The Weather House

Book excerpt: When three strangers arrive on Block Island, RI just months before the US enters WW1, suspicion fills the air. A close-knit family working together at the United States Weather Station doesn't trust these strangers -- for what turns out to be a very good reason. Even before the first murder occurs, the Weather House crew realizes they need back-up, but who can they trust? It becomes their burden to unlock these strangers' true objectives, which, if carried out, will decidedly change the course of our nation's history. With the family's two sisters at the center of the action, The Weather House -- equal parts international espionage, mystery, and history -- explores relationships and communication, motives, hidden agendas and loss, and the purpose of being. The greatest triumph of the author, beyond the story, is the creation of such memorable characters and the reader finds him/herself cheering the girls on as they help uncover why three strange men have suddenly appeared on their island. One of the sisters has had to overcome a significant physical disability as the result of an unfortunate accident. The author, a physician, has worked within the disabilities world and portrays the struggles and triumphs of these girls with aplomb. Set at a time when death and destruction are synonymous with an isolated island life, Block Island and its inhabitants become a metaphor for life in this classic American tale where the line blurs between villain and hero. Gary E. Eddey's debut novel shows that even a small island can hold a very big secret.