Philip R. Craig (1933–2007)

I love mysteries, not the bloody, gory, scary kind; the knotted, smart-ass, funny kind mostly. I love them in a series if I like the main character; you have to like someone if you are going to hang around them for a couple of hours. I really liked this first book in the series. He is funny, smart-ass and the story was pretty good, if a bit too convoluted for the denouement. That can be forgiven up to a point. Now on to the next one. I am only worried that the series takes place on Martha's Vineyard and one or two or even three or four murders might be credible, but MV is not exactly a hotbed of crime so enough murders to make this a series could stretch even my active imagination a bit.… (mehr)

A good, easy read. If you're looking for a page-turner this book starts off a little on the slow side but still engaging. The pace slowly escalates as Jeff (a.k.a JW) helps the MVPD with the investigation. The last 50-75 pages are of the page-turner variety.

I found the main character Jeff, a "retired" Boston detective, a likable character so setting up his social circle of friends/community, friends, and the descriptive narrative of fishing/clamming on Martha's Vinyard entertaining. The book isn't what I would describe as dark and overbearing.

I'm still looking for a replacement for Robert B. Parker's Spenser/Hawk/Susan characters in terms of complexity and the dynamics of their relationships but this isn't it. I will give the next book in the series a read.… (mehr)