Mariner's Compass

Benni Harper #6

by Earlene Fowler

Jacob Chandler knew everything about Benni Harper, and in his house were pieces of her life: a hand-carved statue of her childhood horse and a scrapbook of newspaper clippings about her life. In his will, the late Jake left his Morro Bay home, contents, and estate if she stays in the house, alone, for two weeks. She has a short time to follow his scavenger-hunt set of clues and discover who the stranger was.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Quilting, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Romance

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Earlene Fowler was raised in La Puente, California, by a Southern mother and a Western father. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Allen, a purple pickup truck, and many pairs of cowboy boots. She is currently working on the next Benni Harper mystery.

Series:
* Benni Harper Mysteries
* Love Mercy Johnson Mystery

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite experiences leading and facilitating our Library Book Discussion group was hosting author events. And having Earlene Fowler come to speak at our library was one of the hot events for our town! We had over a 100 people show up at our library. It was such an exciting day. Part discussion of her books (this one, particularly) and her writing career and process - but certainly the local quilter's club was definitely in the room!

Premise: Benni Harper, ex-cowgirl, quilter and folk-art expert, inherits a house and all its belongings. A catch? Of course, there's a catch. She must live, alone, in the house for two weeks. The kicker? She doesn't know the man who has left her this windfall.

I won't say more...that is for readers to discover.

I will say, it was a successful event. And a fun story...and...

It is a cute, twisty plot, and the lab she inherits adds some love to the story line, as well.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

My guilty pleasure of enjoying Earlene Fowler continues, and is enhanced, with this book. Benni inherits a house and a bunch of money from someone she doesn't know. She naturally investigates as to who this person is and how he is related to her. The only problem: I figured out who he had to be from the very first. Love the dog, Scout! Recommended.

[Beth Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredibly solid and engaging cozy mystery! I picked it up because it uses the setting of Morro Bay, a California central coast town I knew well as I was growing up as it was a quick getaway from where I was raised in the Central Valley. I ended up relating to the book throughout, as it was not only clear that the author knew the area well, but the very make-up of Californians.

This is the 6th book in the series but I jumped in with ease. Benni Harper works in folk art and knows a lot of people around her (fictional) town of San Celina, but she's baffled when she inherits a house and a lot of money from a total stranger in nearby Morro Bay. His will stipulates that she must stay in the house for two weeks to inherit the estate--which doesn't please her police chief husband one bit. Benni soon finds creepy details, like a wood-carved statue of her childhood horse, a favorite old jacket of hers that vanished years ago, and clues that guide her to different people and places around the coast. At the same time, her new neighbors--who thought they'd inherit--are a threatening presence. Benni needs to solve the mystery of Jacob Chandler before something bad happens.

This book came out in 1999, and I loved that aspect. CD-ROMS are mentioned, and Benni has a newfangled cellular phone that she can use just-in-case but usually uses landlines instead. The characters are fantastic, well-drawn with sensitive portrayals. The mystery kept me guessing all the way through. I hope to read more in the series.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this the first time several years ago. Earlene Fowler is one of my favorite authors. This book is one of my to books to relax. Bernie is surprise to receive an inheritance from someone she doesn't know; the will requires her to spend 2 weeks in the house. As begins her time she finds a dog who seems to know her. Bernie discovers a scrapbook with all the stories about her life. Grandma is holding the historical society hostage to save it. Bernie spends the days learning who the man was and how he related to her

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite so far. It was a different mystery for her and let us in a little more on the characters. These books are like a television series. You don't need to read them in order, but if you do, you understand them as well as the characters a lot more so I have gone back and am trying to read them in order. In this book Benni inherits a home from a man she has never heard of before so the mystery is to discover why this man would leave everything to her. I enjoyed it.

[K. East · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done mystery. I can see why Fowler has won several Agatha Awards for Best Mystery. The premise was interesting, the mystery engaging and the "threats" to the main character fairly mild. I have too active an imagination to find much entertainment in the current genre of highly suspenseful, often very gruesome murder mysteries. Not as much about quilting as I might have liked, but he mystery was good enough to search out more in the series.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best of the series so far. This is a mystery from the past that effects the present. Will Benni be able to discover why Jacob Chandler left her his estate? This unknown man is having a great influence on her life and her marriage to Gabe. You could read this book without starting at the beginning of the series, but the past history will help to understand the relationships among the characters.

[Johnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this awesome series. This title had a twist near the end that I didn't see coming.

[Emily Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Museum curator and part-time cowgirl Benni Harper is stunned when she is named the sole heir of a man whom she doesn't know. To receive the inheritance Benni must spend two weeks in the dead man's home where he has left a series of clues as to his identity. I think this might be my favorite book in this cozy mystery series yet. The mystery really kept me guessing and I am going to order the next one from the library right now!

[Pat Jennings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benni Harper, protagonist, is notified by her attorney that she is the recipient of an estate of a man she does not even know. So, this fun read revolves around finding out who this man is, how he knows of her, and last but not least, why is he leaving her his estate?
I usually read a "hard" book and an "easy" book at the same time. I consider this a cozy easy mystery.
There is always a quilting motif involved in this series.

[Kieraanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book in the series because it is a different type of mystery than the other books. I like how Benni gets to know a little more about her mother and family. I like how much she and Gabe miss each other while they're apart and I like getting to see a different town.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the best of books I've read by this author. Most of her books are amusing enough for a light read, but they aren't well-written. This one actually had more of a linear plot and some character development.

[Becky Galambos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread November 2014
This is one of the most interesting books in the Benni Harper series. It really keeps you guessing until the last minute to find out what is really going on. Plus this book brings in one of my favorite characters, scout the lab-shepherd mix.

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a rare re-read for me. I first read this story 4 years ago and loved it then. Recently, I decided to read the entire series from beginning to end, and now reached this novel for the second time. I loved the story even more, reading it in context within the series.

[Joan M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it very much. I loved the quilting references and the "food" references were also educational. The story was realistic, and the dialogue witty and fun. Entertaining with a few pearls of wisdom to make the time well spent.

[Pam Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benni Harper lives an interesting life in southern California running a quilting museum and helping her husband Gabe in the various crimes he solves. Her family keeps the story going and adds texture to the series. She includes a quilt block pattern as well. Good cozy read. This is book 6.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benni inherits a house from a man she has never met. She has to stay in his house according to his will for 2 weeks. During that time she discovers who Jake was and how he "fits" into her life. Of course, there are always roadblocks along the way.

[Kitty Tomlinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benni Harper journeys to Morro Bay to claim an inheritance from Jacob Chandler, a man she does not know, and embarks on a baffling hunt for clues to the mysteries of the past.

[Michelle Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the best book she has written - Love Benni Harper and the quilting aspects

[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cozy mystery, quite well written and the characters were portrayed realistically. Benni is given a house and all the posessions, by a man that she's never met. She has to stay in the house for two weeks. In that time, the mysterious man sends her on many trips to find out who he really is. There are some small disasters, people who are jealous and nasty and many wonderings by the new house owner about what is really going on. This is a new to me author that I would like to read again.

[Sabine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benni hat geerbt - und keine Ahnung, wer dieser mysteriöse Jacob Chandler ist, der ihr einfach so sein Haus und sein ganzes Hab und Gut vermacht hat. Sein Haus in Marino Bay, nur wenige Kilometer von San Celina entfernt, scheint viel wert zu sein, doch die Erbschaft ist mit einer Bedingung verknüpft: Benni erbt nur, wenn sie zwei Wochen in diesem Haus verbringt - allein.

Natürlich ist klar, dass Gabe diese Bedingung überhaupt nicht schmeckt und er möchte, dass Benni verzichtet. Sollte sie das aber tun, erbt alles die Regierung, da es außer einer verloren gegangenen Schwester keine Verwandten mehr gibt. Benni lässt sich darauf ein und muss bald feststellen, dass diese Erbschaft sie auf eine Reise in die Vergangenheit ihrer eigenen Familie führt..

Währenddessen tobt in San Celina ein kleiner Bürgeraufstand, da der neue Bürgermeister das Heimatmuseum der Senioren schließen lassen will, weil es nicht lukrativ genug ist und es deshalb in ein Hotel umgebaut werden soll. Natürlich gehen die Bürger auf die Barikaden - allen voran Bennis Großmutter Dove, die mit 11 weiteren Senioren das Haus besetzt und in Streik tritt. Das sorgt für viel Wirbel in der Öffentlichkeit - vor allem, da einer der Hausbesetzer die Mutter des Bürgermeisters ist..


Dieses Buch ist das bisher persönlichste Abenteuer für Benni, denn natürlich lässt sie die geheimnisvolle Erbschaft nicht einfach so auf sich beruhen. Nein, Benni Harper recherchiert wieder! Wer war dieser mysteriöse Jacob Chandler? Und warum ist sie die Erbin? Warum soll sie 14 Tage allein in seinem Haus verbringen?

Benni recherchiert und so beginnt eine Reise in die Vergangenheit ihrer Familie, die nicht nur Benni aufgewühlt hat, sondern auch mich als Leser. Man kann das Buch kaum noch aus der Hand legen, weil man erfahren möchte, was es mit der Erbschaft auf sich hat.

Aber auch die Nebenhandlung ist amüsant, denn Dove ist eben Dove und man muss die eigenwillige Großmutter von Benni einfach lieben, wie sie immer wieder das Leben ihrer Lieben auf den Kopf stellt.

Für mich ist dieses Buch bisher der beste Band der Reihe gewesen - einfach weil man sehr viel über Bennis Familie erfährt und man sich schon bald fragt: Todesfall oder Mord?

Wie immer war der Unterhaltungswert sehr hoch und es hat viel Freude bereitet, wieder bei Benni und ihrem Mann Gabe hereinzuschauen und an deren Leben teilzuhaben. Ich freue mich schon auf Band 7 und kann nur wiederholen, dass diese Reihe einfach großartig ist und auch mit Band 6 seinen Reiz nicht verloren hat. Von mir gibt es die volle Punktzahl!

[Charlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Jacob Chandler died, his single heir was Benni Harper. Except that Benni has no idea who Chandler is or why he left everything to her. With the inheritance comes the stipulation that Benni must live alone in Chandler's home for two weeks. Neither Benni nor her husband Gabe are happy about the condition, but Benni can't leave either the mystery of who this man is or the inheritance that might finally get her the new Chevy truck she wants.

Once in the house, the mystery deepens as Chandler, knowing Benni's propensity for solving mysteries, has left her clues. His seemingly intimate knowledge of Benni is unsettling, but it increases her desire to figure out exactly who this man is . And as she learns more about him, she vacillates between hating this man who seems to be manipulating her and admiring the man who has been so kind and generous to others. And, finally, she fears that finding out who he really is will bring truths that she isn't sure she is ready to know.

As always, her grandmother Dove keeps a lively side plot brewing as she and her friends engage in a takeover of the historical museum to try to prevent the mayor from allowing its sale for profit.

Finally, there is the conflict between Gabe's over-protectiveness and Benni's independence. A new confidante, Chandler's neighbor--a retired fireman, helps Benni understand her husband's machismo and his conflict about his position.

All in all, this is a wonderful book about the relationships we have and we want.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benni receives a mysterious bequest from a dead stranger: stay in his home alone for two weeks and inherit his entire estate. The home is 12 miles away in Morro Bay and as she stays in the home she is led on a scavenger hunt to find the true identity of the late Jacob Chandler. His identity was an easy guess at the beginning from the foreshadowing that's gone on in the previous books, but the trail of obscure clues was fun to follow with Benni as things became more strange and dangerous. She is assisted by a retired Hispanic fireman next door who gives her some clues into Gabe's psyche as she struggles to alternately free herself from his protectiveness and dive into it. She won't admit to herself that she is terrified of being alone and having more people leave her, so she hides it by being tough and invulnerable. Slowly she and Gabe are learning to how to deal with each other's idiosyncrasies as they work to make this second marriage thrive. These characters come with some real-life baggage and although Benni is sometimes annoying in her reactions, she's a fun character who is maturing. This story also has Gabe dealing with a sit-in by Gramma Dove and her cronies in an attempt to save the local historical museum from the new mayor. She is a plucky, fun character. These novels also deal with some art form and this one is Jacob's wood carvings and the wisdom he imparts posthumously about working with wood.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased this book at a local used bookstore without knowing much about it. The title "Mariner's Compass" caught my eye. In my work as a land surveyor, a compass is something I use almost every day and I liked the broader implications of a compass, something you can trust to point you in the right direction.

As I read the book, I discovered the mariner's compass the author refers to is a quilting design based on the compass rose pattern seen on the face of many compasses, not an actual compass. However, the broader view of a compass as something you can trust to guide you still applies. The central character Benni Harper learns that she is the sole heir to a man named Jacob Chandler—a man she has never heard of before. A stipulation requires Benni to stay alone in the house she has inherited for two weeks following the reading of the will. Guided by her internal compass, she uses this time to try to uncover who Jacob Chandler was and why he left his estate to her. Along the way she finds a series of clues left by her benefactor that give her glimpses of his life and tell her that she is on the right path. In the end, by holding her course and not allowing anyone or anything to stop her, she gains the answers to her questions. A worthwhile journey for fans of the mystery genre.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book itself wasn't amazing. It was very good. However, for me, it was amazing. The series is set in San Celinas, California. The students from Cal Poly interact with the cattle farmers in a relatively smallish town in the Central Coast of California. Okay, no big deal. San Simeon is not too far away. Again, no big deal. In this particular story, however, they go to Morro Bay and see Morro Rock. Back in San Celinas, they walk by the Gum Wall. The fictional town of San Celinas is actually San Luis Obispo. I have been to the Gum Wall, have had Pesto Pizza in a cafe on the Cal Poly Campus, have laughed at the ranchers in their Western garb playing pool downtown at the Mustang, been to Morro Bay and seen Morro Rock. I was also at the bedside of my best friend from college when she took her last breath. I sort of knew all along that this took place in San Luis Obispo, but this book really proved it. The town will always have a place in my heart and I will always remember my friend. Does this make the book any better? Who knows. It's a great series and all of our personal experiences are tied up in how we perceive things, from daily life to a book or a place.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked, “What book did you read in one afternoon? “ Mariner’s Compass by author Earlene Fowler. I started reading and did not stop until a few hours later I was at the end, but wanting to read more! Mariner’s Compass is the 5th or 6th book in this series and one of the best, I thought. Benni learns of a very strange inheritance from a person she does not know. There are stipulations to the will- she must stay in the house alone for two weeks as she searches for clues left by the previous owner. Benni not only has to try to understand the clues and find answers, she must also deal with her family, friends, and new husband who are all intertwined in her life during this unusual quest. A Very good book!

I LOVED all of the ‘Benni Harper’ character mysteries by Earlene Fowler. This series of 15 or 16 mysteries are all named for traditional quilt patterns, but you will not be quilting. You will start sleuthing with Benni as you follow the very interesting life of a former cowgirl/rancher’s daughter after her husband has died from an accident. she starts her life over with bittersweet memories and on to new loves, new adventures, and fun situations with Grandma Dove.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't see the ending coming on this one! I actually really liked this installment of Benni Harper - she and Gabe had some stupid fights in the beginning but they sorted it out. I also had thought that the man going by the name of Jacob Chandler was Benni's real dad, I didn't think he was her uncle until the time she read her mom's last letter. But I had suspected they were related, especially when her mom wrote the letter to Jacob about 3-year-old Benni having his smile. I still don't really get the carving instructions he left for her to understand - that seemed bizarre, unless it was just so she understood his hobby? I liked the scavenger hunt Jacob created for Benni, though, it was probably more believable than for her to find another dead body in her small town.

This book would have benefited from an editor, though - there were a few plot holes. I can't remember the specifics (knew I should have written them down!) but in the beginning, Emory knew something before Benni told him. And Dove and her gang holding the historical museum hostage was funny but ultimately a distraction from the main plot itself.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

#6 in the Benni Harper California rancher mystery series set in ranch country in the Coastal Mountains in the Santa Barbara area. Someone Benni doesn't know dies and leaves his whole estate to her with the condition that she lives for 2 weeks in his home in Moor Bay about 20 miles away from where Benni lives. This starts Benni on a quest to discover who he was and how she she is connected to him.

Toss in the at times strained relationship between Benni and her husband Gabe, the chief of police, caused primarily because Benni rides him because he doesn't confide in her regarding things from his past and police business while she sees no problem with her not confiding in him, withholding information and deciding what she should or should not tell him. She constantly strains their relationship because of what she sees as a lack of trust and overprotectiveness by him while she shows all the signs of not trusting him. This story is a year and half into their marriage and she is still doing the same thing a year and half later.

[Lori Limberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 6 in the Benni Harper series

Benni inherits a home from someone she never knew. In order to claim the cottage, she has to stay there, by herself, for a month. While exploring the home, she finds letters/diaries which lead her to believe that her mother knew the deceased man intimately. She tries to question her father, but her father is tight-lipped about it.

Turns out that this man is actually her uncle (her mother's brother). There is a mystery to his life which I don't recall and will have to reread the book to add more to this note.

This is the only book in the series which doesn't have a murder.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In an instant, your life is forever altered and you think the rest of your days will become an agonizing before-and-after until you realize from the measured, thoughtful perch of old age that life is simply a series of befores and afters, a long line of them and each one can either harden your heart to sunbaked leather or turn it pliable and welcoming, into an organ of infinite capabilities, a dwelling place for compassion, a vehicle for grace."

Excellent mystery! The setting makes me homesick for California.