Amethyst Dreams
Written by Phyllis A. Whitney
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Hallie Knight is summoned to a historic seaport town by Nicholas Trench, the critically ill grandfather of her former college roommate. Months earlier, Trench's granddaughter Susan mysteriously disappeared from his home and all attempts to learn her fate have failed. He feels that if anyone can find Susan, it will be this woman who was his granddaughter's closest friend.
If Hallie is to succeed, though, it won't be with the help of the suspicious relatives who surround the old man. With Susan out of the picture, who among them stands to inherit Trench's money? And why does Hallie suddenly feel so vulnerable in this outwardly peaceful seaside town?
Phyllis A. Whitney
Born in Yokohama, Japan, on September 9, 1903, Phyllis A. Whitney was a prolific author of award-winning adult and children’s fiction. Her sixty-year writing career and the publication of seventy-six books, which together sold over fifty million copies worldwide, established her as one of the most successful mystery and romantic suspense writers of the twentieth century and earned her the title “The Queen of the American Gothics.” Whitney resided in several places, including New Jersey. She traveled to every location mentioned in her books in order to better depict the settings of her stories. She earned the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master award in 1988, the Agatha in 1990, and the lifetime achievement award from the Society of Midland Authors in 1995. Whitney was working on her autobiography at the time of her passing at the age of 104.
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Reviews for Amethyst Dreams
59 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What a wonderful and entertaining book full of unexpected twists and turns!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Like a lot of other authors who write romantic suspense, Whitney was very hit and miss. Most of the misses I've read are the ones she wrote in her later years, and this isn't an exception. The woman could still write well - her island setting came alive - but the plot was soft and sentimental, and the resolution was not a resolution at all. In fact it was completely unrealistic, unless the poor dead woman meant less than nothing to her family.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Whitney was one of my “go-to” authors as a young teen. Loved the gothic feel of her stories with their blending of mystery and romance. Even so, I was stunned to discover that Whitney had written over 70 novels over the span of her long life, with 38 of those books being of the romance/suspense variety. Amethyst Dreams was the last book published before her death in 2008 at the age of 104. The setting in this story is a good one – close-knit local community, suspicious relatives with secrets and a mysterious disappearance that no one but one person seems interested in seeing investigated. The characters are alright but the story lacks some of the building suspense that I enjoy in a good gothic mystery read. Parts of the story are a bit implausible, which tends to detract a bit from the enjoyment factor. The dialogue in the story manages to come across at times like an infomercial for Topsail Island (a true place located off the coast of North Carolina). The “reveal” at the end was one of those “Say what?” kind of low key endings that I tend to groan over but in view of the fact that this one was published when Whitney was 94 years old, I do have to give her props for pulling together a story that remains true to her writing roots at such a golden age. Overall, probably a good read for those wishing to be a “completist” reader of Whitney’s works and an alright read if you are in the mood for a quick read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5If my research is correct, this is the last book published by Phyllis A Whitney. Published in 1997, the Gothic Romance style of writing was long dead. This one could be placed in the romantic suspense genre, but the Gothic romance style is undeniable.This book gets mixed reviews by those not accustomed to this style of book. I have to agree that this not the best book ever written by Phyllis Whitney, but it wasn't all that bad either. Hallie's friend, Susan, diappeared two years ago. Now Susan's grandfather is dying of cancer and is deperate to find out what happened to his granddaughter. So, he asked Hallie to come to Topsail Island. He wants to remember Hallie in his will, which makes other family members nervous. He also wants to see if Hallie can try to find out what happened to Susan. Since Hallie had discovered, only days before, that her husband, Paul, had been having an affair, she feels like this trip would do her a lot of good. But, she isn't welcomed all that warmly once she arrives. She does make friends though and gradually she discovers old family secrets. Susan's grandfather and one of his friends and neighbors once loved the same woman. This affair destroyed one marriage and put a dark cloud over the other couple. Susan's grandfather, Nick, was controlling and refused to admit his failings and continues to try and control his family. Then there is the Nurse/housekeeper, Mrs. Orion and her son Corey. Corey was set to marry Susan before she disappeared. The only little supernatural aspect of the novel involved some Amethyst stones. These stones were supposed to cause vivid dreams if you placed the stone by your bed. You could also gaze into the stone and see visions. This was more than a little far fetched, but the supernatural aspect played a really small role in the story. But the stones though held a big clue.Hallie ends up getting to the bottom of Susan's disappearance, she makes life long friends, and finds the strength to face her marital situation. She and the other characters find their own versions of HEA and closure they needed to move forward with their lives. Over all a C
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A woman searches for the where abouts of a dear friend who has disappeared from her families home on the coast of North Carolina.