Book Description 

1918. Orcas Island, Washington.

Lucy Nowhere has spent her eighteen years working on the vast estate of the eccentric shipbuilder who took her in after she washed ashore in a green canoe as a baby. But she has long wished for a life off the island, and in a matter of days, she is set to leave for college—and, for the first time, choose her own future.

Then she finds her employer’s severed head on the beach. Rumors swirl that a mischievous spirit and its minions, the sea wolves, have struck again. Lucy doesn’t believe in myths. She knows that a human—a human murderer—killed him. And when she is unexpectedly named heiress to the estate, she understands the next target is her.

Her closest friend, the estate’s vigilant young guard, begs her to escape while she can. But Lucy knows the only way she can discover who she is, and free the island of its curse, is to find the real killer—before she becomes the next victim.

My Review 

Stacey Lee is one of those authors who has been on my radar for years, and I’ve been meaning to read one of her books for years, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read her latest novel. This fascinating work of historical fiction combines mystery and intrigue as young Lucy must put aside her dreams of attending university after she unexpectedly inherits an entire island. 

This book’s biggest strengths are its representation, with characters from indigenous, Chinese, and Japanese backgrounds. Another strength is the world-building: the island of Nowhere has a fascinating history full of traditions. 

The love triangle was a bit of a distraction. Lucy was independent and determined; she didn’t need a man, let alone two men getting in her way. There were also a lot of secondary characters in the ensemble, and it was sometimes difficult to keep track of everyone’s role on the island. 

I would recommend Heiress of Nowhere. Lucy is a wonderful protagonist who demonstrates some great qualities. This book will especially appeal to the target YA demographic and my interest has been piqued in terms of wanting to read more of Lee’s books.  

I received a digital ARC of this book from Simon and Schuster/NetGalley.