Maiden Stone Lighthouse

Sally Smith O'Rourke's enchanting debut, The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, established her as a gifted storyteller with an inventive imagination. Now, in her remarkable new novel, she brings to life a picturesque Rhode Island seaside town and an unforgettable heroine compelled to uncover the secrets guarded by The Maidenstone Lighthouse. Nestled in a coastal inlet a few miles north of Newport, Rhode Island, Freedman's Cove is known for its superb seafood, its postcard-pretty waterfront, and its exquisite Victorian homes--a legacy of the town's past as a summer resort for wealthy families. Manhattan antiques appraiser Susan Marks inherited one of these ornate mansions from her great aunt. After suffering a devastating loss, she retreats to Freedman's Cove to nurse her grief. Three months have passed since the corporate plane piloted by Susan's lover, Bobby Hayward, disappeared at sea, but still Susan dreams nightly of his safe return. Her days are filled with memories of Bobby's mischievous blue eyes, his sensual touch, and the sheer zest for living that he imparted to every moment of their time together. Amid the bracing sea air and familiar surroundings of the town where she spent happy childhood summers, Susan starts to recover her peace of mind--until she awakens one night to see an ethereal figure standing at her window. More curious than afraid, Susan is immediately intrigued by the ghost of this sad and beautiful young girl who gazes out at the Maidenstone Lighthouse. Delving into the story of her ancestor's tragic death brings Susan into contact with Dan Freedman, a local historian and famed artist who was once the town's teenage rebel. But even as the hours spent with Dan awaken Susan's hope that she could someday find love again, the startling truth behind a century-old mystery emerges to shed a beacon of light on dangerous shadows in Susan's own past. . .and in her present. At once moving and suspenseful, charming and evocative, The Maidenstone Lighthouse is a spellbinding story of mystery, secrets, and the power of love. . . Sally Smith O'Rourke lives in Monrovia, California, where she is working on her next novel. Praise For Sally Smith O'Rourke's The Man Who Loved Jane Austen "With charm and wit, Sally Smith O'Rourke weaves an enchanting, clever, and often haunting tale of high romance, of hearts reaching out to one another across the ages, and of the timeless search for true love. To be read with an expectation of pleasure." --Peter Pezzelli, author of Francesca's Kitchen "O'Rourke alternates between the past and the present in this fascinating novel that pays tribute to Jane Austen's enduring ideals of romantic love." --Booklist "In The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, Sally Smith O'Rourke confirms what readers have always hoped for--that Mr. Darcy is real, and that he's even more dashing and romantic than we imagined. This wonderfully conceived novel is fresh, original and rewarding." --Susan Wiggs "O'Rourke's latest is mysterious yet romantic as she reveals secrets of Jane Austen's life." --Romantic Times "For all of those readers who longed for Jane Austen to have the kind of love she gave her characters--and for all those readers who longed to have Fitzwilliam Darcy to themselves. Sally Smith O'Rourke gives us access to one of our most beloved writers and our favorite characters. A wonderful, magical read." --Jessica Barksdale Inclan

From Publishers Weekly

A lovely ghost helps a grieving young widow expose some shocking truths in O'Rourke's (The Man Who Loved Jane Austen) quaint romantic suspense tale. Three months have passed since Susan Mark's husband, Bobby, vanished while piloting a flight over the Indian Ocean, and Damon St. Clair, her colorful (and funny) partner at St. Claire & Marks, the official consultants and appraisers to Christie's, urges her to take some time off to heal. Susan heads for her late great aunt's house in Freedman's Cove, R.I., that's haunted by the spirit of a distant relative, Aimee Marks. Making a love connection with local artist Dan Freedman frees Susan from her grief, and Dan also helps her learn about Aimee, who may have committed suicide by leaping off a lighthouse in 1910. The blossoming romance is interrupted by another plane crash, this time involving Damon, who miraculously survives, though his recovery delays the delivery of an important message that will change Susan's suddenly endangered life. Sweet, light and as comforting as a mug of peppermint tea, O'Rourke's latest will please her fans. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Inside Flap

Grief stricken by the tragic death of her fiancé Bobby in a plane crash, Susan Mark retreats to Freedman's Cove, Rhode Island, a place that carries only good memories for her. There, she nurses her grief and eventually begins to heal -- until the night she sees an ethereal figure standing at her window looking out at the Maidenstone Lighthouse. Delving into the story she unearths about her ancestor's tragic death brings her in contact with childhood friend, Dan Freedman, a local historian and famed artist who was once the town's teenage rebel. But even as the hours spent with Dan awaken Susan's hope that she might someday find love again, the startling truth behind a century-old mystery emerges to shed light on dangerous shadows in Susan's own past -- and in her present.

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