Death on a Vineyard Beach - (Martha's Vineyard Mystery) by Philip R Craig (Paperback)

About the Book

The sixth book in the popular series set on Martha's Vineyard, starring ex-cop J.W. Jackson. Alterations in the bank accounts of two young women have led to their deaths, so when an extra $100,000 shows up in his lady love's bankbook, J.W. has cause for alarm.

Book Synopsis

For ex-cop J.W. Jackson, a Vineyard summer spent honeymooning with the fetching Zee Madieras is as good as life gets. But when Zee and J.W. treat themselves to a matinee performance of the opera Carman in Boston, a hooded figure with a sawed-off shotgun cuts their idyll short. J.W., reacting just in time, foils the attempted murder of an aging former gangster, Luciano Marcus. Marcus, who lives in a magnificent, secluded Vineyard estate at Gay Head, understandably wants to keep the situation quiet. Suspecting island links to the assault, he persuades a somewhat reluctant J.W. to look into the matter. J. W., who would much rather just enjoy some quiet times with Zee, quickly finds himself up to his fishing rod and cooking utensils in a complex and surprising mystery. Marcus's commission leads J.W. into the local Wampanoag Indian community, where several people apparently have reason to wish Marcus dead and gone. J.W. meets the enigmatic Bill Vanderbeck, a Wampanoag thought by some to be a shaman, and he must also confront a man from his own distant past, the mysterious Joe Begay, who once saved J.W.'s life. Now, on the Vineyard, Joe is married to a member of a well-known Wampanoag family. It's an intriguing case with many elements, but J.W. worries that it could also mean danger for Zee, who saw the face of one of the would-be assassins.

From the Back Cover

Bullets and Bouquets

There is no room for murder on a honeymoon.

When J.W. Jackson foils an attempt to terminate former mob boss Luciano Marcus on the steps of Boston's Symphony Hall, it puts a definite damper on Jackson's and bride Zee Madieras's newlywedded bliss'especially when the mayhem follows them back home to Martha's Vineyard.

A part-time Vineyard resident himself, Marcus wants J.W. to find out who is behind the botched hit'an assignment the laid-back ex-cop can't refuse, since lady love Zee saw one of the would-be assassins and is now in peril herself. But with everyone from gangland rivals to Wampanoag Indians wishing Marcus harm, keeping the circling island sharks from the kill might be more than J.W. can handle.

Review Quotes

"Refreshing . . . An entertaining mystery with a dab of romance . . . Skillfully weaving indian lore with local interest and atmosphere . . . and Craig can mix a motivation and scramble a subplot with the best of them." ?"Dallas Morning News""Appealing ... The humanization of the gangsterfamily, the peeks behind the Vineyard facades, and thebeach environment will win those who like their read-ing to be as leisurely as a long summer's afternoon."-- "Boston Herald""One of the most underrated writers inthe genre ... Craig is a consummate storyteller."-- "Murder & Mayhem"