After the death of her mother, sixteen year old year old Emily Cartwright arrives at Martha’s Vineyard to live with her aunt Isabel. Her initial introduction to Hydrangea House is far from welcoming and living with her aunt is very different from her farm upbringing in Nebraska, but gradually Emily starts to settle into her new life and her relationship with her aunt becomes more congenial. When her aunt enlists Emily’s help in investigating the mysterious death of one of Isobel’s closest friends she is inadvertently drawn into a mystery which is as complicated as it is daunting. Set against the backdrop of the prohibition years we begin to learn more about those individuals know as rumrunners who were responsible for bringing in illicit liquor and of the organised crime gangs who were behind these illegal endeavours.

Emily is a feisty protagonist who is quick to involve herself in adventures and yet her willingness to cooperate with her aunt makes her an endearing character who you can’t help but admire. There is a good amount of intrigue and mystery which kept me guessing, and although I knew nothing of rumrunning or indeed much about Martha’s Vineyard, thanks to impeccable research and real sense of time and place I now feel I know more about both. The characters come alive, be it Bridget in her kitchen conjuring culinary delights, John Patrick teaching Emily to drive or Fiona instructing Emily on which dress to wear, there is something special about them all and collectively they give the book a cosy, warm glow.

The prohibition era is an important period in American history and the author explains this time well, including describing those who continued to flaunt the prohibition law. The Washashore is a well written coming-of-age murder/mystery, with an endearing heroine and a real sense of history. I enjoyed reading it.

This was a great read. It to me was like any adventure. Emily is forced to live with an Aunt she doesn't really know. Everything is an adventure from there. It's pretty mellow to what Inormally read but I did enjoy it.

The Washashore
By: Marshall Highet & Bird Jones

4 Stars

This was a story that I'd call mellow and engaging. When Em loses her mother, she finds herself shipped to the banks of Martha's vineyard in a time when prohibition is in full swing. While maneuvering this new life, Emily learns about her new aunt, her dead mother, and the work that keeps her new new home afloat...rumrunning.

This was a story that was fun to read. It was light. It was airy. It was descriptive and lyrical. It told a story that I am sure would be considered one of adventure and danger. A murder, rum runners, danger, drama, and mystery fill these pages. It's easy to get lost in another world.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

The Washashore’ explores rum-running during the Prohibition era in Martha’s Vineyard, with the author’s note providing valuable historical context. While the characters are quite likable, they could have used more depth to fully engage the reader. Though orphaned Emily’s adjustment to her new home is a huge focus in the story, the mystery plot-line propels the story forward.

It felt like there were multiple mysteries and even a couple romantic relationships that I would have either enjoyed developing further or preferred to exclude entirely. Similarly, the pacing was slow in some areas, while the aspects I wanted to see fleshed out didn’t always get the attention they needed. Overall, this coming-of-age historical mystery was a nice read.

Special thanks to Köehler Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A story taking place in the Prohibition days. A young girl loses her mother and is sent to Martha’s Vineyard to stay with her guardian. It was a nice a story out of my normal genre, and I enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC. The review is my own.

Different from what I'm used to reading but I enjoyed every minute of it.
Wonderful new characters and the storyline kept my attention all the way through.
My favorite part? Was the bit of mystery added in.
Not sure how I felt about Isabelle however. She didn't give me a very nice vibe about her.
I had to see what happened next so I kept reading. I wasn't disappointed at all. In fact, I didn't want the book to end at all.
I finished this in the early morning hours.
The characters didn't want me to put it down.
The cover itself was what made me want to read it. It has a mysterious effect to it and I love a good mystery.
The author's did a very nice job. Kept me turning the pages to see what happened next.
5 stars for a job well done. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.