Murder on a Dark and Stormy Night
When I was looking at what book to read next, I was debating between several books. But when I realized that it had been a year since I had read the second book in the Myrtle Beach Mysteries, that bumped Death on the Golden Mile to the top.
This series centers around Clark Thomas, a widower who owns a bookstore right in the touristy area of Myrtle Beach. The bookstore had been his dream with his late wife. This is now the third time he’s found himself getting involved with a local murder.
In all starts when a woman walks into his store and offers Clark an invitation to dinner with her father later in the week. Her father just happens to be famous Hollywood composer John Allen Howard. Naturally, Clark accepts.
However, the night of the dinner party turns out to be stormy as the remnants of a hurricane are coming through the region. Most of the other guests have some connection with the host, so Clark is feeling a little out of place. During the worst of the storm, suddenly, a shot rings out, and their host is dead.
It’s then that Clark learns his purpose in being there was to uncover the person who has been attempting to kill John Allen Howard. He’s left behind some potential motives. While they wait for the police, Clark starts to investigate. Can he figure out what happened?
Yes, this book indulges in a few cliches of the genre and I rolled my eyes two or three times. I also figured out the location of a clue much earlier than Clark did.
But these are minor complaints overall. I was very impressed with how things came together at the end. There were several clues that I didn’t pick up on. The solution was completely logical.
We didn’t get as much time with the series supporting players as we might have, but they still made some appearances, and it was nice to catch up with them. We meet the suspects at once, but they were distinct enough that I didn’t have any issues keeping them all straight.
There are a couple of timeline issues, but they are minor in the overall structure of the plot.
Even with the storm, I still enjoyed the setting. It’s always fun picturing the world that tourists get to visit from the point of view of someone who lives there.
And yes, we get a little more about the death of Clark’s wife. As with the previous book, it bookends the main mystery, and it left me very interested in what exactly is going on there. I’ve got to catch up on the series since I know that particular storyline has been resolved at this point.
I’ve got the next several books in the series already, so I
need to find the time to read them. Death on the Golden Mile will please
fans of Clark’s first two mysteries.
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