Eileen Cook (The Education of Hailey Kendrick) here creates a wonderfully creepy mystery.
With a family history of mental illness, Isobel constantly evaluates her feelings and actions for any sign of something being off. Then her mother marries a man she's known only a few months, and they move into his estate on "an island where there are more endangered birds than there are people," and emotions run high. Not only do Isobel and her stepdad not get along, but he also seems intent on convincing Isobel's mother that her daughter is crazy.
As Isobel tries to adapt to the huge change, she starts having weird dreams and possible visions. She decides to investigate further and discovers that her stepfather's former wife and daughter died in a boating accident not far from the house--and the vision could very well be his daughter. Unsure if it's mental illness or a connection to the world beyond, Isobel starts to unravel a mystery that could reveal truths never meant to be uncovered.
Snarky, funny Isobel's narration provides a perfect balance to the creepier side of events happening to and around her. Cook's combination of humorous protagonist, unusual mystery solving and utterly terrifying setting will keep readers up late into the night (at which point they will leave a light on, just in case). As the pieces begin to fall together, the distinct relationships between the characters come into play and display the exceptional story Cook has created. --Shanyn Day, Blogger at Chick Loves Lit