The Inn At Half Moon Bay - Diane Tyrrel

The Inn At Half Moon Bay
Diane Tyrrel
Berkley Sensation

Contemporary/ Gothic

Kelly Redvers has already made her mark in her chosen profession, engineering. One of the rare survivors of the dot-com bust, she suddenly realized that she wasn’t doing what she wanted to do. Closing in on the dreaded thirtieth birthday, Kelly decides it’s time to take on a completely new challenge. She wants to run an inn. In her mind, she envisions something very elegant, with well-heeled guests and rates to match. But when she comes across The Magic Mermaid Inn, she’s inexplicably captivated by its rustic charm. It’s very definitely not what she thought she wanted, but once there, she feels compelled to buy it.

It doesn’t take long before Kelly gets the idea that she may be in over her head, in more ways than one. For instance, after a long time as a single woman, she’s now got three men who appear to be attracted to her: Nick, the handyman; Eli, the billionaire; and Grendel, the mysterious full-time resident in one of the cottages. Before she can sort that out, though, she hears the story (or is it a legend?) of a woman who disappeared from the Inn years ago. She’s inclined to dismiss such fanciful talk, but, strangely, those in the position to know about it seem oddly reticent to discuss it. When peculiar events begin to occur, she’s sure she’s on the right track. To something.

This entertaining novel is set on the gorgeous coastline of Northern California. Location is everything in real estate, and it’s certainly paramount here. An inn with small cottages situated along the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean is the perfect setting for a modern day gothic tale. While I initially found Kelly’s age and sudden change of life to be a bit unrealistic, it became a rather minor nitpick once I was caught up in the story. The author has peopled her novel with realistic creations and given them plausible, if twisted motivations. There are some neat twists in this tale. If you enjoy gothic fiction, you won’t want to miss this one.

Rating: 7
September 2006
ISBN# 0-425-21165-7