Olson’s accomplished, time-crossed debut weaves together elements of mystery, romance, and the supernatural against the backdrop of desolate Cape Wrath in the Scottish Highlands. The time-crossed story centers on the lives of Andrea Sinclair, a theater actress, and Thomas MacAllister, a Royal Navy officer turned lighthouse keeper in the years after World War II. Andrea believes “If he loves me, he will leave” the Highlands, but soon their love is overshadowed by secrets and tragedy. Olson skilfully constructs a dual timeline narrative that follows the intertwined fates of characters across generations, with the novel’s first half focusing on Andrea and Thomas’s love affair, the mysterious lighthouse, and Andrea’s acting career, the narrative gradually unveiling layers of hidden truths. In the second half, Mary, an investigative reporter, and Evan, Thomas's nephew, join forces to unravel the mysteries surrounding Thomas's untimely demise and a possible supernatural presence haunting the abandoned lighthouse.

Despite the lack of a singular protagonist, Olson’s ensemble and his intricately crafted milieu propels the narrative forward. Andrea emerges as the connecting thread between the two narrative epochs, as she embarks with Mary and Evan on a quest for answers. The atmospheric setting of Cape Wrath serves as a character in itself, with Olson's vivid descriptions (one light is “small but brilliant, and it hovered above the dark mass of the ridge, on a horizon separating land and sea”) evoking the harsh beauty and isolation of Scotland's northern coast.

In the end, the lighthouse fittingly emerges as the center point of everyone’s quest for answers, providing much-needed closure for Andrea. Olson's indulgent storytelling and rich character development will transport readers of richly emotional literary romances into a place caught between land and sea, past and present, and reality and the supernatural. Olson captures the essence of this place and these characters across decades, crafting a timeless romance rich with poignant reflections on the human experience and the complexities of grief.

Takeaway: Decades-spanning story of romance, mystery, and a remote Scottish lighthouse.

Comparable Titles: M.L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans, Hazel Gaynor’s The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A