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"Legacy of the Light"

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LEGACY OF THE LIGHT is a historical thriller. It is the story of two generations of lighthouse keepers at Race Rock Lighthouse off the shore of New London, Connecticut. The action takes place in 1907 and a generation later, much of it the day of the great Hurricane of 1938. LEGACY is a story of how the past influences the present, of fathers and sons, failure, guilt, love, and redemption. As the story unfolds, men and women visit the lighthouse and objects wash up on its rocks. Storms bear down on this man-made island in the middle of the sea, and those trapped at Race Rock -- the keeper, his fiancee, and a mysterious stranger -- must fight the forces of nature and the demons within that threaten to destroy them. LEGACY OF THE LIGHT takes readers into a fast-paced story full of twists and turns.

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In 1907, Nathaniel Bowen is the lighthouse keeper at Race Rock. Believing the remote lighthouse is no place to raise a child, his wife leaves with their son, Caleb. Nathaniel continues on alone, but on the night of a ferocious winter storm, fails in his duty.

A generation later, Caleb has returned to Race Rock as its keeper. On September 21, 1938, his fiancee, Jennifer Hays, visits Race Rock with an ultimatum. A mysterious stranger, Eliot McPherson, also arrives at the lighthouse, his intentions unclear. That afternoon, the worst hurricane in New England history his the area. Caleb, Jennifer and Eliot are trapped on Race Rock. The tension mounts as they battle the storm and their own conflicts. They are also trying to unravel a puzzle created by Caleb’s father that could dramatically change all their lives. All the while, ships at sea in the nightmarish storm are searching for Race Rock’s beacon to guide them to safety.

The final part of LEGACY unfolds after the storm. The events and mysteries set in motion in Part 1 and 2 are resolved, and the fates of Caleb, Jennifer and Eliot revealed.

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"Legacy of the Light"

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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

LEGACY of the LIGHT

This is an absolutely riveting, mesmerizing and spellbinding novel. Its description of the 1938 Hurricane is so lifelike that I felt like I was right there-and I was (on dry land)73 years ago. Once I started LEGACY, I couldn't put the book down. A must read for all hands.

A reader in New London, CT.

I started reading this book on a flight from Boston. I continued reading once I got home, and kept reading all night. I could not put it down. What a thrilling ride! Todd Gipstein's many years working as a photographer comes through in his ability to paint a picture with his words. He renders a scene so well that you can feel the wind on your face, hear the crash of the waves, taste the salt in the air, and feel the electricity on the back of your neck. This is best kind of historical fiction: well researched, beautifully crafted, and a joy to read.

A reader in Atlanta

As it turns out this first novel from the author is a page turner, I could not put it down apart from those two times and this morning after a late breakfast I started again, I skipped lunch and finished two and a half hours later.

The storm scenes in the Lighthouse, were gripping with suspense, I was totally immersed in the plot. Very well researched ... you may indeed believe this story to be true.

A reader in Italy

Todd Gipstein's first effort, Legacy of the Light, is a strong and gripping tale told in two parts. The first chronicles a lighthouse keeper from the turn of the century, while the second deals with his son (who holds the same position). The story is one of redemption, and I read it in two sittings. An absolutely fabulous story from start to finish. There is something for everyone in this lively book.

A reader in New York

Todd Gipstein has produced a first-rate fact-based thriller that had me up all night. Thanks to Gipstein's deft fast-paced writing, crisp dialogue and well-defined characters, this tale about the lonely life of a lighthouse keeper before there was automated technology to take over guiding vessels through dangerous straits, is packed with drama and excitement as well as a sprinkling of humor.

The history of lighthouses is a fascinating one and Gipstein has captured their storied past in a marvelous way. This is an excellent work of historical fiction that augurs well for more to come from this gifted author who already is at work on his second novel about the world of magic.

Legacy of the Light would make a great movie and I hope the folks in Hollywood will take note and grab the film rights. It would be a smash hit in the hands of a good director and cast.

A reviewer in Wisconsin

I am half through the book and I have neglected my email and my bills and my garden and my wife. It is very hard to put down. The suspense is killing me.

A reader in New Hampshire

Gipstein's prose is crisp and direct and his characters well-formed. He has clearly done his research, and the period details of life in an early-20th-century lighthouse are fascinating, adding considerable depth to the narrative. A well-wrought tale of family, duty, honor and redemption.

Kirkus Reviews

Legacy of the Light is eminently readable, highly enjoyable and not least exciting to the point of not-put-downableness. There are a few clever daVinci-esque twists here that keep you pondering all along the ride. Buy this book, curl up on a beach chair and hope for a storm! Jollygood Summer Literature!

A reader in Norway

Legacy of the Light is a fun and fast read that works on multiple levels. It is a suspense story set in the sea. It is a book that documents life on a lighthouse --- to the extent that you feel the salt, the grime and the solitude of being a lighthouse keeper. It captures the ethos of a New England harbor town over two generations in the 1900s. And then it throws you in the middle of a terrifying hurricane.

A reader in Hawaii

What a fascinating, thrilling, extraordinarily well written novel you produced in Legacy of the Light. I was very happy that I have retired because I couldn’t put the damn book down once I got into it. Having lived here most of my life, fished all of the waters for blues, bass and bottom fish and survived the “38 hurricane, it was like being there every moment of their lives with your central characters. It was wonderful seeing New London come to life again through your eyes-and computer. Thank you for a great book.

A reader in New London, CT.

If you like mysteries and thrillers, you'll like this book. Race Rock Light, off New London is at the core of a wonderful love story. I have sailed by it. Now I feel like I've been there. More novels, please!

A reader on Block Island

I loved it! I picked it up and read it just these past two weeks. I could hardly put the book down and the day I finished it I spent all afternoon and early evening reading it until I finished. What a great movie this would make. It was a real thriller for me right to the end. I always felt like I was in the scene you were describing. You certainly captured my attention with your unforgettable characters, and tension-building scenes. Congratulations. This is a great read. Thank you for writing the book.

A reader in Mystic, Ct

Gipstein's writing vividly transported me back in time to the rich and interesting setting of an isolated light house off the coast of Connecticut in the early 1900s. He made me feel like I was there, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The characters are well developed, and I found myself caught up by my connection to them, and my interest in the plot. Several times I stayed up way too late because I could not put the book down.

A reader in New Hampshire