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First Line

He tells himself it’s only a claw. Or what’s left of one.

Reviews

“In this solid entry in the Cape Islands mystery series (which is united by a common setting, rather than a common set of recurring characters), police detective Yemanja Colon is given what appears to be a simple assignment: find out whose bones were recently discovered on an island off Cape Cod. But it soon turns out that the bones may be connected to a two-decade-old, serial-murder case, and the man who discovered them, harbormaster Corby Church, might have a bit more personal knowledge of the case than he’s letting on. Based on a real-life serial murder case in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the novel is a sure-fire winner, with a gripping story, well-drawn characters, and an unusual setting. Peffer is a very talented writer, readers advisors should recommend him aggressively to mystery readers of all stripes, particularly those who enjoyed the late William Tapply’s Brady Coyne series.” — Booklist

“When Bird Island harbormaster Corby Church stumbles on human bones on the island, rookie police detective Yemanjá Colón, based in the mainland town of Slocums Harbor, Mass., winds up on a terrifying journey. Eager to take on a real case, Yemanjá is soon channeling the voice of the victim, an unidentified white female in her 20s who died sometime in the late 1980s while the New Bedford serial killer, responsible for at least 11 murders, was active in the area. As the investigation heats up, so does Yemanjá‘s relationship with Corby, a relationship complicated by Corby’s coincidental involvement with the victim, eventually identified as Remy La Moreaux, with whom Corby and three other men once sailed to the Bahamas. Kept on a tight rein by police chief Chi Chi Bugatti, Yemanjá proves herself a feisty heroine readers will want to see more of.” — Publishers Weekly

“Fueled by sex, drugs, long-suppressed memories, and the practice of Santeria, this fast-paced fifth entry in Peffer’s series (after Bangkok Dragons, Cape Cod Tears)is unusual and intriguing.” — Library Journal