The Ghost Trap

by K. Stephens

The haunting story of a young lobsterman, Jamie Eugley, who is struggling with the grinding responsibilities of a head-injured fiancée and mounting trap wars, The Ghost Trap is a modern tale with an old-fashioned hero who puts family and heritage before self. In the end it’s not just about lobstering, but about one man’s sorrow for not appreciating the love he had, however damaged. Written with sensitivity and rich description, this is a piercingly accurate depiction of life in a small Maine lobstering community.

Genres: Fiction

327 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

K. Stephens is an award-winning Maine journalist whose debut lobstering novel, The Ghost Trap, (Leapfrog Press, 2009) was adapted into an independent feature film in 2024. The book was re-released with a new film cover in 2024 and the film won three awards for "Best Feature."

Of Irish descent, Stephens traveled throughout Ireland, Scotland, and England to collect selkie folklore from libraries, shops, and storytellers—taking ten years to write her latest novel, By the Dark o' the Moon. The novel launched on September 1, 2025. She resides in Midcoast Maine.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

from publisher


Every now and again, I find myself gravitating towards a book that I am not entirely certain I will be able to connect with. Something that is just a wee bit outside my typical reading-comfort level. Something I feel I would be taking a risk on. I enjoy stretching my thought-muscles and trying something new on for size, and this last novel certainly did just that.

I am quickly becoming a fan of Leapfrog Press as they impress me yet again - this time with their 2009 release The Ghost Trap. A good deal of patience was required to read K. Stephens story about a man torn between the trap wars of his small town lobstering community and the struggle to provide care for his head-injured fiance.

Now, I am sure most of you are scratching your heads right now, wondering why - based on that brief description - I would consider this book a "risk". You must remember who you are dealing with here. I tend to read books that fall left of center... sometimes VERY left of center... so a straight up literary novel such as this, with it's evident book club appeal, would normally tend to fall outside of my reading preferences. However, in this case, it won me over and proved me wrong!

Stephens has a slow, methodical purpose to her storytelling. She chooses to make the reader wait as she reveals things at the absolute last possible moment. At times, it feels like we are walking around in the fog, much like her very own characters are, discovering things only at the very same moment they do.

For someone who is used to being instantly gratified every step of the way, this took a little time to adjust to. But I quickly learned to enjoy the way Stephens withheld, and then teased out, information. It forced me, as a reader, to think ahead ... to problem solve for myself, and I was surprised to find that, in the end, I had correctly guessed how the story would end.

The Ghost Trap is good for the body - it works on both your head and your heart. It's a sad and gripping tale that is draped in heartache and headaches, fears and frustrations, revenge and retribution, acceptance and, in the end, accountability. It's about holding grudges, making mistakes, and moving on. And it's the result of an author who writes what she knows - placing it all into a setting she understands.

A book that broke the mold for me, and has me thankful that I didn't pass it by.
Great book club potential!
http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sets the stage for lobster wars in Maine and how small towns function as a whole and the daily lives of it's people and how important it is to them all. These wars are insane and get never let things go but it makes for a great story. Of course I loved Anya and Jamie but I just wish there was more sensitivity on Jamie's part since Anya's head injury. I can totally understand why Jamie gets a little off the handle with her because it can be frustrating. It is hard to handle someone like this especially since he has known her as better and happy and now she is sorta incompetent and fragile. But I just felt she was trying as much as she could and she needed a little more support from him. Things could have worked out better but I don't think Jamie belongs in a small town and even though he made his way to big cities in the past, I don't feel like he is in the right mind set as the rest of the small townees.

I just love the way Stephen writes. She write the way people today tawk. I like how she really describes the community. She has a real sense of description. I saw everyone and everything and then I looked at Stephen's website and there she had images of Maine and her friends and it made total and complete sense. The only negative I have is that some times I was a little lost and confused at where things were gonna go but then after a second or two I started to follow. I just hate to work so hard at books but I still gave it a high rating so my argument is small!

[Mark Nicolella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Didn't want it to end. amazing mix of beauty, humor, and the human stain of sadness. It's just one of those books that nails it.

[Cherise · Rating 5 out of 5]

"for whatever we lose (like a you or a me) / it's always ourselves we find in the sea" e.e. Cummings

This is a story about one lobsterman’s struggles and joys with his work and his life.

Jamie Eugely has lobstering in his blood. Living in Maine he was taught to lobster by both his father and his grandfather at a very young age. When he was a teen he thought to escape the small town Maine lifestyle, but ultimately came back to the family business.

Now he struggles as new lobsterman set their pots too close to his, tangling the lines and ignore century old lobstering etiquette and boundaries. He also struggles to see glimpses of the woman he once loved so deeply in the brain damaged fiancée, Anja, he now cares for.

This book was really hard to put to down. It’s one of those books you could just read cover to cover if life didn’t keep getting in your way. From page one I was completely entranced in Jamie’s world. K. Stephens is a gifted writer that tells her tale and keeps the reader entertained and hanging on every word from beginning to end.

This isn’t a happy-go-lucky tale; it’s actually quite heartbreaking and painful at times. This is one of those stories that the characters really resonated deep within me, and one of those stories that will haunt my thoughts for quite some time. It will be hard for me not to think of Jamie and Anja and their day to day back breaking work; him trying to bring in the lobster to make the money and her trying to get back to a life before her accident.

This is a poignant and brilliantly told story. It broke my heart and managed to make me smile, I highly recommend this book.

Cherise Everhard, July 2010

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephens is a terrific writer. In this novel, she brings to life a group of Maine lobstermen, including Jamie Hugley, who, at 27, is the guardian of his former fiancee - a young woman named Anja who sustained a brain-injury after falling off of his boat. He is torn between his strong sense of responsibility and the possibility of starting over again with another woman, in another place. The characters are vibrant and complicated. Stephens managed to make me feel compassion for a bunch of beer-swilling rednecks, and by the end of the book, she had broken my heart.

[DianeS · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is FANTASTIC! I started it on a Sunday night, stayed up way too late reading then spent all day at work on Monday exhausted and distracted dying to get back to it! The author captures not only mid-coast Maine and the lobster industry perfectly but a series of complex relationships that are truly universal. This book is an absolute MUST READ for everyone - NOT just residents of the mid-coast region.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about human nature. The main character is a Maine lobsterman Jamie Eugley, who is following in the footsteps of generations of lobstermen. Jamie lives with, and is a caretaker of his fiance Anja who is suffering from a severe brain injury. Anja has progressed over a 3 year period from an infantile stage to being able to perform basic skills but remains a ghost of her former self.
Jamie and Anja's lives highlight one family's day to day struggles which can be found in many familys of this hardworking, tough community who create the idyllic Maine Vacationland for the tourist industry. Survival is living month to month depending on the catch of the day. The lobstermen are not immune to the destructive forces of drugs, alcohol, risky behavior and greed. The impact of large corporations, the rich buying up the valuable coastal land, ever changing government regulations and trap wars are part of the tapestry of their existence. To outsiders, the lobstermen and their families seem rough around the edges yet the knowledge of the sea, their "colorful" humour, and the bonds of loyalty is what keeps them going and is invaluable. The author's rich description of the beautiful and tough Maine coastal area make this story come to life. This book has elements of hope for healing old family feuds and sadness as it shows how a life can change in an instant and should never be taken for granted.

[Rae Chalmers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a realistic portrayal of lobstering in Maine and a compassionate telling of recovering from a traumatic brain injury, with an interesting mix of characters. Like the hard lives of many individuals it is unrepentantly depressing. The banter between the lobstermen may provide enough relief for some readers but for me it was a slow, hard read.

[Mary Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading I felt it was likely the work of Tabitha King
But K. Stephens seems a legitimate person. I know about how nasty trap wars can be here in Maine and flawed personalities make for good reading but I just couldn't go above 3 stars.

[Susan Gomperts · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the first 15 pages I just couldn't.

[Neenee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Erica Spangler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Ghost Trap

Author: K. Stephens

Publisher: LeapFrog Press


Rating: 4 Shots of Espresso (The Red Eye)



I would first like to thank both Lori of TNBBC and LeapFrog Press for allowing me the opportunity to read K. Stephens' The Ghost Trap. Lori posted via Twitter a giveaway for Stephens' book, and I thought I should try to win a copy. I was finishing my thesis and was in a crisis mode as to what I would do with my life after my MA in English Literature. I, then, started to put together a book blog to keep me going through the remaining hardships of writing a thesis. So here I am, about to review my first book for my blog.


K. Stephens’ The Ghost Trap places the reader immediately on a lobster boat in a bay of Maine’s coast. The novel takes us through the journey of a lobsterman, Jamie Eugley, which encapsulates the trail and tribulations—both of his job and of his life. Soon the reader realizes that there is a trap war between Jamie and other lobstermen. From the trap war to low numbers of lobsters, Jamie must balance it all. Alliances form out on the freezing and rocky water of Maine: the moral and family man Jamie and longtime friend Thongchai versus the immoral and scamming Fogarty family. The trap wars, however, is just one of his many issues because at home he must affectionately support his live in girlfriend, Anja, who is recovering from a massive brain injury. We meet Anja three years after her accident, where she is progressing but still in great need of assistance. Anja needs constant supervision and post-its, which becomes rather draining on both Jamie and his supportive mother, Donna. Stephens wonderfully depicts Jamie’s real life tensions, which encourage the reader to keep turning the pages.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Ghost Trap, and, at times, I couldn’t put it down. Jamie’s complicated life made me want to both judge and sympathize with him, which is an incredible feat for an author to accomplish. Some of Jamie’s decisions, such as, his newly formed friendship with seasonal pirate entertainer, Happy, made me extremely angry. I, literally, wanted to jump into the story and shake Jamie; his friendship irked me much like Max and Pammy in the United States of Tara Season Three. Why would you form that kind of a relationship now after all of this time? But I kept with Jamie because he handles so much between Anja’s needs and his financial hardships. I had to ask myself what would I do? This helped me to sympathize with Jamie’s character. Stephens forces her readers to examine the whole picture as she complicates initial judgments. In the end, I absolutely loved Jamie’s character; once I read the final chapter, I couldn’t help but feel for him and Anja. The Ghost Trap is the first book that has ever made me tear up—not because of it being sappy but its closeness to reality. Stephens writes fiction that goes beyond the pages and ventures into exploring life’s ailments with both passion and reality.

And thus, I recommend this book to everyone with one minor warning—that missing shot of espresso. Stephens, for the most part, uses her style and tone to extend the images she describes using physical and visceral language; however, there are moments sprinkled throughout where Stephen’s lyrical language detracts from the novel. These moments forced me out of the novel to decipher the meaning—not out of confusion but out of visual space. I mean that some of the visceral description talking about a character’s hands will quickly jump to the character’s eyebrows where the language becomes much more lyrical. These quick movements from one space to another are at times jarring for the reader. Though lyrical language is usually praised by peers, in say a creative writing class; a novel that maintains a particular language throughout makes it much more compelling and engaging to read. That being said, I give K. Stephens’ The Ghost Trap 4 shots of espresso. The Ghost Trap is a rather promising Red Eye novel!

~ Erica

[Linda Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Maine. Maine had been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. It's not a place that you can simply pass through on your way to somewhere else. Maine is kind of the end of the line, so to speak. But trust me, this state is worth the extra effort it takes to get there.

Maine is gorgeous, full of friendly people with a variety of things to do and explore. Oh, and did I mention the lobster? Lobster is on the menu everyday while in Maine. It's cheap, plentiful and delicious. Lobster can be served steamed, baked, on a roll, in soup, you name it. So no lack of culinary choices when it comes to this bright red crustacean.

My trip had been planned to include the annual Maine Lobster Festival. While there I met the author of The Ghost Trap, K. Stephens. We had a lively conversation about writing, which fellow writers always do when together. I couldn't wait to read this book.

The Ghost Trap paints a vivid picture of the life of a lobsterman in coastal Maine. It's a hand to mouth existence dependent on the fruits of the sea. And it's physically demanding. The lobsterman has to constantly push the threat of danger out of his mind. Otherwise it would overwhelm him.

Jamie Eugley ignored the lobsterman's superstition to never to allow a woman on his boat when it came to Anja, the love of his life. The pair were joined at the hip, so when Anja wanted to help him pull traps, he was glad for her company. That decision set him on a collision course with disaster when a trap pulls Anja into the water. She survives but will never be the same. The Ghost Trap follows Jamie through his struggle to earn a living, care for Anja, and fall in love again, all while a trap war threatens to destroy his family and their way of life.

Ms. Stephens has done a wonderful job of setting the scene in Coastal Maine. I loved reading about all the places I visited during my vacation. The language of the rough and tumble fisherman is on point. I became totally immersed in the world of lobster. I have to admit, in a story about a losterman's life, alot of backstory is necessary to bring these colorful characters to life. The backstory however, bogged down the novel too much. It could have been better placed throughout the book, sparingly sprinkled in, not in large chunks that consumed entire chapters.

The Ghost Trap is a great story about a lifestyle most of us will never know. And if you are nuts about Maine lobster, like me, you will enjoy The Ghost Trap.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book other than it had been reccomended to me. I found it to be raucous, tender, heartbreaking and beatifully written.
The story concerns Jamie Eugley, a young redneck lobster fisherman in a small coastal Maine fishing village who is different from his family and friends because he has an inner sense of compassion and a desire to change his existance. He is torn between loyalty to his heritage and friends and rising above his situation to find his dreams and happiness. He falls in love with an intelligent, beautiful, young girl, Anja, and just as he is prepared to accept his future with her a tragic accident occurs which leaves her brain damaged and totally dependent on him. Jaime struggles with his committment to care for her and support his family and community as it deals with economic hardships and a lobster poaching war with rivals. Jamie's life is further complicated when he meets another young girl, Happy, and is torn between seeking his happiness with her and his commitmmet to Anja and his community.
Writer K. Stephens clearly understnds the way of life in the Maine fishing villages. Her writing moves between bawdy redneck behavior and dialogue to tender, sensitive feelings and beautifully describes the coastal Maine environment

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really tore through this one. I'm from Downeast Maine so this pulled on some heartstrings. I am not, however, from the world that is described in the book, nor am I from the world vilified by the lobstermen, either: the Camden yachties with their stuck-up Marblehead sailing stories, etc, etc. I actually floated in between the two but had much more success with the latter. Stephens helped me gain a better understanding of what I must look and sound like to working-class people. This book made me wish I had worked as a sternman in high school. A different perspective. Made me miss Maine, too.

BTW what was with the "K. Stephens" anyway. Who is she fooling? And then the picture of the author in the back. Are we seriously expected to look at the novel in a different light because we don't know what "K." stands for? Made this reader feel a little insulted..

[Rosanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ghost Trap shows us a side of Maine rarely seen. This isn’t the picturesque vacationland, littered with multi-million dollar historic mansions, whose occupants reside there only a small portion of the year. No this is a much different scene. This is the heart and soul of Maine, flaws and all. It’s about a community of lobstermen who risk their lives and souls everyday on the formidable sea. It shows the struggle, fear, and stress of relying on the bounties of the sea for survival, but more importantly it explores the nature of man and the psychological cloaks and motivations one uses to get by. It’s a tragic story of love and loyalty, humor and sadness, and friends and family.

[Dana Nucera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It was not a regular, predictable story. It made you almost know what it is like to live in Maine and work hard to make a living in a little spot of paradise mostly enjoyed by tourists. It gives a you a good idea of what goes on with the locals world to make a tourist spot work. They have real lives also and real problems. The author did a fantastic job making the main character in this story, Jamie, both real and tangible. The book does not necessarily end 'happily ever after', nor should it.....life doesn't always end that way.

[Motheaten · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, I find, is more about human nature and less about the technicalities of lobstering which I expected before reading the book. The narrative flowed very well and I can tell the book was well researched as the author was able to assemble the culture and daily experiences of the lobstering community in Maine with the complexities of human relationships to give a substantive insight into the psychology of the characters. Jamie and Anja's relationship was heartbreaking and memorable.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty gripping. And I'm not just saying that because the author and setting are local. The dialogue was excellent and often really hilarious. The protagonist managed to be both aggravating, dunderheaded and completely sympathetic. The only part I didn't like was the ending. Seemed kind of a cop out.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author was able to convey a world that must be distant from her own in ways, and yet she did it with such grace and intensity. The use of simile, metaphor, and analogy was unlike anything I have experienced in print. They re-surfaced memories and sensations that were buried in the cobwebs of the past. I feel more alive at the completion of this book.

[Dennis Dupuis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twas a hard read for me. I was looking to read books about lobstering and was given this one by a friend for Christmas. I loved the humor, but felt like I was constantly in a dark place as I wended my way thru the book. A bit too macabre for me, but the author obviously knows how to bring that out in written form. If that's your cup of tea, you should definitely read this book.

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young lobsterman deals with guilt and stress during trap wars. Set in Maine.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not what you might think it would be from the title. A very different side of the Maine Lobstering community and trade.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Familiar, fun read. A movie waiting to happen.

[Zoe]

Waist of time and money ..

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look into the lives of lobster fishermen and surprisingly well developed main characters. Enjoyed it!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine writing, great characters, a tough and tender story that'll keep you turning the pages, and so authentic you'll smell the salt air and hear the gulls squabbling somewhere just out of sight.