Please help identify this novel

[Statsinyoureyes]

Thanks in advance to anyone who might know, as it's driving me mad.

It's a modern novel, probably last 20 years or so, and set, I think, in the Highlands or Islands of Scotland. There's a female protagonist. She's new to the area. At one point she climbs into a ruined church. There's another family she meets, and they have a young teenager son. He goes missing and assumed drowned, but his mother confides that in fact they were only his 'keepers' and he was a mythical creature (selkie?) and has returned to seal form.

It is NOT Night Waking by Sarah Moss, I thought it was but I've just read that and it wasn't.

If anyone can get this from my vague description I would be most grateful!

Hopeful bump

I've not read it but Google is suggesting the light between oceans?

It's not The Light Between Oceans.
That's set in Australia and the child is not mythical. Also a child rather than teenager (although I can't remember precisely how it ends, even though I stayed up late to finish it).

Thanks for your suggestion. No it's not that one. I've been googling for weeks.

Is it Orkney by Amy Bloom? Sounds similar anyway and it's a book I really recommend!

I thought Orkney too - Amy Sackville rather than Bloom 😊

Yes you're right I mean Amy Sackville not Amy Bloom!

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller?

It is The Tides Between by Elizabeth Jane Corbett?

Is it The Seer or Darkness by Fiona Skye?

It was published in 2017 and is set in the Scottish Highlands. The protagonist is a young woman named Emily who moves to the area and discovers she has the ability to communicate with spirits. In the book, there is a family who lives nearby with a son who is believed to have drowned, but his mother reveals to Emily that he is actually a selkie and has returned to the sea in his seal form. The book also features a ruined church that Emily explores.

@Boonata that sounds like it! But I can't find it on Google at all, please could you link to it? Thanks so much!

@GrannieMainland @BrianWankum it's not Orkney but that book sounds great and I'll be looking it up, thanks!

@ronswansonstache @BetterCare no it's not either of those, but again thank you for taking the time to help me!

@Boonata still hoping you might be able to send me a link or more info! Nothing comes up when I search for that novelist/title.

Thanks again!

How odd @Boonata to give such a full description of the book that the OP is looking for and yet omit the author or title. You even gave the year that it was published!

They did:

Boonata · 02/04/2023 12:54
Is it The Seer or Darkness by Fiona Skye?

Then posted again with the description.

OP, I found 'Fiona Skye', but not a book by that title. Everything she has written, the publisher is listed as 'Createspace Independent Publishing Platform' or just 'Independently published'. Createspace was a Print On Demand model - no printrun, just individual copies being printed as they were ordered.

I wonder if she changed the title after selling a couple of copies, and one of her other titles may be the one you're looking for? Or could it be included in one of the anthologies she's contributed to? Good luck with your search.

Second-hand bookseller platform: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/author/fiona-skye?cm_sp=det--srp--author

Amazon author page: www.amazon.co.uk/Fiona-Skye/e/B00CKY01EE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Thanks @WhereYouLeftIt I did see Fiona Skye but the book I read was very different, I think it was a British author and it was not fantasy, more a bit whimsical, if that makes sense. Thanks anyway.

Well I've just read Secrets of the Sea House, it wasn't that either but I did enjoy it. If nothing else at least I've got some good recommendations on this thread! If I ever work out what the book was, I'll update this thread for posterity.