Cynthia Riggs
Author of Deadly Nightshade
About the Author
Image credit: photo by Charlie Utz
Series
Works by Cynthia Riggs
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1931-06-15
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Antioch College (BS, Geology)
Vermont College (MFA, Creative Writing) - Occupations
- ship pilot
teacher
author - Organizations
- Annapolis Sailing School
Mystery Writers of America
Sisters in Crime - Awards and honors
- Antarctic Service Medal of the United States
Outstanding Women of Marine Science - Short biography
- [from Widow's Wreath]
Martha Riggs is the author of fourteen books in the Martha's Vineyard mysteries featuring 92-year-old poet, Victoria Trumbull. She was born on Martha's Vineyard and is the eigth generation to live in her family homestead, which she runs as a bed and breakfast catering to poets, writers, and other creative people. She has a degree in geology from Antioch College and an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College. For 20 years she held a US Coast Guard Masters License (100-ton vessels). In May 2013, she married Howard Attebery, who came back into her life after sixty-two years. Howard died in 2017. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA
- Places of residence
- West Tisbury, Massachusetts, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Massachusetts, USA
Members
Reviews
Cynthia Riggs, what have you done with Victoria Trumbull, and who is this doddering imposter?
Although perennially 92 years old, Victoria Trumbull — renowned poet, avid gardener, sage, and West Tisbury’s oldest police deputy — has never been naïve – until now. In Bloodroot, the 12th novel in this usually excellent series, Victoria, a Martha’s Vineyard native, has gone soft — whether it’s in the head readers can decide. Heretofore perspicacious and cantankerous, suddenly, show more Victoria Trumbull can’t believe that the late Mildred Wilmington’s four obviously selfish, grasping adult grandchildren could have murdered her because “[t]hey seemed perfectly fine to me when we went to the reception” — as if they couldn’t be pit vipers (as Victoria’s granddaughter Elizabeth correctly characterizes them) and put on a show for the length of a reception! Really? Then, even more stupidly, Victoria can’t seem to accept how dangerous Elizabeth’s ex-husband, Lockwood Wolfrich, is. The man verbally abused Elizabeth through most of their marriage, struck her twice, and terrorized and stalked her in Jack in the Pulpit. And what? Victoria’s forgotten all that? Really? Victoria realized what a predator he was then; now she pities the controlling Lockwood, saying, “I feel sorry for him. He’s probably going through a difficult time. He’s an intelligent, well-educated, and clever man.” As if that didn’t describe Ted Bundy or the Zodiac Killer! The Victoria Trumbull of yore — whom I knew and loved — would never have been that feeble-minded or clueless.
Again, Ms. Riggs, what have you done with the real Victoria Trumbull?
To be fair, author Cynthia Riggs, the eighth generation to live in the same Martha's Vineyard homestead, once again creates the most wonderful descriptions of the island, describing its breathtaking natural beauty in such detail that you feel you’re there, that you can actually smell the roses, honeysuckle, and sea that define a Vineyard spring.
Even so, while better than the sub-par Poison Ivy (Bloodroot’s immediate predecessor and No. 11 in the series), Bloodroot can’t compare to Riggs’ usual excellent fare, such as The Cemetery Yew, Jack in the Pulpit, Touch-Me-Not (Riggs’ ninth and best novel), and The Bee Balm Murders. Longtime readers will still enjoy Bloodroot — if grudgingly; however, those new to the series are well advised to start with one of the earlier novels.
And, Ms. Riggs, please bring our Victoria Trumbull back. show less
Although perennially 92 years old, Victoria Trumbull — renowned poet, avid gardener, sage, and West Tisbury’s oldest police deputy — has never been naïve – until now. In Bloodroot, the 12th novel in this usually excellent series, Victoria, a Martha’s Vineyard native, has gone soft — whether it’s in the head readers can decide. Heretofore perspicacious and cantankerous, suddenly, show more Victoria Trumbull can’t believe that the late Mildred Wilmington’s four obviously selfish, grasping adult grandchildren could have murdered her because “[t]hey seemed perfectly fine to me when we went to the reception” — as if they couldn’t be pit vipers (as Victoria’s granddaughter Elizabeth correctly characterizes them) and put on a show for the length of a reception! Really? Then, even more stupidly, Victoria can’t seem to accept how dangerous Elizabeth’s ex-husband, Lockwood Wolfrich, is. The man verbally abused Elizabeth through most of their marriage, struck her twice, and terrorized and stalked her in Jack in the Pulpit. And what? Victoria’s forgotten all that? Really? Victoria realized what a predator he was then; now she pities the controlling Lockwood, saying, “I feel sorry for him. He’s probably going through a difficult time. He’s an intelligent, well-educated, and clever man.” As if that didn’t describe Ted Bundy or the Zodiac Killer! The Victoria Trumbull of yore — whom I knew and loved — would never have been that feeble-minded or clueless.
Again, Ms. Riggs, what have you done with the real Victoria Trumbull?
To be fair, author Cynthia Riggs, the eighth generation to live in the same Martha's Vineyard homestead, once again creates the most wonderful descriptions of the island, describing its breathtaking natural beauty in such detail that you feel you’re there, that you can actually smell the roses, honeysuckle, and sea that define a Vineyard spring.
Even so, while better than the sub-par Poison Ivy (Bloodroot’s immediate predecessor and No. 11 in the series), Bloodroot can’t compare to Riggs’ usual excellent fare, such as The Cemetery Yew, Jack in the Pulpit, Touch-Me-Not (Riggs’ ninth and best novel), and The Bee Balm Murders. Longtime readers will still enjoy Bloodroot — if grudgingly; however, those new to the series are well advised to start with one of the earlier novels.
And, Ms. Riggs, please bring our Victoria Trumbull back. show less
The perennially 92-year-old Victoria Trumbull — renowned poet, avid gardener, sage, and West Tisbury’s oldest police deputy — returns in The Bee Balm Murders, although in much less than fine form — at least physically. A bout of Lyme disease has the usually imperturbable Victoria struggling to think straight through her medication and not at her usual masterful cognitive level.
The introduction of fiber-optic cable to Martha’s Vineyard will be ushering the Vineyard into the 21st show more century. But a corpse turns up in a trench dug for the cable — a corpse that turns out to be a would-be investor in the scheme, a millionaire construction mogul from Brooklyn, New York, named Angelo Vulpone. Vulpone had already agreed orally — although the contract was being negotiated — to invest $8 million in the fiber-optic project, amounting to one-third of the financing for the $24 million project. Vulpone, rumored to have organized-crime ties, might have been iced by a Mafia hitman; after all, he was shot in the back of the head, execution style. But who even knew that Vulpone would be visiting the Island, inside the Mob or out? And who wanted him dead — and why? Victoria comes to believe the Mafia connection is a red herring and that the answers lie in Martha’s Vineyard, not New York City.
Vulpone trusted no one but his two sons, Primo and Umberto, handsome, intense young men in their 20s. And the sons, apprised of Victoria’s talent for unraveling mysteries, hire her to investigate their father’s murder at the rate of $900 per day along with the provision of a car, a driver and a personal assistant. Primo explained the reason for their unusual business proposal: “We understand you’re a deputy officer with access to the police, that you know everyone on the Island, are related to most of them, and are not afraid of anything.” I, too, can’t think of a more succinct description of Victoria Trumbull, can you?
Through the course of this light cozy, two people will wind up murdered and another two will just miss being killed themselves. Needless to say, even when dosed with debilitating doxycycline for her Lyme disease, Victoria manages to uncover Angelo Vulpone’s murderer and set quite a few other wrongs to right.
As always, author Cynthia Riggs, the 13th generation of her family to call Martha's Vineyard home, makes the island into another character in the novel. Riggs artfully describes the flora and other natural wonders of the Vineyard until you feel that you can smell the very sea air, hear the unhurried bees about their business, feel the sand under your feet and the chilly water on your skin, and glory in the beauty of a heavenly Vineyard summer.
The Bee Balm Murder is yet another wonderful entry in the Cynthia Riggs’ Victoria Trumbull cozy mysteries, ranking just below the best three of the series: The Cemetery Yew, Jack in the Pulpit, and Touch-Me-Not, Riggs' best novel, released just before The Bee Balm Murder. Readers owe it to themselves to pick this 2011 novel up.
Lastly, I realize that I am slow on the uptake; however, I only realized after writing my review of Riggs’ ninth book that every one of her novels — from Deadly Nightshade to my next read, Poison Ivy Murder (so far only available for the Kindle) — is a horticultural reference. How incredibly thick of me! show less
The introduction of fiber-optic cable to Martha’s Vineyard will be ushering the Vineyard into the 21st show more century. But a corpse turns up in a trench dug for the cable — a corpse that turns out to be a would-be investor in the scheme, a millionaire construction mogul from Brooklyn, New York, named Angelo Vulpone. Vulpone had already agreed orally — although the contract was being negotiated — to invest $8 million in the fiber-optic project, amounting to one-third of the financing for the $24 million project. Vulpone, rumored to have organized-crime ties, might have been iced by a Mafia hitman; after all, he was shot in the back of the head, execution style. But who even knew that Vulpone would be visiting the Island, inside the Mob or out? And who wanted him dead — and why? Victoria comes to believe the Mafia connection is a red herring and that the answers lie in Martha’s Vineyard, not New York City.
Vulpone trusted no one but his two sons, Primo and Umberto, handsome, intense young men in their 20s. And the sons, apprised of Victoria’s talent for unraveling mysteries, hire her to investigate their father’s murder at the rate of $900 per day along with the provision of a car, a driver and a personal assistant. Primo explained the reason for their unusual business proposal: “We understand you’re a deputy officer with access to the police, that you know everyone on the Island, are related to most of them, and are not afraid of anything.” I, too, can’t think of a more succinct description of Victoria Trumbull, can you?
Through the course of this light cozy, two people will wind up murdered and another two will just miss being killed themselves. Needless to say, even when dosed with debilitating doxycycline for her Lyme disease, Victoria manages to uncover Angelo Vulpone’s murderer and set quite a few other wrongs to right.
As always, author Cynthia Riggs, the 13th generation of her family to call Martha's Vineyard home, makes the island into another character in the novel. Riggs artfully describes the flora and other natural wonders of the Vineyard until you feel that you can smell the very sea air, hear the unhurried bees about their business, feel the sand under your feet and the chilly water on your skin, and glory in the beauty of a heavenly Vineyard summer.
The Bee Balm Murder is yet another wonderful entry in the Cynthia Riggs’ Victoria Trumbull cozy mysteries, ranking just below the best three of the series: The Cemetery Yew, Jack in the Pulpit, and Touch-Me-Not, Riggs' best novel, released just before The Bee Balm Murder. Readers owe it to themselves to pick this 2011 novel up.
Lastly, I realize that I am slow on the uptake; however, I only realized after writing my review of Riggs’ ninth book that every one of her novels — from Deadly Nightshade to my next read, Poison Ivy Murder (so far only available for the Kindle) — is a horticultural reference. How incredibly thick of me! show less
Cynthia Riggs' Touch-Me-Not will keep you on the edge of your seat as you devour this tale of how easily a man's life can unravel. Unlike with the usual mystery -- whether Riggs' or anyone else's -- you'll know the perpetrator of one of the two mysteries in this book from the very first chapter. What will surprise you is how quickly and how abjectly electrician LeRoy Watts' life spirals out of control. As usual, the uncanny Victoria Trumbull -- the perennially 92-year-old poet, sage, show more sheriff's deputy and sleuth -- becomes the first to suspect that LeRoy Watts -- exemplary businessman, father, Boy Scout troop leader, and pillar of his church and community -- isn't all he's cracked up to be; however, that mystery takes a backseat to a self-destructive spiral worthy of a Greek tragedy.
Victoria also determines how this first mystery ties into a second that develops in the second half of the book. Yet a third sub-plot involves Victoria's daughter, Amelia, the mother of Victoria's beloved granddaughter Elizabeth; Amelia Trumbull comes from San Francisco to visit, concerned that her mother is over-exerting herself at 92 and should consider relocating to a retirement home in San Francisco. Appalled, Victoria comes up with a plan to thwart any such thing!
Riggs, the 13th generation of her family to call Martha's Vineyard home, as always, makes the island seem a character in the novel. Whether a lesson on the Touch-Me-Not plant or lush description of delicate Ladyslipper orchids, readers feel as if Riggers were taking them on a personal tour of Martha's Vineyard. I learn so much botany and natural science from reading Riggs' novels! That has been true even in some recent novels, Shooting Star and Death and Honesty, which have not been up to Riggs' usual high standard. While those novels were still fun, the endings were patently unbelievable.
But no fear of that in the case of this book, Riggs' ninth Victoria Trumbull novel. While I truly loved The Cemetery Yew or Jack in the Pulpit, Touch-Me-Not may be Riggs' best book yet. show less
Victoria also determines how this first mystery ties into a second that develops in the second half of the book. Yet a third sub-plot involves Victoria's daughter, Amelia, the mother of Victoria's beloved granddaughter Elizabeth; Amelia Trumbull comes from San Francisco to visit, concerned that her mother is over-exerting herself at 92 and should consider relocating to a retirement home in San Francisco. Appalled, Victoria comes up with a plan to thwart any such thing!
Riggs, the 13th generation of her family to call Martha's Vineyard home, as always, makes the island seem a character in the novel. Whether a lesson on the Touch-Me-Not plant or lush description of delicate Ladyslipper orchids, readers feel as if Riggers were taking them on a personal tour of Martha's Vineyard. I learn so much botany and natural science from reading Riggs' novels! That has been true even in some recent novels, Shooting Star and Death and Honesty, which have not been up to Riggs' usual high standard. While those novels were still fun, the endings were patently unbelievable.
But no fear of that in the case of this book, Riggs' ninth Victoria Trumbull novel. While I truly loved The Cemetery Yew or Jack in the Pulpit, Touch-Me-Not may be Riggs' best book yet. show less
In Trumpet of Death, has created one of the dimmest-bulb suspects and two of the most ridiculously cardboard characters — overbearing father and spoilt daughter — I’ve seen in a while.
But, despite that, I couldn’t stop reading this novel, the 13th to feature the perennially 92 years old, Victoria Trumbull — renowned poet, avid gardener, sage, and West Tisbury’s oldest police deputy. Unlike in Bloodroot, the immediate predecessor to this book, Victoria’s back to her show more perspicacious self. She immediately senses that the young man renting a room from her, Zack Zeller, doesn’t have the brains to plot a murder. So she takes it upon herself to prove his innocence. Victoria is such a presence that I just wanted to read more about her, and I didn’t care that much about the feeble secondary characters.
Riggs, the 13th generation of her family to live on Martha's Vineyard, spins such wonderful descriptions that you feel as if you can smell the salt spray, the chimney smoke, and the last of the autumn flowers. Riggs sounds as formidable as Victoria herself: the seventh woman to reach the South Pole, a onetime fencing star, and someone who has crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice in a 32-foot sailboat. In her 80s, she still gives shipboard lectures twice a week and runs a bed-and-breakfast in the same house where her family lived for eight generations. Maybe that’s why Victoria Trumbull seems so real. show less
But, despite that, I couldn’t stop reading this novel, the 13th to feature the perennially 92 years old, Victoria Trumbull — renowned poet, avid gardener, sage, and West Tisbury’s oldest police deputy. Unlike in Bloodroot, the immediate predecessor to this book, Victoria’s back to her show more perspicacious self. She immediately senses that the young man renting a room from her, Zack Zeller, doesn’t have the brains to plot a murder. So she takes it upon herself to prove his innocence. Victoria is such a presence that I just wanted to read more about her, and I didn’t care that much about the feeble secondary characters.
Riggs, the 13th generation of her family to live on Martha's Vineyard, spins such wonderful descriptions that you feel as if you can smell the salt spray, the chimney smoke, and the last of the autumn flowers. Riggs sounds as formidable as Victoria herself: the seventh woman to reach the South Pole, a onetime fencing star, and someone who has crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice in a 32-foot sailboat. In her 80s, she still gives shipboard lectures twice a week and runs a bed-and-breakfast in the same house where her family lived for eight generations. Maybe that’s why Victoria Trumbull seems so real. show less
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 15
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 1,140
- Popularity
- #22,523
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 37
- ISBNs
- 125
- Languages
- 1
