Wreck at Ada's Reef

The Swallowtail Legacy #1

by Michael D. Beil

A vibrant contemporary mystery with a classic feel about grappling with grief, righting past wrongs, redefining family, and finding yourself.

An Edgar Award Nominee!

Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. It's the first time she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. The island's always been full of happy memories—and with a step father and his boys and no mom, now everything is different.

When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the coast many years before, Lark's enthralled with the story. Nadine's working on a book about Dinah Purdy, Swallowtail's oldest resident who had a connection to the crash, and she's sure that the accident was not as it appeared. Impressed by Lark's keen eye, she hires her as her research assistant for the summer.

And then Lark discovers something amazing. Something that could change Dinah's life. Something linked to the crash and to her own family's history with Swallowtail. But there are others on the island who would do anything to keep the truth buried in the watery depths of the past.

A compelling and complex mystery with a classic feel, Wreck at Ada's Reef is a perfect coming-of-age middle grade novel for fans of The Parker Inheritance, Holes, The Westing Game, and anyone looking for a satisfying puzzle that stretches across decades.

Named to the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award List

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult, Summer, Family

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2022

About the author

In a time not long after the fifth extinction event, Edgar Award-nominated author Michael D. Beil came of age on the shores of Pymatuning Lake, where the ducks walk on the fish. (Look it up. Seriously.) For reasons that can’t be disclosed until September 28, 2041, he now lives somewhere in Portugal with his wife and their two white cats, Bruno and Maisie. He still gets carsick if he has to ride in the back seat for long and feels a little guilty that he doesn’t keep a journal.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m in love with this writing/story/characters-EVERYTHING! This was absolutely INCREDIBLE! I need more ASAP! Lol This isn’t just a mystery, but a past mystery to solve, sorta like a “cold-case” style, & I loved that. This setting is absolutely amazing as well, written phenomenally & it’s so atmospheric. How the whole mystery unfolds, all the puzzle pieces, all the key players-superb! This was such a gripping read, I never wanted to put it down. The closer we got to solving everything, the more fast-paced & amazing it got too. Not only amazing writing, mystery, & setting-but also the BEST characters. This author does characters very well. Each unique & identifiable. This family especially was so phenomenal. They had such a unique, & kind of tragic backstory. But that just makes this dad even more incredible. What a great dad & stepdad. The family dynamic was sooooo good! When you see the siblings start to see the step-siblings without the “step”-so powerful & moving. Loved it. I also loved seeing Lark’s relationship with her stepdad grow, & it was so nice to see a great representation in the stepparent area. So heartwarming. The 2 brothers are great, & Lark’s sister Pip is the best lol She REALLY loves horses. Grief is also handled very well in here in my opinion. Such a great cozy mystery, amazing setting, unique & highly interesting characters, & also the book is punctuated with transcripts, letters, maps, black-and-white illustrations & more. HIGHLY recommend. I was sent an arc from the publisher, but this is the beautiful finished copy I bought myself. Cannot wait for the sequel! BEAUTIFUL cover by Becca Stadtlander too.💜

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great “cozy mystery” for middle-grade readers! They will fall in love with Lark, and with Swallowtail Island, as she bravely attempts to solve a decades-long mystery. Surprising twists and turns will keep them guessing, and rooting for Lark all the way through!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lark Heron-Finch arrives at her late mother's summer house on Lake Erie's Swallowtail Island with her sister, step-father, and step-brothers, little does she know she's going to spend the summer solving a decades-old mystery. This beautiful book ticks all the boxes for me. It's not just a mystery, but an historical mystery. My favorite kind. And while the action is contemporary, the book has a timeless feel to it. There's a great, big, gorgeous cast of characters, including some incredibly poignant relationships. I was especially touched by Lark's evolving bond with her stepfather in the wake of her mother's death. While their relationship is hardly all sunshine and roses, it's an absolute pleasure to see a stepfather and stepdaughter so lovingly portrayed. Swallowtail Island is beautifully drawn - you just want to book your ticket straightaway. And old books figure in the mystery, but not so prominently that there isn't the promise of them appearing again in the next book in this series... which I'll be pre-ordering for sure. Highly recommend.

[Momschooled · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book checks off all the boxes for a modern YA novel:

broken family
MC attitude problems
it's ok to be gay
elderly are in danger of dying with every cold (but no need to fret if they break bones)
race division
police distrust
violence, in response to name calling, is justifiable
save the environment
preteen romance

These are not the main point of the story, so I'd say these social justice agendas are subtle, with the exception of the attitude and family problems which were really draining.

When I pick up a cozy mystery, I'm looking to escape any problems I'm dealing with. I felt really bogged down in the first few pages with all the drama the main character was going through and didn't want to continue. By the end, I still didn't think the death of the mother was ever properly dealt with. Teachable moments were forcibly explained with a philosophical proverb rather than shown by a character's example.

For the mystery part, I saw the ending coming miles away. As soon as each clue was revealed, I could see where it was heading. Maybe a young adult would find the clues challenging enough to have satisfaction in discovering the solution. In general, it seemed like the author was waffling between writing a hero's journey and a detective's journey, not quite deciding which this book would be. Do we know what happens next and cheer the hero on, or are we trying to guess the solution before the hero reveals it to us? I would have preferred more of the latter than an attempted cross between the two.

Personally, I don't like novels in first person narration.

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lark and her sister Pip have inherited a house on Swallow Tail Island after her mother passed away.  Their father is also gone but her mother did remarry and their stepfather and his sons have truly been loving to them.  Lark is taking her mother's death especially hard and at 12, she is acting out in anger.  On the island, she starts to help her mother's best friend research a book about a land dispute and meets Dinah who is at the center of the dispute.  Dinah picks up on Lark's anger and through her years at nonviolent protests, she helps her work through her mother's death. 

The story is a wonderful mystery and I read this in one sitting.  I really like Lark and how she works through her grief with the help of some loving adults.  The author really made the island come to life with the help of interesting characters.  It is geared towards middle-grade readers but adults will love this one as well. 

[Miriam Simut]

DNF @35% Honestly just not my jam 🤷🏻‍♀️

[CynthyB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this novel for middle grade readers. Yes, it was an interesting, fun story, with a good plot, and a unique setting on a small island in Lake Erie. Yes, it had fun and interesting maps, letters, and visuals. Yes, the writing was good. But the first nagging impression I had the entire time I was reading it was: is this main character really a 12-year-old girl? Her character seemed to me to be older than twelve in almost every way (except for the almost constant moody attitude--that part could be considered typical). Not only that, she was apparently the only one clever enough to work out clues surrounding the mystery, since all the adults depicted in the story were almost clueless. And, in spite of the baggage she was carrying after the passing of her mother, she was the one who was courageous and self-confident enough to act on her convictions, even to risking her life.

Parents and readers with religious beliefs differing from the author will be confronted with characters who do not believe in God, but seem to relegate their fate to "the gods," as it were, and there is also mention made of an elderly man who is gay. The book is riddled with social issues: a blended home (due to the death of former spouses), fitting in, male/female dominance, homosexuality, children who don't respect authority and adults who are out-of-control. As a parent, I would read this with my kids so we could discuss the pros and cons of these issues in relationship to our core beliefs.

I gave the book two stars because it had some entertainment value, but it just seemed far-fetched, especially in the characterization of the leading character, Lark, and many of the things that she did or that happened to her, and because of the other things previously mentioned.

[Vickie Richey · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character, Lark is helping investigate a ship wreck on the island that happened many years ago. About half way through the book, an elderly man is reminiscing about what he saw the night of the shipwreck. He starts telling Lark, a 12-year-old, about his gay love. I just don’t think it’s appropriate subject matter for a middle school reader.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it's set in modern day, WRECK AT ADA'S REEF has the timeless feel of a classic mystery. With an old murder, a missing will, a family(ies) feud, and a greedy land grab at its core, I'm not sure the plot has a lot of appeal for today's young readers, but I enjoyed it. The atmospheric island setting adds to the story's allure, as does its cast of warm, appealing characters. Although Lark sounds and acts much older than a just-turned-12-year-old, she has a strong, spunky voice that definitely adds some sass to the novel. Despite her self-assured toughness, she's a sympathetic heroine who stands up to bullies and cares about injustice and those who are injured because of it. This makes her both admirable and root-worthy. As far as plot goes, the tale is a bit slow in places, mostly because it takes time to explain who's who and what's what in the rather complicated mystery at the tale's core. Still, there was enough action on the page to keep me engaged. A middle-grade reader, though? Maybe not. The plot does get far-fetched, especially in the final scenes where we get a wild chase scene and the solving of a 75-year-old cold case by a 12 year old, but overall, I found WRECK AT ADA'S REEF to be a satisfying read. It's well-written, entertaining, and enjoyable. I will definitely pick up the next book in the series.

[Dusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 STARS

Michael D. Beil’s The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef is a fun mystery read that’s perfect for readers of all ages. If you love puzzling out generations-old secrets, following lovable characters that are reminiscent of a young Sherlock Holmes, and reading stories that offer both entertainment and education then you should definitely give this book a chance. I wasn’t expecting to finish the book in one sitting, but I simply couldn’t stop until I saw Lark solve the mystery!

While the mystery is certainly engaging and fun to piece together, the story isn’t necessarily all fun and games. The author does address the theme of grief, as the characters are only three months out from the death of Lark and Pip’s mom, Kate. Lark isn’t coping very well, and Thomas (her stepfather) doesn’t always know how to connect to her or help her. I appreciated how he gave her some space and time to explore her grief and her feelings (while also putting boundaries into place - Lark was a little too inclined to take out her frustration physically and needed to be reined in).

Overall, an entertaining and engaging read! I highly recommend it for young mystery fans (though it would be equally suitable for older readers as well). It reminded me of a cross between Scooby-Doo and Sherlock Holmes. I’m hoping that there will be more books in The Swallowtail Legacy series in the future, as it seems like the author left some threads open to continue the story and I’m always up for a good mystery!

Thank you to the author, the publisher Pixel + Ink, Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours, and Edelweiss for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book as part of my participation in the blog tour. I appreciate the opportunity immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.

[Chelsea Hoyt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not get myself to believe Lark is 12 years old. She’s written like a much older girl. I could absolutely buy it if she were 17+

There are many issues some parents would consider sensitive. I didn’t mind it for myself, but I wouldn’t let my middle grader read it solo.

[Erin Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super-fun characters, lots of action and mystery, and a great island setting. Loved this one!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's quite a lot going on in this book, the start of a promising series, set on Lake Erie. Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch comes to stay on the island with her cobbled-together family after the death of her beloved bird-loving mother. Swallowtail Island has always been a place for family fun and happy memories, but Lark is still reeling from several tragedies and finds it hard to respond enthusiastically to her stepfather Thomas's overtures. She's also carrying around some baggage from an incident at school. When Nadine, a family friend, hires her for help in a research project, Lark is glad to find something different to distract her. Not only does she learn about the island's history, but Lark becomes caught up in a 75-year-old mystery concerning the death of Nadine's grandfather on the water. She's convinced that there is a different will leaving the wealth of the Cheever family to someone else and becomes suspicious of the person who profited from that death. While it was hard to believe that someone so young--even if Lark is as smart as she's described as being--could solve this mystery so quickly, especially since law enforcement officials and other sleuths were unable to do so. And the last-minute rescue of the will and dash to file it through stormy seas and other obstacles was too much to be believed. Still, the story shines with its characterization of Lark and some of the other characters. Clearly, she's clever, strong, and resilient, but she's also dealing with more changes than any preteen should have to face. The author is respectful of his audience, not giving them all the details of her past all at once but only providing hints and bread crumbs so that readers can read between the lines and draw their own conclusions. There is some depth to Owen Cheever, her soccer nemesis, who turns out to have much more humanity and possibilities than his father. I'd certainly read the next books in this series, and fans of mysteries and imperfect but strong female characters will enjoy this one. Having a couple of elderly island residents share their own stories provides young readers some insight into history and how judgmental some individuals were decades ago.

[BethFishReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, well-plotted middle grade mystery set on a fictitious island in Lake Erie.

The summer after their mother dies, 12-year-old Lark and her little sister, Pip--along with their stepfather and stepbrothers--return to Swallow Island and the house the girls have inherited from their mother. Lark, especially, has mixed feelings about being in Roost House without her mom.

The kids are enrolled in summer activities in the morning, while Lark's stepdad works restoring oil paintings for the local museum. Lark is lucky enough to get offered an afternoon job from Nadine, an investigative journalist who was a close friend of Lark's mom. Nadine's focus is on a 75-year-old boating accident that killed her grandfather and a possible missing will from her grandfather's friend, the late-patriarch of the island's richest family. Can Lark and Nadine solve both cases before the summer ends?

Lark is a self-sufficient kid who has some strong talents: playing soccer and being very observant and able to make connections between seemingly unrelated events or items. She is also struggling: with the death of her mother she's now officially an orphan, though she knows her stepfather loves her and will always take care of her. Still, he is not her mother. Lark is self-aware enough to know she's not giving her step-family a fair chance, but she can't seem to help being sullen.

The novel is both a fun and exciting mystery and a story of a young girl coming to terms with what life has thrown at her. For the most part, the island people Lark meets are easy to envision, and I had no trouble rooting for Lark and Nadine to find the evidence needed to stop the bad guys from getting their way. I also liked the way Lark's relationship with her sister and step-family developed over the summer. This is the start of a series, and I can't wait to watch Lark blossom.

I know one reason I loved the book is because I grew up in a sailing family on Lake Erie. I'm familiar with all the real-life places Lark mentions in the story, which certainly deepened my connection. You don't have to be a middle grader to love these books.

I checked this book out from library.

[Snowy]

DNF @ 100 pgs

Lark is 12 years old and recently lost her mother to cancer. She and her sister, Pip, inherited their mother's summer house on Swallowtail Island and that's where they'll spend this summer, along with their stepfather and 3 step brothers. Lark hasn't been doing well since her mother's death, so her stepfather encourages her to join the summer soccer training on the island as well as assisting her mother's old friend with an investigation into a boating accident. The accident is very suspicious, considering the looming land ownership problems on the island.

So, my main gripe is that it's boring and feels disingenuous. The kids don't feel like kids, the adults are either too mature or not mature enough, there's not really any beautiful descriptions about the island to give it an atmosphere, they're just there at a location that could be anywhere, and the dialogue is pretty awful. Each character has their little quirk that distinguishes them from other people, but otherwise everyone talks the same. Lark is annoyed, her stepfather quotes Aristotle and Marcus Aurelius, her sister is an insufferable horse girl, the mother's old friend has a lot of opinions, and the prodigal son of the island is a weird classist, sexist teen. The mystery wasn't intriguing and I dropped the book after the prodigal son said "She's good...for a girl" who says that? no one

[Aprilleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was outstanding! The 12-year-old heroine is older than her years, but as a kindred spirit I can assure you it was not at all unrealistic. Unusual, yes, but most heroines are in one way or another. Lark is moody, a little mouthy, and much more comfortable around adults than her peers. I recognize so much of that. In lark's case, it's implied that losing her dad at age 5 and her mother within the last year made her grow up faster than she would have otherwise, but several things revealed about her in the book tell me that she was already headed that way. Lark is an old soul in a young body. It makes for a sometimes difficult childhood, and Lark also has external difficulties making things even harder. But, she's resilient, smart, and handles conflict better than many adults (except for an unfortunate tendency to punch those who cross her lines in the sand, but she's working on it).

Lark and her 10-year-old sister, Piper, inherit a house on Swallowtail Island from their mother that was the family's summer retreat before their mother got sick. They return after two years for the summer with their stepfather and his three boys, where they renew their friendship with Nadine Pritchard, who was their mother's best friend. After settling in, Lark starts working for Nadine, researching the life of a 93-year-old resident about to lose her home and the wreck that killed Nadine's grandfather. They quickly determine how the two are connected, but correcting the injustice might just be out of their reach after all this time.

[Jenni Heins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful mystery for teens with intense action. Hard to put this one down!

[Marda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written cute story...expecting and looking forward to a sequel.

[Patti Sabik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful mystery, great characters, depth of emotion, and “real” feeling.

[Susan McGilvray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this clever and fast paced mystery! Fingers crossed it becomes a series - I want more of Lark and her intriguing family.

[Sarah Adelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect balance of mystery, historical, and realistic. As a middle school librarian, I have been looking for that perfect book for kids who used to love A to Z mysteries and other popular series for younger children, but are not ready for the YA murder mysteries. This hit the spot. It reminded me a bit of The Parker Inheritance (another fave for this category) because of how the mystery was revealed through historical documents and conversations with old and wise community members. I also appreciated how the mystery helped reveal a community's buried history of inequity and injustice. It is never too late for justice. Extra bonus points for awesome soccer scenes.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d love to know who creates the buzz surrounding book releases, because why this amazing middle grade has and will likely fall between the cracks of your literary attention is baffling to me. So, if I could please have your attention: this is one of the best middle grades I’ve read in the last four years. Yep.

I was incredibly skeptical of two things going in: 1) how can an adult male accurately and sensitively write a story centred around a 12-year-old grieving girl without stereotype and 2) given the large cast of characters there will inevitably be “hollow” characters (that is, ones that easily could be replaced with a lamp). I was wrong, wrong, wrong.

This middle grade mystery is full of amazingly drawn characters set within a dysfunctional but big hearted family that is trying to piece together their familial dynamics after loss. Lark is a fantastic central character to root for - smart, opinionated, flawed, quick to anger, hurting but trying so hard to heal, to trust, and be courageous - she’s everything I’m looking for in a literary heroine.

Full of some my very favourite literary components: mystery, a Great Lakes setting in the summer, history, and a dash of treasure/clue hunting. Hopeful, big hearted and highly entertaining, if you love a good middle grade mystery please don’t miss this one. Trust me.

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the storyline, setting, and mystery.

But… parents might want a heads up that there is a gay character halfway through the book that briefly mentions his forbidden gay romance. (It’s a subliminal message of tolerance and acceptance.) This book is written for middle grade and I personally wouldn’t want young tweens/teens reading it on their own.

[Steph Faye · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate getting almost halfway through a book to realize I've wasted my time.....this book could've been so great, but everyone has to be so "political" these days. Books should be an escape. A safe place from what is happening in our world. This is not one of those safe books.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, not predictable and engaging.

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Overall

The cover for this book gave me all the flashbacks to so many other popular middle grade mystery books that I’ve read and enjoyed, so of course it grabbed my attention. I have to admit, I’m also a sucker for blended families, coming from a (very) blended family myself. Plus, who doesn’t love having to solve a cold case mystery that’s changed the history of an entire island?

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef is an addictive middle grade mystery with a case that will intrigue and stump readers. Plus, a blended family that will win hearts!

Listen, I didn’t think I would love the Heron-Finches nearly as much as I did! Oh, sure, the mystery is definitely a big draw (and a solid reason that I read this in one day, since I had to know what happened!). But the family! First, I love the blended family representation in general, but I also loved the chemistry between the siblings and how absolutely hard Thomas is trying, as a newly single father raising five kids. While I definitely enjoyed the mystery, I’d love to read more books featuring this family!

My Thoughts

- Welcome to Swallowtail Island, a peaceful little place cut off from the rest of civilization, with a dark past that reshaped the island’s future. The island is where Lark’s mother grew up, and after her mother’s passing, Lark and her family find their way back there for the summer. You know, as a chance to regroup and heal together. On its surface, the remote island seems like an idyllic place for that, right? Sure, if you discount the tragedy that happened decades ago that none of the residents could explain, which seemed to have just been swept under the rug. Of course I’m talking about the tragic boating accident that took the life of the most prominent lawyer only a day after the town’s wealthiest citizen died of natural causes. Sounds just a teensy bit hinky, right? Lark thinks so, too, and despite all the other things on her mind (or maybe because of them), she firmly latches on to this mystery and sets her mind to helping a family friend named Nadine find out what really happened. As with a lot of middle grade mysteries, this one was solved fairly easily, mostly by fortuitous discoveries that all line up perfectly, but it still kept me guessing along the way! Some of the things Lark pulls off in the end are highly unrealistic, but you know what? By then, I was so invested that I didn’t even care, I was just eating up the tension of it all!

- Lark comes from a blended family, and now that her mother has passed, her stepfather and stepbrothers are all her and her sister have. This doesn’t appear to be a problem for Pip, of course, who’s young enough to roll with it. For Lark, though, who’s older, she’s having a hard time wrestling with her grief and what it means for her future. She doesn’t hate her stepfather or stepbrothers, but the situation also isn’t what she had imagined for herself. At times, she’s unkind or unfair and she knows it, but she’s doing her best. Everyone is. As someone who comes from a blended family, I absolutely love the representation in this book. It’s hard trying to mesh a newly widowed parent (for the second time) with five grieving kids, and I appreciate the way the characters navigate this. It’s not always pretty, but it’s full of heart!

- As I mentioned, Lark is really just one of five siblings, but her and her whole family all have their own unique interests and personality, which makes them really fun to get to know! I feel like a lot of little girls, especially, will relate to Lark’s younger sister, Pip, who is absolutely obsessed with horses. I also suspect there will be people to who relate to Pip’s family, who are really freaking tired of hearing about horses, even if they’re glad she’s passionate about something. This dynamic never failed to crack me up! The fact that all the characters were very passionate about different things really solidified their personalities for me and made them all easier to love. Even Thomas, whose passion is art, particularly art restoration. There couldn’t be a nerdier thing to be passionate about, but I loved seeing him get excited about it!

- This family dynamic is just *chef’s kiss*. Listen, the siblings don’t always get along (and what siblings do?!), but I absolutely love this dynamic. They’re still trying to figure out what it means to be siblings without a mother (and for Thomas’ boys, this is the second mother they’ve lost). But one thing’s for sure: no matter what happens, they’re still siblings. And Thomas is an active and involved father, despite everything going on in his life. Even though the main draw of this story is obviously the mystery, I just couldn’t get enough of this family!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lark and her younger sister Pip have had a hard go of it. Their father died when they were very young, and their ornithology professor mother married Thomas, whose wife also died. They had a Brady Bunch style family going with his three boys until Lark's mother died of cancer. For the summer, the family is visiting Swallowtail Island in Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio, where their mother owned a house that has been passed down to the girls. Thomas has a job restoring some pictures at the island museum, so the children are signed up for soccer camps and other activities. A friend of their mother's, news reported Nadine, is around as well. Nadine is trying to figure out a 75 year old mystery about the death of her grandfather in a boating accident. The local leading family, the Cheevers, own much of the land, and intend to develop it with condos and other less peaceful uses, at the expense of 93-year-old Dinah Purdy, who has been allowed to live on the land because her ancestors worked with the Cheevers. Nadine feels that there's something not quite right about the accident, and feels there might be a missing will. She hires Lark to help her with research. Lark also plays soccer with Owen Cheever, whom she feels is kind of a jerk, and he becomes the object of her wrath. Clearly, her mother's death is hitting her hard, and she doesn't have quite the support she needs. Pip is obsessed with horses, so is glad when Nadine loans her a horse for the summer. As Lark gets further and further into the research, all manner of enticing clues emerge, such as a beautiful glass bird nestled in the cut out pages of an old book and a painting of a much younger Dinah that Thomas is restoring. As she closes in on some important clues, Lark and her siblings, slong with Owen, get drawn into a harrowing chase during a storm that involves jumping from balconies, a frantic horse ride, and a perilous journey on the ferry, followed closely by adults who don't want secrets to come to light. Can Lark still save the day?
Strengths: Lark is a nuanced and interesting character. She's not dealing with the death of her mother particularly well, but she is definitely trying to figure out how to proceed with her life in order to help out her younger sister. Swallowtail Island is a fascinating (fictional) setting, and the maps (which I normally don't like) were really helpful. The history is incorporated well, and the older characters in the book like Dinah, Vietnam vet and active boater Les Finlay, and Dinah's contemporary Simon Standford. Thomas' struggles to keep tabs on all five children while remaining employed are very realistic. The highlight, of course, is Lark's ability to solve mysteries by attention to details and asking the right questions of the right people. Will she be solving more mysteries on the island?
Weaknesses: There are lots of clues to follow, and even a transcript of an inquest, so readers who enjoy following along with Lark and trying to figure out the mystery will love this. I find that my attention wavers; I'm perfectly happy to just be told the solution at the end. Also, did we have to kill off THREE parents?
What I really think: I'd forgotten what a great, well-developed mystery Beil writes, since The Red Blazer Girls came out in 2009 and Summer at Forsaken Lake in 2012. I'm also a huge fan of how he incorporates Ohio and Lake Erie settings in his work. I'll be looking forward to a second in this series.

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lark Heron-Finch is not a bird. She is a twelve-year-old girl who has recently lost her mother and is headed to Swallowtail Island for the summer with her sister Pip, her stepfather Thomas and her three stepbrothers. Lark is still grieving while also giving major teenage attitude. Lark’s mother's family has owned a home on Swallowtail Island for centuries and it was left to her and her sister upon her passing. They’ve all returned with Thomas having a job prospect and the hope of a relaxing summer. Those ideas go to the wayside though when Lark pals up with her mother’s former best friend Nadine to help save the home of elderly Dinah Purdy from falling into the wealthy and manipulative hands of Reggie Cheever. Explore Lark and Nadine’s adventures as they attempt to find a will that could save Dinah and stop the Cheevers from taking over the island in The Wreck at Ada’s Reef (The Swallowtail Legacy).

Lark has had a rough go at it lately and this trip to Swallowtail Island seems like just the thing to help her get her mind off of grief. Upon arriving she reads an article in the newspaper that was written by her mother’s best friend about a tragic boat accident that happened years ago. Lark is immediately curious and jumps at the chance to team up with Nadine as her research assistant to aid in a book about being written about Dinah Purdy, the town’s oldest resident. However, Lark discovers something along the way that could save Dinah’s home from being taken away and torn down and maybe even prove what really happened in the boating accident at Ada’s Reef.

Author Michael D. Beil keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. You want Lark and Nadine to succeed, but you also want our young heroine to be brave and open up about her loss. Sadly, it feels like you only get one out of two resolutions. Plus, the ending of the book felt kind of rushed. Personally, I was hoping all themes and issues at hand would be neatly tied up in a bow and I regret to say that doesn’t happen. However, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t recommend the read. Beil truly immerses the reader in Lark’s life and all the adventures she finds herself in upon setting up summer residence.

The Wreck at Ada’s Reef (The Swallowtail Legacy) is a sweet read for young adults. Lark is wise beyond her years and has sadly suffered so much loss at such a young age. Here is hoping there are many tales to tell about this young lady with a penchant for solving many a mystery.

[Maya Kahn-Abrams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically in a nut shell, most of this book was midely entertaining although a bit of a slog to get through. I was going to rate it 3 stars for most of the book with my biggest criticism being that instead of adults acting like children- which you see in most books- these kids have more emotional maturity than most adults. Well all of the kids except for the main character Lark, who was just a privileged brat. And yes, I understand she lost both her parents but I lost my father when I was six and I can assure you, she is still a privileged brat and was in a pretty good situation in terms of having family love and support compared to most orphans. But what pushed me to rate this book 2 stars was the end, which was just absolutely ridiculous. There is absolutely no way that this 12 year old girl rode a bike, ran away from the police, galloped on a horse and jumped over a fence, and then rode on a boat in the middle of a storm with a dislocated arm, which would be the case based on the description of her arm when she broke it. In the book, Lark says I can take a little pain to get the will to the court house- umm no girl. If your arm was really that broken, you would be in excruciating pain. Sorry but I have broken my arm before. If the author had just taken taken out the broken arm thing it would have been fine, maybe a little over the top to be believable but what ever. But the broken arm thing just made the entire thing absolutely ridiculous. Also, all of the adults enabling Lark to do all that stuff with a broken arm was either completely unbelievable or these adults should be charged with abuse. Absolutely absurd. I can not convey how much I do not want to read another book in this series ever, which is kind of sad because Larks family and Dina are pretty rad.

[Noëlla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck At Ada’s Reef by Michael D. Beil, draws in readers to a mystery that will soar readers’ hopes for twelve year-old Lark, who is staying at Swallowtail Lake for the summer with her stepdad, half siblings, and sister. Holding onto the memories of her mom who passed away, Lark is intrigued with a unique swallowtail that had been added to the mobile of birds in her room at the Roost. Not only is the type of bird the same as the name of the place, the underlying theme of loss and beating the odds, come into play as Lark comes to terms with her new situation without her mother.
From page one, the setting provides a swirling backdrop that keeps readers turning the pages following Lark’s feats. “As the Niagara bullies its way down a narrow channel, its bow pushing a wall of water, the previously unruffled surface is pulled and stretched like gray taffy” (1).
Nadine, a journalist who was best friends with Lark’s mom, investigates a speedboat crash on Ada’s Reef that took place seventy-five years prior. Nadine’s grandfather, Albert Pritchard, plowed into the rocks. When Nadine hires Lark to research the case, a jumble of whirlwind events connect to the mysterious night of the storm. The suspects that were interviewed drop in clues as Lark embarks on a treacherous journey that leaves her more connected than she bargained for.
Furthermore, the domineering family of the Cheever’s threaten to reign the island and take over more property. With surreal imagery, Beil whirls up a captivating book, harnessing a brave and honest protagonist to lead the chase and take on bravery at all costs.