The Winter Tide

When retired travel photographer Clara Whitcombe arrives on Cape Cod for a winter storm assignment, she expects dramatic skies and deserted beaches—not a mystery that washes up at her feet. A beloved marine biologist has drowned in waters she knew better than anyone, and while the official ruling says accident, Clara's instincts say murder. With her loyal dog Atlas by her side and a nor'easter bearing down on the coast, she begins asking the questions no one else will ask.

The Cape in January is a world of gray seas and close-kept secrets, where year-round residents protect their own and outsiders are met with polite suspicion. But Clara has faced hostile witnesses before, from Charleston's old-money families to the Hudson Valley's academic elite. As she peels back layers of betrayal involving corporate money, environmental activism, and an eighteen-year partnership built on lies, she discovers that the most dangerous predators aren't always found in the deep.

In this fourth installment of the acclaimed Coastal Clues Mysteries, Clara Whitcombe proves once again that her photographer's eye sees what others miss—and that Atlas's instincts about people are never wrong. A gripping tale of trust and treachery set against the stark beauty of the winter shore, The Winter Tide will keep readers guessing until the final, storm-swept confrontation.