At the Water's Edge: A Novel

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn this thrilling new novel from the author of Water for Elephants Sara Gruen again demonstrates her talent for creating spellbinding period pieces At the Waterrsquos Edge is a gripping and poignant love story about a privileged young womanrsquos awakening as she experiences the devastation of World War II in a tiny village in the Scottish HighlandsAfter disgracing themselves at a high society New Yearrsquos Eve party in Philadelphia in Madeline Hyde and her husband Ellis are cut off financially by his father a former army colonel who is already ashamed of his sonrsquos inability to serve in the war When Ellis and his best friend Hank decide that the only way to regain the Colonelrsquos favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failedmdashby hunting down the famous Loch Ness monstermdashMaddie reluctantly follows them across the Atlantic leaving her sheltered world behind The trio find themselves in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands where the locals have nothing but contempt for the privileged interlopers Maddie is left on her own at the isolated inn where food is rationed fuel is scarce and a knock from the postman can bring tragic news Yet she finds herself falling in love with the stark beauty and subtle magic of the Scottish countryside Gradually she comes to know the villagers and the friendships she forms with two young women open her up to a larger world than she knew existed Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears the values she holds dear prove unsustainable and monsters lurk where they are least expected As she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be Maddie becomes aware not only of the dark forces around her but of lifersquos beauty and surprising possibilitiesPraise for At the Waterrsquos Edge ldquoA gripping compelling story wholly diverting and well written I read it in one sitting At the Waterrsquos Edge will likely fly off bookstore shelvesrdquomdashThe Boston Globe ldquoPowerfully evocativerdquomdashUSA TodayldquoAdaring story of adventure friendship and love in the shadow of WWIIrdquomdashHarperrsquos Bazaar ldquoA page-turner of a novel that rollicks along with crisp historical detail waves of deep emotions and a dash of Scottish mystical mythologyrdquomdashFort Worth Star-Telegram ldquoAt the Waterrsquos Edge captivates with its drama intrigue and glimpses of both the dark and light of humanityrdquomdashBookPage Top PickldquoIf I needed a reminder why I am such a fan of Sara Gruenrsquos books her latest novel provides plenty Unique in its setting and scope this impeccably researched historical fiction is full of the gorgeous prose Irsquove come to expect from this authorrdquomdashJodi Picoult New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time ldquoOnce again Sara Gruen has proven herself to be one of Americarsquos most compelling storytellers You might be tempted to rush to get to the answers at the endmdashbut donrsquot or yoursquoll miss the delectable journey that is Gruenrsquos proserdquomdashKathryn Stockett New York Times bestselling author of The Help ldquoGruen is a wizard at capturing the essence of her historical setting and does so here in spades but itrsquos Maddiersquos unexpected transformation that grounds and drives the novelrdquomdashPaula McLain New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife.