“An involving identity puzzle with memorable characters and a vivid setting. . . . In his novel, Sheppard displays his affection for and knowledge of Nantucket, making the island a potent metaphor: its tourist trappings, quirky quaintness, and rising gentrification contrast with the power, mystery, and destructive potential of the surrounding sea. But the island, too, holds mysteries, often signaled by a Carollian rabbit or two . . . ”
— Kirkus Reviews
“A glimpse of the island through observant eyes.”
— Sanibel Chai, Yesterday’s Island/Today’s Nantucket
“I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.”
— David Goodman, Goodman’s Gam, Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror
“Sheppard weaves an enjoyable tale . . . filled with colorful characters and mentions of various Nantucket locales from Sankaty Light to Easy Street.”
— Matthew Gill, Cape Cod Life magazine
“A bouquet of a novel with multiple story lines.”
— Rebecca Nimerfroh, Mahon About Town newsletter
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Book Cover Tourist Town by Steve Sheppard

She awakes on Nantucket Island, not knowing where she is – or who she is – and she doesn’t want to find out. She calls herself ‘Verona, ‘ a name borrowed from the stern of the first boat she sees – a name she hopes will help scuttle her past. She resolves never to leave Nantucket. By staying, the likelihood of uncovering, or being confronted by her past, is negligible – or so she believes. One fog-shrouded night, however, Verona encounters an old woman sitting alone beneath the lighthouse at Sankaty Head – the daughter of a former lighthouse keeper. A diary discovered in the attic of a Victorian-era home reveals a decades-old lighthouse tragedy that will soon entangle Verona, the old woman, and a pair of tour bus drivers, who may be able to add a new chapter of Nantucket history to their tours. A New England Book Award-winning book.

“An involving mystery with humor, heart, and a strong sense of place. . . . Sheppard gives an insider’s view of Nantucket that summer visitors never see, one that’s quieter, more intimate, and more genuine.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Steve Sheppard’s Nantucket Nocturne: A Winter’s Idyll (is) the long awaited follow-up to 2015’s Tourist Town. Nantucket Nocturne is not your average pulp fiction/ throwaway beach read. No, this one channels at least 2 great books of literature, Treasure Island and Alice in Wonderland. Beware the looking glass! Add to that the efforts by the would-be robbers to hide their identities and return to the scene of the crime 20 years later. After all, this is the island of misfit toys. You will not be disappointed with this great book as it also sprinkles a lot of Nantucket whaling history into the mix.
— David Sharpe, ACK Fog Horn newsletter
"The sequel to Tourist Town is on shelves now and it will make you nocturnal as you stay up late to finish it. Steve Sheppard knows Nantucket and through his characters you can also experience a winter on the Grey Lady. Nantucket Nocturne has it all: island history, buried treasure, secrets, crime, fog, insider knowledge, snappy dialogue, and the most wonderful time of the year, scallop season. For all of those who wonder what it’s like to be on Nantucket in the “off season,” shuck open this winter idyll."
— Tim Talks Books, Nantucket Book Partners
“Nantucket Nocturne is filled with characters who feel as real as the guy sitting next to you at The Chicken Box. It is filled with a certain kind of humor you might normally miss unless you are an islander, married to one, or have been here a very long time.”
— John Stanton, Inquirer and Mirror
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Book Cover Nantucket Nocturn: A Winter's Idyll by Steve Sheppard

In this sequel to the award-winning Tourist Town, echoes of Nantucket’s whaling past resound through cobblestone streets as winter settles in. Not only are whales once again spotted in island waters, but the decades-old robbery of a whaling-era sea chest sends several winter denizens searching for clues in hopes of solving the mystery. In Nantucket Nocturne: A Winter’s Idyll the answer to the eternal question, “Just what do islanders do in the winter?”, becomes obvious — plenty!

As New York Times bestselling author Blue Balliett exclaims: “Steve Sheppard’s Tourist Town characters have come roaring back.”