When I turned to the table of contents in Emily St. John Mandel’s latest novel, "Sea of Tranquility" (Knopf, 272 pp., ★★★★ out of four), I started to worry.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley is one of those books that is for the patient reader; ... All were vivid in my mind, leaving me to believe that The Winter Sea would make a stunning movie.

On a sea day, savour the hiss and slap of the ocean as it rushes past below your deck or balcony. Relax in a deckchair with a good book, top up your tan by the pool or order room service and ...

KAREN GOOD MARABLE: Yaya and the Sea was originally a journal entry I wrote on the A train in 2001. My friends and I had taken the exact journey I describe in the book, and there was a little Yaya ...