A Stranger on the Beach

A riveting, atmospheric mystery that twists and turns the reader from one direction to the other. A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell finds Caroline Stark preparing for her lavish house warming party. She has spent a great deal of time and money building and decorating her lavish home on Long Island's toney shores.

Several days before the party she spots a stranger outside on the beach gazing at her house. As there have been several robberies in town, she decides to confront the stranger. As she approaches him, the skies open up and it begins pouring rain. All she gets from him is his name - Aidan. She rationalizes that he was standing on a public beach so she goes back inside.

As the date of the housewarming party approaches, Jason, Caroline's husband tells her he probably will not be able to make the party. He claims he is stuck in Cleveland, but hadn't he told her he was going to Denver. Outraged that he will not attend, she decides to ping his phone to see where he actually is. She finds he is at an address in Times Square.

Bewildered and betrayed, she cannot believe he might be having an affair. True he has been traveling a great deal, but she cannot believe he would betray her like that. The truth smacks her in the face when Jason shows up at the housewarming party, exceedingly late, and with a young woman dressed seductively.

He insists the woman is a business partner, but they flee quickly after a shouting match with Caroline. Stunned and confused, Caroline hides out all weekend until Jason shows up again encouraging her to get a divorce. He tells her he won't contest it and she can have everything, and then he leaves.

That's where the trouble begins. Caroline feels the need for a drink in a public place and winds up at the local bar the Red Anchor. Who should be tending bar, but the stranger on the beach. A bit younger than Caroline, he is knock-out handsome and charming, but she goes home alone.

The next day she discovers Jason has drained all the money from their accounts and she finds herself headed to the Red Anchor again. From this point the novel twists, turns, bends one way, then the next until a very surprising and shocking conclusion.

If you would like to win a copy of A Stranger on the Beach, come back to MapYourMystery.com on Monday, July 22 for a chance to win. 

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.