Punctuated with transcripts, letters, and more, The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Adaβs Reef is a vibrant contemporary mystery with a classic feel exploring righting past wrongs, redefining family, and finding yourself.
Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. Itβs the first time that she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. And while her stepfather and his boys are okay, the islandβs always been full of happy memoriesβand now everything is different.
When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the coast many years before, Lark's enthralled with the story. Nadineβs working on a book about Dinah Purdy, Swallowtailsβs oldest resident who had a connection to the crash, and sheβs sure that the accident was not as it appeared. Impressed by Lark's keen eye, she hires her as her research assistant for the summer.
And then Lark discovers something amazing. Something that could change Dinahβs life. Something linked to the crash and even to her own familyβs history with Swallowtail. But there are others on the island who would do anything to keep the truth buried in the watery depths of the past.
A compelling and complex mystery with a classic feel, Wreck at Adaβs Reef is perfect for fans of The Parker Inheritance, Holes, The Westing Game, and anyone looking for a satisfying puzzle that stretches across decades.
In a time not long after the fifth extinction event, Edgar Awardβnominated author Michael D. Beil came of age on the shores of Pymatuning Lake, where the ducks walk on the fish (Look it up. Seriously). He is the author of the Red Blazer Girls series, Summer at Forsaken Lake, Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits, and Agents of the Glass: A New Recruit. For reasons that canβt be disclosed until September 28, 2041, he now lives somewhere in Portugal with his wife and their two white cats, Bruno and Maisie. He still gets carsick if he has to ride in the back seat for long and feels a little guilty that he doesnβt keep a journal. For more on the author and his books, visit him online at www.MichaelDBeil.com.
Taylor Meskimen is an award-winning narrator who has been recording characters for audiobooks since her early teens. An accomplished actor, dancer, and improviser, she is the daughter of actor/narrator Jim Meskimen and the granddaughter of Marion Ross from Happy Days.