A Beautiful Place to Die by Philip R. Craig(Avon, ISBN 978-0380711550)
Jeff Jackson, J.W. to his friends, is living a quiet, rather idyllic life on Martha's Vineyard. Retired to his father's old cottage on the island after a shooting left him, in his prime, with a bullet lodged just a bit too close to his spine, he spends his days fishing, selling his catch for some extra money, having a cold beer from time to time and whipping up some tasty dinners like a nice scallops St. Jacques with a loaf of homemade bread and maybe some snap peas from his garden. He even smokes his own freshly caught fish in the backyard.
"I was having breakfast- smoked bluefish, red onion, and cream cheese on a toasted bagel, washed down with coffee- on the porch with the sun coming up over the Sound. The way God intended Man to live."Add in that he has just met a very nice nurse on the beach who is happy for some surf-casting tips and appreciates his cooking and he is one pretty content man.
Or so it would seem until, as they are fishing on the beach one morning, a boat explodes just off shore, killing one man and injuring the son of one of his fishing buddies. When it seems that drugs may be involved, and a young girl asks for his help for her brother, JW just can't stop those old cop instincts from kicking in. To tourists, Martha's Vineyard may seem like a paradise, but it seems that even paradise has a seamy underside and JW will soon be in the thick of it.
In this, the first in Craig's Martha's Vineyard series, we are treated to an all around good story. A great setting (hmmm..I have mentioned that I enjoy books set by the ocean, haven't I?), a couple of clever, charming characters in J.W. and his new girlfriend Zee, a solid plot, a nice little mystery with a few unexpected twists and I am a happy camper. Throw in a bit of surf fishing for bluefish, a few recipes, some literary allusions and some ideas for building your own backyard smoker from found parts and I think I really have to check out the rest of this series.
When I visited Martha's Vineyard a few years ago, someone showed me the home P. Craig lived it....awesome.
ReplyDeleteI don't really like his books though LOL
Well, now I want to go to the ocean!
ReplyDeleteI'll go for ya. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf I can't go to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard, the next best thing is to immerse myself in a good book about it and Craig's series sounds perfect! thanks for a great review!
ReplyDeleteI bet the island is lovely in the fall...I am getting a case of wanderlust.
ReplyDeleteYou can't go wrong with the setting and this guy's lifestyle. That could become a fantasy, quite honestly (except for the bullet thing). Funny thing is...I saw this post and thought it was the OTHER "Beautiful Place to Die" by Malla Nunn (which I bought on the sale rack at Borders awhile ago).
ReplyDeleteI have read every book he has written and was devastated when he died in '07. His books are just sheer fun. Even some his recipes sound good although I'm not too fond of Bluefish. Glad you enjoyed the book.
ReplyDeleteSandy, yes, every time I google the name or search for it on Library Thing, they both come up. A very different setting, but that one sounds like a winner too.
ReplyDeleteKaye, this series was suggested by Tina of Tutu's Two Cents when I was discussing my love of seaside settings in a post. But I will have you know I also took your suggestion and got me a copy of The Body in the Lighthouse by Katherine Hall Page!
Caite..Glad you found these...they are so good, and it is so sad he had to die..if you enjoyed this one, also try the Martha's Vineyard series by Cynthia Riggs (actually see my Earplugs post tomorrow)...also a wonderful seaside action packed cozy.
ReplyDeleteso many good books...so little time...lol
ReplyDeleteDid you place an order for a book written to your exact specifications? Seems like it!
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