A Deadly Vineyard Holiday

Rating:
Summary: An exciting mystery that feels like a roller coaster ride
Review: Cricket Callahan looks like an average American teenager. However, with the father of the sixteen year old girl being the President of the United States of America, the secret service agents try to make sure she does not act like one. Sometimes they fail to accomplish their intended goal. One particular time that she slips off their leash, she meets former Boston police officer J. W. Jackson. Although the secret service immediately catches up with her, she ducks out of sight. The agents give J. W. a hard time, but he quickly realizes who has been the recipient of a fishing lesson. ....... Cricket stows away in the back of his pick-up truck. She maneuvers herself into staying with J. W. and his spouse Zee for the few days left of her vacation and participate in some normal fun. Much to the surprise of J. W. the First Family and the secret service are nearby, but in spite of some strange occurrences, they do not make Cricket return home. J. W. learns that an attempt on Cricket's life is expected to be shortly made and since the agents fear a mole within their midst, they feel she is safer where she is. Anyone who knows J. W. realizes that he will not idly standby and allow harm to come to his beloved spouse or the innocent teen. ....... This novel is a fast, breezy read that features likable characters, especially a hero who emulates the positive o the point that readers are instantly involved with the story line. Although there is bit too much geographical description of the Martha's Vineyard area, Phillip R. Craig has scribed a tale that will appeal to all types of mystery readers. The precocious teen almost steals the show with her adolescent antics mixed with a sophisticated savvy. This is necessary read. ......Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: An exciting mystery that feels like a roller coaster ride
Review: Cricket Callahan looks like an average American teenager. However, withthe father of the sixteen year old girl being the President of the UnitedStates of America, the secret service agents try to make sure she does not act like one. Sometimes they fail to accomplish their intended goal. One particular time that she slips off their leash, she meets former Boston police officer J. W. Jackson. Although the secret service immediately catches up with her, she ducks out of sight. The agents give J. W. a hard time, but he quickly realizes who has been the recipient of a fishing lesson. ....... Cricket stows away in the back of his pick-up truck. She maneuvers herself into staying with J. W. and his spouse Zee for the few days left of her vacation and participate in some normal fun. Much to the surprise of J. W. the First Family and the secret service are nearby, but in spite of some strange occurrences, they do not make Cricket return home. J. W. learns that an attempt on Cricket's life is expected to be shortly made and since the agents fear a mole within their midst, they feel she is safer where she is. Anyone who knows J. W. realizes that he will not idly standby and allow harm to come to his beloved spouse or the innocent teen. ....... This novel is a fast, breezy read that features likable characters, especially a hero who emulates the positive o the point that readers are instantly involved with the story line. Although there is bit too much geographical description of the Martha's Vineyard area, Phillip R. Craig has scribed a tale that will appeal to all types of mystery readers. The precocious teen almost steals the show with her adolescent antics mixed with a sophisticated savvy. This is necessary read. ......Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Shore fishing, clambakes, beer, sunsets, murder and vacation
Review: The sleuth lives a lifestyle I relish and admire. An ex-cop living on Martha's Vinyard spendind his days fishing, digging for clams, and walking the beach. His nights are spent with his beautiful wife, sipping on cold Sam Adams while watching the sun go down over the Nantucket sound. Everthing is how it should be until they're asked to hide the President's daughter from would be assasins. The plot is nothing special, but "Craig's" descriptions of Island Living and contentment made me wish I was in a hammock with an ale in my belly. Craig will take ten pages to describe the beauty of the shore at sunrise while you're fishing for Bluefish, "oh by the way, the killer is in his car watching from across the street". A wonderful lazy-day read.

Rating:
Summary: Not exactly a literary masterpiece, but a decent read
Review: This is the first of several Craig books that I have read. Walking down the street in my hometown of Washington, DC, I saw the book in the window of a local bookstore that specializes in Mystery Books. Needing a new book, and being a regular Vineyarder since I was a toddler, I decided to buy it. The book is rich with Vineyard references, many of which will only be fully understood by those of us who frequent or live on the island. The problem with this, as with the rest of Craig's books is that I have found myself reading his work only because it is set on Martha's Vineyard. The storylines often vary between unbelievable and uninteresting. The dialogue is downright awful and incredibly trite. Still, Craig has a Grisham-esque ability to make you turn the pages. The plot is simple enough to follow, without being idiotic, even if you have to strech to believe both that a retired Boston cop would be entrusted with the care of a president's daughter over the Secret Service, and the reason for it, which you'll need to read, otherwise it's a major spoiler.