Cherie Priest

On Marrowstone Island, best friends Simon Culpepper, Melissa Toft and Leo Alvarez spend every Summer together. Three "Goonies" who enjoy fireworks, swimming and shooting slingshots around Grandmother Culpepper's property. After Leo nearly drowns, he begins to see strange things in the shadows and hear faint cries at night. Mrs. Culpepper knowingly assures him they are harmless.

Years later, Mrs. Culpepper is found dead and Simon is missing. With only a cryptic email from Simon to go by, Leo and Melissa return to Marrowstone. A whole house has been washed up on the beach and shockingly no one pays it any mind. It's no storm wreck, but a sign that something or someone has returned. No longer naive children, long forgotten conversations take on new meaning. Together, Leo and Melissa learn that Mrs. Culpepper had an estranged sister, Alcesta, whose power-obsessed husband might be behind all of it.

The premise is what really grabbed my attention, however I was left a bit disappointed. Leo and Melissa are loyal to a fault, and that's admirable, but their undying love for Simon seems forced. Leo and Melissa have been pining for him for over 20 years and still bicker over him. As far as we know, Simon is an ordinary guy, so why was he so extraordinary to them? Because we learn so little about Simon, both Leo and Melissa come off as self-centered with some character growth at the end.

Aunt Alcesta had the potential to be a really compelling character, like her sister, but her role was to simply provide the exposition. But how did Charlotte, Alcesta and her husband come to obtain their hidden occult knowledge? How exactly did Simon disappear? The darkest parts were far too brief. I definitely needed more of Simon's family history to fully piece this one together.… (meer)