BOOK REVIEW: Heiress of Nowhere

 

HEIRESS OF NOWHERE
by Stacey Lee
Available now

Lucy is the ward of the eccentric Mr. Sanders, a resident of the secluded Orcas Island on an estate he has dubbed "Nowhere." After arriving as a baby in a green canoe, she's gone from employee to collaborator on his scientific endeavors. And she's about to tell him she plans to move to Washington state to attend university. But before she can be on her way, he's found dead, his body found in a state eerily similar to that of another man's many years prior. But things get even stranger when his will leaves the estate to Lucy, with the employment of her fellow staff now in her hands.

But that's not all he's left her with. She's now armed with clues as to the identity of her father, whom it turns out her guardian knew well. With the help of Nash and Koa, two long-time acquaintances and rivals for her affection, she attempts to set the estate right while also solving a pair of murders. But standing in her way is a lingering belief that she might be the killer, shored up by her strange ability to communicate with the orcas who live near the island.

Set in the early 1900s in a part of the Pacific Northwest, Heiress of Nowhere puts me in mind of a darker, more windswept Anne of Green Gables. There's the same young adult confusion in matters of life, love, education, and one's place in the world. Combined with a heritage Lucy never knew she had, this story is as entertaining as it is educational. Beyond the fiction, it's a fascinating look into the history of an island many may not even know exists. Most of all, it has a wonderful character at its core: Lucy is strong but anxious, intelligent but with much to learn, and trusting in ways that both help and hurt her. She's believable and relatable, even for people not of her world.

TEA PAIRING: Poet's Study
A moody Earl Grey for a far-off, secluded setting—and a story that often takes place within the walls of an old home. It's a favorite, and one that fits this story well. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other tea blends from Chapters Tea & Co.!