Book Review: Murder at a Vineyard Mansion

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Murder at a Vineyard Mansion     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Philip R. Craig
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: J. W. Jackson # 15
Scribner, June 2004, $24.00, 272 pp.

Retired police officer J.W. Jackson lives in the Ocean Heights section of Martha Vineyard with his wife and two children. He takes on odd jobs to earn extra money including some detective work when he becomes interested in an unusual crime. The Silencer is a modern day Robin Hood, who “fixes” music systems that are playing too loud in moving vehicles or homes with the windows open. He somehow fries them.

Robin Pierson is building a castle on Chappaquiddick much to the consternation of the neighbors who feel he is destroying the picturesque area. A delinquent vandalizes the structure forcing Robin to hire security guard Ollie Mates to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Someone murders Ollie and Robin’s neighbor Maud Mayhew wants to hire J.W. to prove that her son Harold is not the killer. J.W. turns down the case and shortly thereafter, Harold is also murdered probably by the same person who killed Ollie. A guilty J.W. decides to investigate both deaths and crosses paths with the Silencer who he doesn’t turn into the police because he sympathizes with his actions.

Good Morning America book club author writes another crime thriller that has very little blood and gore but plenty of action to keep the reader entertained. The protagonist has caught a lot of killers in his day but even he is surprised who the perpetrator is and very little shocks him. MURDER AT A VINEYARD MANSION gives the reader a glimpse of the very rich who believe their wealth could because a multitudes of crimes, both moral and criminal. Mr. Craig makes Martha’s Vineyard so appealing readers will want to take a summer vacation there.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner