Product Description

Violent crime is a rarity on the tranquil shores of Martha's Vineyard, which is why ex-cop J.W. Jackson turned in his Boston badge to retire to the idyllic isle. And that's what makes a six-month-old murder so troubling to the perplexed locals. But Jackson's got troubles of his own -- including a loving wife, Zee, who's becoming curiously distant ... and the arrival of a mysterious visitor who's searching for a valuable set of stolen statues, and who's certain J.W.'s the man to hunt them down. It's an assignment that plunges the fisherman/chef-cum-private investigator into an unfamiliar milieu: the Vineyard's cutthroat world of art aficionados. And suddenly J.W. finds himself pitted against some of the island's most powerful and unscrupulous figures, uncovering lethal threads that may connect an unsolved mutilation/slaying with those who would stop at nothing -- including murder -- to add rare forbidden objects to their collections.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #584528 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Former Boston cop J.W. Jackson searches for two ancient soapstone eagles allegedly stolen from African ruins, as well as for clues to his wife Zee's sudden detachment, in Craig's latest Vineyard mystery, a livelier, more original tale than his previous, 2001's Vineyard Shadows. Abraham Mahsimba, a cultivated and attractive African, may have given J.W. a fresh mission (and a new interest in priceless artifacts), but he's also struck Zee's fancy. A naked, headless and unidentified body and the murder of an art dealer complicate life on the island, and J.W. soon finds himself amid a thriving trade of stolen artifacts, a personal rivalry between collectors and a potential revenge plot. Eccentric locals a Native American couple, a distinguished art collector, a reluctant accountant and assorted nouveau riche islanders add zest. Craig offers enough liaisons, infidelities and questionable loyalties to keep everyone guessing. Does Mahsimba really work for Interpol, or is he after the eagles for selfish reasons? Will Zee fall victim to the seven-year itch? Another murder and an attempt on J.W.'s life leave our hero wary but still committed to getting to the bottom of things, which he does as the tale picks up speed and races toward a satisfying if uninspired conclusion. The Vineyard with its fishing, clamming, cooking and camaraderie retains its allure, the Red Sox are on a roll and J.W.'s homely philosophizing continues to annoy or enchant, depending on taste.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The arrival on Martha's Vineyard of a strange man in search of two African soapstone eagles creates turmoil for series star J.W. Jackson. Murder, art-world intrigue, and jealousy of his wife's attraction to the man all complicate J.W.'s life. For series fans.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
J. W. Jackson, former cop and now jack-of-all-trades, returns to solve another mystery at Martha's Vineyard, where he lives with his two children and his wife, Zee. There's a murder, of course: this time the victim is an art dealer who may have a link to two soapstone eagles stolen from the Great Zimbabwe archaeological site. A dashing African, Mahsimba, has hired Jackson to help him recover the birds (and, yes, there are amusing references to The Maltese Falcon). Just as interesting as the mystery is the effect Mahsimba has on Zee, who is trying to recover from recently killing a man in self-defense. The mix of homicide and romance continues to work well in this series, largely because Craig's characters--and not just J. W and Zee--are convincingly true to life. Equally well drawn is Martha's Vineyard itself. Craig paints the island so vividly that readers can almost smell the sea breezes--and taste the money of the Vineyard's summer residents. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

J.W.'s Getting Cranky
This is Craig's 14th Martha's Vineyard mystery (I'm not sure what number it is in the J.W. Jackson series) and the charm of the first few books in the series is fading like a coastline sunset on a rainy day. The nominal plot concerns missing African soapstone eagles and a visiting Zimbabwe-an named Mashimba; a subplot involves J.W.'s improbably named superwoman wife Zee, her apparent fading interest in J.W., and her infatuation with Mashimba. The writing style, plot, and secondary characters are workmanlike contemporaty mystery; unfortunately Craig gives us one to really care about or be interested in. And Craig's descriptions of the Vineyard have become rote - the same sparkly ocean sunrises, jumping bluefish, and annoying tourists. There's little of the local history that enlivened the earlier books. Worse, J.W. himself has turned into something of a grouch. Every chapter (seems like every page) has J.W. railing about everything from people with more money than he (and he seems to this reviewer to have a pretty good life) to cats, small dogs, town ordinances, etc; you name it, J.W. hates it. Luksusowa martinis and Sam Adams are great but I don't need to read about them in every book. And, J.W., while you're crankin' - how about complaining about Sam Adam's "Sex with Sam" ad campaign which led a couple to have public sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral? Seems to me that's more of a matter to rail against than the size of someone's beloved pet. Maybe if J.W. were a little less cranky and a little more open to opinions other than his own, Zee wouldn't have roaming eyes. The book is redeemed somewhat in the end by a lovely exchange between J.W. and Zee about the nature of love. End quote? A (very) quick read - nothing more or less.

He's Losing It!
This the is third book in a row that shows this series' decline. The far-fetched plot is based on two stolen carved African eagles, and Zee makes goo-goo eyes at a studly African from the moment she meets him. The reason, we find out at the end, is that she needed at that moment to love someone other than her husband...and he's cool with that. Puleeeeeeze! Mr. Craig needs to start writing for the reader again, and not for the bank...and we'll all be a lot happier!

Losing Strength
A third of thew way thru, you will have spotted the killer and curiosity is the only reason to finish. Strange disappearance of Zee, though she wanders through sometimes. The book is weak.