Swan Song
Nantucket #4
Little, Brown and Company
June 11, 2024
Hardcover/Audio
384
Purchased/Library
In the grand finale of "queen of the beach read" Elin Hilderbrand's beloved Nantucket novels, there's a new couple in town... and they instantly shake things up. Amid the extravagant parties on land and sea, there's trouble on the island, forcing Chief of Police Ed Kapanesh to postpone his retirement and changing the fabric of life on the picturesque island forever...
After thirty-five years serving as the Chief of Police on the island of Nantucket, Ed Kapenash's heart can no longer take the stress. But his plans to retire are thwarted when, with only three days left to serve, he receives a phone call. A 22-million-dollar summer home, recently purchased by the flashy new couple in town, the Richardsons, has burned to the ground. The Richardsons are far from hurt—in fact, they're out on the water, throwing a lavish party on their yacht—but when news of the fire reaches them, they discover that their personal assistant has vanished. The Chief is well-acquainted with the Richardsons, and his daughter is best friends with the now-missing girl, leaving him no choice but to postpone his retirement and take on the double case.
On a small island like Nantucket, the Richardsons shook things up from the second they stepped on to the scene, throwing luxurious parties and doing whatever they could to gain admittance to the coveted lunches at the Field & Oar Club (with increasing desperation). They instantly captured the attention of local real estate agent Fast Eddie, and the town gossip Blond Sharon, both dealing with their own personal dramas. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce, and in order to avoid becoming a cliché, she's enrolled in a creative writing class, putting her natural affinity for scandal towards a more noble purpose. To solve the case of the fire and track down his daughter's best friend, the Chief will have to string together the pieces of the lives of all of these characters and more, rallying his strength for his final act of service to the tight-knit community he knows and loves.
The last of Elin Hilderbrand's bestselling Nantucket novels, Swan Song is a propulsive medley of glittering gatherings, sun-soaked drama, wisdom and heart, featuring the return of some of her most beloved characters, including, most importantly, the beautiful and timeless island of Nantucket itself.
My review:
Was this truly worthy of 5 stars? Objectively maybe not (although it would easily make 4), but it's the last of the Nantucket novels (oh please let Elin hate semi retiring, and have her return in a few years!)! So for nostalgia sake, this is me saying congratulations on decades of summer beach read novels, and all the stars are deserved for the entertainment they have provided! While almost all of the author's previous books have been set on Nantucket, this one is listed as #4 because that is how many Chief Ed Kapanesh has been in. My favorite thing about these novels is how familiar you get with a place you have never visited (but do these novels ever make you want to!). It's so fun when the characters head to local bars and restaurants that you have read about as though they are in your own neighborhood, and you can pop on down anytime. At the end of her book The Five Star Hotel there is a great guide curated by Elin with all the places to stay/visit/eat at. This book had intrigue, mystery, people with questionable motives, and much more. The last chapter is particularly poignant for those who have read most of Elin's novels, there are tons of past characters mentioned! I listened to this on audio, and Elin narrates the last chapter herself, which darn near brought a tear to my eyes! Speaking of the ending, it is a bit ambiguous, and I can't wait to hear what others think about it?
One of the queens of the beach reads is putting away her pen (although word has it she is working on a boarding school series with her daughter, I'm not big on young adult so I'll have to evaluate before reading). The title aptly says it all, this is the swan song for the Nantucket stories 🙁 Your final
