Secrets drown on Block Island, but some rise with the tide.
In Christa Carmen’s The Daughters of Block Island, two women’s lives intersect through tragedy, mystery, and a shadowy web of family secrets. Attorney Thalia Mills receives a startling letter revealing the existence of a half-sister, Blake Bronson—a sister she never knew she had. But before Thalia can meet her, Blake is found dead in the claw-footed bathtub of White Hall, a gothic B&B steeped in eerie charm.
Blake’s death is ruled a murder, not a suicide, and Thalia is drawn to Block Island to piece together the life and untimely death of the sibling she never knew. The story flashes back to Blake’s arrival months earlier, showcasing her struggles with addiction and her tense confrontation with their estranged mother, Maureen Mills. As Blake delves into her family’s murky history, she becomes enmeshed in the strange, seductive atmosphere of White Hall, which looms like a character itself—haunted, beautiful, and menacing.
Carmen masterfully weaves a dark, gothic tale filled with suspicious locals, dangerous flirtations, and an omnipresent sense of foreboding. The narrative layers Blake’s and Thalia’s perspectives, creating a compelling blend of tragedy, suspense, and intrigue. The atmospheric setting, complete with windswept cliffs, hidden motives, and literary allusions to gothic classics like Rebecca and The Mysteries of Udolpho, pulls readers deep into the sinister allure of Block Island.
As Thalia retraces Blake’s steps, she unravels secrets about her sister, her family, and White Hall itself. The meta-gothic style, as Carmen describes in her afterword, cleverly balances homage and reinvention, making this novel both a tribute to classic gothic literature and a modern, self-aware mystery.
For fans of dark family dramas and gothic suspense, The Daughters of Block Island is a deliciously twisted tale that grips you to the final revelation.
