The dark side of paradise is exposed when a terrified couple reveals their daunting experience on a remote island to their rescuers-only to realize they're still in the grips of the island's secrets-in this intense and startling debut in the tradition of Into the Jungle and The Ruins.
When a Navy vessel comes across a yacht in distress in the middle of the vast Indian Ocean, Captain Danial Tengku orders his ship to rush to its aid. On board the yacht is a British couple: a horribly injured man, Jake, and his traumatized wife, Virginie, who breathlessly confesses, "It's all my fault. I killed them."
Trembling with fear, she reveals their shocking story to Danial. Months earlier, the couple had spent all their savings on a yacht, full of excitement for exploring the high seas and exotic lands together. They start at the busy harbors of Malaysia and, through word of mouth, Jake and Virginie learn about a tiny, isolated island full of unspoiled beaches. When they arrive, they discover they are not the only visitors and quickly become entangled with a motley crew of expat sailors. Soon, Jake and Virginie's adventurous dream turns into a terrifying nightmare.
Now, it's up to Danial to determine just how much truth there is in Virginie's alarming tale. But when his crew make a shocking discovery, he realizes that if he doesn't act soon, they could all fall under the dark spell of the island. Emma Bamford is an author and journalist who has worked for The Independent, the Daily Express, the Sunday Mirror, Sailing Today, and Boat International. She is the author of the psychological suspense novels Deep Water and Eye of the Beholder and the sailing memoirs Casting Off and Untie the Lines. A graduate of the University of East Anglia's Prose Fiction MA, she lives in Norwich in the UK. Find out more at EmmaBamford.com. "Narrator Cailin Kelly establishes a youthful voice for 12-year-old Tully, who is determined to complete a marathon swim on Lake Tahoe. Kelly captures Tully's tumultuous emotions as she reflects on her past relationship with her mom, also a swimmer, who left her. Now she must learn to face the truth that her mom may not return and appreciate the support that she has from her father and her best friend, Arch. Listeners and fans of novels in verse will find a deep connection with Tully as she comes to terms with the loss of her mom and finds herself on a long and dangerous journey through open water."
