Nantucket Grand: A Henry Kennis Mystery

Henry Kennis must deal with a series of seemingly random crimes on the island of Nantucket in Axelrod’s solidly plotted third mystery featuring the poet and police chief (after 2015’s Nantucket Five-Spot). As blackmail and arson escalate to murder, no one in the seasonal tourist mecca is safe—including a comatose high school student and the scion of wealthy landowners. Henry’s budding love interest, Jane Stiles, an author of cozy mysteries, is sure the crimes are related. Not convinced, Henry continues to investigate, but he fails to turn up any concrete evidence, only managing to ruffle the feathers of several well-heeled, powerful locals. As more lies and another tragedy push Henry to the edge, he races to end the violence. Axelrod’s characters span the spectrum from homey and nice to proudly nasty. Fans of Spencer Fleming’s Russ Van Alstyne and Frederick Ramsay’s Ike Schwartz will enjoy Henry’s literary leanings and dogged determination to protect his island and its residents. (May)