The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley

THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND by Colleen Oakley was a LibraryReads selection for May and while a bit slow to start, it morphed into an interesting character study with plenty to say about grief, about rural, isolated communities, and, most of all, about honesty.  Piper Parrish has lost the love of her life, husband Tom, in a boating accident, but she still sees and talk to him.  The other residents of Frick Island (in the Chesapeake Bay) perpetuate her beliefs and Anders, a reporter from the mainland, is first shocked and then also a party to this ruse. Anders wants to be a star reporter like Clark Kent and he thinks crafting a podcast might be the way to achieve his goal. His original intent is to write about climate change and its impact on Frick Island, but he begins to share his observations about Piper’s actions and his podcast’s following grows. So, too, does the mystery of what’s happening on the island (illegal activities? arson?) and also the attraction between Piper and Anders. A fun, light read with very likeable characters who develop as the novel progresses. THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND received a starred review from Library Journal.