Secrets by the Sea (Passenger to Paradise) [Perfect Paperback]

Mary Montague Sikes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008 | Series: Passenger to Paradise

Stunned to learn that her grandfather’s body had washed onto an Antigua beach, a victim of foul play, Dana Sinclair leaves immediately for the exotic place her grandmother had always called “Heartbreak Island.” She moves into her grandfather’s centuries-old home, Edgewood Manor which overlooks the Caribbean Sea, and begins searching for answers to the questions haunting her…

Who would want her grandfather dead? Why did the police immediately suspect Clifton Wilder, her handsome but enigmatic neighbor? Is there something to the legend of the Brasher doubloon, or it is simply an island tale?

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

In 1980, when author/artist Mary Montague Sikes and her husband first visited the Caribbean, they were enchanted by their tropical surroundings. From that moment on the island of Jamaica, they began to plan future vacations to Caribbean destinations. Two of those trips were to Antigua where Sikes grew enthralled with the island's history and fascinated with the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda. She began to think and dream about an ancient mansion that might sit on a hillside overlooking the sea. Thus, Edgewater Manor was born and so was the beginning of Secrets by the Sea. From her trips to the Caribbean, Sikes has written many feature articles and taken numerous photographs that have been published in newspapers and magazines. Some of her thousands of photographs and slides were source materials for the Tropical Fantasies series of large acrylic paintings. In the mid-1980s, thirteen paintings from this series were purchased by the Marriott Hotel in Richmond, Virginia for display in public areas. One of these paintings was "Antiguan Morning." Her love of travel and tropical destinations continues with new books underway. Sikes' paintings are on display in Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Timeless Love (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892343118
• ISBN-13: 978-1892343116
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,537,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A native of Virginia, I have always loved to travel, especially to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe, Florida Keys, and to Sedona, Arizona where my novel, Eagle Rising is set. Writing about places I know is important to me. On our first trip to Jamaica, I knew I had to write a book set there, so Hearts Across Forever was born. Other exciting destinations turned into book settings were Antigua (Secrets by the Sea), Trinidad (Mistaken Identity) and the Bahamas. We've had some traumatic adventures in Guadaloupe that may one day turn into a book.

Not only do I love to write and take photographs to go with my stories, but I'm also an artist. When we visited the Mayan ruins at Palenque and at Chichen Itza, I was so amazed and awed that I returned home and created a series of huge Mayan ruins acrylic paintings. Several are four by six feet in size and require large walls for exhibitions.

Artists Thomas Thorne and Carl Roseburg at the College of William and Mary were major contributors to my background in painting and sculpture. Then I went full time for two years to Virginia Commonwealth University where I studied under a faculty of gifted artists and earned my MFA in painting in 1980.

I'm teaching art part-time in an elementary school, writing freelance for a newspaper and completing my next novel, Mistaken Identity. My husband is my high school sweetheart who has always been supportive of my work, no matter in what direction I've gone.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Danger, Ghosts and Love all in one, September 5, 2009

By 

Martha A. Cheves (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secrets by the Sea (Passenger to Paradise) (Kindle Edition)

'Far below, in a brilliant flash of lightning, Dana saw something move. Heart pounding, she brushed her hand across her eyes and leaned closer to the glass. She watched a dark shadow rise from the water - a human shadow with arms flailing skyward.'

Since very early childhood, Dana Sinclair had written letters weekly to her grandfather, William Henry Bryson, that she had only seen once in her entire life. Grandpa Bryson lived on an island in the Caribbean Sea and Dana became his only link to his estranged wife Madeline, his daughters Mary Elizabeth and Margaret and Dana's sister Rebecca. Over the years, Dana kept him up-to-date on everything that was going on in the lives of his far away family still living in the states.

When Grandpa Bryson, also known as "Old Man Bryson" by those that knew him on the island, died under suspicious circumstances Dana had inherited his island home. When Dana left the states and moved to her new home, she had one specific reason in mind... to find out what really happened to her grandfather and why. But the surprises that followed her moving to the island were not quite what she had expected.

Shortly after moving in, Dana encounters Clifton Wilder who is the number one suspect in the death of her grandfather. Clifton hated Old Man Bryson and didn't mind letting his hatred show. But after meeting Dana, he forms a protective attraction for the Old Man's granddaughter. Dana, on the other hand, fears Clifton. She finds him in her home after knowing she locked the doors. She sees lights swaying from an upstairs room and hears footsteps when there's no one there. It starts becoming apparent that Clifton has to be the one behind the mysterious happenings but as Dana gets to know him better, she can't but hope that he's not the one causing the fear she has developed about living in her own home.

Follow Dana as she encounters "ghosts", murders, and a strange artist while trying to stay alive. Read along with her as she reads her grandfather's diary in hopes of answering some of her questions about the reason for his death. And find out if there really is a pot of gold coins hidden somewhere in the house.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secrets By the Sea, January 9, 2009

By 

Darlene Lees (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secrets by the Sea (Passenger to Paradise) (Kindle Edition)

Reading this book is like being at the movies! It moves so well and keeps you moving right through the story! You can't help but get immersed in the plot and will feel as if you are actually hearing the crashing of the waves and walking through the mist right along with the characters. I hate to have to put it down and can't wait to get home from work so I can pick it up again. Who needs TV with books like this!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secrets by the Sea, May 14, 2008

By 

Joan Callahan (Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secrets by the Sea (Passenger to Paradise) (Perfect Paperback)

Having read Mary Montague Sikes' previous two novels,
'Hearts Across Forever' and 'Eagle Rising', I was
anxiously awaiting the publiation of her latest novel,
'Secrets by the Sea'. I loved it and stayed up way too
late at night as I couldn't put it down! There was
everything to keep my interest, the beautiful description
of the beauty of the sea, and surrounding area of Aruba,
suspense, intrique, romance and the wonderful old mansion.
Now, I eagerly await her next novel,'Passage Unknown'.