For the first time it occurred to him that if Brian’s kidnapping had been an inside job, that insider might still be alive. Alive and well and living on the estate.

I want to start by saying if I could give this story more than five stars, I would. This story is so beautifully written and so engaging. I had a hard time putting it down. I didn’t want to put it down. This story is so rich and involved. The mystery and romance blend so fluidly. Part of me wanted to finish the story so I could sleep. Another part of me wanted it to never end. Here. Let me tell you about it so you can draw your own conclusions.

Griff Hadley traveled from Wisconsin to Long Island for one reason and one reason only: to write the story of Brian Arlington, the boy who disappeared. Twenty years ago, Brian Arlington was taken from his own bed in the middle of the night while his family hosted a party on the estate. One of the staff was convicted of the murder of young Brian, but the body was never found.

Griff is the only person who has been allowed by the Arlington family to write the story that may reopen the case. When he arrives, Griff expects animosity from the family members, excluding the patriarch who supports Griff’s cause. He even expects the immediate dislike from the family attorney, Pierce. What he doesn’t expect is for someone to try and kill him. And he certainly doesn’t expect the strange attraction he has to Pierce. There is more to the Arlington family than meets the eye. Skeletons fill their closets, but Griff isn’t sure if it’s enough for them to want to get rid of him.

When a stranger shows up claiming to be Brian, the Arlingtons flock. But instead of being met with skepticism, the Arlingtons immediately believe the stranger without question and without physical proof. But Griff isn’t fooled and neither is Pierce. Once on different sides of the subject, Griff and Pierce join forces to discover who this “Brian” is and what he’s after, other than the Arlington fortune.

Digging into the past of others is not always profitable. Some secrets are meant to be kept in the dark. And some are too difficult to face.

I’ve already said how much I love this book, and I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out how to do this story justice. I’m not sure it’s possible from my amateur thought process, but I’ll try.

There’s a poetic and classic quality to Lanyon’s writing that I love. It draws me in, painting a world and a story so rich that it’s hard to disengage and place myself into reality without thinking about the story constantly. What I love so much about this author’s writing is the vast array of subjects and variety of storylines he takes on. It never ceases to amaze me how very different each storyline is. And I’ll be honest, Stranger on the Shore is one of my favorites. It’s meticulously plotted and beautifully written. I wanted more. I still want more even though the story ended perfectly.

Stranger on the Shore is what is best known as a cozy mystery. It’s set in the picturesque location of the Arlington Estate situated on Long Island. The blood and gore of the mystery is kept to a minimum. There’s a whodunit quality involving a certain group of people—in this case, the Arlington family and staff. The mystery—or mysteries, as it may be—within this story is tight, intriguing, and captivating.

Lanyon has the ability of writing the most fascinating characters. Griff is a mystery, even to readers. He holds his cards close to the vest. In the beginning, Griff is at the Arlington Estate to write a book about the abduction and investigation that followed, with maybe a little hope that he might find something new or get the case reopened. But there’s more to Griff than anyone knows, even himself. Then we meet Pierce. Even as the asshole attorney, I liked Pierce. He’s the kind of guy to do any and everything to protect those he cares for. And he goes above and beyond whether merited or not. He turns out to be his knight in shining armor, even though he’s presumptuous and high handed. He’s the perfect match for Griff. I love their tug-of-war relationship. It makes for sparks that light a blazing fire.

The incorporation of The Great Gatsby into this story is ingenious. I first read Gatsby in high school, and I’ve come to learn it’s one of those stories you love or hate. I happen to love it, maybe not as much as Griff, but we can’t all be that obsessive. There are many similarities between this story and the Fitzgerald classic. The stranger pretending to be someone he’s not is perfectly mirrored in this story, but also given a new definition. The differences in class—the rich and the not as rich—is a big part of both stories. Morality, or the lack thereof, of the rich and famous plays a role in this story, not by Griff but by the people he observes. There are many similarities, and we’d be here all day if I listed them all. Just know Lanyon made a classic into his own mystery/romance so flawlessly that I dare to say Stranger on the Shore will one day be as much of a classic to those who love this genre.

So, as you can see, I loved this story. I want more, which isn’t uncommon for me when I finish a Josh Lanyon book. I am forever in awe of this Lanyon’s storytelling ability and can’t for more. So until next time, I highly recommend you read Stranger on the Shore.

Josh Lanyon is considered one of the best writers in the MM genre and Stranger on the Shore clearly shows why. It was beautifully written, an intelligent mystery yet subtle in its execution, a brooding Agatha Christie style story that reminded me very much of Miss Marple, I couldn’t put it down; I was hooked from the first page.

Griffin ‘Griff’ Hadley, a young reporter, is fascinated by the disappearance of 4 year old Brian Arlington, heir to the Arlington fortune, 20 years before. Griff wants to write a book about the case and has managed to be invited by Brian’s grandfather, Jarrett, to spend a week at the Arlington estate researching his book. Griff already knows the Arlington family lawyer, Pierce Mather, wants to let sleeping dogs lie, Pierce has already tried to buy Griff off, but he hasn’t counted on someone else being just as determined to silence his book before it’s written. As he begins his research he isn’t sure what to make of a family that seems indifferent to Brian’s fate, and the equally enigmatic Pierce Mather. Griff soon realizes that it’s more what’s not being said than what is, and even Mrs. Truscott, Jarrett’s closed lipped Housekeeper seems to know more than she is willing to reveal.

What do the Arlington’s have to hide? Why does no one except Jarret seem to care about what happened to Brian? Griff has a resemblance to Brian’s dead father Matthew, is this why he, a reporter without a published book, has been allowed into the Arlington inner sanctum, does he remind Jarrett of Matthew and the man Brian could have become?

From day one Griff is intimidated by Pierce Mather but he is also hyper aware of him, and after a chance meeting at a club Pierce and Griff get closer. All is not what it seems though. As accidents and threats start to pile up Griff is unnerved by repressed memories and feelings, it’s like he’s walking in Brian’s footsteps. When the story take an astonishing turn and Griff faces leaving the Arlington estate everything comes to a head.

I adored this book, totally and completely. From its perfect evocative cover showing two beautiful ornate columns which detail the grandeur of the Arlington estate, to the subtle hints spread throughout its pages Stranger on the Shore was intense and sublime. It’s a perfect who done it with pacing that is slow, but never boring, it’s gentle and designed to lure the reader along. It’s full of plenty of twists and turns, most noticeably when the stranger turns up. I loved how we were drip fed clues throughout the story, but never enough to give the game away. I kept thinking I knew the answers but I couldn’t work out how it was done and the ending, when all is revealed, is stunningly simple in its effect and reasoning.

I grew to love Pierce. Initially arrogant and cold, Pierce opens up gradually to show us a man scared to trust and a man also haunted by his own perceived failure to protect Brian. But it’s Griff, so thoughtful and honest, that captivated me. Griff with his troubled background and unsettled past who felt touched by Brian’s disappearance but not really understanding why.

I didn’t think much of the Arlington family, not even Jarrett who thought money could buy everything, even Griff, but then I guess I wasn’t supposed to, they came across as a bunch of unlikable selfish people, a dysfunctional family proving that too much money can sometimes often be the route of all things bad. I highly recommend Stranger on the Shore; it’s a timeless classic that I will reread time and time again. Like all of Josh Lanyon’s books I’m sure I’ll see something new each time I read it, it’s that kind of story.