Stephen Anable

Mark Winslow, son of a jazz singer turned painter, gave up his day job to try his hand at acting. He takes his act to Cape Cod, settling into Provincetown where he has friends, hoping to land a gig for his comedy troupe. A promising summer stretches out before them, and Mark is confident that they will make a splash on the scene. Unfortunately, that is not what is meant to be.

A dog murdered and left on the doorsteps of a prominent gay resident in the area only proves to be a foreshadowing of show more what is to come. When a well-known gay resident is brutally murdered, tempers and fears in the community rage and concerns of discrimination and hate crimes bubble to the surface. Attention shifts to the Christian Soldiers, who have recently moved to town to spread their own interpretation of the Gospel. The town also has seen an increase in what appear to be runaways, dirty young people, with sticky fingers, preferring shoplifting over paying.

Mark is at the center of it all when he discovers the body of his childhood friend. Knowing that he will be the first suspect the police turn to because of an argument he had with the deceased not long before, he decides against reporting the discovery. Instead, he starts asking questions of his own, hoping to get to the bottom of the murder. The more questions Mark asks, the more attention he gets, and danger inevitably follows.

The novel takes awhile to get off the ground as the author sets the stage for the events to come. Mark Winslow is the naïve and curious protagonist, who at times I found a little exasperating but still likeable. He is trying to find his way in the world, both career wise and on a personal level. He grew up never knowing who his father was and, as a result, felt something has been missing from his life all along. Mark seems to make friends easily and knows how to use his acting skills to get what he wants in tight situations; still, he takes more risks than he should, not always thinking things out first.

Provincetown is an established community, full of diversity and a mixture of year round residents and summer vacationers. For the most part, it is a peaceful community where everyone gets along. Stephen Anable’s introduction of a right wing religious group into a liberal town was sure to spark controversy, and so it does. In addition, there is a profound dichotomy between the wealthy and those who have much less. The novel at times seems just as much a glimpse into the psyche of a community and the character of Mark as it is into the mystery itself.

Author Stephen Anable has crafted a unique and intriguing mystery with a myriad of characters, each with their own foibles and quirks. He packs quite a few different plot threads throughout the novel that will keep the reader guessing right up until all is revealed at the end. Suspenseful with a teaspoon of romance, The Fisher Boy is an entertaining novel.

Originally published at http://literaryfeline.blogspot.com/2008/03/fisher-boy-by-stephen-anable.html show less

Mark Winslow is a history buff, so when he is asked to serve on the board of trustees for Mingo House, he agrees. Mingo House is a time capsule of sorts that preserves the Victorian era. The last heir of the Mingo family donated the house and all of its contents to become a museum. Mark is assigned a young docent, Genevieve Courso, to orient him to the house and its treasures.

Mark likes the off-beat Genevieve and agrees to meet her at Mingo house before a trustees meeting. He discovers the show more corpse of Genevieve, dressed in Victorian finery and placed on display in the home's dining room. In death, Genevieve becomes a media sensation known as "the Victorian girl."

Mark finds himself investigating Genevieve's life in an attempt to solve her murder. Was it another of the trustees, an unusual group? Was it a spurned lover, or the father of the child the coroner discoversshe was carrying? More murders occur, and the need to find the killer becomes more pressing.

This is a very enjoyable mystery. Lovers of Boston and of history will enjoy this book; however, homophobes should be aware that the narrator and several other primary characters are gay. show less

One thing that I found unique was that the sleuth is a stand-up comic. I think that this is a first for me amidst all the cozy mysteries that I have read.

I really enjoyed this book immensely. I don’t think that the characters were as well rounded as I normally like, but then again it may be that this isn’t the first of the series and they assume that you read The Fisher Boy.

However, I really liked the way that the mystery and drama unfurled throughout the book. So much that I actually show more read this book in one sitting.

I think I will go back and read the first book. Just to see if I get a better perspective on the characters.

In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone. show less

3.5 stars