Dead Astern: The Windjammer Mystery Series

In LeClair’s middling fifth Windjammer mystery (after 2015’s Apparition Island), seven friends have chartered the Maine Wind for a late-season cruise off the coast of Maine. The second mate, homicide detective Brie Beaumont, is currently on leave from the Minneapolis PD. When one of the seven, Peter Bendoff, goes overboard one night, it appears to be a case of suicide based on the note that Brie finds in Peter’s cabin. But as Brie starts to interview the remaining six, tensions among the group, which were obvious from the moment they boarded, increase. Each man has something to hide, and each tries to cast suspicion on the others in what turns into a murder case. No surprise—it seems they all had reason to dislike or fear Peter. A subplot involving Brie’s relationship with John DuLac, the Maine Wind’s captain, provides some romantic interest. The nautical terminology will appeal to sailors, though landlubbers may feel lectured-to rather than transported. (Mar.)