Romantic suspense warhorse Whitney's (Daughter of the Stars) latest is a psychological drama of a deeply troubled family set on historic Topsail Island off the North Carolina coast. The Trenches are presided over by the wealthy patriarch called "the Captain." The disappearance of his granddaughter, Susan, motivates the Captain to beg Susan's former college roommate, Hallie Knight, to search for her. Hallie leaps at the excuse to leave California (not to mention her philandering husband, Paul). But renewing the search for Susan, who has been gone two years, is only part of the Captain's agenda. Feeling that Susan has been murdered, he is determined to leave Hallie the bulk of his considerable fortune, originally meant for his granddaughter. If Susan's killer is near, this could mean danger for Hallie, who wants no part of the money. Before any clues turn up, several subplots distract both characters and the reader: the Captain's ex-wife appears on the scene, and Paul comes after Hallie in an attempt to reconcile their marriage. Unfortunately, the Knights and Trenches are 100% cardboard (and, with only a few chaste kisses between them, sexless to boot). As the plot unravels, ridiculous coincidences and highly incredible secrets proliferate. The final revelations concerning Susan's disappearance seem less important than whether Hallie and Paul will get back together. The lack of passion and of heat produce tepid fiction. Paperback rights to Fawcett. (July)
Amethyst Dreams
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Phyllis A. WhitneyUnabridged — 6 hours, 52 minutes
Amethyst Dreams
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Phyllis A. WhitneyUnabridged — 6 hours, 52 minutes
Overview
Hallie Knight is summoned to a historic seaport town by Nicholas Trench, the critically ill grandfather of her former college roommate. Months earlier, Trench's granddaughter Susan mysteriously disappeared from his home and all attempts to learn her fate have failed. He feels that if anyone can find Susan, it will be this woman who was his granddaughter's closest friend.
If Hallie is to succeed, though, it won't be with the help of the suspicious relatives who surround the old man. With Susan out of the picture, who among them stands to inherit Trench's money? And why does Hallie suddenly feel so vulnerable in this outwardly peaceful seaside town?
Editorial Reviews
The best-selling author of romantic suspense has a magical way with words, whether with a book's title, location, or colorful blend of character names. In her newest work, a missing granddaughter named Susan is the only shadow on a canvas of vibrant personalities like Mrs. Orion and Captain Nicholas. Susan's ailing grandfather has summoned former college roommate Hallie to their historic seaport town to help find his granddaughter, who has disappeared mysteriously from her bedroom. As Hallie puzzles over her friend's fate, at the same time contending with suspicious relatives, it feels as if Whitney is carefully putting into place all the loose threads of a handstitch tapestry. What matters here are the characters' wonderfully wrought temperatmentsno sinners, no saints, but ultimately lots of forgivenessand the subtle, little glimpses of fear that keep readers looking for answers right up to the satisfying conclusion. Suitable reading for any library. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/97.]M.E. Chitty, Narragansett, R.I.
Whitney's 39th novel (Daughter of the Stars, 1994, etc.) is a confusing mishmash of plot and character, but the author's usual enthusiasm for setting and historical background will continue to please her fans.
It's been two years since Susan Trench disappeared, and her wealthy, dying grandfather Nicholas can't bear to meet his maker without learning what happened to her. It's possible that the pretty, tempestuous, self-dramatizing Susan deliberately absented herself from the family manse on Topsail Island off the coast of North Carolina, but her gloomy father, her grandfather's housekeeper, and Susan's former lover, the housekeeper's son, are all convinced she's dead. When Nicholas sends for Susan's best friend from college, Hallie Knight, to reminisce about Susan, his family panics over rumors that Nicholas plans to leave to Hallie the fortune he'd intended for Susan. Hallie, a sensible young California native eager for a vacation from her troubled marriage, accepts the invitation, unaware of the hornet's nest she's stepping into. Once she arrives on Topsail Island, her sympathy for Susan's grandfather—and her own need to know what happened—prompts her to investigate the family's many secrets in the hope of solving the longstanding mystery. Meanwhile, a high-security missile project, a secret underground room, a pool of quicksand, a beautiful former circus performer, and a pair of amethyst geodes that invoke strange visions are stuffed willy-nilly into the mystery, Nancy Drew style. The characters' abrupt shifts in attitude and behavior, as well as the arbitrary unveiling of new clues, also make for a very bumpy ride. And the solution to the mystery is a disappointment.
Still, Whitney's loving descriptions of (fictitious) historic homes provide more entertainment than Hallie's vague ruminations over what happened to her unfortunate friend. Not this eightysomething author's best, then, but her obvious relish for the romantic suspense genre is charming.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940172494338 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brilliance Audio |
| Publication date: | 12/11/2009 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Read an Excerpt
Foreword
I HAVE SOMETIMES THOUGHT THAT IF I SPREAD OUT A map of the United States, blindfolded myself, and took a pin to pick out any spot on the map, I would find a wonderful place to write about. Every location has its special history and treasures that belong nowhere else. Topsail Island was just such a pinprick on a map, discovered because I was led there by chance.
When I was collecting the background material for Daughter of the Stars, the last person I met in Harpers Ferry (and almost didn't meet at all) was Kate Richie. She and her husband were about to move to Hampstead, North Carolina, and I said in parting, "Tell me if you find an interesting locality I might write about." Later, when they'd settled in, she suggested nearby Topsail Island as a possibility. My daughter and sonin-law drove me down from Virginia, and I could hardly have found a richer speck of earth to use as a story background.
Something that often surprises me is how little people know about the history of the place in which they live. The first thing on the island to catch my interest on arrival was a square cement tower. There were seven of these marching down the narrow strip of land that was Topsail. Inquiring about them, I was told by one resident that they had something to do with the Coast Guard. You'll find out how wrong that was!
Fortunately, I found more knowledgeable people to help me. Kate and David Richie had purchased a home on the mainland and bought a boat in which they traveled the Topsail Sound. The sound is part of the intracoastal waterway that offers boats clear passage all the way to Florida. They had become fascinated by the beauties of these waters, so rich with wildlife. I thank them both for becoming my eyes and ears for places I could visit only in my imagination.
Jeanne Nociti, executive director of the Greater Topsail Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, met my request for help with enthusiasm. She phoned Betty Polzer and we were able to visit Betty in her charming pink house on the oceanside. Betty became my friendby-mail. Her lively mind and vital spirit were helpful to me through her many letters. Her extensive research into the history of the island, her published writings, and the many clippings she sent me enriched my knowledge. Dear Betty, I miss you and I am sad because I couldn't show you this finished book, into which you put so much before you went on to another dimension.
Jeanne also introduced me to Evelyn Bradshaw, president of the Topsail Island Historical Society, who has been a great supporter and source of information. Evelyn took us to visit the Assembly Building, which had been used to store and assemble rockets before launching. The Historical Society had saved the building from commercial uses and was planning to house a museum there that would preserve island history. The museum, Missiles and More, is now a reality and there are exhibits and displays that show early Indian life, the history of Operation Bumblebee, the Gold Hole, and much more.
Evelyn Bradshaw also gave a great boost to my story by introducing me to the island's famous Gold Hole. Here I have tampered with fact. The Gold Hole exists on private property, so I have changed its name to the Pirate's Pit and moved its location to where it serves my story. The booster rocket did wash ashore on Topsail, but my characters were not present at the time. There really was a Cabbage Island, but I borrowed the name for the imaginary speck of land that my characters visit. Don't look for Susan's "secret room" under the Assembly Building—though that hollow sound in the floor near the door is real. Thank you, Bill Morrison, for thumping it and inviting my imagination to take off.
Ken and Evelyn Ottoway were warmly hospitable when we visited Spyglass, their tower house home. Thank you for loaning it to me for my story. Ken gave me a shark's tooth he found on the beach, and that, too, took its place in a scene.
Sloop Point Plantation, across on the mainland, was a delight to visit. James and Mae Graves had restored it with love and meticulous respect for the original house. It has been designated as the oldest plantation house in the state. In my novel it has become Gulls Cove, and the people who live there bear no resemblance to the far more gracious hosts at Sloop Point. When I am doing research for a book, I always take a great many pictures, both still and video, so I was able to re-create bits of Sloop Point for several scenes
I want to thank Ralph and Bettie Shipton, whose beautiful modern house, across the sound from Topsail, we were able to visit. I am especially grateful for the use of the Shiptons' elevator. I don't know what Captain Nick would have done without it!
The manager and staff of the handsome Soundside restaurant were especially helpful, inviting us in during off-hours to take pictures. Thus my characters could dine in accurate surroundings.
Strangely, I feel closer to Topsail now than I did when we were there. After all, I have spent many months on the island watching my characters work out their various destinies. It will remain forever real in my memory and as it existed in this story.
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