Murder in the Hamptons

I was impressed with Amy Garvey's short story in "Wicked" Women Whodunit, so I was looking forward to her first single title, Murder in the Hamptons. I hoped I would enjoy it, and thanks to Wendy, I was able to find out sooner than I expected. The answer is yes, I loved it: 4 out of 5.

Maggie is off to a Hamptons estate with her friend Lucy to help out and provide moral support as Lucy arranges a weekend party. Once there, Maggie meets a variety of people, including some actors, agents, and a businessman Maggie knows because she indulged in a weekend fling with him five years ago. She left without saying goodbye, and now Tyler plans to find out why. Then, one of the people staying at the estate is murdered . . .

Murder in the Hamptons is an engaging story. If I hadn't had to work, I would have read it in one sitting. As it was, I read it over a few days and enjoyed it very much. The set up for the murder is very well done. There are several people who seem like plausible victims; I was surprised by who ended up being killed. While the investigation ended a bit abruptly, I thought the mystery was well done.

I enjoyed the romance as well. Garvey has a gift for creating characters with immediate chemistry, something that isn't easy to convey. It was nice to watch as their relationship evolves from physical to something deeper. Tyler and Maggie make a terrific couple. Add another author to my autobuy list . . .

Alyssa