Newport
In the 1920s, Newport, Rhode Island, was the playground of the nouveau riche as well as old money families. But money doesn’t always buy happiness, as the characters in the arresting novel, Newport, can attest.
When the story opens, the elderly patriarch, Bennett Chapman, has decided to marry Catharine Walsh, a much younger woman, and name her as beneficiary to his estate. His petulant, grown children are seeking to put a halt to the wedding, believing that Catharine is a gold digger. Their suspicions are roused even further when Bennett announces that his late wife appeared to him, insisting that he marry Catharine.
Enter attorney Adrian de la Noye, who, along with his assistant, comes to the Newport estate to resolve the matter. But de la Noye, like several other characters, has secrets of his own, all of which ultimately come to light as he attempts to uncover the truth about both Bennett and Catharine’s motivations.
With a host of enigmatic characters, this gripping novel explores spiritualism within the context of a fractured family. Regardless of the reader’s own beliefs about whether or not psychic powers have any merit, the séance scenes are particularly enthralling. Both a mystery and a character study, Newport is a fun and intriguing read, perfect to tuck into your beach bag.
