It's the summer of 1990 and everything is about to be forever changed for Trevor Riddell.... With his parents newly separated, Trevor visits his Grandpa Samuel's home for the first time. Family secrets have been buried in Riddell house for generations and Trevor's inquisitive nature has him questioning if there is a ghostly presence lingering. Meanwhile, Trevor's father, Jones, has teamed up with his sister, Serena, to try to force the sale of Riddell House. Will Trevor uncover the long-hidden family secrets and discover his own heritage?

A SUDDEN LIGHT is told from the perspective of an adult looking back on one summer in his childhood. We delve deep into the Riddell family's past, seeing their rise to power with lumber baron Elijah Riddell. I particularly love the journals and letters that Trevor uncovers in his explorations as it is through these writings that we get a real sense of the Riddell family's painful history and what the house and land actually mean to Trevor's ancestors.

Garth Stein beautifully evokes memories and emotions through his rather quirky characters. We have likable characters like Grandpa Samuels and Benjamin contrasted with the detestable Serena. I hated Sister Serena and her penchant for referring to her brother as "Brother Jones" from the first moment Trevor sees her but I couldn't stop turning the pages fast enough to see what was in store for her.

A SUDDEN LIGHT is a thoroughly satisfying read with a very startling but oh-so-satisfying conclusion. Garth Stein has a gift for pulling the reader into the storyline and allowing the reader to see the awe and wonder of nature through his characters. A SUDDEN LIGHT encompasses multiple genres as Garth Stein crafts a tale that is as memorable as it is beautiful.