A Fatal Vineyard Season : A Martha's Vineyard Mystery [Hardcover]

Philip R. Craig (Author)

Book Description

Series: Martha's Vineyard Mysteries | Publication Date: June 15, 1999

It's September on Martha's Vineyard, that perfect time of year when the summer people have gone back to "America" and the locals can enjoy the many pleasures their beautiful island has to offer. For J.W. Jackson and his wife, Zee, September brings time for sailing and fishing and savoring the joys of parenthood of toddler Joshua and new baby Diana.

September also brings some extra work for J.W. as he secures boats and houses against a coming hurricane and closes up some of the Vineyard's big homes for wealthy summer residents. Among J.W.'s longtime clients are Stanley and Betsy Crandel from the town of Oak Bluffs, whose roots in the Vineyard go deep. The senior Crandels, owners of a large Victorian house, have gone to Switzerland, but they ask J.W. to change a faucet and make the house ready for their vacationing niece, Julia Crandel, and her friend, Ivy Holiday. Julia's a struggling Hollywood actress, whose only success so far has been a television commercial, but Ivy has already achieved a measure of fame.

It's only when the two beautiful African-American actresses arrive in Oak Bluffs that J.W. begins to sense that something is terribly wrong. Why is Julia so afraid that she wants J.W. to look into every closet to make sure nobody is lurking in the house? What happened between Ivy Holiday and a stalker who is now in a California prison? He's more than a stalker, actually. He's a murderer, convicted of killing Ivy's roommate. Will he soon be free to kill again? Will he threaten the young women even on the Vineyard?

There's also trouble much closer than California. Two bigoted locals, known for their violent acts and cruelty, seem none too happy with Julia and Ivy's presence. When somebody breaks into the Crandel home, J.W. fears that the women were right to be afraid. Even an apparently idyllic place such as Martha's Vineyard, where people like J.W. and Zee rarely lock their doors, offers no safe haven.

Author Philip R. Craig once again gives us a winning combination of Martha's Vineyard ambiance, appealing characters, good food, and riveting suspense in this dramatic and loving portrait of the place he calls home.

Includes three delicious Vineyard recipes!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Instead of taking it easy now that the tourist season is over, year-round Martha's Vineyard resident and handyman J.W. Jackson, who's a retired cop, comes to the aid of a starlet in distress in this tenth in a series (A Shoot on Martha's Vineyard, etc.). After his wife and two toddlers go to the mainland, J.W. gets a call from Betsy Crandel, whose house he watches during the off-season months. Her niece and a friend, both African-American actresses, will be vacationing on the island for a few weeks. The friend, Ivy HolidayAnotorious for baring her breasts at the Academy Awards in protest of "the exploitation of women as sex objects in films"Ahas been receiving threatening notes from an inmate jailed for killing Ivy's roommate. Neither Ivy's attorney nor J.W. can figure out how the notes are getting past prison officials. Meanwhile, J.W. sees a more serious threat in racist, sexist Alexandro Vegas, who breaks into the Crandel house and tries to attack Ivy with a kitchen knife. Alexandro and his cunning brother Alberto, an ex-con, are running a protection racket on the island. As Hurricane Elmer takes its time deciding whether it'll turn toward the island, J.W. works on ending the Vegas brothers' hold on the area and on discovering the import of the dire notes Ivy keeps getting. Carefully plotted, the novel has a companionable, relaxed atmosphere that's laced with J.W.'s insights on everything from coastal living and fishing to fatherhood and human relationships. This is a good bet for any beach, on the Vineyard or off. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Summer on Marthas Vineyard is waning and J.W. Jackson, his wife Zee, and their two small children are settling in for the winter. J.W. (A Shoot on Marthas Vineyard, 1998, etc.), once a Boston cop, will do his care-taking jobs for absentee house and boat ownerslike caring for the Crandel house in Oak Bluffs, presently occupied by actresses Julia Crandel and her friend Ivy Holiday. Ivy is seeking relief from McKenzie Reed, the stalker now jailed in California for the killing of Ivys roommate Dawn Dawson. No one can explain the letters that follow Ivy from him, despite strict prison surveillance. More immediate danger threatens in the looming shadow of the Vegas brothersAlberto, who runs an ever expanding so-called protective agency, and brother Alexandro, who acts as his huge, violent, foul-mouthed enforcer. J.W. is glad Zee and the children are visiting grandparents on the mainland while he keeps an eye on Julia and Ivy, even though theyre officially guarded by Bostons Thornberry agency. Events escalate as Hurricane Homer heads for the Vineyard; young policeman Larry, who annoyed Alexandro, is found beaten nearly to death; Julia and Ivy disappear, and the Vegas boat Invictus leaves its mooring with J.W. secretly aboard and a drama-laden ordeal to come. Eventful doings suffused with a rueful air and lots of J.W.s homespun philosophy. The tension-filled finale makes it one of Craigs better outings. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (June 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684855445
• ISBN-13: 978-0684855448
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,847,399 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh J.W. Jackson Martha's Vineyard mystery, April 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Fatal Vineyard Season : A Martha's Vineyard Mystery (Hardcover)

After a bullet disabled him former Boston police officer J. W. Jackson moved to Martha's Vineyard. He supplements his small pension with odd jobs such as caring for the summer homes of part time residents. This allows him to spend time with his wife Zee and their two children. At times, J.W. also solves local crimes.

When J.W. goes to the Crandall home to fix a faucet, he meets the two occupants, Julia Crandall and Ivy Holiday, two individuals hiding from a stalker. The two beautiful ladies attract the resident psychopath Alexandro Vegas, an ex-con that hates women, especially black females. Alexandro begins a campaign of terror against the two women. They hire J.W. to protect them from Alexandro and the California stalker who may be jailed but has plans for his victims.

After ten successful novels, this enjoyable series retains its freshness by providing new insight into the personal life of the hero such as his wife giving birth since the previous tale (see A SHOOT ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD). A FATAL VINEYARD SEASON addresses major social issues such as racism amidst an isolated population and defending oneself against stalkers. Phillip R. Craig gifts his audience with the best novel in one of the better series available today.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Go away, Zee, September 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Fatal Vineyard Season: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery (Martha's Vineyard Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I fell in love with J.W. and his Vineyard several books ago. Recently, though, I've found Craig's stories weak to the point of boring.

With the wife came responsibility and predictability. J.W. has changed, and he just doesn't offer the excitement he used to. Now that he has two children, the sleuth is just another dad, lugging car seats and buying ice cream. It's interesting, almost funny, how precocious Craig makes these little darlings, shaking hands and exhibiting perfect manners, even to the bad guys. I couldn't help but think, every time these kids refer to their parents as "Ma" and "Pa", that I was back to "Little House on the Prairie". Maybe that's a better title..."Little House on the Vineyard."

Please, Mr. Craig, get rid of this sugar-sweet family. They could all fall off the boat and drown. They could be kidnaped by terrorists and never returned. Anything. Just bring back the old J.W. and his adventures - minus the missus and the diaper bag.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Price of Fame, April 3, 2009

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Nash Black "Troubadour" (Jamestown, KY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: A Fatal Vineyard Season: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery (Martha's Vineyard Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

J.W. Jackson is married with two children, when Julia Crandel and Ivy Holiday flee a Hollywood stalker who has access to a computer from his prison cell.
Julia is from an old Vineyard family and their sanctuary is precious to the girls, but their race taunts a pair of local gangsters who use intimidation to collect "protection money" from their neighbors' businesses.
Philip Craig creates one of his most vicious villains who is worse than any stalker.
J.W. aids the girls, but he protects his own by sending them off-island, then he fights back against vicious killer and a hurricane. A FATAL VINEYARD SEASON is top notch Craig.
Nash Black, whose books are available in Kindle editions.
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