The Tale of Halcyon Crane: A Novel

Wendy Webb

Mar 2010 · Sold by St. Martin's Griffin

About this ebook

A young woman travels alone to a remote island to uncover a past she never knew was hers in this thrilling modern ghost story

When a mysterious letter lands in Hallie James's mailbox, her life is upended. Hallie was raised by her loving father, having been told her mother died in a fire decades earlier. But it turns out that her mother, Madlyn, was alive until very recently. Why would Hallie's father have taken her away from Madlyn? What really happened to her family thirty years ago?

In search of answers, Hallie travels to the place where her mother lived, a remote island in the middle of the Great Lakes. The stiff islanders fix her first with icy stares and then unabashed amazement as they recognize why she looks so familiar, and Hallie quickly realizes her family's dark secrets are enmeshed in the history of this strange place. But not everyone greets her with such a chilly reception—a coffee-shop owner and the family's lawyer both warm to Hallie, and the possibility of romance blooms. And then there's the grand Victorian house bequeathed to her—maybe it's the eerie atmosphere or maybe it's the prim, elderly maid who used to work for her mother, but Hallie just can't shake the feeling that strange things are starting to happen . . .

In The Tale of Halcyon Crane, Wendy Webb has created a haunting story full of delicious thrills, vibrant characters, and family secrets.

Ratings and reviews

This is a light ghost story with a wonderful Gothic feel. The pervading mood and emotional tone of this work is excellently developed, shining a light on the great imagination of this author. It’s a nicely written, engaging story that has seances, a haunted house, secrets, murder, romance and betrayal. Although a little predictable there are a few surprises. The setting is the imaginary island of Grand Manitou in the Great Lakes. The author’s descriptions bring this place to life, creating the desire to hop on the ferry for a summer stay. The main character, Hallie is well developed and likable. There are also some unique well developed secondary characters. The main problem I had with this book is the rather slow start. Hallie’s activities before she arrives on the island are rather pedestrian. In short however this is a nice light read full of interesting characters and emotional pull. I recommend to readers who enjoy a good well written story and like to read about ghosts and the supernatural. On the side, The Tale of Halcyon Crane is a finalist for the Michigan Book Award and was selected as an IndieNext Pick. It’s also a Midwest Connections Pick and a Great Lakes Great Reads pick. In short, a great start for this debut author.

This is the author's first novel and the story line is intriguing - which is why I purchased the book. However, the character development is fair - which makes the overall book 'fair' for me. Poorly written!

About the author

Wendy Webb is editor in chief of Duluth-Superior magazine. A journalist with two decades of experience, she lives in Minnesota. The Tale of Halcyon Crane is her first novel.