When the Sandpiper Calls

October 17, 2005
Christy Castleman, a mystery writer, is diligently finishing up her second novel when a real mystery strikes her small Florida town. First, a bottle with a mysterious and ominous note ("Call the police. Someone is trying to kill me.") washes ashore. Then townspeople notice that Marty McAllister, a local realtor, has been missing appointments, and Dr. Peter Stewart has been murdered in a neighboring town. Are all three circumstances somehow related? As the novel unfolds, readers learn the secrets in characters' backgrounds, including stolen jewels and an adulterous affair. Christy can't resist the chance to put her fictional crime-solving skills to work, but as she digs deeper, she puts herself in real danger. Sub-plots keep the novel moving briskly along: A local war hero, recently back from Iraq, pursues Christy with devotion, but she is still grieving a late beau. A single mother moves to town, and Christy tries to welcome her to the local church where her dad is the pastor. Perhaps most surprising, satisfying and subtle is the emotional complexity between Christy and her mom-their interactions, though loving, are always marked by a bit of tension. This isn't exactly Agatha Christie, but it's still an entertaining, appealing read with a surprising ending.

October 31, 2005
Christy Castleman, a mystery writer, is diligently finishing up her second novel when a real mystery strikes her small Florida town. First, a bottle with a mysterious and ominous note ("Call the police. Someone is trying to kill me.") washes ashore. Then townspeople notice that Marty McAllister, a local realtor, has been missing appointments, and Dr. Peter Stewart has been murdered in a neighboring town. Are all three circumstances somehow related? As the novel unfolds, readers learn the secrets in characters' backgrounds, including stolen jewels and an adulterous affair. Christy can't resist the chance to put her fictional crime-solving skills to work, but as she digs deeper, she puts herself in real danger. Sub-plots keep the novel moving briskly along: A local war hero, recently back from Iraq, pursues Christy with devotion, but she is still grieving a late beau. A single mother moves to town, and Christy tries to welcome her to the local church where her dad is the pastor. Perhaps most surprising, satisfying and subtle is the emotional complexity between Christy and her mom-their interactions, though loving, are always marked by a bit of tension. This isn't exactly Agatha Christie, but it's still an entertaining, appealing read with a surprising ending.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.