At the Water's Edge

Narrator Justine Eyre transports listeners to the mid-twentieth-century Scottish Highlands in Gruen's story of love and monsters. Maddie Hyde follows her husband and his best friend from Philadelphia to Scotland to prove the existence of the Loch Ness Monster and regain the favor of Maddie's father-in-law. Eyre does a wonderful job with the multitude of voices and accents in the story, deftly switching between American and Scottish accents and subtly denoting character traits from personality to educational level. Gruen develops her characters, particularly Maddie, incredibly well over the course of the story, and Eyre's skillful narration ensures that listeners engage with Maddie on her journey of self-discovery. J.L.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

March 23, 2015
Gruenâs (Water for Elephants) riveting fifth novel follows Philadelphia socialite Madeline Hyde; her husband, Ellis; and his best friend, Hank, on a quest to Loch Ness in January 1945 as they seek proof of the legendary monster, which Ellisâs father allegedly photographed 13 years earlier. Once the trio is ensconced in the tiny village of Drumnadrochit, Hank and Ellis begin disappearing for days at a time, leaving Maddie alone back at the inn with no ration card, no practical skills, and no emergency gear. She soon bonds with the localsâeven Angus, the innâs brooding, standoffish ownerâand her newfound friendships help her cope with household chores and air raids alike. As the days drag on, Maddie begins to uncover truths about her family, as well as secrets about Ellis, that force her to reimagine her entire life as she knows it. A slow start gives way to mystery upon mystery, building to a gripping climax. Though some aspects, particularly an ambiguous brush with the supernatural, are a little pedestrian, Gruenâs beautiful setting and deeply sympathetic characters ensure a memorable read for new and returning fans alike.