At the Water's Edge: A Novel

In January 1945, Madeline Hyde and her husband Ellis face financial hardship when his father, a retired army colonel, cuts them off due to shame over Ellis's inability to serve in the military. To restore his father's favor, Ellis decides to hunt the famous Loch Ness monster—a quest where the Colonel himself has publicly failed. Maddie reluctantly accompanies Ellis and his best friend Hank to a remote village in the Scottish Highlands. As Maddie settles into this unfamiliar world, she develops friendships with the townspeople that gradually expand her perspective beyond her sheltered upbringing. Through these connections, she discovers that circumstances are more complex than they initially appear. As she develops a fuller understanding of herself, Maddie becomes aware of both darker forces surrounding her and unexpected possibilities in her life.