The Definition of Wind

The sequel to The Language of Sand finds Abigail Harker back on Chapel Isle, N.C., trying to cope with the tragic deaths of her husband and their young son by hiding away in a lighthouse. But when her landlord asks her to be liaison with fussy summer renters, Abby soon finds herself busy, nicely distracted, and in the middle of a mystery involving sunken treasure and a spate of suspicious fires (something Abby is particularly sensitive to; fire killed her family). Meanwhile, legend holds that rare gold cups made by Paul Revere went down with a ship in a dangerous spot near the lighthouse. As summer progresses, Abby must deal with tourists and rumors alike, and not just about arson and treasure; a charismatic visitor is making himself oddly available to her, and tongues are wagging. As events come to a head, Abby's position as lighthouse keeper puts her in the thick of it, testing the strength of the new bonds she's made. Block's language is loose and playful ("Abigail had a sinking feeling about this sunken ship"), but the treasure plot and its incongruous drama should have been left at the bottom of the sea. Block is at her best when her charming islanders are given room to breath. (July)