Title: Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault
Publisher: Park Row
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense, Mystery
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: C+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Lydia and Lucas Moore are in their late twenties when a stranger enters their small world on Wolf Island. Lydia, the responsible sister, has cared for her pathologically shy brother, Lucas, ever since their mom’s death a decade before. They live together, comfortable yet confined, in their family house by the sea, shadowed by events from their childhood.
When Lydia sees the stranger step off the ferry, she feels an immediate connection to him. Lucas is convinced the man, Cole Anthony, is the reincarnation of their baby brother, who died when they were young. Cole knows their mannerisms, their home, the topography of the island—what else could that mean? Though Lydia is doubtful, she can’t deny she is drawn to his magnetism, his energy, and his warmth.
To discover the truth about Cole, Lydia must finally face her anxiety about leaving the island and summon the strength to challenge Cole’s grip on her family’s past and her brother. A deliciously alluring read, Goodnight Stranger is a story of choices and regrets, courage and loneliness, and the ways we hold on to those we love.
Review:
Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault is a rather mystical mystery.
Twenty-eight year old Lydia Moore lives on Wolf Island with her brother Lucas. Their life is marred by tragedy which includes the tragic death of their brother Colin when he was a baby. Lydia once left the island for college, but she returned following her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Lucas is pathologically shy and deals with stress by further withdrawing from the world. When stranger Cole Anthony arrives on the island, Lydia is fascinated by the stranger who somehow has intimate knowledge of their family. Lucas is convinced Cole is actually a reincarnation of baby Colin. However, Lydia is certain there is a much more earthly reason Cole is insinuating himself into their lives. Will she overcome her fear of leaving the island to uncover the truth about Cole before it is too late?
Neither Lydia nor Lucas have moved past baby Colin’s or their parents’ deaths. Both have taken their mother’s somewhat fanciful beliefs to heart but Lydia is more practical than Lucas. Lydia’s fascination with Cole is intertwined with attraction. But since she is unsure of his connection to their family, she tries to keep their relationship platonic. Lucas and Cole have formed a tight friendship and Lydia grows alarmed as she and her brother’s relationship begins to deteriorate due to Cole’s influence. With suspicions growing after he moves into their house, Lydia is desperate for answers about Cole.
Goodnight Stranger is an intriguing mystery that has a bit of a supernatural aspect to the storyline. Lydia and Lucas are likable characters but both are somewhat mired in their family’s heartrending past. Cole is rather mysterious but Lydia quickly discerns he is more dangerous than he appears. The storyline is interesting but the pacing is sometimes a little slow. With an pulse-pounding showdown, Miciah Bay Gault brings the novel to a mostly satisfactory conclusion.
