Case of Vineyard Poison

Reading the sixth Vineyard mystery starring ex-cop J.W. Jackson and nurse Zee Madeiras, his fiancee, is like spending a day at the beach with close, bantering friends. One weekend, Zee's ATM spits out a receipt that shows her bank account is $100,000 fatter than it should be; the following Monday, the money is gone. Everyone, including the bank, thinks it's just a computer glitch. But then J.W. finds a dead female college student in his driveway. It turns out that she was poisoned and that she had recently withdrawn a hundred grand from her bank account. Naturally, J.W. smells something fishy besides the bluefish he periodically reels in. While investigating both the floating funds and the poisoned coed, J.W. plays host to a world-famous pianist and talks a lot about making dinner, which he usually thoroughly enjoys. Although the plot relies on incredible coincidence to give J.W. a vital clue, Craig captains a pleasurable little junket with his Martha's Vineyard crew. (June)