From Publishers Weekly
Former Boston cop J.W. Jackson searches for two ancient soapstone eagles allegedly stolen from African ruins, as well as for clues to his wife Zee's sudden detachment, in Craig's latest Vineyard mystery, a livelier, more original tale than his previous, 2001's Vineyard Shadows. Abraham Mahsimba, a cultivated and attractive African, may have given J.W. a fresh mission (and a new interest in priceless artifacts), but he's also struck Zee's fancy. A naked, headless and unidentified body and the murder of an art dealer complicate life on the island, and J.W. soon finds himself amid a thriving trade of stolen artifacts, a personal rivalry between collectors and a potential revenge plot. Eccentric locals a Native American couple, a distinguished art collector, a reluctant accountant and assorted nouveau riche islanders add zest. Craig offers enough liaisons, infidelities and questionable loyalties to keep everyone guessing. Does Mahsimba really work for Interpol, or is he after the eagles for selfish reasons? Will Zee fall victim to the seven-year itch? Another murder and an attempt on J.W.'s life leave our hero wary but still committed to getting to the bottom of things, which he does as the tale picks up speed and races toward a satisfying if uninspired conclusion. The Vineyard with its fishing, clamming, cooking and camaraderie retains its allure, the Red Sox are on a roll and J.W.'s homely philosophizing continues to annoy or enchant, depending on taste. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
The arrival on Martha's Vineyard of a strange man in search of two African soapstone eagles creates turmoil for series star J.W. Jackson. Murder, art-world intrigue, and jealousy of his wife's attraction to the man all complicate J.W.'s life. For series fans. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
J. W. Jackson, former cop and now jack-of-all-trades, returns to solve another mystery at Martha's Vineyard, where he lives with his two children and his wife, Zee. There's a murder, of course: this time the victim is an art dealer who may have a link to two soapstone eagles stolen from the Great Zimbabwe archaeological site. A dashing African, Mahsimba, has hired Jackson to help him recover the birds (and, yes, there are amusing references to The Maltese Falcon). Just as interesting as the mystery is the effect Mahsimba has on Zee, who is trying to recover from recently killing a man in self-defense. The mix of homicide and romance continues to work well in this series, largely because Craig's characters--and not just J. W and Zee--are convincingly true to life. Equally well drawn is Martha's Vineyard itself. Craig paints the island so vividly that readers can almost smell the sea breezes--and taste the money of the Vineyard's summer residents. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
Rocky Mountain Telegram Amid bluefish, clambakes, some gourmet meals, a touch of romance, and witty bantering among friends, the Martha's Vineyard mysteries are a breath of fresh air, with a touch of murder most foul; no true whodunit fan could ask for more.


Book Description

Violent crime is a rarity on the tranquil shores of Martha's Vineyard, which is why ex-cop J.W. Jackson turned in his Boston badge to retire to the idyllic isle. And that's what makes a six-month-old murder so troubling to the perplexed locals. But Jackson's got troubles of his own -- including a loving wife, Zee, who's becoming curiously distant ... and the arrival of a mysterious visitor who's searching for a valuable set of stolen statues, and who's certain J.W.'s the man to hunt them down. It's an assignment that plunges the fisherman/chef-cum-private investigator into an unfamiliar milieu: the Vineyard's cutthroat world of art aficionados. And suddenly J.W. finds himself pitted against some of the island's most powerful and unscrupulous figures, uncovering lethal threads that may connect an unsolved mutilation/slaying with those who would stop at nothing -- including murder -- to add rare forbidden objects to their collections.


Download Description
"With the arrival of warm weather and good fishing, life should be great for J. W. Jackson and his wife, Zee. Martha's Vineyard may be no Eden, but J.W. wouldn't trade it for any other place on earth. Something's wrong, though. The morning newspaper brings an update on the case of the Headless Horseman, a headless and handless corpse found on a local bridle path six months ago. Such murders are rare on the Vineyard, and J.W. can't help but wonder if a killer is still wandering free on the island. Something's wrong at home, too. Zee does her usual efficient job at the emergency room but with J.W. and the two kids she seems curiously distant. If she's going through the seven-year itch, J.W. will give her time. He loves her and hopes she'll soon remember that she loves him. Meanwhile, J.W. gets a distraction in the form of Abraham Mahsimba, a mysterious man from Zimbabwe in East Africa. Mahsimba enlists J.W.'s help in the search for two ancient soapstone eagles, carved seven hundred years ago and spirited out of Africa in the 1960s. Mahsimba has followed their trail to the Vineyard. He'll pay what it takes to bring them home. J.W. agrees to assist, though he doesn't know much about art. And he certainly doesn't anticipate what will happen when Zee meets Mahsimba. The man has a charisma that's hard to resist. Nor can J.W. know that his search for the eagles will pit him against some of the most powerful figures in the Vineyard's art world, including some who would stop at nothing to add forbidden objects to their collections. And there's still the unsolved case of the Headless Horseman. Could the Horseman's death have anything to do with the eagles? With the author's usual rich blend of suspense, fishing, food, and family, set against the invigorating backdrop of beautiful Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Enigma is the perfect summer read from an acclaimed and much-loved author. "


About the Author
Philip R. Craig grew up on a small cattle ranch near Durango, Colorado, before going off to college at Boston University, where he was an All-American fencer. He earned his M.F.A. at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. A recently retired professor of English at Wheelock College in Boston, he and his wife Shirley now live year-round on Martha's Vineyard.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"With the arrival of warm weather and good fishing, life should be great for J. W. Jackson and his wife, Zee. Martha's Vineyard may be no Eden, but J. W. wouldn't trade it for any other place on earth." "Something's wrong, though. The morning newspaper brings an update on the case of the Headless Horseman, a headless and handless corpse found on a local bridle path six months ago. Such murders are rare on the Vineyard, and J. W. can't help but wonder if a killer is still wandering free on the island." "Something's wrong at home, too. Zee does her usual efficient job at the emergency room but with J. W. and the two kids she seems curiously distant. If she's going through the seven-year itch, J. W. will give her time. He loves her and hopes she'll soon remember that she loves him." "Meanwhile, J. W. gets a distraction in the form of Abraham Mahsimba, a mysterious man from Zimbabwe in East Africa. Mahsimba enlists J.W.'s help in the search for two ancient soapstone eagles, carved seven hundred years ago and spirited out of Africa in the 1960s. Mahsimba has followed their trail to the Vineyard. He'll pay what it takes to bring them home." J. W. agrees to assist, though he doesn't know much about art. And the certainly doesn't anticipate what will happen when Zee meets Mahsimba. The man has a charisma that's hard to resist.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Former Boston cop J.W. Jackson searches for two ancient soapstone eagles allegedly stolen from African ruins, as well as for clues to his wife Zee's sudden detachment, in Craig's latest Vineyard mystery, a livelier, more original tale than his previous, 2001's Vineyard Shadows. Abraham Mahsimba, a cultivated and attractive African, may have given J.W. a fresh mission (and a new interest in priceless artifacts), but he's also struck Zee's fancy. A naked, headless and unidentified body and the murder of an art dealer complicate life on the island, and J.W. soon finds himself amid a thriving trade of stolen artifacts, a personal rivalry between collectors and a potential revenge plot. Eccentric locals a Native American couple, a distinguished art collector, a reluctant accountant and assorted nouveau riche islanders add zest. Craig offers enough liaisons, infidelities and questionable loyalties to keep everyone guessing. Does Mahsimba really work for Interpol, or is he after the eagles for selfish reasons? Will Zee fall victim to the seven-year itch? Another murder and an attempt on J.W.'s life leave our hero wary but still committed to getting to the bottom of things, which he does as the tale picks up speed and races toward a satisfying if uninspired conclusion. The Vineyard with its fishing, clamming, cooking and camaraderie retains its allure, the Red Sox are on a roll and J.W.'s homely philosophizing continues to annoy or enchant, depending on taste. (June 11) FYI: Craig's previous novel, First Light (Forecasts, Dec. 10, 2001), was coauthored with William G. Tapply, author of Past Tense (Forecasts, Sept. 10, 2001) and other titles in his Brady Coyne series. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal