Michael Lindley Books In Order

Publication Order of Charlevoix Summer Books

Publication Order of Hanna and Alex Books

Chronological Order of Hanna and Alex Books

Publication Order of Trouble Waters Books

Michael Lindley
Michael Lindley’s debut novel, called “The Seasons of the Emmalee”, was released in the year 2005, and frequently rises up to number one on Amazon for Mystery and Suspense, Historical Fiction, as well as Women’s Fiction. A sequel, titled “The Summer Town”, was released shortly after and continued building a loyal readership for these tales of unexpected love, class struggles, murder, and betrayal that are set in the idyllic Northern Michigan resort town of Charlevoix.

Inspiration for both of these stories came from his summers spent at his family’s boatyard and marina, and his fascination for the “summer people” that brought their classic yachts out to the lake every year.

His family spent many years out on the northern Gulf Coast of Florida close to Grayton Beach, which would become the inspiration for “Bend to the Tempest”, his third novel, which is set during the 1920s. Bootleggers, moonshiners, killer hurricanes, and dangerous women all make for an exciting and suspenseful look at such an intriguing place and time.

Michael has always been drawn to stories that are built around a mix of present and past, allowing him to know a place and the people that live there both in a compelling historical context, as well as in present day.

He’s also been drawn to tales that are built around an idyllic place and time just as much as the characters that grace these locales. While the villains and heroes come to life in his favorite stories, who face life’s challenges of betrayal, great danger, and love, he also enjoys coming to understand the setting for the story deeply and just how it shapes the characters and the conflicts that they face.

He now writes full time, having stepped away from his career in Marketing and Advertising and divides his time between Florida and Northern Michigan. He and Karen, his wife, are also on a yearly quest to visit the spectacular national parks in the country.

“The Seasons of the Emmalee” is the first novel in the “Charlevoix Summer” series and was released in the year 2005. A grand ship, and two love affairs separated by different decades. A peaceful summer resort town that is torn apart by tragic loss, murder, and betrayal.

Jonathan McKendry is a local boatyard owner’s son that lives in a northern Michigan resort town in the forties and is falling in love with Emily Compton, the daughter of a wealthy family that summers in Charlevoix and own the EmmaLee, the grand ship. While family pressures and class differences threaten any hope of the relationship actually going anywhere, a stunning crime wrecks their dreams of being together and it throws them into a desperate quest for a savage murderer.

In a parallel story during the present day, Sally Thomason, who is a Compton descendant, is just thrilled to join the Charlevoix community in welcoming back the EmmaLee, the family’s ancient yacht, after decades away. When she meets the ship’s new owner, Alex Clark, her life takes a drastic turn which threatens her current relationship and dredges up previous memories of a tragic event which continues haunting her. While Alex and Sally grow closer, they look for common ground to move beyond the past to build new lives together.

“Lies We Never See” is the first novel in the “Hanna and Alex” series and was released in the year 2018. Hanna Walsh’s husband is discovered murdered in Charleston, South Carolina. His failed land deal leaves her finances and family in ruins. The FBI believes she knows more than she lets on and there is a dangerous stranger that thinks she is hiding several millions of dollars that he wants to have back.

Some old journal and a letter in the attic of the family beach house located on Pawley Island reveals that her distant grandma, who owned the same house while she was a young widow during the Civil War, suffered similar financial hardship and emotional loss. Her grandma’s story chronicles the tragic loss of her husband in one senseless battle fought just weeks after the war’s end and one mysterious stranger that has returned to tell her about her husband’s senseless death.

Hanna finds that both of their journeys of recovery and redemption both depend on those that they still hold close to them, however deliverance and betrayal come in many unexpected forms.

“A Following Sea” is the second novel in the “Hanna and Alex” series and was released in the year 2018. Murder, love, and betrayal in the Low Country of South Carolina, and the continuing love affair of Alex Frank and Hanna Walsh.

Hanna was beginning to believe that she may have a future with Detective Alex Frank until his ex-wife shows up intent on making up for some past sins.

It has been more than a year and Hanna Walsh, a free legal clinic attorney, has attempted to move past the violent murder and betrayal of her husband. Alex Frank, a Charleston Police Detective, who helped bring the murderer to justice, is getting to become more than a friend. Then Alex’s former wife reveals a shocking secret and every trust issue Hanna has comes racing back.

When Alex’s dad gets charged with the savage death of some rival shrimp boat captain and Alex starts to dig deeper into the crime, he finds himself right in the crosshairs of some dangerous murderers. While Hanna attempts to help out with the investigation and the defense of Alex’s dad, she hangs on to a distant hope she and Alex will be able to get back together, however his clever ex and the vengeful crime syndicate have got other plans for all of their futures.

“Death on the New Moon” is the third novel in the “Hanna and Alex” series and was released in the year 2019. Hanna and Alex appear to have found a promising new beginning for their lives together when Alex comes across a tragic loss and near lethal run-in with a dangerous crime syndicate.

While Hanna attempts helping him through his recovery and hunt for the dangerous murderer, the surprise return of a former lover sends all hopes of her future with Alex right into a tailspin.