I feel like this book had a lot going for it. It's about a brother and sister living together in their parents' house on an island off Cape Cod. One day, a strange man comes into their lives and captivates them both, but the brother believes the stranger to be the reincarnation of their triplet, who died as an infant, and the stranger comes to invade their lives in a very disturbing way. I really liked the island setting; it had a strong sense of place. The family story is just weird and dysfunctional enough, and the two siblings themselves just quirky and damaged enough, to catch my attention and want to know more about them. But something fell flat for me. Perhaps if this weren't positioned as a "thriller" so much as a late-in-life coming-of-age story, I would have liked it more. I also found the writing style to be somewhat clunky and disorienting. All in all, this book just fell flat for me. ( )

3.5 stars.

Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault is a rather mystical mystery.

Twenty-eight year old Lydia Moore lives on Wolf Island with her brother Lucas. Their life is marred by tragedy which includes the tragic death of their brother Colin when he was a baby. Lydia once left the island for college, but she returned following her mother's cancer diagnosis. Lucas is pathologically shy and deals with stress by further withdrawing from the world. When stranger Cole Anthony arrives on the island, Lydia is fascinated by the stranger who somehow has intimate knowledge of their family. Lucas is convinced Cole is actually a reincarnation of baby Colin. However, Lydia is certain there is a much more earthly reason Cole is insinuating himself into their lives. Will she overcome her fear of leaving the island to uncover the truth about Cole before it is too late?

Neither Lydia nor Lucas have moved past baby Colin's or their parents' deaths. Both have taken their mother's somewhat fanciful beliefs to heart but Lydia is more practical than Lucas. Lydia's fascination with Cole is intertwined with attraction. But since she is unsure of his connection to their family, she tries to keep their relationship platonic. Lucas and Cole have formed a tight friendship and Lydia grows alarmed as she and her brother's relationship begins to deteriorate due to Cole's influence. With suspicions growing after he moves into their house, Lydia is desperate for answers about Cole.

Goodnight Stranger is an intriguing mystery that has a bit of a supernatural aspect to the storyline. Lydia and Lucas are likable characters but both are somewhat mired in their family's heartrending past. Cole is rather mysterious but Lydia quickly discerns he is more dangerous than he appears. The storyline is interesting but the pacing is sometimes a little slow. With an pulse-pounding showdown, Miciah Bay Gault brings the novel to a mostly satisfactory conclusion. ( )

A very well developed mystery with lots of twists. This is Gault's first novel and her writing is unique and original. I couldn't stop reading, but the last few chapters were a bit of a let-down. I'm not sure how it should have ended, but I didn't feel like it was wrapped up well considering how much I enjoyed the novel. ( )

Strange, atmospheric psychological thriller about brother and sister Lucas and Lydia, who live together on an isolated island off Martha's Vineyard (Wolf Island--it devours its own).. One day a visitor arrives on the island. Could Cole be, as Lucas believes, the reincarnation of their dead triplet brother Colin? Seesawing, shifting-sand narration, refracting motives, playing on doubles, ghosts, strangers--impossible not to be sucked into the vortex of it.

"I'd begun to see him as...[s]omething flesh and bones, but complicated by the heft and history of myth and fairy tale. A wolf." ( )