The Review

Margaret Hawkins was beginning to think she might like this vacation cooked up by her adventuresome husband Tom. Then, all hell broke loose. Marge, Tom and their small toothless Chihuahua, Big Mack set forth in a small houseboat on Kabetagonia Lake up on the Minnesota Canadian border region of Voyageur National Park. The first six days of their vacation were gone, and the family settled in for their last night aboard the houseboat when word of a terrifying storm came over the radio. Soon they were buffeted by unbelievable wind blasts, lightning cracked and rain came in torrents. When the houseboat tore loose from its moorings and Tom fell unconscious from a blow from flying debris Marge was prepared for the worst. Morning brought the Hawkins’ to an unscathed shoreline, Ojibwa Indians who were expecting their arrival and an angry cubless Grizzly.

Ed Kostra has produced a galvanizing tumult filled work in his Cemetery Island. Characters are robust, believable, and acceptable. Peppy, credible dialogue is filled with piquant humor, tingle and a genuine ‘people talking’ quality. The interplay between school teacher Marge and her adventure seeking lawyer husband is the type of situation played out daily between spouses/companions the nationwide. And that is much of what makes this work so enjoyable. The reader is caught up both in the tale and in the lives of the characters themselves. What wife/partner has not at one time or another accompanied a husband on a venture HE views with bright-eyed, ‘not able to hear her lack of’ enthusiasm and she views as one step below a root canal?

The excitement and mystery of Cemetery Island is complimented with historical fact offered as conversation between Tom and Marge as they trek northward. Those who like to be treated to a bit of knowledge in their otherwise fictional accounts will be pleased to note write Kostra has done his homework. The complex, intricate, interwoven tale travels easily from past to present and present to past on the pages of Cemetery Island.

The work closes with Marge planning the Hawkins’ next vacation and Big Mack dreaming of a small boy and a woolly mammoth. Marge is reserving rooms for them aboard a luxury cruise ship to Alaska. The next book in this easily read Time Travel series is surely on the way, and what good news that is.

Snappy colloquy, treacherous scenario and enigmatic abundantly portrayed, this is Cemetery Island.

Cemetery Island has a place in the home and school library. Written for the adult reader, Cemetery Island will also be devoured by strong readers among youngsters from upper middle grades into high school.

Great book for a long dreary winter day spent reading, sipping hot chocolate and sitting in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace or lazing away a warm summer day spent in the swing reading on the porch. Happy to recommend.

Reviewed by: molly martin
http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin
http://www.AuthorsDen.com/mjhollingshead
20+ years public school teacher