title: The Island House: A Novel
author:  Posie Graeme-Evans 
description: The storytelling is so strong, the characters so engaging... First-rate commercial fiction. <i>Kirkus Reviews</i> (starred)<br /><br />This new novel by the author of <i>The Dressmaker</i> should come with a neon sign alerting readers for whats in store: a complex plot alternating between present-day and first-century Scotland thats bursting at the seams with romance, intrigue, visions from the past, Viking marauders, battles, and lost treasure. Historical detail abounds.... Whether a mystery, a romance, a thriller, or historical fiction, this is the perfect summer read for those who want a mix of all those genres. Lots for book groups to discuss. Reading guide included. <i>Library Journal</i>
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  [Begin Reading](index_split_002.html#filepos804)
  
  
  [Table of Contents](index_split_030.html#filepos466189)
  
  
  [Copyright Page](index_split_031.html#filepos468590)
  
  
  [Q&A with the Author](index_split_023.html#filepos445726)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > For David and Maria Martin
  
  > Mary Ann, Johanna and Elizabeth
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](images/00014.jpg)
  
  
  My name is Laurie Stratton. I’m seventeen years old, and I live at the Cliff
  House on the northern tip of Brighton Island.
  
  
  My parents moved here with me when I was four. My father is a science fiction
  writer, and my mother is an artist, so this out-of-the-mainstream existence
  suits them. They bought this house from the descendants of the Brighton
  family, who at one time owned the island, and had it remodeled to fit their
  needs. Except for an occasional trip down to the village for groceries and
  mail, they seldom leave the house and almost never leave the island.
  
  
  “Why go back to the rat race on the mainland,” asks Dad, “when we have
  everything we need ri