by Sarah Jio
First published 2011
Emily Wilson retreats to her great-aunt Bee's house on Bainbridge Island after her marriage crumbles and her writing career stalls. Ten years ago she had everything: a bestselling novel, a magazine-perfect husband, and a bright future. Now she needs the island's quiet to heal and research her next book. While exploring the house, Emily discovers a red velvet diary from 1943 written by an unknown woman. As she reads the entries, Emily realizes the anonymous author's experiences echo her own struggles in unsettling ways. The diary pulls her into wartime secrets that somehow connect to her present circumstances. Emily must uncover the truth about the diary's author while confronting what went wrong in her own life. The island holds answers to both women's stories.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, secrets
Setting: Bainbridge Island
Period: 1943, Present Day
Paperback