Deadly Nightshade

Great literature? No. A fun read? Yes. I particularly enjoyed it because of the setting (the island) and the unusual main character's observations of details. The author does much, much better with subsequent novels, but I'm giving this one 4 stars because it was "good enough" to make me want to read the rest and I think the recent negative reviews were unfair. Cynthia Riggs gives us an original character, excellent writing, totally believable dialogue and a reasonable plot. Slamming her--calling the Philip Craig's books far superior is totally unjust. Craig's first book is filled with one trite line after another. Riggs is at least original and creative.

Most cozy mysteries are yawners, and not very well written, so Deadly Nightshade came as a pleasant surprise. There aren't many 92 year old protagonists in novels these days, especially mysteries (exactly how old is Miss Marple?) Victoria makes a believable, admirable central character who accepts the problems that come with old age (she's been required to give up her driver's license) and doesn't let them prevent her from enjoying her life. As far as the murders go, this book presents them and solves them in line with typical cozy standards. I did not notice glaring editorial lapses, and Riggs writes in a literate, straightforward style. Not great lit, just a fun, intelligent bit of fiction.

Victoria Trumbull has lived on Martha's Vineyard most of her 92 years. One night she hears something out of the ordinary. It is a scream, then a splash, and then the sound of a car speeding away. Her granddaughter Elizabeth, the harbormaster Domingo (and Elizabeth's boss), and her speed in a boat across to where she heard the sounds. There they find a body. Domingo is concerned that something funny has been going on with the money at the harbor so Howland Atherton has written a computer program to seal up the loopholes in the system. The dock attendants handle the cash and receipts. Sometimes it hasn't all made it to the accountant.Professor T. R. Folger (Rocky) has brought his large sailboat to the harbor. He's from an old-time summer family. He also owns a big house on Tashmoo. Everyone begins speculating how a professor can afford such luxuries. He apparently wrote a software program and has received large royalties.Domingo quietly enlists island locals to keep an eye on Victoria as he is afraid something thinks she knows more about the murder than she does. Good thing. Vehicles start following Elizabeth and Victoria on dark streets putting them in harms way more than once.Victoria knows everyone and even though she doesn't do a lot of sleuthing herself, she finds out information from various sources and discusses it with Domingo and Elizabeth. I feel they all do the sleuthing together.I have been to Martha's Vineyard for a short visit and read Philip Craig's Martha's Vineyard series so I enjoyed the settings for this book immensely. They are very well described.The characters in this book are well defined and believable. I look forward to further adventures with Victoria, Elizabeth and Domingo.The plot in this book was good. It had some twists and turns. I felt this was a great first installment in this

I couldn't wait to get my hands on a mystery book based on Martha's Vineyard that wasn't by Phillip Craig (good reading, but enough is enough...). This book is a nice change from J.W. (the hero in Craig's books)and the writing more complex, but I would still classify this story as a light summer read. The book begins with a mysterious scream, heard, apparently, only by our heroine Victoria Trumbull. More coincidences occur in Victoria Trumbull's presence, which was abit unrealistic, although not uncommon to real life in a small community. I enjoyed Cynthia Riggs descriptions of the island and characterizations of the people (although I quickly became annoyed at Harbormaster Domingo's abundant use of the word "Sweetheart"!) If you are a fan of the Vineyard, Philip Craig, or light mysteries, you may enjoy this book

Oak Bluffs is a peaceful village located on Martha's Vineyard. However, beneath the quiet surface dark undercurrents freely flow, waiting for the appropriate moment to surface and cause harm. The local harbormaster, retired NYPD officer Domingo, senses something is rotten as thousands of dollars a month funnel through the harbor into the pockets of some people.Victoria, a sprightly nonagenarian awaits the arrival of her granddaughter Elizabeth, the harbormaster's assistant when she hears something fall into the water. Nanoseconds later she hears a car racing away from the vicinity. Victoria tells Domingo. They investigate together only to find the mutilated corpse of one of the town's least desirable citizens. More deaths follow along with Victoria and Elizabeth receiving life-threatening notes to keep their mouths shut. Neither woman is any good at obeying orders.Victoria has more energy than a middle school sports team and remains sound in mind and body. Her fountain of youth vigor makes DEADLY NIGHTSHADE into a powerful tale even as readers will wonder if the portrayal can be realistic. Cynthia Riggs shows her gift for characterizations that will have her audience clamoring for an on-going series at least until Victoria turns one hundred.Harriet Klausner