The writing here is both atmospheric and elegant.

In The Silence in the Sound, Dianne Braley fashions a moving tale in which complicated love—for an alcoholic father, testy patient, unnervingly enigmatic lover, and Martha’s Vineyard—interweaves to create a compelling narrative. Georgette returns as an adult to the island, lured by the memory of a significant weekend there as a teenager with her father. She becomes the private nurse to the famous author Mr. S. for whom, despite his difficult nature, she develops a deep fondness. But Georgette can’t outrun the damage from growing up with an addict in a dysfunctional home as she becomes entangled in a complicated relationship with Dock—a local contractor with a mysterious past. Brimming with rich characters and a provocative storyline, Braley movingly explores if our history indelibly determines our future.