Whiskey Beach

Starred review from February 25, 2013
This spellbinding contemporary from romantic fiction doyenne Roberts (The Perfect Hope) explores the centuries-old secrets of a New England seaside home. Eli Landon is suspected of murdering his adulterous wife, but there’s no evidence to convict him. Needing to escape his old life, he returns to his family’s ancestral home of Bluff House, along New England’s Whiskey Beach. Eli is caught off guard by his attraction to Abra Walsh, the house’s beautiful caretaker. When Abra is attacked by a mysterious intruder, a private detective starts asking questions about Eli, and he decides that he will never find closure until his wife’s killer is caught. The mysteries behind the murder of Eli’s wife and the suspicious incidents at Bluff House are very creatively combined with the budding romance between Eli and Abra, who must face their past demons before they can embrace the possibility of a future together. Roberts enthralls the reader with enigmatic characters and effortless plotting from the first page of this masterfully crafted novel. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House.

April 1, 2013
A year after his wife was murdered, Eli Landon is leaving Boston for a fresh start in his family's coastal ancestral home, possibly with Abra, the beautiful housekeeper he meets there who is determined to help him clear his name and reclaim his life. Former defense attorney Eli Landon has lived under a cloud of suspicion since he found his murdered wife in their shared home on the same day they'd publicly argued over their impending divorce and her ongoing affair. While no charges have been brought against him, a dogged police detective has hounded him to the point of harassment, and he's lost his job, most of his friends and his sense of place in the world. Moving into his family's historical estate on Whiskey Beach to take care of the house while his grandmother heals from an accident in Boston, Eli devotes his energies to expanding a modestly successful writing career, attempting to write a novel. Meeting Abra, a local part-time housekeeper/massage therapist/yoga instructor/jewelry designer/waitress is an unexpected bonus, especially when she brings her healing energy to Eli's wounded spirit. But something is not right at the homestead, and a string of accidents and crimes follows Eli to the coast. The longer he stays, and the closer he grows to Abra, the more convinced he is that in order to find peace and have a chance for happiness, he'll need to fight back, solve an ancient family mystery and figure out who murdered his wife. Roberts brings her inimitably smooth writing skill, excellent characterization and textured plotting to her newest romantic suspense, which plays out as much a character drama with suspense elements as a crime procedural, since the buildup to and motive for the crimes is fairly languidly paced, though compelling. A sweet, sexy romance with an intriguing historical family mystery that bleeds into a modern-day crime spree, casting suspicion on an innocent man.

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April 15, 2013

Having been wrongly suspected of his wife's violent murder and with his law career in shreds, Eli Landon leaves his Boston life and heads for Whiskey Beach to write, sort things out, and take care of the family home, Bluff House, while his grandmother recovers from a fall. But spirited, intuitive yoga expert and housekeeper Abra Walsh is a totally unexpected flash of light in his gloom, and as they work together to unmask the true killer, they find a loving, healing relationship neither had thought possible. VERDICT With faultless plotting, flawless character development, and a remarkable ability to draw readers into her fictional world, Roberts delivers another dazzler. Sleuthily inclined readers might figure out the real killer's identity, but it won't detract from the impact of the story as readers will already have fallen in love with the characters and immersed themselves in the setting. Roberts (The Perfect Hope) lives in Keedysville, MD.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2013
Despite what his grandmother might believe, Boston attorney Eli Landon doesn't need a keeper. Eli had come home to Bluff House, his grandmother's home on Whiskey Beach, to put his life back together. Although he had been cleared of murdering his wife, Lindsay, in Boston over a year ago, some people still believe that where there is smoke, there is fire. All Eli wants to do is get away and put in some serious time working on his novel. But when he arrives at Bluff House, he discovers his grandmother has asked her neighbor, housecleaner/yoga instructor/jewelry maker/massage therapist Abra Walsh, not only to take care of her house, but also to look after Eli. Eli attempts to keep Abra at arm's length, but she gradually wears down his resistance with her home-cooked meals and kind words. What's more, Abra firmly believes Eli is innocent, and, with her help, Eli sets out to finally clear his name, and not only for himself. With its compelling characters and irresistible plot, this is a perfect synthesis of romance and suspense, guaranteed to keep Roberts' fans up long past their bedtimes. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: As the sole author of more than 200 novels, Roberts knows a thing or two about writing page-turning romances, and Whiskey Beach's number-one spot on best-seller lists is a sure bet.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)