This is the 2nd book in the Jane Bunker series. It was a light and enjoyable read. The setting is in Maine and there's a lot of description about boats and fishing, which I like. But, mostly, I liked Jane Bunker and found myself smiling at some of her thoughts and actions. I'm looking forward to the next one. ( )

Didn't enjoy this as much as Greenlaw's nonfiction--her detailed portrait of a New England fishing community was interesting, but the pace of the plot was uneven. ( )

http://www.book-blog.com/2008/08/greenlaw-linda.html ( )

This is definitely a mystery meant for someone in just the right mood, or a particular kind of reader. It has a slow, meandering pace that reminds one of the very sort of rambling conversation one might have when talking to a relaxed person from a small town in rural Maine. It includes a great deal of detail about how each fishing- and boat-related task is done, and walks its way stoically through each part of every day, whether detailing a near-fatal accident at sea or a thought-filled drive down a country road. Most of the story consists simply of Jane's internal monologue as she observes her new home and surroundings and tries to unravel the events going on around her.

The peek into life among Maine's fishing communities is fascinating. The details regarding lobster fishermen, their families, and the ways in which 'outside' concerns such as drugs begin to encroach upon the countryside are very real. Unfortunately, the law enforcement end of the story doesn't hold up as well. Jane is supposed to be a big-city cop, but she comes off as naive and amateur. She keeps believing the best of everyone even when you want to shake her and point out what seem like obvious inconsistencies, suspicious coincidences, ridiculous scenarios, and so on. Then, both the author and Jane cheat: when she does figure stuff out she 'hides' it from the reader, despite the fact that we're supposedly experiencing an interior monologue of her thoughts as she has them. In addition, well, without giving too much away, let's just say the bad guy did a couple of all-too-convenient things in the finale that were straight out of Cartoon Villainy 101.

For a longer version of this review, visit ErrantDreams. ( )