Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Rich, Mesmerizing Tale, April 1, 2008
Vera Gamble leads a quiet life as a CPA in Dallas. Haunted by her past, she hides behind the numbers to keep from facing the pain. A stranger calls out of the blue bearing news that forces Vera to remember things that she longs to forget. Her brother, Siggy, has been found dead washed up on the shores of Winter Haven, a small island community just off the coast of Maine. Reluctantly, Vera embarks on the long journey to claim the body of her older brother who has been missing for thirteen years.
Upon arrival at Winter Haven, Vera is instantly aware of how unique this place is. Trees of seemingly unnatural height tower overhead and the streets are lined with antiquated homes and buildings that look as if they have been untouched by time. The people are quite and keep to themselves and seem bothered by the presence of a stranger.
Vera is lead to the old shack where her brother's body has been preserved. She is shocked to discover that that not only is the body indeed her brother, but he also hasn't aged a day since he vanished thirteen years ago. Vera stets out on a quest for the truth behind this startling revelation and along the way learns the dark history of Winter Haven. Her search for truth will bring her face to face with her greatest fears and her troubled past. The truth that is uncovered will forever change Vera and the people of Winter Haven.
Athol Dickson is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Winter Haven is further proof of the depth of his talent and his storytelling ability. At its core this is a mystery novel, yet it is so much more. Dickson treats us to a wonderfully drawn story that includes suspense, chills, a hint of romance, and a search for spiritual truth that will resonate with the reader long after the last line.
Dickson's strength is found in his ability to cause readers to slow down and savor every word. I often find myself flying through the pages of a book that I love, but this time I constantly found myself holding back to enjoy the rich imagery and the methodical character development. Dickson paints word pictures like no one else and he effortlessly drops us into the strange and beautiful world of Winter Haven. Even though we are presented with more and more questions as the story unfolds, Dickson cleverly ties up all the loose ends in a way I never anticipated.
This is Athol Dickson at his best and fans of unique mysteries and suspense will love this story. Clear your schedules, kick back, slow down, and prepare to enjoy every word of this rich, mesmerizing tale.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Faith in god & humanity tested, June 4, 2008
Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (5/08)
One day, Vera Gamble gets a call that she has waited 13 years for. A body has been found washed ashore on a beach in Winter Haven and the caller tells her the body is that of her brother, Siggy, whom disappeared when Vera was a little girl. Vera decides she must go to this tiny island off of the Maine coast and see for herself that the body is actually that of her brother, even though it doesn't seem possible that a 15-year-old boy could have made his way from Texas to the northeastern United States thirteen years ago. Especially one that was autistic, fearful of being touched, and who spoke only in Bible verses.
After a long journey to Winter Haven, during which old visions of her past begin to resurface, Vera meets with the police chief and reluctantly goes to see the body. At first glance she is relieved to see it is not her now 28-year-old brother, Siggy. After another look, she is shaken to the core when she realizes that it is Siggy, and somehow, he has not aged in the 13 years he has been gone.
Vera searches for answers while struggling to keep her sanity on the small island where strange things keep happening that could be viewed as religious symbolism, the work of a darker force, or signs of mental illness. The mystery surrounding what really happened to Siggy, and the meaning behind Vera's visions, are as thick as the unrelenting fog in one of island's coves.
Vera feels she can trust no one in the tight knit Winter Haven community, not even Evan Frost, whom she has made a strong connection with, so she sets out on her own to solve the mystery of Siggy's death and the unnatural sights and sounds that have plagued her during her stay. What she learns during her journey tests her faith in God, family, and love.
"Winter Haven" is marketed as a Christian book. While it does contain elements that certainly pertain to the Christian faith, it has an almost gothic feel that readers of other genres like mystery, suspense and the non-faith based supernatural would enjoy. Athol Dickson writes with a level of detail that is astounding. I found myself intrigued by the story and very interested to learn where the path Dickson was leading me down would end. This is a book that really makes the reader think and to question whether the easiest explanation is always the best one.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How many writers can claim this?, April 26, 2008
Dickson's Winter Haven has the thoughtful prose of a literary novel, the brooding damsel in distress of a Gothic novel, the intrigue of a mystery and a great romance to boot. What I noticed first was the writing itself which was so lovely, at times it distracted me from the story.
Athol writes from the point of view of a woman and manages to do this convincingly. He sets wonderful scenes, making me feel as though I were really on this island off Maine. I didn't realize until the conclusion just how complicated a plot he was weaving, but he pulls it off beautifully with an ending I can't imagine any reader will see coming.
Without giving a spoiler, I did feel one small plot line had a Scooby Doo sort of wrap up, but even that thread was fun to read. All in all, I think Dickson pulled off a very fine Gothic romantic mystery literary romance inspirational novel. How many writers can claim that?
This excellent book has something every reader can enjoy, no matter what genre they prefer.
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