Swan Song - by Elin Hilderbrand

Book Synopsis

The beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author brings her Nantucket novels to a brilliant finish: when rich strangers move to the island, social mayhem--and a possible murder follow. Can Nantucket's best locals save the day, and their way of life?

Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is about to retire. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce. But when a 22-million-dollar summer home is purchased by the mysterious Richardsons--how did they make their money, exactly?--Ed, Sharon, and everyone in the community are swept up in high drama. The Richardsons throw lavish parties, flirt with multiple locals, flaunt their wealth with not one but two yachts, and raise impossible hopes of everyone they meet. When their house burns to the ground and their most essential employee goes missing, the entire island is up in arms.

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.

Review Quotes

"Swan Song is a clever and, ultimately, moving multilayered narrative in which the various social worlds of Nantucket mingle, crash and burn."--Maureen Corrigan, The Wall Street Journal

"A stranger comes to town, and a beloved storyteller plays this creative-writing standby for all it's worth."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Elin Hilderbrand is the doyen of the beach read, the queen of all things sun, fun, and intrigue, one of the best to ever do it, and Swan Song is the cleverly titled final installment of her popular Nantucket series . . . You'll see all your old favorite characters from the previous Nantucket novels, and this final act is chock-full of all Hilderbrand's hallmarks, from family drama to romance."--Harper's Bazaar

"Hilderbrand closes out her long run of Nantucket novels with an engrossing story of three mysterious newcomers...Strong characterizations and delicious moments of tension make this a worthy note to end on. Readers will be riveted."--Publishers Weekly

"Hilderbrand is exiting on a high with this dramatic tale featuring a recently arrived, ostentatiously wealthy family whose presence sets off strange happenings, including a possible murder."--Christina Ianzito, AARP

"Hilderbrand's final Nantucket novel will draw old and new readers out of the woodwork . . . There are plenty of Easter eggs for longtime fans, but even those diving in to her exquisite writing for the first time are in for a treat: a story that feels like it's being told over cocktails at the Oystercatcher, perfectly paced for maximum drama with characters you can't get enough of. This is aspirational escapism at its finest."
--Susan Maguire, Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Elin Hilderbrand is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa Writers Workshop. Swan Song is her twenty-seventh--and final--Nantucket-based novel. Hilderbrand is currently writing the first of two novels with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, set at a New England boarding school. Hilderbrand is the co-host of the podcast "Books, Beach and Beyond" along with @TimTalksBooks creator, Tim Ehrenberg. She is raising four young adult children and likes to spend her free time at the beach and on her Peloton. She's a grateful ten-year breast cancer survivor.