winter haven

Winter Haven by Athol Dickson is to be released in a couple of weeks.  I was able to read an advance copy and I loved it.  As soon as possible, pick up a copy and spend some time on the rugged island of Winter Haven.

This contemporary novel was masterfully written with a wonderfully gothic feel.  I snuggled under a blanket.  

The writing is clean and vivid.  I feel as if I've actually been to this place off the coast of Maine.  The imagery in Dickson's novels is always wonderful, but flows naturally from the story itself.

Vera leaves Dallas for a tiny island in Maine so that she can recover the body of her brother who has been missing for thirteen years.  Siggy washed ashore all these miles from home, yet how did he get there?  And stranger still, he looks exactly as he did when he disappeared at the age of fifteen.

A massive, brooding house sitting atop a cliff.  The dangerous Atlantic pounding the shore.  A mysterious man, ghosts  and a witch.  Ominous warnings and threats.  Dead bodies, unsolved mysteries and tragedy.  Frightening sounds and unexplained events.  Grief, madness, and grudges.  What is real?  Who can she trust?  She can’t even trust her own mind, or God who is sitting on high waiting to punish her for wayward thoughts or actions. 

Will she be able to unravel the events that brought her brother to this remote place full of evil foreboding?  Will she give in to insanity and the memories that overwhelm her?  There are far more questions than answers as you turn these pages, but as with other Dickson books I’ve read, the ending is satisfying and complete.  All your questions will be answered in full.  You'll find the pieces come together, the ends tied off, and you've had great ride.

Nicole at Into the Fire has posted a review today, too.  So go check that out.

review preview

I've read three of Athol Dickson's novels and they are all very different. Different genres, different themes, different characters. There is nothing formulaic about his books.
What does remain consistent is his style and his voice. He has a style of writing that fascinates me. I mentioned it in my review of River Rising; he weaves the story. That's a phrase I have often heard, but it is exactly the way Dickson writes. You see a thread and then it's gone and then it pops up again and you don't really know what it is or how to interpret it, but as you continue reading you will see the various threads come together in a complete picture.

Another thing consistent about his works are how visually vivid they are. He doesn't waste a lot of time on descriptions, but instead the stories themselves paint images onto the mind. I can see Winter Haven in my mind as clearly as if I'd been there.

Winter Haven is the title of his latest book. Due in stores on April 8th, but you can pre-order it now. It is a contemporary Gothic mystery. It will keep you up until you turn the last page.

I will be posting a review in March.