Note From Nancy Thayer
Summer in an island house means visitors, lots of them, of all ages.
My favorite way of entertaining is to take our four-wheel drive out to
Coskata-Coatue, a stretch of sandy beach between the harbor and the Atlantic.
First, we check out the Great Point Lighthouse and the turbulent rip where
Nantucket Sound meets the Atlantic. When men bring their gear, we leave
them here to cast for bluefish. The rest of us bump over the dirt road back to
the lagoon to collect mussels and swim in the calm harbor water, and basically
become beachcombers for an afternoon. Then we head home, stopping at
Moors’ End Farm for fresh lettuces and tomatoes. We steam the mussels in
our large lobster pot with white wine and parsley and serve them for dinner
with linguine and salad and Something Natural’s delicious Portuguese bread.
Afterward, we stroll into town for ice cream cones at the Juice Bar and sit
on the Easy Street benches, watching the ferries and yachts come and go.
About Nancy Thayer
Nancy Thayer is the author of twenty-three novels, including Summer House, The Hot Flash Club,
Beachcombers, Heat Wave, Summer Breeze, and Island Girls. Her books concern the mysteries and romance
of families and relationships: marriage and friendships, divorce and love, custody and step parenting, family
secrets and private self-affirmation, the quest for independence and the normal human hunger for personal
connections.
Reading Group Guide
1. In The Island House, Courtney is caught between two homes, two families, two men—do you think
she handles the dilemma well? What would you have done differently?
2. How did you feel about Courtney’s two suitors? Did Monty and James represent two different paths
for Courtney? If so, how would you characterize the nature of each relationship?
3.Who did you want Courtney to end up with?
4. Robin has her own love problems as well—did you expect her to end up with Quinn? Why or why not?
How did you feel about their age difference?
5. Robin has a special relationship with the whales on Nantucket. Why do you think Callum could
believe her when Quinn could not?
6. W ho did you find yourself relating to more: Courtney or Robin? Why?
7. Throughout the novel, Henry and his family struggle with his Bipolar Disorder, a condition very much
beyond his control. In a book full of choices to be made and hearts to be followed, how did you feel about
Henry’s evolution?
8. T
he Island House spans a single eventful summer in the lives of Courtney and the Vickerys.
Who do you think underwent the most change?
9. C
an you pinpoint the moment that set this change in motion?
10. T
he Vickery family looks so perfect from a distance, but a closer look reveals a troubled (though loving)
dynamic. Would you describe the Vickerys as a happy family? How do you personally define happiness?
RECIPE: Nancy Thayer’s Nantucket Mussels
1 cup dry white wine, a Pinot Grigio or Savignon Blanc
3/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
4 lbs. mussels
1/2 cup butter
Have several bottles of white wine and 4 people in the kitchen.
Scrub mussels under running water to get sand and grit off. Pull off the stringy greenish things called
“beards.” If any mussels are open, discard them.
Put mussels in large pot. Pour 1 cup of dry white wine over them. Add chopped parsley and butter.
Bring to a boil, cover, and steam for 5 minutes.
Check the mussels. If they’re all open, they’re ready. With a slotted spoon, put them in four separate bowls.
Pour wine, butter, and parsley broth over mussels for dipping warm crusty bread into. Put one or two big
bowls on the table for the shells. Note: The mussels from Coskata are called “mud mussels,” and considered not as delicious as mussels
picked off the jetties. Most mussels come to our restaurants from P.E.I.
and