Amethyst Dreams [Mass Market Paperback]

Phyllis A. Whitney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 27, 1998

Shining with intrigue, allure, and passionate suspense, Amethyst Dreams is Phyllis Whitney at her most spectacular--a story bejeweled with hypnotic prose and spellbinding secrets. . . .

Seeking shelter from her own broken dreams, Hallie Knight answers a cryptic plea for help from Nicholas Trench, the grandfather of her dearest friend. Susan mysteriously disappeared from home one night off North Carolina's historical Topsail Island--and Hallie is Nick's last hope of finding her.

But surrounding Nick is a family as headstrong as they are suspicious--for at the heart of the matter is a vast inheritance. And as Hallie is lured deeper into a mystery nestled in a quagmire of bitterness, dark betrayal, and subtle menace, she becomes certain of one thing: this sunny, seaside paradise harbors dangerous and profoundly shattering secrets. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The best-selling author of romantic suspense has a magical way with words, whether with a book's title, location, or colorful blend of character names. In her newest work, a missing granddaughter named Susan is the only shadow on a canvas of vibrant personalities like Mrs. Orion and Captain Nicholas. Susan's ailing grandfather has summoned former college roommate Hallie to their historic seaport town to help find his granddaughter, who has disappeared mysteriously from her bedroom. As Hallie puzzles over her friend's fate, at the same time contending with suspicious relatives, it feels as if Whitney is carefully putting into place all the loose threads of a handstitch tapestry. What matters here are the characters' wonderfully wrought temperatments?no sinners, no saints, but ultimately lots of forgiveness?and the subtle, little glimpses of fear that keep readers looking for answers right up to the satisfying conclusion. Suitable reading for any library.
-?M.E. Chitty, Narragansett, R.I.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

With a lengthy backlist to her credit and recognition as Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, Whitney returns with her thirty-eighth foray into the realm of romantic suspense. This latest is somewhat shy on thrills, but the author hasn't forgotten the fine nuances and descriptive prose that her devoted fans have come to expect. When Hallie Knight receives a summons to Topsail Island by the grandfather of her college roommate, she immediately responds. Knowing that Susan has disappeared without a trace piques her curiosity, but she's also glad of the opportunity to escape the pain caused by her husband's infidelity. She never expects to become the catalyst for unraveling the strange fate of her friend or find the courage to reexamine her own life. The languid pace is perfect for cozy, rainy-day reading, and the splendid backdrop, infused with local color and history, beckons. Predictably solid performance from an old hand with name-brand appeal. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Ivy Books (May 27, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449226182
• ISBN-13: 978-0449226186
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #603,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not one of Phyllis whitney's better novels...., May 11, 2001

By 

Ratmammy "The Ratmammy" (Ratmammy's Town, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Amethyst Dreams (Mass Market Paperback)

But I enjoyed it just the same. As someone else mentioned, i too had problems with some of the dialogue that ran throughout the novel. It read like the characters were reciting from a travel brochure. However, the story itself was interesting to me and read like a typical Phyllis A Whitney novel.

AMETHYST DREAMS is about the mystery behind a missing person, Susan Trench. An old college friend of hers, Hallie Knight, is summoned by Susan's grandfather Nicholas Trench, to help figure out who killed Susan, and from there the novel begins. We learn about the people that meant most to Susan, and what Susan was all about. Who wanted her dead? And why?

Among the sub plots are Hallie's troubled marraige, Nicholas's relationships with his wife Anne, who was a famous artist now living on her own, and other various persons that lived on Top Sail Island and were somehow connected to Susan.

I wouldnt' recommend this as a first novel for those who haven't read other books by Phyllis A Whitney. but as a fan, I would definitely recommend it. Ms Whitney has always been able to create characters that I like, and I find myself wanting to read more simply because she knows how to tell a good story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of her better books!, December 27, 1997

By 

Connie Davis (Janesville, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Amethyst Dreams (Hardcover)

While it kept me interested enough to finish, I was disappointed in the ending. It's about a woman who is summoned by the grandfather of her college friend. The college friend has been missing for a couple years, and he wants her to find the girl before he dies. There were a lot of little sub-plots which kept the story interesting, but I have to say it wasn't one of Ms. Whitney's better books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DREAMS, DREAMS,DREAMS, April 22, 2003

By 

Beverly C. Sanders (USA, Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amethyst Dreams (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought this book was rather interesting. The storyline was one that kept you guessing what really happened to Susan Trench. This was Hallie Knight's assignment. Hallie was called into play by Susan"s grandfather. After uncovering many family secrets--she solves the puzzle.