The characters were fun to watch, and I was rooting for them, but sometimes Abby felt a little too perfect (even with her imperfections), and the found-family aspect was a tad too sweet for me.
Overall, it was a pleasant, quick read.
But…the grammar. [SOAPBOX ALERT] I have the distinct impression that someone told the author that "was" is a bad word (common but misguided writing advice that people take WAY too literally). There were a lot of awkward fragments because of the author's aversion to the poor word. If you can't use "was" (or -ing words, another oft-maligned part of our language), you also can't use the past progressive tense, which is a valid and important part of our language, and the best way to express an interrupted action. So you end up getting sentences like "She ran when the phone rang" when actually it should have been "She was running when the phone rang." Those two sentences have ENTIRELY different meanings because…grammar! And if the past progressive is bad, according to whatever terrible writing advice the author got, then the past perfect is also bad, apparently. Example 1: "A man came into the clinic. He went hiking in the heat." Example 2: "A man came into the clinic. He had gone hiking in the heat." Again, these mean two completely different things. Why not choose the correct grammar to express the correct chronological order? Because "had" is also a bad word???? Givers of advice to writers, stop demonizing tenses! [END SOAPBOX] All this made the writing rather clunky for me.
Still, it was enjoyable, and I love seeing the national parks as characters.
May 13, 2021
This is the second in the series featuring Dr. Abby Wilmore but this book is set in Yellowstone National Park where Abby works for the summer in clinic in the park. I learned so much and got to travel to Yellowstone through reading the book. I had no idea that there are active volcanoes under the park and that the geysers are dangerous and could give you second degree burns if you are not careful. I enjoyed Abby's budding romance with Dr. John Pepper and her new work friendships with Marcus and Gem. All of the characters in this book are delightful to read and the book is like visiting old friends and getting some new ones. There is a mystery underneath the story and that keeps the plot moving, too. I can't wait to start the third one and I hope Sandra Cavallo Miller keeps writing more in the series - what a find this series has been!
October 12, 2020
Wow. This book draws you in with its vivid imagery and attention to detail. I felt myself transported into the world of the story. You can’t help but fall in love with the main character, Abby, and attach yourself to all her adventures. This is a book that is hard to put down. I would recommend this book for any adult reader.
I felt it necessary to include some trigger warnings, including rape, anxiety, and mental illness.
*Disclaimer:I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I felt it necessary to include some trigger warnings, including rape, anxiety, and mental illness.
*Disclaimer:I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2020
Not a "whodunnit" in the classic sense, but there's definitely a mystery to be solved. Abby Wilmore is a doctor at the Grand Canyon who accepts a summer position at Yellowstone National Park to build her self-confidence. This book evokes the spirit of summer in the national parks and provides a cast of well-crafted characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
January 1, 2022
Getting into the mood for an upcoming trip to Yellowstone by finding novels set in Yellowstone. I liked this one because there were lots of descriptions of the park and the sights and it was also a good story. I love that the author is a retired physician!
December 25, 2022
Reading this series. Enjoyable read. Settings are places I am familiar with so that makes it personal. Miller's style is easy to read and touches on several of my interests.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews