The Castaways »

Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, PA, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her seven previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.

Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed.

Once again, Hilderbrand masterfully weaves an intense tale of love and loyalty set against the backdrop of endless summer island life.

The Washington Post - Kristi Lanier

Despite all the melodrama, The Castaways is a sensitive portrayal of the complexities of friendship. Hilderbrand's characters illustrate the alliances, insecurities and joys that color adult relationships. But it's also a cautionary tale about hanging out with the same people all the time. This group excels at narcissism, bickering and drinking themselves silly. Still, when it's done well, as it is here, reading about other people's problems is ever so satisfying.