The Light Keeper's Legacy (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
Chloe Ellefson is a special collections professional who is spending a week at the historic Pottawatomie lighthouse on Rock Island to research furnishings for the RISC (Rock Island Support Circle). This group of dedicated volunteers is in the process of restoring the lighthouse with the hope that it will soon be open for visitors. Chloe looks forward to leaving behind some drama at the place where she works, Old World Wisconsin and drama in her private life, with an undefined romantic relationship with Roelke McKenna, a hometown cop. Her hope of spending a pleasant and productive week in peaceful natural surroundings is crushed when she finds a dead body wrapped in a fishing gillnet on her very first day there.In this cozy mystery, there are lots of nature scenes on Rock Island and lots of details about camping. Chloe does not have running water at the lighthouse, electricity, or an indoor privy. She eats simple meals, munches berries, drinks instant coffee and sleeps in a sleeping bag. She goes on hikes and takes the Karfi back and forth to Washington Island where there are more resources for her research. It’s the 1980s so there are no cell phones, and no pay phones at all on Rock Island, a remote state park that also does not permit motor vehicles. There’s another researcher there, Brenda Noakes, an archaeologist who teaches in Escanaba Michigan. She is researching the small fishing village that was a part of Rock Island, the last resident left sometime in the 1890s.The author relays an historic story about the fishing village which she tells in alternating chapters with the 1980s story. It too has a murder mystery. These parts of the novel are more enjoyable and seem better written, the characters are more natural and their reactions less awkwardly described. Chloe’s character has to grow on you. She seems abrupt, commenting to herself that people are, “enchantment busters” that intrude on her romantic musings about Rock Island. Chloe will exclaim, “yahoo!” a few times during the novel, which just doesn’t feel natural. There are awkward phrasings in the contemporary story that don’t appear in the historic 1800s story such as, Chloe thinking that she can, “wiggle the second murder into the conversation,” or when a thought “wiggled into Chloe’s beleaguered brain.” Sometimes the phrasing isn’t even understandable such as when Chloe refers to some “urban boo-hoos.” Transitions between chapters can also be quite awkward. An example is when one chapter ends with, “…once she got all revved up about something, she sometimes did stupid things,” and the beginning line of the very next chapter is: “Chloe tried to convince herself that she wasn’t doing something stupid.” Chloe finds out early on that the locals refer to Washington Island and Rock Island simply as, “Washington” or “Rock” in conversation, so she adopts this phrasing too. It may be an authentic fact, but I found it strange in reading dialogue and interior monologues that use this; e.g., “on Rock.” Another concept that seems a bit too forced is that Chloe has a developing sixth sense about the past which makes her hear things or feel evil from time to time.Still, the mystery had an intriguing resolution and the well-written historic tale really added a rich dimension to the story line. I almost wished that the historic tale was developed as its own novel. I'd recommend this book to those that enjoy descriptions of nature, camping and reading books with characters in the research biz. Also, if you have visited Rock Island, you will enjoy the natural setting and many authentic details about "Rock." Book Three in this excellent series 'A Chloe Ellefson Mystery' finds out historian and museum curator, Chloe Ellefson working as a consultant for the 'historic lighthouse restoration project on Rock Island, Wisconsin.' The restoration of the lighthouse has finally reached the point where they need Chloe's expertise in furnishing and telling of the lives of the historic edifice. Although, Chloe hasn't yet put a decade to focus upon, she finds herself drawn to a photograph of a former wife and assistant light keeper, Emily Betts. As Chloe steeps herself in feeling how it must have been for Emily, she wanders down to the beach and finds a body! Shockingly, the victim is garbed in a controversial fish net called gill-net. As Chloe worries about the death, she finds that history and modern days seem to be overlapping. There is much written and found about the light keepers and the owners of the Viking Hall and Boat House, but little is known about the fishing village made up of immigrants from the Scandinavian countries.As a side story, we have Chloe herself. Chloe was eager to take this respite from her normal job to give herself some space to think about her life and personal relationships. Chloe also realizes that she has an almost sixth sense...that of being able to immerse herself in the past of the area she is working in. Hearing children's laughter leads her into further studies of the lighthouse but is that what she is supposed to do?This series draws me as it is based upon true historic sites. Ms. Ernst blends reality with fiction in a smooth seamless style that compels me to continue reading. Almost like weaving a gill-net. To imagine living with burning lard in your home day in and day out...carrying buckets of the stuff up many flights on winding stairs to keep the life-light burning for the ships entering Green Bay...well it has opened my curiosity and I will be 'looking' up further resources given at the end in the 'Acknowledgement' pages. A great read!
What do You think about The Light Keeper's Legacy (2012)?
Interesting and kept my attention, wanting to read more each night.
—Cameron
A new series to add to my list. Fine summer entertainment.
—kibuechler
Pretty standard mystery. Netgalley freebie.
—PalNJ
