Swan Song is Elin Hilderbrand's last novel

Well, Coyly, her website says it’s her last Nantucket novel. That’s leaving the door open, of course, for more novels, right? One can hope…

The woman is 61, and perhaps she has decided to re-invent herself. Her kids are grown, she is divorced, she has been queen of the beach read for many years, and let’s face it, she may be tired of the pressure of churning out island novels. Lots of us turn to something new at different stages of our lives. I’m guessing that she is simply ready for something else. Who can blame her?

Swan Song is Elin Hilderbrand's last novel. — Swan Song is Elin Hilderbrand’s last novel.

Well, okay, her readers are going to flip out. She is so darned good, and her characters and plot lines are such that we feel a part of her stories. And what about Nantucket? Who’s going to give us our island fix? It just doesn’t seem fair!

I’ve lost authors in the past that I was really into. Most recently, it was Sue Grafton, who wrote the alphabet crime novels, except she died before she completed the z book. Of course, that was no fault of hers, and I only wish she had designated someone to complete the series. Remember when Lawrence Sanders (another amazing writer) brought in Vince Lardo as a writing partner when sanders knew he was not going to be around too much longer? But I admit, it was never really the same.

Back to Elin. Besides being a fantastic novelist, she also has a podcast and she has a cooking show. So we can enjoy those, of course. And there is one more glimmer of hope. Remember I said that this was her last Nantucket novel; however, who’s to say she won’t revisit St. John, Usvi, where she set the wonderful trilogy the paradise novels. Also, she is collaborating with her daughter Shelby to write a story about boarding school.

In closure, if Elin is truly retiring, we will miss her terribly. Yes, there are other authors who write beach novels, but none are on the same level. Where else will we find such compelling characters as Jake and ed, the island’s constables, Blond Sharon, the local gossip, and the members of the Quinn family, whose dramas extend over several of Hilderbrand’s novels? We will miss their adventures nearly as much as we miss Elin.

Please Elin, don’t go! But if you must, then go in health and happiness. We thank you for the gift of hundreds of hours of pleasure, and we wish you well.