New Bern, North Carolina

Most of Diane Chamberlain's books take place in small-town North Carolina. New Bern is a small town on a river that flows inland from the Atlantic. It's not quite on the coast, but is close enough to the Outer Banks that is has a coastal feel. For the purpose of this novel, New Bern is small enough for the town residents to be familiar with each other, but large enough for Riley to still feel isolated after her father's death. It's also far enough away from big-city news that the MacPherson family was able to escape the news of Lisa and start a new life away from town gossip.

Alexandria, Virginia

The MacPherson family started out in this near-DC suburb when the father, Frank, worked for the U.S. Marshal service. This was the location of Lisa's violin talent, her lessons under Steven Davis, the...