Once upon a time, Kate Pomeroy found her mother hanging from a ceiling fan in her aunt’s grand old mansion on Storm Island. Now, nineteen years later, Kate is a second-year-resident in surgery, enjoying an affair with a powerful older man, and looking forward to carrying on the family medical tradition. However, her plans are disrupted when she overhears a strange conversation at the hospital and, shortly after, suffers a mental breakdown while in surgery.

Sent to recuperate on Storm Island under the physiological advice of her aunt, Kate is forced to face more than her new medical situation. Strange things are happening on Storm Island and even an unexpected romance with islander Jeremy Bradshaw cannot distract her from the suspicion that her mother’s death was not suicide. Soon it becomes clear that someone wants Kate out of the way – but who will believe a woman on the edge of sanity?

Author Linda Watkins crafts a fast moving, engaging plot, filled with twists and turns. Kate Pomeroy is a determined young woman caught in a frightening situation, yet the narration is good-natured and an enjoyable read. Blending history with a touch of magic, “Storm Island” is full of intrigue and mystery, with hints of future stories to come. The side characters, including the love interest Jeremy, are a little one-dimensional and the romance progressed too quickly for the reader to fully invest in it. Nevertheless, this is a fun mystery that hints at a broader world to explore in the coming series.

Janice Martin