Small towns hold the darkest secrets.
Fifteen years after leaving his criminal past and estranged brother behind, widower Dane Carlisle returns to his hometown on the banks of sleepy Eclipse Lake. Now, a successful businessman, he has kept his troubled past a secret from most everyone, including his seventeen-year-old son.
But memories in small towns are bitter and long.
Ellie Sullivan, a … long.
Ellie Sullivan, a nature photographer for a national magazine, has a habit of ping-ponging across the map. Her latest assignment leads her to Eclipse Lake where she becomes caught up in the enmity between Dane, his brother Jonah, and a vengeful town sheriff. When freshly-discovered skeletal remains are linked to an unsolved murder and Dane’s past, Ellie is left questioning her growing attraction for a man who harbors long-buried secrets.
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Eclipse Lake is the fourth book I’ve read from author Mae Clair. Previously, I read one of her trilogies, and this time, I decided to check out a stand-alone novel. Like the others, this is a suspense mystery set in Pennsylvania, always an interesting setting for me. Unlike the others, there are no paranormal or sci-fi sub-themes, though even in those earlier books, it was minimal.
In Eclipse Lake, Dane Carlisle returns to his small hometown to deal with a personal matter. He lived there almost fifteen years ago before his stint in prison. When that ended, he cleaned up his act, married a woman with a young son, and built a security company. Unfortunately, his wife passed away, and his life has been fairly solitary since then. When he runs into his older brother, they immediately get into a fight. Little by little, readers learn about a murder that happened there years ago. Was Dane responsible? The sheriff sure believes so, probably because Dane used to date the victim, who happened to be the sheriff’s daughter. To complicate matters, Dane stole the girl from his brother. Quite a family mess… but that’s only the tip of the iceberg in this thrilling novel.
One of the things I most enjoy about a Mae Clair novel is the solid characterization of all the main players. Each one is vivid and real, as if you’ve met someone like them in the past already. Her plots are complex and intriguing, and this is definitely one of the stronger ones. Besides the main plot, each character has his or her own sub-plot where we find ourselves growing curious how it will all fit together. When the truth comes out, it is unexpected but makes full sense.
Mae Clair’s settings are haunting and tense. I feel like I’m in Pennsylvania, and the small town talk, atmosphere, and values are front and center. While this could feel too traditional, it’s really not… when you add in a strong writing style and an affinity for wanting to save some of your favorite characters, the author has penned a winning book. I found myself eager to read each night… I invested in guessing who could be behind the drama… and I wanted romance to win for at least two couples.
I’m glad this one turned out to be just as strong as the last few I’ve read from the author, and it confirmed I will keep on reading more. She’s quite prolific, and I have a ways to go to catch up! But will get there, that’s a promise.
Renewing family connections shouldn’t be this hard!
Dane Carlisle is returning home after a fifteen year absence. Many things have changed; he’s a widower, father, and a multi-millionaire entrepreneur- his life couldn’t be more different than when he was a troubled youth. Problem is, his older brother, Jonah, doesn’t want him there.
Jonah wants nothing to do with the selfish delinquent who’d landed himself in jail and disappeared years ago, leaving him to care for an aging alcoholic parent. Dane hadn’t even come home for her funeral, so why should he expect a warm welcome now?
When a skeleton is uncovered along the shores of Eclipse Lake it sends the two brothers on a road of self-discovery. Will long-buried secrets destroy any chance of reconciliation, or will it finally bring peace to Eclipse Lake?
This is my kind of story; family turmoil, mysterious events, romance- it was hard to put down!
I give Eclipse Lake 5 lovely kisses- Mystery meets family saga in this page-turner!
I love Ms. Clair’s books, which means I’m working my way through her catalog. Although there was no paranormal theme like her current books, “Eclipse Lake” had mystery, family dynamics, and some romance, which completely captured my attention. Dane Carlisle had changed since he was a troubled teen. He’s a good father and runs a successful business, but he wants to reconnect with his brother Jonah. The strain between them seemed so real to me I had my fingers crossed they’d work it out. Dane’s son, Jesse, was determined to find out his dad’s secret, and Ellie, the photographer, made an impression on Dane. Then comes the discovery of a dead body and a lawman who had a chip on his shoulder, which added the layers that made this read intriguing. This is a great book to read on a lazy summer day or curled up next to the fireplace. I found it to be a page-turner, wondering what would happen next. The twist at the end completely surprised me. If you like a mystery with action and a budding romance, this is the book for you!
Eclipse Lake by Mae Clair holds all the usual elements of a mystery – an unsolved murder, a suspect who seems to hide the darkest secrets, a villain and horrendous memories. But besides mystery, this book says much more. It focuses on relationships, which have always intrigued me. Clair has handled them deftly, pointing out glaring errors that parents make in raising a child and expect him to be perfect.
Dane was one such son who couldn’t get enough affection and the right attention from either of his parents and even his older brother Jonah, who tried to handle a delinquent adolescent failed miserably. No wonder brothers can never replace parents unless they learn to love unconditionally! Dane returns to his hometown to expunge the ghosts of his past but gets mired deeper into it.
His brother cold shoulders him, Jesse is indignant that his dad had never shared his past and people of Onyx still eye him with suspicion. Clair handles the broken trust and emotions in an admirable manner, making a subtle comment on how well he had raised his son.
The sub plot of a fairy tale romance drags the story a little just like comic relief in a Greek tragedy. Though Ellie contributes significantly to the development of the main plot but appears to be superfluous as she distracts the readers from the seriousness of the theme.
Eclipse Lake is one part cozy mystery and one part romance. The story focuses on Dane Carlisle, a teenage lost-cause who grew up and turned his life around to become a multi-millionaire. He returns to his hometown with his adopted son, hoping to make amends with his older brother. But memories of the teenage Dane persist, and the discovery of an old skull raises more suspicions about his past. Set against Dane’s dark history and the current turmoil is his fairytale romance with a spunky photo-journalist who’s in town shooting pictures of the scenic lake.
The conflict between the three male characters – Dane, his teenage son, and his older brother – was what hooked me on the book. All well-rounded characters, they were emotionally genuine and likable, but also flawed. The relationships were convincingly volatile, and the emotional arcs felt authentic. Clair did a nice job with the cast of secondary characters and the quaint setting – a small mountain town where everyone knows everyone’s business. The story moves speedily along during the action and conflict scenes, and slows to a leisurely pace during romantic interludes.
Eclipse Lake is a well-constructed story with clean writing and some unexpected twists. Readers who enjoy mysteries, family secrets, and a strong romantic thread will love this book.