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Ray Elkins Mystery #7
Death in a Summer Colony
7th in the Ray Elkins Thriller Series It’s a warm summer evening in Cedar County. A storm is just beginning to roll onshore from Lake Michigan. In the auditorium of the Mission Point Summer Colony, the audience settles in for a performance of a stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s "Death at the Vicarage." By the first intermission the intense thunderstorm is overhead. The old auditorium reverberates to the violent tumult. Flashes of lightning cast eerie shadows through the rolling, heavily wooded landscape. Then the power fails. The building and surrounding countryside go black. When the electricity is restored, Ray Elkins, the Sheriff of Cedar County, is guided from his seat in the auditorium to the stage area. A member of the cast has been found fatally stabbed.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2013
297 people are currently reading
777 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Stander
13 books117 followersAaron Stander spent most of his adult years in the Detroit area, where he taught English and trained writing teachers. In 2000 he and his wife left college teaching positions and moved permanently to their cottage near Traverse City. Aaron is the author ten mysteries set in northwest lower Michigan. He is also the author of numerous articles, stories, poems, and reviews, and the host of Michigan Writers on the Air on Interlochen Public Radio. When not writing or thinking about writing, Aaron spends a lot of time kayaking along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 15, 2019
I read these Ray Elkins mysteries because I miss Michigan, and they do a great job of bringing me home while I am reading them. I have to say, though, my Michigan didn't have quite so many murders in it.
"Death in a Summer Colony" was not my favorite, although it brought to mind Epworth Assembly in Ludington where my husband's family had a cottage. Again, no murders.I
The pace of this book was slow, and the characters were not very likeable.
I hope the series is not running out of steam.
"Death in a Summer Colony" was not my favorite, although it brought to mind Epworth Assembly in Ludington where my husband's family had a cottage. Again, no murders.I
The pace of this book was slow, and the characters were not very likeable.
I hope the series is not running out of steam.
September 21, 2014
What drew me to this book at first was the mention of Agatha Christie - the murder taking place during a stage production of an Agatha Christie novel. The characters were built up well and I really liked Ray, Sue and Hanna.
There were a few mistakes in the book - probably overlooked by an editor - but not enough to make me stop reading as the story was too good. They did niggle at me a little bit but I muddled through. I was prepare to overlook them because of the decent plot line. Wudbine was a very detestable man and there was no shortage of suspects when it came to his murder. Could it be the embittered ex wife, the put upon wife, the disgruntled residents of the colony?
I loved how the story was built up - the author kept you guessing almost until the very end. However, I was very disappointed when I reached the ending. It was very rushed with an unexplained action by the murderer and no real clarification as to why they did it, except for a grudge they had been holding - no back story was really given which was really irritating.
The author literally had just one page after the unexplained action where they explained why said character had committed the murder briefly but nothing more. When it comes to novels like this, authors need to give their readers more - a page of basic information is just not good enough. Readers want to know why, how, the back story.
Paired with the mistakes in the novel, the fact that this book had such an unsatisfactory and predictable ending means I cannot give it more than two stars. Will I check out any other books from the author? I'm unsure. If they're anything like this, I don't think I will bother.
There were a few mistakes in the book - probably overlooked by an editor - but not enough to make me stop reading as the story was too good. They did niggle at me a little bit but I muddled through. I was prepare to overlook them because of the decent plot line. Wudbine was a very detestable man and there was no shortage of suspects when it came to his murder. Could it be the embittered ex wife, the put upon wife, the disgruntled residents of the colony?
I loved how the story was built up - the author kept you guessing almost until the very end. However, I was very disappointed when I reached the ending. It was very rushed with an unexplained action by the murderer and no real clarification as to why they did it, except for a grudge they had been holding - no back story was really given which was really irritating.
The author literally had just one page after the unexplained action where they explained why said character had committed the murder briefly but nothing more. When it comes to novels like this, authors need to give their readers more - a page of basic information is just not good enough. Readers want to know why, how, the back story.
Paired with the mistakes in the novel, the fact that this book had such an unsatisfactory and predictable ending means I cannot give it more than two stars. Will I check out any other books from the author? I'm unsure. If they're anything like this, I don't think I will bother.
September 18, 2015
Sheriff Ray and Detective Sue are handed a murder case in the Summer Colony where the residents are old /retired people or people on vacations. The murder happens during the staging of an Agatha Christie play.
How the case is solved and who all are the suspects forms the rest of the book. The build up is excellent. As you read the book, the suspects keep changing. However, the ending is disappointing. There is no explanation about the why the murder happened or exactly how it happened.
In short - good build up but disappointing ending. :(
How the case is solved and who all are the suspects forms the rest of the book. The build up is excellent. As you read the book, the suspects keep changing. However, the ending is disappointing. There is no explanation about the why the murder happened or exactly how it happened.
In short - good build up but disappointing ending. :(
October 20, 2025
In the minus column: Too many suspects (most of whom are not fleshed out), an all too obvious selfish victim whom everyone dislikes, open hostility from almost everyone involved towards the police handling the investigation, (yet they tolerate it), and an isolated and unrelated event to kick things off...a cheap red herring...
In the plus column: For a change, Stander's protagonist is not torn by self-doubt and emotional scarring. There is (dark) humor through much of this. The setting for the first murder is on stage during a production of an Agatha Christie play. In ensuing discussions, it appears that Miss Marple often gathers her suspects together at the very end before exposing the killer. That is exactly what Stander does in this book (unlike the others of his that I've read.) I liked that touch.
Maybe I'm getting used to Stander's approach, but this was the best of the four of his books that I've read.
In the plus column: For a change, Stander's protagonist is not torn by self-doubt and emotional scarring. There is (dark) humor through much of this. The setting for the first murder is on stage during a production of an Agatha Christie play. In ensuing discussions, it appears that Miss Marple often gathers her suspects together at the very end before exposing the killer. That is exactly what Stander does in this book (unlike the others of his that I've read.) I liked that touch.
Maybe I'm getting used to Stander's approach, but this was the best of the four of his books that I've read.
July 11, 2015
Not much thrill.
Many people questioned again and again, slow dragged out interviews. Last ten chapters has the action. Victim was hated by everyone, but Summer Colony was depending on his money to fix everything in town. Loved by many women, even by his daughter-in-law. This was the first book I read from this author.
Many people questioned again and again, slow dragged out interviews. Last ten chapters has the action. Victim was hated by everyone, but Summer Colony was depending on his money to fix everything in town. Loved by many women, even by his daughter-in-law. This was the first book I read from this author.
April 8, 2019
Another rushed ending.
To me this book just plodded along.....lots of fluff but not a lot of action. Then 'the end' - zap...done. No why, no clarity. I think Mr. Stander hit next to last chapter, wanted to go out in his kayak so slapped the ending together. Vague ending but lots of unnecessary detail on kayaking.
To me this book just plodded along.....lots of fluff but not a lot of action. Then 'the end' - zap...done. No why, no clarity. I think Mr. Stander hit next to last chapter, wanted to go out in his kayak so slapped the ending together. Vague ending but lots of unnecessary detail on kayaking.
December 14, 2014
This is a who-dunnit in the best of traditions. Instead of a locked room we have a blacked-out room with witnesses all around who don't see anything. The writer is very thorough with her police procedural discussions but there is enough action to keep the reader turning pages.
October 9, 2014
Good story up until the end. No explanation of why the murders took place. The story just ended with questions still unanswered.
August 20, 2022
Ray Elkins is the Sheriff of Cedar County located in the northwestern portion of Michigan's lower peninsula. Detective Sue Lawrence is his second-in-command. The Mission Point Summer Colony and its residents is st the center of this entertaining book. Death in a Summer Colony is book 7 in the Ray Elkins Thrillers Series.
At Mission Point, the same families have owned cottages and homes for generations. Their children have grown up together, married one another, divorced, had affairs with the spouses of friends, and more. The Community is putting on its annual summer play, Agatha Christie’s "Death at the Vicarage” featuring the residents, when a strong storm leads to a power outage at the end of the first act. By the time the lights are restored an actor is dead - stabbed at the back of his neck. The victim, Malcolm Wudbine, was a extremely wealthy and ostentatious resident who was also very full of himself. Many residents disliked him, but tolerated him as he often stepped up to pay for the repairs necessary in the community. There were witnesses on stage, back stage and in the green room but, it seems that no one saw anything. Wudbine was known by everyone (even his 2 wives) as a philanderer, he was never seen without a beautiful woman at his side, but did anyone really dislike him enough to kill him?
This was a really good story, one in the Ray Elkins Thriller Series that I've enjoyed the most. Unfortunately, there were 2 things that made it less than 5 stars. 1) there was a lot of repetition and 2) it moved at a very slow pace. For those reason I marked my rating down 1 star. Elkins is a great protagonist. He and deputy Lawrence are well developed characters with just the right amount of loyalty to the job, humor and interpersonal interactions. These books are fun, quick reads. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #DeathinA SummerColony #AaronStander #RayElkinsMystery7 #mysteryfiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #AugustReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebooks #kindleunlimited
At Mission Point, the same families have owned cottages and homes for generations. Their children have grown up together, married one another, divorced, had affairs with the spouses of friends, and more. The Community is putting on its annual summer play, Agatha Christie’s "Death at the Vicarage” featuring the residents, when a strong storm leads to a power outage at the end of the first act. By the time the lights are restored an actor is dead - stabbed at the back of his neck. The victim, Malcolm Wudbine, was a extremely wealthy and ostentatious resident who was also very full of himself. Many residents disliked him, but tolerated him as he often stepped up to pay for the repairs necessary in the community. There were witnesses on stage, back stage and in the green room but, it seems that no one saw anything. Wudbine was known by everyone (even his 2 wives) as a philanderer, he was never seen without a beautiful woman at his side, but did anyone really dislike him enough to kill him?
This was a really good story, one in the Ray Elkins Thriller Series that I've enjoyed the most. Unfortunately, there were 2 things that made it less than 5 stars. 1) there was a lot of repetition and 2) it moved at a very slow pace. For those reason I marked my rating down 1 star. Elkins is a great protagonist. He and deputy Lawrence are well developed characters with just the right amount of loyalty to the job, humor and interpersonal interactions. These books are fun, quick reads. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #DeathinA SummerColony #AaronStander #RayElkinsMystery7 #mysteryfiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #AugustReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebooks #kindleunlimited
March 31, 2021
This is the 6th book by Aaron Stander I have read in this series, and just for kicks I decided to look at some of the other reviews. I noted that some folks were 'turned off by the way he portrayed the Sheriff, and some of "the politics" he brought into the story' Some folks thought this was in appropriate. I suppose everyone has their opinion, however, I grew up in the area that all of these stories take place, among the "folks" that are in the stories, and frankly, he's gotten it down pat. This is fiction, however, it's a conglomeration of not only the area but the people. As I have read these stories, I can easily see the area he's describing, or can relate to any give character. Mind you he's jumbled them up enough, that most would never recognize anything real. But we all know fiction begins somewhere with facts. This story was very interesting to me, since I am a "Local" and know all about the "summer people", although I never really had too many interactions with them, I always sort of knew who they were.
Kudos to Aaron for being able to schmooze a good story out of a somewhat boring area.
Kudos to Aaron for being able to schmooze a good story out of a somewhat boring area.
September 12, 2019
Poor time for Agatha Christie's play "Death at the Vicarage" to have the most disliked member of the summer colony to actually play the part of the dead vicar in real life. Mission Point Summer Colony is a generational encampment passed along among descendants to cabin ownerships. Ray Elkins, sheriff, finds a discretionary reticence among the colony members for details as to the murder and histories of the main suspects. Most of all the reason that baffles him is why should the man who finances most of the long overdue repairs is the dead man, a rude and vengeful colony member the subject of murder in the play as well in real life? Intermixing of characters, family relations among the suspects and even hidden descendants makes the story tick off the likely suspects only to rejoin the list as Ray uncovers the puzzle. Very good red and I will want to visit other books in the series. I won this free book in return for a review in my own personal opinion and it ranks well in my standards. Add this to your reading list for mystery in small town settings.
July 23, 2020
Disappointed! If I didn’t like the overall series so well, this would’ve been two stars. The book was just very dry and slow. They were too many similar characters to keep track of (all of Wudbine‘s secretary bunnies), plus the wives/ex-wives, plus all the theater personnel (really?? In a summer colony??), plus the obligatory schizophrenic red herring. I would say more than a 100 pages of the text consisted of interviews and re-interviews with the various suspects, thus it was very repetitive since the questions were essentially the same… Boring. I was in mid stream with this seventh book in the series when we went up north and I purchased the subsequent three volumes. I really hope this was a one time fluke!!! Aaron, Please don’t “phone in” the remainder of the series! Also, in common with other reviewers, I hated the abrupt ending without any answers about the why of the murders. Which brings me full circle back to the word disappointing!
March 27, 2022
The plot in this is a classic who done it. However, there are way too many characters and none of the supporting haracters were well developed and had nothing to do with the crime. Elkins just kept interviewing them, getting the same answers, which did nothing to move the plot forward. There are a couple of subplots that weren't tied into the story. All they did was add to the word count. On top of that, there really wasn't a conclusion. The killer unmasked, but I think Stander just threw a dart at the list of characters and that was the killer. When Elkins is asked to summarize the crime and explain the killer's motive he responded that journalists would write about this crime so just read the articles. I don't think Stander had thought this through, he just put words on the pages to meet his deadline. Skip this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2017
This book took me about 3 to 4 times as long to finish as my usual. I just had a harder time staying with it. In some ways this was like the classic "closed room" murder mystery, a finite group of suspects all with motive and opportunity. I like the main characters, Sheriff Ray Elkins, his 2nd in command Sue and physician girlfriend Hannah, and the interesting setting, Cedar County in northwest Lower Michigan. I have now read 7 out of 9 in the series and look forward to the next two, Medieval Murders and Gales of November. Apparently the former is a prequel that deals with Ray's life before he became the Sheriff.
July 20, 2020
It was a quick enjoyable read; just what the doctor ordered after A Place for Us which was a very emotional read. Wish I could give it 3.5 stars but unfortunately I can’t. I approached it a bit cautiously because many of the reviews indicated it ended abruptly. That was a problem with his early books but I actually thought he laid the clues out well and the end flowed logically. I like the slow methodical pace as it seems more realistic and the characters are interesting. Gets the 4th star because I like the Michigan setting and the main characters. It is best to read the books in order. (Definitely agree with other comments that he needs a good proof reader. )
January 29, 2018
I was enjoying this mystery with a touch of Agatha Christie. Parts moved a little slowly when after many, many interviews the Sheriff was still no closer to an answer. Then suddenly the guilty person makes a run for it! What? It's over? With no clarification..nothing! Also in the last chapter Marc and Lisa show up...who are they? It seems that the author is assuming we have read the previous books. That is not always the case. After reading reviews of his books that seems to be a pattern, as well as abrupt endings.
March 4, 2018
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Maybe partly was the setting - West Coast of Michigan (my home state); but also because it was a good old fashioned mystery. A summer colony where all the residents and their have known each other for generations; and then there is a murder. The characters were believable and plot moves along fairly quickly. One thing is, there are a couple of events in the book that seem to be major, but turn out to have nothing to do with the plot. Also, I had figured out the culprit before the end of the book; but it took a while.
July 17, 2017
Aaron Stander's 'Ray Elkins Thriller Series'
The murder-mystery is my current favorite book style and I'm sure the Ray Elkins series is the best I've ever read! The characters are real, believable and easy to be around. The plots seem realistic. The police work is right for each story.
I hope there are more books planned in the series because nine is definitely not enough!!! Thanks to Aaron Stander for many hours of great reading.
The murder-mystery is my current favorite book style and I'm sure the Ray Elkins series is the best I've ever read! The characters are real, believable and easy to be around. The plots seem realistic. The police work is right for each story.
I hope there are more books planned in the series because nine is definitely not enough!!! Thanks to Aaron Stander for many hours of great reading.
December 12, 2019
Interesting mystery
I have been reading all the Ray Elkins thrillers and really enjoy the variety of characters. Mr Stander provides very colorful scenery and plots. However, the stories sometimes get disjointed and you need a better proofreader. I will still continue the series even with the errors.
I have been reading all the Ray Elkins thrillers and really enjoy the variety of characters. Mr Stander provides very colorful scenery and plots. However, the stories sometimes get disjointed and you need a better proofreader. I will still continue the series even with the errors.
March 26, 2022
??
I thought the end was too blunt. Was bored with the lead up to it.Completely lost interest the last few chapters. Had to re-read a lot to find out what & why? Started losing interest when I had to do that . Up till then I enjoyed it,but when my interest dwindles I have a hard time getting it back.
Tweety 🐦🐦
I thought the end was too blunt. Was bored with the lead up to it.Completely lost interest the last few chapters. Had to re-read a lot to find out what & why? Started losing interest when I had to do that . Up till then I enjoyed it,but when my interest dwindles I have a hard time getting it back.
Tweety 🐦🐦
August 10, 2025
I love Aaron Stander books. This book was no exception.
The book has our hero’s Ray and Sue trying to figure out who killed the summer camps main beneficiary. There are a few twists and turns, multiple murders. This book was a little slower than his other books I’ve read, but I enjoyed it a lot.
The book has our hero’s Ray and Sue trying to figure out who killed the summer camps main beneficiary. There are a few twists and turns, multiple murders. This book was a little slower than his other books I’ve read, but I enjoyed it a lot.
September 26, 2017
Not the same style
I didn't like this book much. The author changes his style and it just fell flat to me. Too much "interview detail". I liked the regular parts where Ray and She were working and I liked the parts that included Hannah. This wa s a good plot.
I didn't like this book much. The author changes his style and it just fell flat to me. Too much "interview detail". I liked the regular parts where Ray and She were working and I liked the parts that included Hannah. This wa s a good plot.
September 19, 2018
Death in a Summer Colony
7th in the series...easy read...this one had a lot of twists and turns, but got there eventually. Almost through the series that I have...I know I wouldn’t reread, but they’ve been okay for something to do instead of cleaning house.
7th in the series...easy read...this one had a lot of twists and turns, but got there eventually. Almost through the series that I have...I know I wouldn’t reread, but they’ve been okay for something to do instead of cleaning house.
January 24, 2020
A quick enjoyable read
The story was really reminiscent of an Agatha Christy story. Lots of suspects and two competent patient detectives. An enjoyable small book of,murder mystery.
The story was really reminiscent of an Agatha Christy story. Lots of suspects and two competent patient detectives. An enjoyable small book of,murder mystery.
July 19, 2021
Book was fine…right up until the end. Yes we know who did it…kind of…but no details as to how or why because he “doesn’t want to let the defense attorney know”. Can you say cop out? Very, very disappointing. On a side note….no one, and I mean no one, would ever say soda instead of pop!
April 13, 2022
Just finished this book. I enjoyed reading it. It took awhile to get all the characters straight. There were so many and trying to figure out the killer was hard because everyone wanted the man in question gone! I have one more book in this series and I have started to read it!
March 18, 2024
Mystery not a thriller
This was entertaining and hard to figure out who the killer was, but the beginning was a bit slow. Several characters involved so it takes a bit for one to get into the story to remember relationships.
This was entertaining and hard to figure out who the killer was, but the beginning was a bit slow. Several characters involved so it takes a bit for one to get into the story to remember relationships.
May 10, 2025
A lazy summer resident colony on Lake Michigan is turned upside down when their benefactor resident is murdered while performing in the group's annual dramatic performance. Family and a large cast of characters are in question as the local sheriff goes about finding the murderer.
July 1, 2017
Good old fashioned whodunnit.
Very enjoyable. A bit more proofing would have been good but I expect I will eventually read the whole series.
Very enjoyable. A bit more proofing would have been good but I expect I will eventually read the whole series.
July 6, 2017
Good Story
I really enjoyed this story. There were many colorful characters. The end was a surprise to me, and I did feel like not all questions were answered.
I really enjoyed this story. There were many colorful characters. The end was a surprise to me, and I did feel like not all questions were answered.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews