[GYB]⇒ [PDF] Sumner Island Michael Cormier 9781935557012 Books

Sumner Island Michael Cormier 9781935557012 Books

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Sumner Island Michael Cormier 9781935557012 Books

Sumner Island is the perfect novel to take with you on vacation this summer. Not too heavy, not too light, and alot of fun.
The hero of the book, Mitch Lambert, is smitten with a woman who was murdered 80 years ago in the prime of her youth. Even he can't explain how a living, breathing person could be in love with someone who died so long ago. Yet he is, and that forms the main theme of this story: that love knows no boundries, even time and space. Not a brand new premise, mind you, but done in a refreshing convincing voice.
The other mystery, of course, is the whodunnit. The one blamed for the murder back in 1924 turns out to have been a shakey suspect, and part of the book is about finding out who really killed Maria. But for me the love story was the most compelling part of the book.
Throughout it all, we meet up with ghosts, of course-some good ones, some not so good. Why are they there? Why haven't they moved on? Cormier tries to explain some of it, but leaves everyone guessing about other things. If you're looking for complete explanantions of everything you might be disappointed. On the other hand, Cormier has a way of pointing you-just like Mitch-in the right direction and letting you go try to figure it out for yourself. That's part of the fun.
Michael Cormier's powers of description are terrific, and he puts you right there on the island, whether it's the present version or the 1924 version. He also has a smooth and straightforward writing style that makes his prose a pleasure to read. If I had any criticism, it would be that Mitch came across as a little wooden, a little less emotionally vulnerable than I would have liked. But, hey, I would be guarded, too, if I thought I was losing my mind. Maria, on the other hand, is never a disappointment(if a man must fall in love with a ghost, than Maria should be the one!) Other characters, like the old man Mitch befriends, round out a good cast of characters.
If you like ghost stories, you'll like Sumner Island. If you also like historic novels and a good love story, you'll LOVE Sumner Island.


Tags : Sumner Island [Michael Cormier] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. First-year history professor Mitchell Lambert has written a biography of Maria Boudreau, a famous young heiress who died more than eighty years ago. The book has sparked renewed interest in Maria,Michael Cormier,Sumner Island,PublishingWorks,1935557017,Mystery & Thrillers Mystery,Fantasy,Fantasy - Paranormal,Fiction,Fiction - Historical,Fiction Fantasy Paranormal,Fiction Ghost,Fiction Historical,Fiction Romance Paranormal General,Ghost,Romance - Paranormal

Sumner Island Michael Cormier 9781935557012 Books Reviews

Have you ever seen the movie "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour (circa 1980)? If you have, then you have a pretty firm grasp already of what Sumner Island is like. And if you loved "Somewhere in Time," you will love Sumner Island. But Sumner Island is, in my opinion, better... because it adds the extra layer of a murder mystery. Our heroine/love interest doesn't die an old woman in her bed like Seymour's Elise McKenna did in "Somewhere in Time." Our heroine/love interest is Maria Boudreau; and she gets murdered in the opening scene of the book... in 1924. Fast forward 80 years and a young history professor, Dr. Mitch Lambert, who recently wrote a biography about Ms. Boudreau, shows up on Sumner Island. The island is the site of the magnificent Victorian Hotel (The Smythe) where Maria met her untimely death. He's there to amuse himself by watching a group of ghost hunters who have come to investigate several "Maria sightings"... which coincidentally started after his book gained in popularity. But right away, Mitch begins to notice strange things on the island... subtle changes in the hotel, the grounds, the island itself. He starts to think he may be losing his mind... or is it possible that ghost stories are real?

I did love "Somewhere in Time" and, as predicted, I loved Sumner Island. The story is great - part mystery, part romance, part paranormal weirdness. I fault the plot only for its ultimate climax, which was really anti-climactic after all of the page-turning goodness that led up to it. It's difficult to elaborate without including spoilers. Suffice to say that when the whole story came together, my response was something along the lines of "huh?" I actually re-read the last portion of the book twice to make sure I hadn't missed something. That being said, I still found the premise - and the 200 or so pages leading up to that mildly disappointing climax - to be sufficiently good that my disappointment was far from complete. This story still has it all mystery, romance, ghosts, heartbreak, a dash of violence... in other words, a little something for everyone.

Another thing this novel has is a great cast of characters. Mitch is sympathetic without being pathetic, despite his apparent infatuation with a woman who lived a century ago. His transition from skeptic to believer is well done. The medium and her entourage are all typical, yet mildly interesting. My favorite character by far is Mitch's host for the weekend, the sweet but quasi-mysterious Teddy Arndt, a 90-year old man with lifelong ties to Sumner Island and to the Boudreaus themselves. From the moment we meet Teddy, it's clear that he knows much more than he's letting on about Sumner Island, The Smythe, the Boudreaus... and Mitch's strange experiences there. As the mystery unfolds, Mr. Arndt's role in the story, both past and present, grows. [I even have a favorite ghost! But to talk about him would be to reveal another spoiler, so I'll leave it at that.]

Cormier had a challenge on his hands with the setting for this book same island, same hotel, two completely different periods in time. The period details that the author utilized to differentiate the roaring twenties from modern times were spot on. It was a pleasure to read about the same setting and even some of the same characters in completely separate ages - and both were absolutely believable. Ratings-wise, the only thing I can really fault about this book is the theme... largely because there wasn't a readily identifiable one. Longing? Lost love? Redemption? No one theme really fits. This is largely a story for story's sake. And it's a good one.

The Bottom Line A fun read with an interesting story and great period detail.

This review originally appeared on my blog. See my profile for details.
The author is amazing! Could not put the book down! Lots of reviews detailing the story.....that I will leave to the reader! You have to purchase this book ! I am ready for another from Michael Cormier! Kudos!
I really enjoyed Sumner Island. It took many twists and turns, making it a great read. Once I started it I couldn't put it down.
Sumner Island is the perfect novel to take with you on vacation this summer. Not too heavy, not too light, and alot of fun.
The hero of the book, Mitch Lambert, is smitten with a woman who was murdered 80 years ago in the prime of her youth. Even he can't explain how a living, breathing person could be in love with someone who died so long ago. Yet he is, and that forms the main theme of this story that love knows no boundries, even time and space. Not a brand new premise, mind you, but done in a refreshing convincing voice.
The other mystery, of course, is the whodunnit. The one blamed for the murder back in 1924 turns out to have been a shakey suspect, and part of the book is about finding out who really killed Maria. But for me the love story was the most compelling part of the book.
Throughout it all, we meet up with ghosts, of course-some good ones, some not so good. Why are they there? Why haven't they moved on? Cormier tries to explain some of it, but leaves everyone guessing about other things. If you're looking for complete explanantions of everything you might be disappointed. On the other hand, Cormier has a way of pointing you-just like Mitch-in the right direction and letting you go try to figure it out for yourself. That's part of the fun.
Michael Cormier's powers of description are terrific, and he puts you right there on the island, whether it's the present version or the 1924 version. He also has a smooth and straightforward writing style that makes his prose a pleasure to read. If I had any criticism, it would be that Mitch came across as a little wooden, a little less emotionally vulnerable than I would have liked. But, hey, I would be guarded, too, if I thought I was losing my mind. Maria, on the other hand, is never a disappointment(if a man must fall in love with a ghost, than Maria should be the one!) Other characters, like the old man Mitch befriends, round out a good cast of characters.
If you like ghost stories, you'll like Sumner Island. If you also like historic novels and a good love story, you'll LOVE Sumner Island.