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Summary
Summary
For year-round Vineyard residents J. W. Jackson and his wife, Zee, winter brings its own beauty, with uncrowded streets, pristine snowy landscapes, and long, cozy nights by the fire. It can also bring danger.There's a chill in the air one January day when J.W. receives a surprising visit from long-ago pal Clay Stockton. Thrice divorced and still living on the edge, Clay has come to J.W. not to relive the reckless days of their youth but to ask J.W. for help. He's in big trouble and needs to lie low on the Vineyard.And it isn't just Clay who needs J.W.'s assistance; J.W.'s pal Bonzo has made a frightening discovery that may lead to the whereabouts of Nadine Gibson, a young woman who went missing on the Vine-yard almost a year ago. Bonzo once took Nadine bird-watching, and the circumstances connecting Nadine's disappearance to Bonzo are enough to make him a "person of interest" to the police.With two friends in trouble and his own family receiving threats, J.W. must summon all of his investigative skills to try to restore order to his beloved island home, where fishing and good food should always take precedence over murder.Featuring Craig's trademark mix of wit, suspense, and Vineyard ambiance,Vineyard Chillis a marvelous tribute to a much-loved author whose passion for mystery and Martha's Vineyard enriches every page.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Craig's final Martha's Vineyard mystery (after 2007's Vineyard Stalker), completed just before his death last spring, offers all the familiar pleasures his fans have come to relish--a swift-moving plot, appealing characters and beautifully described settings. In the dead of winter, retired Boston cop J.W. Jackson and his family are surprised by a visit from an old buddy of J.W.'s, Clay Stockton. Sailor, boat-builder, pilot and adventurer, Clay charms them all, but brings trouble in his wake. When two armed strangers later show up looking for Clay, J.W. steers them to the police for information while warning Clay, now employed by a local boat builder, to watch out. Meanwhile, the discovery of a bird's nest interwoven with the red hair of a young woman missing since the previous summer may implicate a bird-watcher devoted to J.W. in a crime. Three delicious recipes round out the volume. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
An old friend's visit brings both pleasure and danger to Craig's laid-back ex-policeman on his twilight tour of Martha's Vineyard. J.W. Jackson and his family are delighted when his old pal Clay Stockton calls to ask if he can drop in. Clay is a fascinating character. Educated and erudite, he has spent most of his adult life traveling the world, sailing boats and flying planes to deliver packages whose contents he never questions. Upon taking a job helping J.W.'s friend Ted finish up his sailboat, Clay begins a relationship with Ted's sister. When two thugs follow him from California looking for several million dollars in drug money, J.W. has to come up with a plan to get Clay off the hook. Meanwhile, he's busy investigating the murder of a beautiful young waitress in a local bar, missing for a year, whose body is found in an old foundation. J.W. is determined to help out his friend Bonzo, a prime suspect, by finding the truth. His leisurely perambulations through the quiet winter landscapes turn up some interesting clues. J.W.'s last case (Vineyard Stalker, 2007, etc.) combines Craig's trademark tour of Martha's Vineyard, a sprinkling of recipes and enough mystery and excitement to please. Both the author and his unflappable hero will be missed. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Life on Martha's Vineyard has settled into its comfortable off-season rhythms for J. W. Jackson and his family: school, work, and evenings around the fire. When J. W.'s old friend, Clay Stockton, comes to visit, the routine is initially altered but only slightly. Stockton, a globetrotting nomad forever beckoned by the allure of a new woman or an exciting job, becomes the focal point of the fireside chats. The unsavory aspects of Clay's past surface when two L.A. hoods show up looking for a couple million dollars Clay may have stashed while working as a bagman for a marijuana dealer. In a parallel plot, the unsolved disappearance of a young waitress moves from the cold-case file to a search for a body when evidence turns up in a very unusual venue. This is likely the last Vineyard mystery Craig died in May 2007 and it relies on the long-running series' strong points: a literate, creative narrator; the appealing Martha's Vineyard setting; razor-sharp plots; and a comforting backdrop of second-chance domestic bliss. Craig will be missed.--Lukowsky, Wes Copyright 2008 Booklist
Library Journal Review
It is always sad to say goodbye to old friends. This is Craig's final Martha's Vineyard mystery, as the author died last year. When J.W. Jackson's old friend Cal arrives on the island, he brings with him danger in the guise of two goons who are seeking what Cal has hidden. At the same time, the body of a young woman who disappeared a year ago is discovered. Her murder and keeping Cal and his loved ones safe occupy J.W. until he triumphs in his very individualistic way. Martha's Vineyard and the people who live there year-round are described in loving detail, and there are three recipes provided for the reader's enjoyment. Read this for nostalgia and the sheer joy that Craig's writing always inspired. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
