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Murder on the Bay
When wealthy investor Fred Peterson is found dead in an oyster shed floating in the harbor of the historic New England town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, the police determine it was the result of an accidental fall. But after Peterson’s nephew Jake Pavlik from Ohio inherits his uncle’s historic home on the harbor, he begins to suspect otherwise. As he learns more about the uncle he barely knew, he discovers a number of people in town who might have had reason to murder this complex and secretive man.
Narrated in the quirky voice of Jake, who has his own issues, Murder on the Bay is a whodunit with twists and turns. But it is more. It is the story of an old house and a very real town that dates back to the earliest days of America.
Narrated in the quirky voice of Jake, who has his own issues, Murder on the Bay is a whodunit with twists and turns. But it is more. It is the story of an old house and a very real town that dates back to the earliest days of America.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 30, 2025
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July 6, 2026
After hearing Mark Ciccone speak at a local author-book talk, I finally read the latest of his three books, and what fun I had, listening to how he came to research the book and then, reading it. Mr. Ciccone is the father of one of my favorite high school students who is a good friend to our son; he has set this murder mystery in our town, peppered it with local businesses and most importantly, embedded our long history with Pilgrims, shipbuilding, and culture.
From the opening page, the reader knows the protagonist, Jake Pavlik, has inherited a valuable, historic property in Duxbury, Massachusetts from his uncle, Fred Peterson, whom he has not seen for fifteen years. The uncle’s death has been identified as a tragic accident, an 80-year-old-man falling, but Jake discovers there are unsettling details that point to murder.
He reluctantly pursues a number of paths, the mystery becoming more complex, the need to be cautious, more apparent. At the same time, he is meeting local people whom his uncle has generously assisted whom he connects to in ways that are very different from his life in Toledo, Ohio. The Toledo threads include his lady friend in Toledo and his adult son, Jocko, crawling through a doctoral thesis that confounds Jake. I especially enjoyed how Jake’s relationship with his son evolved and being reminded how doctoral dissertations are not always a straight path.
The plot, which connects some of the earliest settlers in Duxbury to the present residents, is imaginative and believable. Drugs and art treasures have long been a lure for the less honorable among us; Jake solves at least one mystery along the way and assists with others; Uncle Fred’s reputation remains untarnished; and our town’s history and philanthopy is celebrated.
From the opening page, the reader knows the protagonist, Jake Pavlik, has inherited a valuable, historic property in Duxbury, Massachusetts from his uncle, Fred Peterson, whom he has not seen for fifteen years. The uncle’s death has been identified as a tragic accident, an 80-year-old-man falling, but Jake discovers there are unsettling details that point to murder.
He reluctantly pursues a number of paths, the mystery becoming more complex, the need to be cautious, more apparent. At the same time, he is meeting local people whom his uncle has generously assisted whom he connects to in ways that are very different from his life in Toledo, Ohio. The Toledo threads include his lady friend in Toledo and his adult son, Jocko, crawling through a doctoral thesis that confounds Jake. I especially enjoyed how Jake’s relationship with his son evolved and being reminded how doctoral dissertations are not always a straight path.
The plot, which connects some of the earliest settlers in Duxbury to the present residents, is imaginative and believable. Drugs and art treasures have long been a lure for the less honorable among us; Jake solves at least one mystery along the way and assists with others; Uncle Fred’s reputation remains untarnished; and our town’s history and philanthopy is celebrated.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review