Goodnight Stranger is the first novel written by Miciah Bay Gault. Miciah grew up on Sanibel Island, Cape Cod, and other places by the sea. She was the editor of the literary journal “Hunger Mountain” for 9 years. Before that she was a high school English teacher, a swing dance instructor, a barista, and a nanny. She now teaches in the MFA in Writing & Publishing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

If you love a thriller with an ending that is a total shocker, then you will want to pick up this book. The story had me wondering throughout each chapter how it was going to end. With characters that seem to be full of mysteries, this novel seems to add more to your speculations as you read.

The main character, Lydia, left me wondering how she will handle certain situations.

Lydia and her brother, Lucas, have lived on Wolf Island all their life.

They lived in an old house left behind by her parents. Their mother, the last to go, died of cancer a decade earlier, drawing Lydia back from college to care for her after less than a semester. Lydia lives with her socially withdrawn twin, Lucas. Most would find him weird, but not Lydia. They were both in their late twenties. They are living in the old family home with their past that they seem to not be able to escape from.

They used to be triplets until their brother Colin died in infancy during a ferry ride to the hospital. Lydia was upset with Lucas so went to have a drink at one of the local hotels. She meets a mysterious visitor. She brings him home to meet Lucas and he swears he is their reincarnated brother Colin. The strangers name is Cole which is oddly close to Colin. Cole has memories of island life he shouldn’t know about, and a tattoo of their mother’s favorite flower, the one planted on Colin’s grave. Lydia also feels a connection to him that doesn’t seem right but is unable to put her finger on what it is.

Cole plays along and seems to be hiding some secrets. Lydia is suspicious of who Cole is and what is he after. She goes off the island to investigate him and also fears the thought of losing her closeness with her brother. She finds out more than she would like about the history of her family. You need to read the book to find out what happens next.

The characters each have their own difficulties which keeps this novel interesting. The way Miciah seems to weave the lives of each one together in this mystery keeps you engaged until the last page. If you are looking for a thriller, I recommend this book for you. It will definitely keep your attention.