50-Word Synopsis: 

When a dead man washes ashore on Hollow Island, a haunting summer unfolds for its reclusive residents. Woven with myth, mystery, and emotional depth, Summer Fruit is a literary journey through trauma, found family, and the wild instincts that guide us—set against the backdrop of nature’s beauty and danger.

100-Word Synopsis:

A dead man’s body is found on the shores of Hollow Island, upending the fragile balance among its inhabitants. Jack Karlsson, a reclusive wolf conservationist haunted by his past, shelters his estranged niece for the summer as buried secrets resurface. Meanwhile, a war veteran unravels under the pull of Aztec legend, and a local investigator seeks answers that threaten to destroy the peace. Intertwining grief, indigenous spirituality, mystery, and emotional healing, Summer Fruit explores how good people can do terrible things—and how nature, myth, and unexpected connection can bring them back from the edge.

250-Word Synopsis: 

A body washes up on the shores of Hollow Island—a remote and mystical place off the Pacific Northwest coast—and nothing will be the same again.

Jack Karlsson, once a musical prodigy and now a reclusive wolf conservationist, has exiled himself to Hollow in search of peace. But when his estranged, troubled niece Esther arrives to spend the summer with him, old wounds resurface. Meanwhile, Tomas, a war veteran battling PTSD, finds the body and begins to spiral, haunted by his Aztec heritage and the werewolf-like Nagual legend that may be hunting him—or guiding him.

As local investigator Sahara Moses follows clues that challenge her faith and heritage, the mystery of the dead man pulls together a cast of damaged yet deeply human characters, each fighting to reclaim their truth. From wolf song to spiritual visions, family betrayals to new bonds, the island itself becomes a character—mythic, wild, and unforgiving.

Summer Fruit is a genre-defying literary novel that weaves elements of mystery, myth, and emotional realism into a powerful meditation on trauma, family, redemption, and what it means to heal. Through lyrical prose and cinematic storytelling, Renee Humphrey delivers an unforgettable debut about the instincts that bind us, the truths we hide, and the wilderness—both literal and internal—that we all must navigate.

Taglines: 

• “One Body. Four Secrets. No Way Off the Island.”
• “The Wolves Are Watching. The Past Is Waiting.”
• “Where Spirit Meets Mystery… and the Dead Don’t Stay Silent.”
• “A Literary Mystery That Howls Beneath the Surface.”
• “This Summer, the Island Will Remember Everything.”
• “A Body Washes Ashore. The Truth Comes Crashing In.”
• “Grief Has a Voice. Family Has a History. And the Island Knows Both.”

“Renee Humphrey’s Summer Fruit is a haunting, lyrical debut that balances literary grace with slow-burning suspense. Set against the mist-shrouded beauty of a Pacific Northwest island, the novel explores trauma, transformation, and tangled family ties through a cast of deeply human characters. Jack’s solitary brilliance, Esther’s longing for connection, Sahara’s ancestral intuition, and Tomas’s battle with memory converge in a mystery that is as spiritual as it is emotional. This book will stay with you long after the final page—howling in your mind like a distant wolf.”—Wendy

“A powerful story about what happens when the past is no longer content to stay buried. In Summer Fruit, Humphrey gives us damaged people trying—desperately and beautifully—to make sense of their pain. The mystery of the body on the beach is only the beginning; what unfolds is a journey into found family, inherited wounds, and quiet redemption. It's a rare book that holds both sorrow and hope in equal measure.”—Jeff

“Layered with spiritual symbolism and visceral emotion, Summer Fruit is a gorgeously written mystery that explores the wild spaces between instinct and identity. With wolves, ravens, and coastal legends woven into the narrative, this book invites readers into a world where grief has a shape, healing has a voice, and the past is never truly silent. For fans of literary suspense and character-driven fiction, Renee Humphrey has delivered a bold and unforgettable debut.”—Beth

Advance Review Copies Available on Booksprout:  Reviewers are invited to request a complimentary digital copy of Summer Fruit through Booksprout. If you enjoy rich, character-driven fiction with elements of suspense, emotional depth, and lyrical prose, Summer Fruit will resonate with you long after the final page. Request your review copy and leave your honest feedback at Booksprout

Nominated for the 2026 Collective of Independent Publishers and Authors EVVY Awards

Author Spotlight post on selfpublishingnews.com, Featured Author: Renee Humphrey

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