"Hilderbrand's final Nantucket novel will draw old and new readers out of the woodwork . . . There are plenty of Easter eggs for longtime fans, but even those diving in to her exquisite writing for the first time are in for a treat: a story that feels like it's being told over cocktails at the Oystercatcher, perfectly paced for maximum drama with characters you can't get enough of. This is aspirational escapism at its finest."
 —Susan Maguire, Booklist (starred)

“A stranger comes to town, and a beloved storyteller plays this creative-writing standby for all it’s worth.”—Kirkus (starred)

“Elin Hilderbrand is the doyen of the beach read, the queen of all things sun, fun, and intrigue, one of the best to ever do it, and Swan Song is the cleverly titled final installment of her popular Nantucket series . . . You’ll see all your old favorite characters from the previous Nantucket novels, and this final act is chock-full of all Hilderbrand’s hallmarks, from family drama to romance."—Harper's Bazaar

05/03/2024

Hilderbrand's (The Five-Star Weekend) many fans will feel bittersweet about her latest: it follows her usual mix of colorful and glittering characters and places on Nantucket Island, but she says it will be her last Nantucket-set novel. Police chief Ed Kapenash is retiring after having a heart attack, but on his last weekend on the job, a house destroyed by fire and a missing friend of his daughter make him defer his retirement. The story returns to the arrival and wild lives of ultra-wealthy and mysterious newcomers, the Robinson family. In a story told from many perspectives, readers learn how the ostentatious Robinsons and their wild parties brought out the best, the worst, and underlying conflicts in many Nantucket islanders. All the characters, especially the Robinsons, have secrets and resentments they want to keep hidden. Fans will be thrilled to revisit characters from Hilderbrand's earlier stories and see how their lives have moved on and continue to change up until the sweetly romantic ending. Readers new to the author may find it difficult keeping track of the many characters and be best served by first reading her earlier books. VERDICT A must-read for Hilderbrand's many enthusiastic followers.—Jan Marry