Homicide on the Half Shell

In the heat of summer and the moment, murder is most likely. Graham Spencer, high school social studies teacher, takes a summer off to write his first novel in the picturesque setting of Hood Canal and the San Juan Islands in Washington State. As he crafts his tale, Graham’s research uncovers a historical, real-life, unsolved killing. During his stay at his brother’s rustic cabin, he meets a veritable cast of unforgettable “characters” that add humor and intrigue to the story. Graham not only writes about the cold-case murder, he becomes entangled in a homicide in the neighborhood, one that turns the small Dabob Bay community of Brinnon topsy-turvy. As Graham’s summer adventure unfolds, the reader becomes privy to the local crime as well as the murder from the past featured in his up-and-coming book—a double mystery plot in this novel within a novel. Every good book should appeal to all five senses. Taste is often the most difficult to portray. So, AJ Arthur has included some favorite recipes to give a “taste” of the characters and area. Unexpectedly, Graham finds more than murder and recipes on Hood Canal. Romance was the last thing on his mind but becomes a “perk” of his summer venture in the form of charming coffee house owner, Kandis McFerrin.