THE LIGHT KEEPER'S LEGACY
CHLOE ELLEFSON MYSTERY #3
Midnight Ink Books
"Combines a good mystery with some interesting historical information..."
— Kirkus Reviews
Ranked in Top One Percent of Sales
Out of 8 Million Plus Printed Books
for Over Seventy Days
— Nielsen BookScan
"A great can’t-wait-to-turn-the-page story."
— ReadVillage.com
This is the award-winning third novel in the Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites mystery series, and the twenty-fourth published book by bestselling author Kathleen Ernst. It is written for adults and mature teens who enjoy traditional mysteries (i.e., without explicit sex, violence, or gore).
Story Description
An island’s history holds clues to a modern mystery.
Solitude at last! Museum curator Chloe Ellefson jumps at the chance to spend time on Wisconsin’s Rock Island, a state park with no electricity or roads. On temporary assignment from Old World Wisconsin to consult on restoring the island’s historic lighthouse, her research turns up fascinating tough-as-nails women from the past.
Chloe’s tranquility is spoiled when a dead woman washes ashore. Is it an accidental drowning, or has tension over tighter fishing regulations reached a dangerous boiling point? When a second body is found, Chloe finds herself trapped with a killer on remote Rock Island.
This 360-page book contains a map of Rock Island, a cast of characters, and an author's note with links to additional resources. It is available as a trade paperback, and in electronic versions for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Sony, and other e-book apps and readers.
What Others Are Saying
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LOVEY Award for Best Traditional Mystery Love Is Murder Mystery Writers Conference LOVEY winners are chosen by the readers, writers, agents, and publishers at the annual Love is Murder conference in Chicago, the Midwest's premier mystery, romance, suspense, thriller gathering. |
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Jane Kirkpatrick New York Times Bestselling Author Where Lilacs Still Bloom and The Daughter's Walk "In the fashion of Barbara Kingsolver, Kathleen weaves contemporary conflicts of commercial fishing, environmentalists, sport fisherman and law enforcement into a web of similar conflicts in the 1880s... I ignored food so I could finish this third Chloe Ellefson mystery quickly." |
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Mystery Scene Magazine Review by Lourdes Venard "While the mystery elements of this book are very good, what really elevates it are the historical tidbits of the real-life Pottawatomie Lighthouse and the surrounding fishing village. Even some characters, such as the Betts family, are based on real people. And the author, herself a curator, has spent time as a live-in docent at the lighthouse. Such rich historical details shine a light on a fascinating slice of American history." |
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Escape With Dollycas Blog Review "Kathleen has a way of mixing historic times and places with bold characters to create wonderful mysteries. They are smart, well crafted and captivating... If you haven’t read the first two installments you can start with this one, but I guarantee you will want to read them all." |
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Kirby Foss Rock Island State Park Manager (retired) "A fun and interesting read, with a great understanding of island history and the commercial fishing industry." |
About the Author
Bestselling author Kathleen Ernst writes award-winning mysteries and historical fiction for adults and young readers. Her work has earned numerous honors, including multiple Edgar and Agatha mystery award nominations, and an Emmy for educational programming.
To date, readers have purchased well over 750,000 audio, electronic, and printed copies of Kathleen's twenty-five books. more>>
Related Blog Posts
Enjoy the author's insights about the story, characters, and settings.
The Library Box |
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What did the library box look like? The question came up last week when I visited a book group to discuss the 3rd Chloe Ellefson mystery, The Light Keeper’s Legacy. A library box is featured prominently in the story... more>> |
On A Hunt For Clues With Chloe Ellefson |
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Here on the island, my day begins with sound. Sometimes I wake to the blare of a freighter’s horn as it passes through the narrow Rock Island passage below Pottawatomie Lighthouse... more>> |
When Past and Present Collide |
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I’ve been a history junkie since childhood. My librarian-mom kept me supplied with historical fiction, and family vacations always included stops at historic sites and museums. As an adult... more>> |
The Lure of a Lighthouse |
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What is it about lighthouses? I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve said something along the lines of “Your new Chloe Ellefson book is set at a lighthouse? I love lighthouses!” more>> |
Invisible Women |
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Anonymous was a woman, they say. Anyone who loves history—or who has waded into the murky waters of genealogical research—knows that it can be much more difficult to learn about historical women than men. more>> |
Danish Needle Lace |
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Handwork in all its many forms is dear to my heart, as I’ve discussed here before in 2010 and 2011. I love featuring different types of crafts in my books. As a former museum curator, and... more>> |
Cast Iron and Memories |
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Pottawatomie Lighthouse, the oldest light station in Wisconsin, sits on top of a bluff on Rock Island, in lake Michigan. Rock Island is now a state park, and it provides the setting for my latest Chloe Ellefson mystery, The Light Keeper’s Legacy... more>> |
Strong Women |
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I’ve written two Caroline books and a Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites mystery every year for the past three years. The deadlines have been challenging, to put it mildly... What do all these books have in common? Strong females. more>> |
Women at the Lights |
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When Scott and I began serving as volunteer docents at Pottawatomie Lighthouse (Rock Island State Park, Lake Michigan, WI), I was delighted to learn that two of the Keeper’s wives officially served as Assistant Keepers... more>> |
Water, Water Everywhere, Nor Any Drop To Drink |
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So said Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his famous ballad, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. I suspect that some of the former light keepers at Pottawatomie Lighthouse (Rock Island, WI) muttered the same phrase... more >> |
Docent Duty |
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My husband Scott and I are recently back from our 4th stint as docents at Pottawatomie Lighthouse in Rock Island State Park, WI. Rock Island is situated off the northern tip of... more >> |
Documenting the Crimes |
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"Chloe found the first body right there,” I said, pointing. My husband Scott said, “Perhaps you should keep your voice down.” Then he balanced precariously on the shifting beach cobbles... more >>
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Last Link in the Chain |
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Last week Scott and I vacationed on Washington Island, WI, off the tip of Door County in Lake Michigan. While having dinner at KK Fiske Restaurant, we heard something startling... more >> |
Joining the Club |
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People who live on Washington Island, off the northern tip of Door County, WI, have been known to tell newcomers that they won’t be true islanders until they stop at Nelsen’s Hall for a shot of... more >> |
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Author's Note
For the past few years my husband and I have had the pleasure and privilege of serving as volunteer live-in docents at Pottawatomie Lighthouse, located in Wisconsin’s Rock Island State Park. For a week each summer we live in the lighthouse, giving tours during the day and enjoying the incredible beauty of Lake Michigan.
The island’s human history is fascinating, and it was inevitable that I base a Chloe Ellefson mystery there! I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it. I invite you to visit the lighthouse and take a tour.
Book Goodies
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PREVIEW Get a sneak peak inside this book CLICK TO DOWNLOAD |
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LOCATIONS GUIDE Discover the places where key scenes take place. COMING SOON |
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DANISH APPLE CAKE Quick, easy, delicious. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD |
Click Photo to Enlarge
Click to Listen
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Larry talks with Kathleen about The Light Keeper's Legacy, her new adult mystery set in Door County, Wisconsin. October 29, 2012. (Source) |
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