The Ocean in Winter

By: Elizabeth de Veer

Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel, Emily Lawrence, Gabra Zackman

Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

An unforgettable story about grief, love, and what it means to be haunted, The Ocean in Winter marks the debut of a remarkable new voice in fiction.

The lives of the three Emery sisters were changed forever when Alex found their mother drowned in the bathtub of their home. After their mother’s suicide, the girls’ father shut down emotionally, leaving Alex responsible for caring for Colleen and little Riley. Now the girls are grown and navigating different directions. Decades may have passed, but the unresolved trauma of their mother’s death still looms over them, creating distance between the sisters.

Then, on a March night, a storm rages near the coast of northeastern Massachusetts. Alex sits alone in an old farmhouse she inherited. The lights are out because of the storm; then, an unexpected knock at the door. When Alex opens it, her beautiful younger sister stands before her. Riley has long been estranged from their family, prompting Colleen to hire the private investigator from whom they’d been awaiting news.

After her mysterious visitation, Alex and Colleen are determined to reconcile with Riley and to face their painful past.

©2021 by Elizabeth de Veer (P)2021 by Blackstone Publishing

Mental illness and grief

I found each individual character hard to like. At times the book seems drawn out and wordy.

Worth a listen

Well woven story. Especially love the last chapter. Great job on creating the mood and imagery.

Wonderfully Written

This book was excellent! It was eloquently written with such beautiful descriptions. A couple of parts were a little predictable but the writing and the story and how everything tied together was perfect. Subject matter may be depressing for some. I thought the narration was done well, too, Absolutely worth reading; I highly recommend!

The individual lives of the sisters and the reality of the story

I enjoyed this book since it pulled no punches and depicted the reality of depression and suicide and how it affects all people involved.