Growing up, Nick’s grandmother used to whisper the island’s name like a hissing curse. Nick’s grandfather was said to have died on Hatteras during World War II, though he was mysteriously claimed as a fallen soldier by both the American and German armies.

After Nick arrives on the island, he is the victim of several suspicious accidents and begins receiving cryptic notes that lead him to surprising revelations about his grandfather. The mystery thriller follows two intriguing storylines: Contemporary politics of the Outer Banks, including the controversial question of offshore drilling, and the history of German saboteurs during World War II.

The author, Philip Gerard, teaches creative writing at UNC-Wilmington and lives on Whiskey Creek.

Softcover, 262 pages, $17.95.