Amazon.com Review
You can almost taste the freshly caught bluefish and smell the tangy salt air in Philip Craig's newest Martha's Vineyard mystery, a seasonal delight featuring former Boston policeman J.W. Jackson. J.W. hasn't seen legendary bluesman Corrie Appleyard since he was a child, and when Corrie arrives on the Vineyard for a rare concert appearance, J.W. couldn't be happier. It's almost enough to take his mind off the series of arson fires that have destroyed the dilapidated summer cottages that a local slumlord rents out at outrageously high prices to college kids who've come to work and play in the famous summer colony. But when Corrie's precious guitar is found at the site of the latest fire, and an unidentified body is pulled from the ruins, J.W. fears the worst.
Although he's already busy trying to track down a blackmailer who's been threatening Susanna Quick, his wife Zee's close friend, J.W. agrees to investigate the arson fires for the owner of the cottages, which leads him into still another unsolved mystery: why is Zee so opposed to his newest client? By the time the connection between the arsonist, the slumlord, Susanna, and Zee is unraveled in a surprising denouement, you'll have worked up an appetite. Luckily, the author has included the recipes of Vineyard favorites at the end of this tasty mystery. J.W. is an extremely appealing hero, a man of simple pleasures who's not averse to putting himself on the line to defend his wife, his family, and his close-knit community of friends and neighbors . The pacing won't keep you from a nap after a day of sun and salt water, but the book moves along nicely, the Vineyard landscape is lovingly and authentically evoked, and the characters are well drawn. Vineyard Blues is another satisfying outing for this accomplished writer (who also brought us A Fatal Vineyard Season, A Shoot on Martha's Vineyard, Death on a Vineyard Beach) and his likable protagonist. --Jane Adams
From Publishers Weekly
Despite a propitious start, Craig's latest offering in the Vineyard series soon degrades into a dull tale hampered by cardboard characters and a simplistic plot. Former Boston cop J.W. Jackson, the easy-going narrator, is surprised and pleased to see an old friend of his father's, Corrie Appleyard, stroll up his Martha's Vineyard driveway. Corrie, a blues guitarist who has come to the island for a few small gigs, renews his friendship with J.W., whom he hasn't seen in 30 years. After an enjoyable evening with J.W. and his wife, Zee, Corrie returns to his lodging, a house owned by slumlord Ben Krane. Several days later, as Corrie is about to return to the mainland, that house burns to the ground with an unidentified body inside. Suspecting arson, the third against one of his rental properties, Krane hires Jackson to investigate, despite their unexplained mutual animosity. Jackson, meanwhile, fearing that a now-missing Corrie is the arson victim, has been asked by friend Susanna to help identify the man who has been harassing her over the phone about her former life in the porn industry. The premise for both plots is solid enough, but Jackson's irritatingly perfect wife and children are too unrealistic to be believed, while other characters lack personality. Predictable endings to both mysteries cap off a disappointing novel in which the only remaining question is how many times the Jackson children get taken for ice cream. (June)
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