Customer Reviews

When the Sandpiper Calls (Christy Castleman Mysteries #1)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From prolific novelist Peggy Darty comes WHEN THE SANDPIPER CALLS, a nice, down-South whodunit spiced up with a little romance and murder.

Christy Castleman is the local "mystery lady" of Summer Breeze, a town on the Florida Panhandle. Her first mystery novel is a success, and now Christy faces a looming deadline for her second, which keeps her at her computer at all hours. Then she discovers an antique green bottle on the beach with a note: "Call the police. Someone is trying to kill me." Is this a joke? Or is something more sinister going on in Summer Breeze? And what's happened to aggressive realtor Marty McAllister, who has suddenly disappeared from the town? A real murder mystery is brewing right in Summer Breeze, and Christy is in the thick of it.

Darty gives Christy a loving extended family, ranging from her benevolent pastor father to a kid brother who is off in Australia trying to "find himself." One of the most enjoyable characters is Jack, a fisherman and at one time her future father-in-law, with whom Christy maintains a delightful relationship. Christy's almost-too-good-to-be-believed Granny provides respite in the form of country cooking, deep faith, sage advice, and her own wisdom about the murder. Her Granny is hoping Christy will find romance, and it isn't long before Christy meets the handsome war hero Major Dan Brockman, who seems intent on sweeping her off her feet. However, Christy's heart is still aching from a tragic love affair in the past, and she's unsure if she's ready for another man in her life.

This is an enjoyable story that won't demand much from the reader. Darty gives Christy some appealing quirks, such as a penchant for shredding rejection letters and anything else she wants to forget. She loses things, enjoys wearing too-high heels, and sometimes prefers her fictional world to her real world. Christy is also patriotic to the point that "she got goose bumps just hearing the national anthem, and she was, indeed, proud to be an American." A little over the top, but there it is.

When a homeless man and then another resident who had protested the realtor's aggressive development on his island are arrested, Christy worries that the real murderer is still on the loose. A further development in the case comes when a jewelry heist in New York back in the 1980s is tied into the murder.

Can Christy discover who is responsible before it's too late? Darty does a good job concealing the true perpetrator until the closing pages. However, there are a few trouble spots. Occasionally, the dialogue can become a little stilted, and often Darty offers too much information, which can slow down the pacing. (One example: "In her office, she turned everything off, then disconnected the surge protector from the wall. She was taking no chances. While she had the latest and best devices to protect her computer, a sudden storm could wreak havoc.") Occasionally, she tells instead of shows ("He was very open and easy in conversation").

The Sassy Snowbirds, a fun group of "red hat" women over 50, are never really fully developed, but add color and a bit of help with clues in some of the scenes. For those who like their mysteries with a little faith and some light romance, this one should prove entertaining.


--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby. (...)

Christy Castleman is a novelist who's first book was a hit and is now trying to finish up her second novel. One day she finds a bottle buried in the sand with a message asking for help because they are going to be killed. The Sassy Snowbirds, a group of women in the Red Hat society, think it's the missing realtor who wrote the note and are eager to assist Christy in what feels like her mystery novel come to life. While investigating, she also peaks the interest of the new guy in town, military veteran Dan Brockman. In between juggling this new relationship, Christy uses her detective skills to find that the murder may be connected to a jewelry heist in New York from back in the 1980s. Suddenly the little town is involved in a series of events that will shake up the community, with Christy at the center of it all.

I love a good mystery and this book definitely makes my top ten list of mystery novels. I've enjoyed Peggy Darty's novels from the Palisades series and her writing in this book is even better. The story is very descriptive and keeps you wanting more. Christy was a good lead, she's strong yet sensitive, and even when annoyed she doesn't let it show. I really liked her relationship with her former fiance's dad. She's still close to him even though his son is dead, and he treats her like the daughter in law he would have had, allowing her to bring him food, visit him often and asking him for advice on stuff. Other people might have turned away from this awkward situation, but it showed Christy's compassion for what would have been her future family. I love the Sassy Snowbirds because I enjoy reading stories that involve Red Hats. I only hope when I get to be that age I'm as spunky and adventurous as they are! They always seem to be looking for excitement to happen. I won't spoil the ending, so let's just say I totally wasn't expecting it and I don't think I could have been as calm as Christy was when she found out who the killer was. I highly recommend this book for fans of cozy mysteries or anyone that enjoys a really good page turning read. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

...not just red hats either! What a delightfully fun read. A host of quirky characters, a devilish villain and a perfectly breezy setting. This is perfect for Fall evenings - find a cozy chair, a nice lit fireplace and a warm cup of cider and treat yourself to the charm of Peggy Darty's SANDPIPER. You won't be disappointed.

I love cozy mysteries, and this one fit the bill as cold winds blew through Colorado. I read of Christy's amateur sleuthing on the beaches of Florida and longed to have seafood with this mystery writer as we sat in a pricey restaurant overlooking the ocean. The book has great characters with intriguing relationships, an off-stage murder, and plenty of suspects. Get yourself a creamy cocoa breve and curl up to enjoy Peggy Darty's latest book.

In Summer Breeze on the Florida Panhandle, mystery writer Christy Castleman gives a talk to the Sassy Snowbirds, book readers from the north. After talking a little about herself and her one published novel so far, Christy shows the group an expensive antique bottle she found partially buried in the sands of nearby almost empty Shipwreck Island. Inside is a nasty note that says the writer is in danger. The penmanship matches missing realtor Marty McAllister who failed to come home to host an event last night with the Sassy Snowbirds.

Christy informs Deputy Big Bob Arnold what she found. He tells her he will look around, but she is to stop her sleuthing. Because she promised her aunt, a snowbird, she checks at Marty's home to find the woman not home. Christy learns more things from her dad who sold the bottle in the first place. Unable to resist she heads to Shipwreck Island where she meets handsome stranger Dan Brockman. Reluctantly Christy begins to believe that someone abducted and killed Marty, but why and how does Dan, who she is attracted to, fits into the equation.

WHEN THE SANDPIPER CALLS is an entertaining amateur sleuth cozy starring a likable mystery author and eccentric snowbirds, who coax her into doing things she knows better not to do. The character driven tale breezes at a leisurely pace even as the evidence mounts that Marty is a victim of foul play. Christy is terrific as the core of the story line and the support cast to include her parents, the snowbirds, and Dan make for a fun who-done-it.

Harriet Klausner

When the Sandpiper Calls by Peggy Darty is a hum-digger of a mystery and, even better, a book that is populated with interesting and believable characters. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

The print in the paperback version I bought was a bit larger than usual. With my aging eyes this made it easier to read than many books I've picked up lately.

I will note that there was one little (but to me, glaring) error I found with When the Sandpiper Calls. In the book Christy Castleman is writing, she refers to a Spanish Galleon from the late eighteen hundreds wreaking on Shipwreak Island...um, no Spanish Galleons in the 1800's, late 1500's maybe. Oh, well, just a little error that *Christy's* editor might have found when she sent in her manuscript. Speaking of which, did one of her family or friends *send* in that manuscript after she ended up...oops, better not give away the ending!

If you are a person who wants a novel to read at bed-time, interesting enough to keep you reading but one that will let you sleep after reading a chapter or two, you've come to the right book. I did try to decide if this book was 4.51 stars (rounded up to 5) or 4.49 (rounded down to 4), and figured out it was the former.

For me, a good mystery is one that surprises you with who the murderer is but gives enough clues that you believe you could have solved it. This book is not a textbook example of such a mystery, but it still qualifies.

While the plot is slow moving and with the author protagonist more in danger of missing her writing deadline than from the murderer for most of the book, it has interesting characters, from Jack (her would-have-been-father-in-law) and his buddy J.T. to handsome Dan Brockman to grumpy sheriff Big Bob. One enjoys getting to know the people as the story slowly but steadily moves to its conclusion.

No, this book won't break the top ten of my favorite murder mysteries. But I did enjoy it, which meant the author did her job.

I realy enjoyed this book. It is a true "curl up on a rainy afternoon and get cozy" type of book. i am planning on reading more of this authors books.