Gail
Lukasik has shown herself once again to shine, she has put
together a small gem of a mystery novel. One of the things
I like about her work and that of another very special writer
from the same area is that they both always choose to stay
within a certain locality and climate that each of them are
totally familiar with. This makes the story seem as if it
could conceivably happen to the reader and brings that reader
into the fabric of the novel in a way that many people reading
are not even really aware of. If a person feels at home inside
the book, s/he will enjoy it more and climb into the middle
of the story with much more ease. Being a reviewer of many
books, I have always taken special note of the books I feel
comfortable inside of. These special authors draw you in,
make the story happen close to you and present parts of life
that are familiar to you. Peak Season for Murder is one of
those books. I also reviewed one of Lukasik's prior books,
The Lost Artist, and found it just as compelling and down-to-earth
for the reader.
That said, Leigh Girard is a reporter for the Door County
Gazette. She becomes involved in murder of the stage variety,
a murder that took place a long time ago and one that happened
just as Ms Girard was getting ready to write an article about
the review of the Bayside County Theater (which just happens
to play a big part of the summer tourist economy of the area)
and the mysterious death of a close friend of a friend. In
the beginning, this third murder is still a question in Ms
Girard's mind. The big review of the Theater is to celebrate
the 65th Anniversary of this Bayside Theater and its current
Summer Schedule of plays for the residents of the area and
those that are coming in to see certain special Big Name artists
who are performing. Girard is to stay on assignment with the
performers and watch them, party with them, get to know them,
spend time interviewing them and overall put special interviews
and news about the Bayside Theater out to the public of the
area. Nate Ryan is the top of the Bill and his counter part,
Julian Finch is also a top draw. Ryan is coming in to sort
of buff up his career and get back on top after a few lagging
seasons as the "Bad Boy" in Hollywood. His counterpart
on the stage is Julian Finch, who is well liked and well known
in the area and has never let the summer Bayside fans down.
One problem, the Lead man, Nate Ryan is murdered. A murder
or disappearance that took place twenty five years earlier
is frequently thought about after Ryan's murder, because Ryan,
Finch and Danielle Moyer, the daughter of one of the interim
family owners of the Bayside all were at the Theater back
twenty five years ago when Danielle disappeared and her whereabouts
or what happened to her was never completely solved. And to
tie all of this together, a friend of Ms. Girard's, Brownie
Lawrence, is murdered with no reason for his death. The deaths
of Nate Ryan and Brownie Lawrence may somehow be tied together
or there may be some coincidences that come to light to make
one explain the other. It is a long shot, but it is possible.
Theater people love to play pranks and games that have no
explanations, but there are times some of those games and
pranks have deep underlying reasons and may all come together
to help Ms. Girard solve one, possibly two or maybe all three
murders. What is the connection?
This is a very compelling story and you need to have your
head open to the investigation twists and turns, so get ready
and clear your calendar of all extraneous things for however
long it takes you to read Peak Season for Murder.
You will enjoy it immensely, I certainly did. Read it for
yourself before you take another's opinion.
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