This debut novel follows four central characters whose lives become intertwined over the span of three generations. Past and present eerily collide as the story plays out in two small coastal communities of Cape Breton.

The story begins in 1923 with Jack Pattingale, whose seafaring way of life has brought both triumphs and tragedies. A fishing mishap threatens Jack’s life, but a young fisherman, Nate Beaton, is led to his rescue by a mysterious light on the ocean.

Now, in 2021, Sarah, granddaughter of Jack, struggles to avoid hitting rock bottom after a series of failed relationships. She unexpectedly meets and falls in love with Thane, who also struggles with loneliness after the breakdown of his 25-year marriage.

As Sarah and Thane’s relationship grows, they discover they not only share a tangible connection, but a cosmic one as well that harkens back to that strange night over fifty years ago when Nate saved Jack from the clutches of the sea.

Based on true events, this beautifully crafted story introduces us to a cast of characters who are faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Their story is revealed to us as we journey with them in their quest to find The Light Amongst the Grey.

Shauna MacKeigan's profile page

Shauna MacKeigan spent the past 30 years working as an accounting clerk, but always felt like a writer. In 2012, on her 50th birthday, she began writing her first novel, The Light Amongst the Grey.

She lives close to her childhood home by the sea in Cape Breton with her husband Frank, and one very bossy black Lab named Dakota. When she isn’t working, she loves to read paranormal fiction, grow veggies, and cruise the island in her black Mustang.