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Chesapeake Bay Mystery
Dark Harbor: A Chesapeake Bay Mystery
During the final sail of the season, lightning disables Nora Perry's boat. In search of a phone, she and Hendrick van Pelt (Van) find the decaying body of a colleague in his Queenstown harbor home. Drawn into the investigation by a favorite student, Nora enlists Van. Their experiences as sailors and as academics are invaluable in the pursuit of what happened to their colleague. The willful, redheaded psychologist and her formal, physicist sailing companion discover the shadowy, dark side of the dead man. Ted Slater had a twisted life and had bent people to his will for years--until someone realized that his death would buy them freedom. Motives and suspects abound: students, colleagues, lovers, and wives. How will they ever discover who the real killer is? The attraction between Nora and Van is complicated. She's nine years older and she outranks him. He's bruised by divorce. And Nora's personal history with Capt. Frank Pierce intensifies tensions created by amateurs meddling in police business. Will personal issues undermine the investigation? Dark Harbor is the story of intrigue, love, and death in the beautiful setting of the Chesapeake Bay!
- GenresMystery
276 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 25, 2023
Set in a small college town on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Vivian Lawry's murder mystery, Dark Harbor, is a captivating page-turner from the shocking opening scene: “A body lay near the gas log fire, on its left side, curled into the fetal position. Stains, shiny and black, spattered the slate, smeared the floor, and clotted the hair.”
As the detective struggles to unravel the evidence, the real sleuth is Nora Perry, a willful red-headed feminist and psychology professor. The victim, also a professor, turns out to be a man several people had a motive to kill. Nora's social connections at the college, as well as her knowledge of sailing, come in handy as she methodically rules out suspects one step ahead of the detective.
Lawry's intimate knowledge of the potential for dysfunction within academia comes from twenty years of experience as a professor of psychology and her tenure as a Vice President for Academic Affairs at a small college. For expert knowledge of sailing details, she co-wrote the mystery with W. Lawrence Gulick, a merchant mariner during the Second World War. Their combined backgrounds add richness to the character-driven plot in the beautiful setting of the Chesapeake Bay.
Lawry knows no murder mystery would be complete without a throughline of sexual tension. Nora's attraction to Van, another professor and amateur crime-solver, is complicated by her independence and his recent divorce. The detective, who is under pressure to solve the crime quickly to contain scandal, is another potential love interest for Nora. But that too is complicated by their past relationship.
The mystery's surprising conclusion leaves the reader satisfied, yet craving more. Masterfully, Lawry ends on a note that opens the door for Dark Harbor's sequel,Tiger Heart!
As the detective struggles to unravel the evidence, the real sleuth is Nora Perry, a willful red-headed feminist and psychology professor. The victim, also a professor, turns out to be a man several people had a motive to kill. Nora's social connections at the college, as well as her knowledge of sailing, come in handy as she methodically rules out suspects one step ahead of the detective.
Lawry's intimate knowledge of the potential for dysfunction within academia comes from twenty years of experience as a professor of psychology and her tenure as a Vice President for Academic Affairs at a small college. For expert knowledge of sailing details, she co-wrote the mystery with W. Lawrence Gulick, a merchant mariner during the Second World War. Their combined backgrounds add richness to the character-driven plot in the beautiful setting of the Chesapeake Bay.
Lawry knows no murder mystery would be complete without a throughline of sexual tension. Nora's attraction to Van, another professor and amateur crime-solver, is complicated by her independence and his recent divorce. The detective, who is under pressure to solve the crime quickly to contain scandal, is another potential love interest for Nora. But that too is complicated by their past relationship.
The mystery's surprising conclusion leaves the reader satisfied, yet craving more. Masterfully, Lawry ends on a note that opens the door for Dark Harbor's sequel,Tiger Heart!
May 30, 2012
While we were in Northumberland county, my friend lent me this. She checked it out because it is set on the Chesapeake Bay, a place of which we are both fond. Although this mystery is set in a part of the Bay that I am less familiar with, it was a fun vacation read.
Nora and Van have been out for the last sail of the season and manage to find a dead man. From there, the story continues like all good mysteries. Lots of clues, lots of suspects and lots of red herrings.
I enjoyed this novel for several reasons. One, the setting is a college campus. I am familiar with small college campuses and the authors have handled this part of the story well. Secondly, since this is the first in a series, the characters have to be created and believable - and they are. The mystery is nothing new, but well done. Lastly, the college president graduated from Randolph-Macon, which would be a throwaway for most readers, but I have spent almost 30 years connected to that college, so that was just fun for me.
I recommend this story to folks looking for light entertainment, those who like their mysteries uncomplicated or anyone interested in the Chesapeake Bay area.
Nora and Van have been out for the last sail of the season and manage to find a dead man. From there, the story continues like all good mysteries. Lots of clues, lots of suspects and lots of red herrings.
I enjoyed this novel for several reasons. One, the setting is a college campus. I am familiar with small college campuses and the authors have handled this part of the story well. Secondly, since this is the first in a series, the characters have to be created and believable - and they are. The mystery is nothing new, but well done. Lastly, the college president graduated from Randolph-Macon, which would be a throwaway for most readers, but I have spent almost 30 years connected to that college, so that was just fun for me.
I recommend this story to folks looking for light entertainment, those who like their mysteries uncomplicated or anyone interested in the Chesapeake Bay area.
April 18, 2011
This book is well-written murder mystery. There are some parts that were a little graphic. But overall very well developed plot and good character development. It was a fun mystery to try to solve...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews