More loosely plotted and reliant on coincidence than its predecessor, Wait's second mystery featuring widowed antique-print dealer Maggie Summer falters after the promise of last year's Shadows at the Fair. An old college roommate, Amy, has invited Maggie to the coastal town of Waymouth, Maine, where she and her husband, Drew Douglas, have bought an 18th-century house. Ghosts, late-night telephone calls, a baby's cries and a fire have made living in the historic home a bit of a trial, while the locals have plenty of scandalous tales to tell about its former occupants. Solid and reliable Will Brewer, the dealer in antique fireplace tools who attracted Maggie in Shadows at the Fair, joins her in Waymouth, where by chance his family used to reside in the Douglases' house. A hidden treasure, a young woman's murder and an attempted murder put Maggie on the sleuthing trail, but the real interest here lies in the wealth of antiques data. When, however, Maggie suggests that the word "sharpshooter" derives from the Sharps rifle used by Union troops during the Civil War, one has to wonder whether Maggie or the author is misleading the reader, since the term dates back to the Napoleonic era. For all its contrivances, this sophomore effort should still appeal to many cozy fans, while the simple vocabulary makes it accessible to young adults. (Aug. 12)
FYI:Wait is the author of
Seaward Born (2003) and other historical novels for children.
