From Publishers Weekly
Developers and environmentalists do battle over a deserted lighthouse in Page's 13th absorbing "body" book (after 2002's The Body in the Bonfire) to feature Faith Fairchild, caterer, sometime sleuth and mother of two small children. Faith and her minister husband, Tom, who live most of the year in Aleford, Mass., are fixing up their cottage on Maine's Sanpere Island, where "mansionization"-the construction of trophy houses by rich summer people-is making the locals resentful. One evening the falling tide reveals the body of developer Harold Hapswell "wedged between two granite ledges at the base of the old lighthouse... as if he'd been filed between the two large rocks." Suspecting Hapswell's death was no accident, Faith has her worst fears confirmed when she herself is attacked on a walk near the lighthouse. Beneath the tranquil and festive summer activities, including the island-wide Fish and Fritter Fry and an amateur production of Romeo and Juliet, lurk arson and murder. Along with thematically related recipes, the author appends a moving afterword about the impact of September 11 on the novel's composition. This is an ideal beach read for cozy fans heading for the shore this summer.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
When caterer Faith Fairchild leaves the Massachusetts parsonage where her husband is pastor for a new summer cottage on Sanpere Island in Maine, she's not prepared for its woefully unfinished state. But that allows her family to stay with her friend Pix's lovely and wise mother, Ursula, who knows everyone on the island. With an environmental group fighting hard--and sometimes nastily--to keep development at bay, the apparent drowning of a developer at the foot of the picturesque lighthouse raises questions. Through a summer full of set pieces--the local theater production of Romeo and Juliet, the ancient family feuds, the natives who eschew even electricity, and the siren lure of Home Depot--another murder and other mysteries unfold. Through it all, Faith cooks, keeps her arms around her children and stalwart spouse, and gets a hefty dose of local color, recipes included. Pleasant cozy fare, although the trend of casting environmentalists as bad guys has become an epidemic. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Something was very wrong on Sanpere this summer . . .

To escape the misery of a sweltering August in Aleford, Massachusetts, caterer and minister's wife Faith Fairchild and her family head for their cottage on Maine's peaceful Sanpere Island in Penobscot Bay. But things have changed since their last visit. An aggressive developer is moving forward on plans that will destroy the unique ambience of the island, infuriating residents. Tensions are running dangerously high, and soon murder rears its hideous head. Faith discovers a corpse while exploring the grounds of Sanpere's historic lighthouse. With fear running rampant and volatile emotions approaching the detonation point, the intrepid sleuth must track down a killer for the sake of a friend and the island she loves.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
It'll take more than Comfort Cookies (one of the five yummy-sounding recipes in this volume) to calm the storm of controversy threatening Sanpere Island in this exciting new Faith Fairchild mystery. There are three kinds of people on Sanpere Island, Maine: The locals, islanders born and bred; those from "away," who live on the island full time but are unfortunate enough to have been born somewhere else; and the "summer people," holiday residents such as minister's wife Faith Fairchild and her family. Until recently, the three groups coexisted peacefully, mostly amused by each others' antics, from lobster wars to using buoys for decorations, from wacky rowboat races to family feuds. But lately there's been a lot of resentment over development on the island, and Faith is shocked to hear about the disputes that have broken out over the mini-mansions and proposed gated community eating up acres of shorefront property, blocking the most spectacular views, and claiming exclusive rights to the nearby beaches. Tempers are running higher than the tides, and vandalism has become commonplace. Murder would be an even more disturbing development, and that's what Faith suspects when she discovers the body of one of the most controversial developers at a local lighthouse.... Sue Stone

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Escaping the misery of a particularly sweltering August in Aleford, Massachusetts, caterer and minister's wife Faith Fairchild and her family take a long drive to their favorite getaway, peaceful Sanpere Island off the coast of Maine. But things have changed since their last visit. The unique ambience of Sanpere is being threatened by aggressive real estate developer Harold Hapswell, whose plans to fill the island with huge, showy new mansions has infuriated many residents. Tensions are high, with animosity between year-round islanders and "summer people" reaching dangerous new levels. It's no wonder that, in an atmosphere so thick with ill feeling, murder rears it ugly head." "The first outrage occurs when a successful real estate agent nearly dies after drinking a turpentine-laced cup of soda pop. Then, while exploring the grounds of Sanpere's historic, now-abandoned lighthouse, Faith has the misfortune of stumbling across the corpse of Harold Hapswell himself. His death is officially ruled an accident, but Faith's tried and true instincts tell her otherwise - an unsettling inkling that are confirmed by the discovery of a second, more obvious homicide." With fear running rampant throughout the island and volatile emotions approaching a detonation point, the intrepid amateur investigator knows she must throw caution to the wind and track down a murderer, for the sake of an innocent friend and the island she loves - even if it means placing her own life in peril.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Developers and environmentalists do battle over a deserted lighthouse in Page's 13th absorbing "body" book (after 2002's The Body in the Bonfire) to feature Faith Fairchild, caterer, sometime sleuth and mother of two small children. Faith and her minister husband, Tom, who live most of the year in Aleford, Mass., are fixing up their cottage on Maine's Sanpere Island, where "mansionization"-the construction of trophy houses by rich summer people-is making the locals resentful. One evening the falling tide reveals the body of developer Harold Hapswell "wedged between two granite ledges at the base of the old lighthouse... as if he'd been filed between the two large rocks." Suspecting Hapswell's death was no accident, Faith has her worst fears confirmed when she herself is attacked on a walk near the lighthouse. Beneath the tranquil and festive summer activities, including the island-wide Fish and Fritter Fry and an amateur production of Romeo and Juliet, lurk arson and murder. Along with thematically related recipes, the author appends a moving afterword about the impact of September 11 on the novel's composition. This is an ideal beach read for cozy fans heading for the shore this summer. Agent, Faith Hamlin. (May 13) FYI: Page's short story "The Would-Be Widower" recently won an Agatha Award. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Intrepid part-time caterer/sleuth Faith Fairchild (The Body in the Moonlight) vacations with her family on an island off the coast of Maine, but they don't get much relaxation. Ill feelings between year-round residents and summer visitors reach a crisis when a developer is found dead near the lighthouse. Faith investigates, with the usual spine-tingling results. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews