The Girl on the Beach

by Velda Johnston

Novel about a young girl, Kate, leaving her posh lifestyle in New York and moving to a small island in North Carolina to start a new life. A strange woman shows up one night on the beach. The next day a man showed up on the beach. The neighbors say he killed his wife. Kate needs to find out the truth and thinks she knows who his wife is and who killed her.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Gothic

189 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1987

About the author

Velda Johnston was a writer of romantic suspense. She also wrote under the pseudonym 'Veronica Jason'.

Reviews

[William]

In this late work, prolific and popular romantic suspense author Johnston serves up what seems like a hastily written pastiche of her earlier novels, down to the heroine's occupation and the traumatic events that make her seek a rural retreat (see "The Phantom Cottage," for example, although Johnston milked the book illustrator trope many times). The mystery, such as it is, is thin; there's a bizarre "Deliverance"-esque interlude; and the title points to a disappointing final salvo. Johnston's novels on either end of this one are much better, suggesting this was just an afterthought. For die-hards only.

[Lora Elisabeth]

I read this rather quickly a few days ago while at the beach hoping it would be up to par with the author's other books I've read in the past. The lack of depth and suspense was disappointing, and it was so anticlimactic that I've already forgotten how it ended.

Velda Johnston's The People from the Sea was much more interesting and haunting.....

[Christine Honsinger]

I was disappointed with this book by Johnston, especially after reading The Underground Stream. It suffered from lack of imagination and banality. One thing I found interesting is that both books start out with a girl coming out of a bad relationship, out of a hospital, suffering from depression and anxiety, and both go to a beach house to have a recuperating vacation...isn't that odd? That is where the similarities end because this one falls flat, and the Underground Stream is really suspenseful. I do recommend it rather than waste any time on this one.

[Bren fall in love with the sea.]

Review to follow after reread.

[Super Piss Baby]

How do I keep picking books with the word retard printed so boldly in them? I know it’s a product of its time but come on, give me a gentle tug instead of ripping it off.

Anyway good fucking book. A murder mystery, wrapped up in rednecks, lust, cheating, boatyards, cunts and sex. Would recommend as a snail trail book, or just a good read

[Lori Shafer]

Many years ago, I discovered Velda Johnston through her novel, The Underground Stream. Within a few years, I had read most of her books available from the local library. Last years during our library's book sale, I saw a few of her books available. I quickly snatched them up.

I can say I read this book in the past, but I can not tell you too much about the first reading. It was too long ago. I found this book among my pile of books, so I decided to reread it.

The beach setting made me long for the sweet ocean breezes in this cold weather.

The story is of a young woman who wants to begin again. She chooses to visit the little beach town her family had visited when she was a child.

She meets a man who served time for killing his wife in the very house she now rented. She finds herself questioning his guilt and slowly falling for him.

Johnston's novels all seem to have a similar theme. The loss, the new beginning and, of course, the new love.

I enjoyed being reintroduced to The Girl on the Beach.

[Tamara Bennett]

This mystery takes place in a small fictional coastal town in NC, my home state, which was my initial attraction to the book. The story included some of my favorite things: an old house, quirky characters, and a chance for new beginnings while possibly rooting for the good guys. A really quick & easy read, but still hard to put down.

[Kari]

Velda does not disappoint if you want a quick, light read. However, this book is almost identical to her other book, The People from the Sea. I was a little disappointed. I will not give up on Velda yet!

[Dee]

Girl rents house on beach and falls for a local who served 12 years for killing his wife.

She sets out to prove who really killed the woman.

Outcome predicable but a good, fast read.