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Will Harper Mystery #1
Million Dollar Staircase
Is A Piece of Land Worth Dying For?
A Will Harper Novel, Book One
Will Harper is a former newspaper reporter living aboard a trawler yacht on the sun-kissed waters of the Florida coast. After getting an unexpected inheritance, Will plans to live the sweet life and write a book. However, his writing career is soon put on hold when he meets Sandy St. Martin, the sexy owner of a nearby marina.
When the mayor of Dolphin River and a couple of greedy developers try to force Sandy to sell her property, Will offers to help save her business and protect the woman he loves. But his investigation quickly takes him deep into the dark underbelly of the city, a place rife with blackmail, corruption, and even murder. . .
Will is a man who never gives up until he has cracked the case, but when the stakes are this high, he finds himself engaged in a battle for justice that might end up costing him his life.
Scroll up and grab a copy today. . .
A Will Harper Novel, Book One
Will Harper is a former newspaper reporter living aboard a trawler yacht on the sun-kissed waters of the Florida coast. After getting an unexpected inheritance, Will plans to live the sweet life and write a book. However, his writing career is soon put on hold when he meets Sandy St. Martin, the sexy owner of a nearby marina.
When the mayor of Dolphin River and a couple of greedy developers try to force Sandy to sell her property, Will offers to help save her business and protect the woman he loves. But his investigation quickly takes him deep into the dark underbelly of the city, a place rife with blackmail, corruption, and even murder. . .
Will is a man who never gives up until he has cracked the case, but when the stakes are this high, he finds himself engaged in a battle for justice that might end up costing him his life.
Scroll up and grab a copy today. . .
276 pages, ebook
First published December 23, 2015
1218 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
David Crosby
15 books149 followersDavid Crosby grew up in Atlanta, GA, making weekly trips to the library with his Dad.
Crosby’s love of reading became a love of imagination and creativity, which he finally found an outlet for in college at the University of Georgia. David received an ABJ degree in magazine writing from the UGA School of Journalism, but it was his newly discovered interest in photography that took over his working life. Starting at graduation, David spent eight years as a photojournalist for newspapers before a desire for self-employment led him to start his award winning commercial photography studio, Crosby Stills.
David retired from photography after a 36-year career and is now writing. He's the author of eleven Will Harper Florida Thrillers, and the non-fiction book, Keeping Us Afloat. He lives in Land O Lakes, Florida, with his wife Marilyn, a retired Lutheran Pastor, and their lovable shih tzu, Zoe.
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Crosby’s love of reading became a love of imagination and creativity, which he finally found an outlet for in college at the University of Georgia. David received an ABJ degree in magazine writing from the UGA School of Journalism, but it was his newly discovered interest in photography that took over his working life. Starting at graduation, David spent eight years as a photojournalist for newspapers before a desire for self-employment led him to start his award winning commercial photography studio, Crosby Stills.
David retired from photography after a 36-year career and is now writing. He's the author of eleven Will Harper Florida Thrillers, and the non-fiction book, Keeping Us Afloat. He lives in Land O Lakes, Florida, with his wife Marilyn, a retired Lutheran Pastor, and their lovable shih tzu, Zoe.
Wanna get more exclusive Will Harper news? Copy and paste the link below in your browser to sign up for my newsletter.
https://mailchi.mp/dc6e8fb4707f/david...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 16, 2023
3.5 stars really. I enjoyed this novel set in Florida. It was interesting to get a feel for life on a boat and for the most part I liked Will. The investigation he became involved in was both interesting and frustrating. My husband works for a small brewery that had their business taken by eminent domain. At least they were not offered a totally laughable sum but it isn’t easy to have to move your business. Fortunately they have been able to relocate and it seems things may be even better for them in the long run.
I got a little frustrated towards the end of the book with Will behaving as though Sandy shouldn’t be allowed to grieve her loss of a dream even if she might come out okay in the end. She was still suffering a loss and she had worked hard for that dream. Just because she might manage to get enough to pay off her loans and be able to relocate does not mean she didn’t experience a loss. He seemed a bit shallow at that point. But there also is a point where Sandy would have to come around and get over it. So although I can understand Will’s frustration, it seemed rushed for him to feel that way so early in the process. I have a feeling that their relationship wasn’t quite as deep as Will thought. But overall the story was interesting and moved right along. And it had all the right elements: bad guys, the underdogs, sun and waves, and a fight to right a wrong.
I got a little frustrated towards the end of the book with Will behaving as though Sandy shouldn’t be allowed to grieve her loss of a dream even if she might come out okay in the end. She was still suffering a loss and she had worked hard for that dream. Just because she might manage to get enough to pay off her loans and be able to relocate does not mean she didn’t experience a loss. He seemed a bit shallow at that point. But there also is a point where Sandy would have to come around and get over it. So although I can understand Will’s frustration, it seemed rushed for him to feel that way so early in the process. I have a feeling that their relationship wasn’t quite as deep as Will thought. But overall the story was interesting and moved right along. And it had all the right elements: bad guys, the underdogs, sun and waves, and a fight to right a wrong.
August 23, 2022
A reporter gets an unexpected inheritance, and begins living on a boat in Florida. The city begins eminent domain to enable a development scheme, and garner the mayor and some of his riff raff friends some moolah under the table.
The reporter helps start a couple of lawsuits, and investigating some hanky-panky, and pretty soon, things spiral out of control.
There's no denying that eminent domain is abused all over the country, and this book gives a good idea what can happen when the abuse occurs.
The reporter helps start a couple of lawsuits, and investigating some hanky-panky, and pretty soon, things spiral out of control.
There's no denying that eminent domain is abused all over the country, and this book gives a good idea what can happen when the abuse occurs.
July 24, 2021
“The city wants to bulldoze my marina and build a fancy staircase to the River Walk.”
“Somebody is dirty in this whole thing, I’d bet my boat on it.”
“I knew what we needed to do, but I sure didn’t like it. We’d have to get rid of the body.”
This was a fun summer read. The main character, Will Harper, is a Travis McGee-like character who lives on a boat. A former journalist, like the author, Will Harper inherits a lot of money from his great aunt Dorothy, moved to Dolphin River, Florida, and lives on his boat, Wanderlust. Will then starts investigating developers’ plans to build River Walk while knocking down established buildings for a million dollar staircase and park, all in the name of the government and progress. Based on real events, this is an interesting storyline and author David Crosby has written interesting characters and villains. My only complaint is that I wish this had a little more of a cozy mystery feel to it. While in some ways it was, it also had more language than I would have liked in this kind of story.
“Somebody is dirty in this whole thing, I’d bet my boat on it.”
“I knew what we needed to do, but I sure didn’t like it. We’d have to get rid of the body.”
This was a fun summer read. The main character, Will Harper, is a Travis McGee-like character who lives on a boat. A former journalist, like the author, Will Harper inherits a lot of money from his great aunt Dorothy, moved to Dolphin River, Florida, and lives on his boat, Wanderlust. Will then starts investigating developers’ plans to build River Walk while knocking down established buildings for a million dollar staircase and park, all in the name of the government and progress. Based on real events, this is an interesting storyline and author David Crosby has written interesting characters and villains. My only complaint is that I wish this had a little more of a cozy mystery feel to it. While in some ways it was, it also had more language than I would have liked in this kind of story.
July 5, 2021
Eminent Domain ... sleazy at best
This reader found the story quite personally poinient. In my teens the hospital that was across the street decided to expand. Got the city redevelopment authority to declare our neighborhood blighted. Objectively we had the fewest houses and best kept houses surrounding the hospital. The fight was long, emotional - my grand parents lost the house they had lived in for 50 years, he declined very rapidly after that-- my house had been my parents for almost 20. 40 families uprooted given federal minimum based on family size. My house became a heliport. The corruption and double dealing was less blatant but present non the less.
Well presented story that hits the heart.
This reader found the story quite personally poinient. In my teens the hospital that was across the street decided to expand. Got the city redevelopment authority to declare our neighborhood blighted. Objectively we had the fewest houses and best kept houses surrounding the hospital. The fight was long, emotional - my grand parents lost the house they had lived in for 50 years, he declined very rapidly after that-- my house had been my parents for almost 20. 40 families uprooted given federal minimum based on family size. My house became a heliport. The corruption and double dealing was less blatant but present non the less.
Well presented story that hits the heart.
March 19, 2021
A modern takeoff on the old Travis McGee books at a marine in the keys.
Crosby spins a great tale of the "carefree" life of boating in FL. He had every thing a reporter wants - a maiden aunt dying, leaving him a fortune and the time to play investigator. Like most nike books the girl sailed away!
Crosby spins a great tale of the "carefree" life of boating in FL. He had every thing a reporter wants - a maiden aunt dying, leaving him a fortune and the time to play investigator. Like most nike books the girl sailed away!
February 16, 2022
Quick summary: Will’s a recently divorced journalist in Atlanta who just found out his favorite aunt died and left him everything with the message being to follow his dreams. He quits his job, picks up his life, buys a grand trawler called the Wanderlust in FL & decides to live his life out on the water without a care in the world. Before long, a beautiful woman and a shady real estate situation draw him back into the world of journalism and trying to help the “little guy” from getting screwed. Mystery, some mayhem and a little bit of romance, all the things Will was not looking for in his new life.
While the main plot of the story is about the real estate developers and how people are being screwed out of their property and the seedy practices that go on behind the scenes with local governments, the aspect that seems to stick out the most to me are the relationships between the characters & how they develop over time. You can clearly see that Will is the type of person that will always go to bat for his friends, but Crosby’s portrayal of his loyalty and genuine caring nature is amazing. It’s one thing to be supportive, it’s another to risk your life for people you’ve only known a short period of time but do it in such a way that an outsider would think you’ve known these people your entire life & Crosby is able to do this with no issues in my opinion.
One of the parts that struck me most in regards to character development, was how Crosby was able to write Sandy initially as a somewhat damsel in distress and then over time instead of developing into the typical heroine, developed into a character who was somewhat cold and standoffish. The ability to write a character that starts off likable and someone that you are rooting for only for them to become someone who I felt I would not be phased if nothing worked out in her favor, to me sets Crosby apart from most authors who would want the character to either stay a damsel in distress who needs saving or someone who saves herself. Crosby was not afraid to show the side of humanity that more often than not can grow bitter by their circumstances and therefore treat people the way they feel the world has treated them.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and was definitely shocked at the ending conclusions. I also appreciated that at the end Crosby indicated that although this was a work of fiction, the circumstances are actually based in fact and he sites cases/events and what their overall outcomes were. It shows that he takes pride in his work and researches his story lines thoroughly in order to give the reader a look into what does go on in the world.
While the main plot of the story is about the real estate developers and how people are being screwed out of their property and the seedy practices that go on behind the scenes with local governments, the aspect that seems to stick out the most to me are the relationships between the characters & how they develop over time. You can clearly see that Will is the type of person that will always go to bat for his friends, but Crosby’s portrayal of his loyalty and genuine caring nature is amazing. It’s one thing to be supportive, it’s another to risk your life for people you’ve only known a short period of time but do it in such a way that an outsider would think you’ve known these people your entire life & Crosby is able to do this with no issues in my opinion.
One of the parts that struck me most in regards to character development, was how Crosby was able to write Sandy initially as a somewhat damsel in distress and then over time instead of developing into the typical heroine, developed into a character who was somewhat cold and standoffish. The ability to write a character that starts off likable and someone that you are rooting for only for them to become someone who I felt I would not be phased if nothing worked out in her favor, to me sets Crosby apart from most authors who would want the character to either stay a damsel in distress who needs saving or someone who saves herself. Crosby was not afraid to show the side of humanity that more often than not can grow bitter by their circumstances and therefore treat people the way they feel the world has treated them.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and was definitely shocked at the ending conclusions. I also appreciated that at the end Crosby indicated that although this was a work of fiction, the circumstances are actually based in fact and he sites cases/events and what their overall outcomes were. It shows that he takes pride in his work and researches his story lines thoroughly in order to give the reader a look into what does go on in the world.
January 9, 2020
A definite intriguing story. Will just wants to enjoy his inheritance. Unfortunately this is not to be. He meets Sandy and things are not the same. Don’t miss out.
July 4, 2021
Love the Florida setting
The characters were fun and the plot was different. Eminent domain can be a license to steal and all government needs watchdogs! Thanks for a fun read.
The characters were fun and the plot was different. Eminent domain can be a license to steal and all government needs watchdogs! Thanks for a fun read.
June 15, 2020
Will Harper is an excellent character and the story is about how he helps businesses around his place, by fighting corrupt politicians who want to build a million dollar staircase.
Lovely plot, excellent charcters with plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing till the very end. Excellent read.
Lovely plot, excellent charcters with plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing till the very end. Excellent read.
August 9, 2022
"The Million Dollar Staircase" brought back memories (good ones) of the Travis McGee books by John D. MacDonald.
Journalist Will Harper gets an unexpected inheritance which allows him to ditch the day job, move to Florida, buy a boat, and settle in.
With no money worries he's content to do little or nothing until his romantic interest, Sandy St. Martin, owner of a local marina, finds out that a new upmarket development of the area will use Eminent Domain to take her marina from her at a rock bottom price.
This element of the book is based on a true story, though the plot plays out very differently.
Will chips away at the problem, discovering quite rapidly that if you fight the authorities the odds are definitely stacked against you.
He can't stop the development going ahead but he can try to improve the payout to Sandy and two other business owners.
But, behind the scenes, there are those who would like to see the problem disappear, using whatever means necessary.
It's nicely done and a solid read but it is not particularly memorable. While Will is a likeable character and given to musing he doesn't seem to have much depth.
3 Stars.
Journalist Will Harper gets an unexpected inheritance which allows him to ditch the day job, move to Florida, buy a boat, and settle in.
With no money worries he's content to do little or nothing until his romantic interest, Sandy St. Martin, owner of a local marina, finds out that a new upmarket development of the area will use Eminent Domain to take her marina from her at a rock bottom price.
This element of the book is based on a true story, though the plot plays out very differently.
Will chips away at the problem, discovering quite rapidly that if you fight the authorities the odds are definitely stacked against you.
He can't stop the development going ahead but he can try to improve the payout to Sandy and two other business owners.
But, behind the scenes, there are those who would like to see the problem disappear, using whatever means necessary.
It's nicely done and a solid read but it is not particularly memorable. While Will is a likeable character and given to musing he doesn't seem to have much depth.
3 Stars.
July 17, 2022
This is the first book I have read by David Crosby. While it did not blow my skirt up, I did enjoy it. Will Harper comes into an unexpected inheritance, and now lives on a boat near Sarasota, FL. As an Investigative Reporter, he finds himself entangled in an Eminent Domain situation. Can he save his friends’ businesses or get them better settlements for their property? Can he uncover who is involved in this corrupt business venture?
February 17, 2022
Will Harper was a man thoroughly disillusioned with life. Divorced from a woman who married him only because she saw him as a way out of her debts, he lost all respect for the editor of the newspaper he worked for, and most of his colleagues. Then, the dream most of us has comes true for him - an elderly aunt, who always lived fairly frugally, who he never thought had any particular fondness for him, dies and leaves him a fortune. Suddenly he is able to not only retire debt free, but he is able to live his dream and buy his dream boat to live on, in a permanent mooring slip in a Florida marina. He makes friends easily - Captain Rick, who lives on a smaller boat along the dock and the proprietors of the three businesses just along the next dock - a thriving diner, bait & tackle shop and another, smaller marina. Will soon becomes romantically involved with Sandy, the owner of the smaller marina and when the town council, in conclusion with a large multi million dollar development corporation announces plans to demolish the three dockside businesses to make way for a fancy staircase and park as part of the plan to completely redevelop the area, the three proprietors are only informed when they receive letters offering them pitifully small amounts of recompense for the land their businesses - and homes stand on. Enter Will Harper, incensed by the injustice and begged by his (by now) girlfriend, the marina owner, gets Florida Waterways magazine interested in a story so he can use it as a cover for his inquiries. Will gets involved with some unsavoury characters, and makes some enemies, there are suspicious deaths and Will ends up being a victim himself by the time it's all over. I have this as part of a six book volume and have my echo dot read it to me. I'm on the third story and enjoying it. There's an epilogue by the author, David Crosby, who says each story is based on a real situation and asks the reader to join the fight against corruption and the big corporations who try to destroy our environment. And Will Harper is a character who, if he were real an I were 30 years younger, I would love to share his boat!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2024
This is the first story in the Will Harper series of (cozy?) mysteries by author David Crosby. I putt the cozy adjective in parenthesis because I don’t believe the series is marketed that may. That is my interpretation based upon reading this novel. The crime is white collar; and, while there are 3 murders, all three are rather benign events. The danger and suspense are just too subdued for this book to qualify as a “thriller” in my opinion. The primary character is Will Harper, a former journalist who falls into some money due to the death of a not distance but not emotionally close relative. So now he lives happily unemployed on a boat at a marina in Florida (near Bradenton). He will take on an “investigation” into a potential financial crime to aid his current girlfriend. It is a slow starting story that never really picks up steam until near the end as the investigation is resolved. Most characters are routine to any cozy mystery as is the dialogue and plot. That is why it merited just 3 stars in my opinion.
March 28, 2023
This is the third Will Harper book I've read, so it was about time I got around to reading book #1 so I could find out more details of how it all started. I like Will, who is a good guy who cares about people and about injustice - hence, the fact he gets involved in so many "situations" that are often dangerous as he helps people in trouble. This first book was about eminent domain injustice for three businesses owned by friends of Will. Their businesses were to be torn down and replaced with a massive improvement project, but the owners were only offered a small amount in compensation. And so, Will gets involved in an attempt to help save the day for his friends. My biggest negatives is there is too much relationship/romance stuff in this, as well as each of the books about Will that I've read. A little goes a long way in a suspense and I would have enjoyed the book better with far less of that. Otherwise, there is a lot of action and interest in this and the other books.
June 7, 2020
A really good mystery! I was hooked at the beginning when our hero and his lady were disposing of a body that appeared in her houseboat. After that, it just got better.
A man comes into money---not millions, but enough to keep himself comfortable---so he quits his job as a journalist, buys a houseboat, and sets off to lead 'the good life' in Florida. In this story, he commits to his first romance since his divorce (which happened before his money windfall) and takes on the task unwillingly but still wanting to help, of three people who are being displaced from their buisnesses by an eniment domain order by the township. They need the land to build a staircase from a proposed Rivewalk-style Mecca to the a park on the waterfront.
Great writing, a good story, and one that could be easily the headlines at many places.
A man comes into money---not millions, but enough to keep himself comfortable---so he quits his job as a journalist, buys a houseboat, and sets off to lead 'the good life' in Florida. In this story, he commits to his first romance since his divorce (which happened before his money windfall) and takes on the task unwillingly but still wanting to help, of three people who are being displaced from their buisnesses by an eniment domain order by the township. They need the land to build a staircase from a proposed Rivewalk-style Mecca to the a park on the waterfront.
Great writing, a good story, and one that could be easily the headlines at many places.
October 12, 2024
Audio companion almost ruins decent book
Book itself: 4.5 ☆s
Audiobook / AI: 2 ☆s at best
Good premise, interesting characters & themes.
Audio companion stinks. Mispornounciations galore, cotton intonation, cadence and conversational tones. Almost quit.
Kindle unlimited book, what is with charging for a crappy audiobook companion??
Next book in series still kindle unlimited. $1.99 for audiobook. With another crappy reading? May as well not pay $ and get the equally bad 'audio assistant' [I think it is called] scrappy AI audiorecording??
I love combining e-books with audio companion for listening while engaged in other things [driving, knitting, household chores etc], but the crummy audio recording almost made me quit with an otherwise good book.
#DoBetter #AIDoesntCutIt
Book itself: 4.5 ☆s
Audiobook / AI: 2 ☆s at best
Good premise, interesting characters & themes.
Audio companion stinks. Mispornounciations galore, cotton intonation, cadence and conversational tones. Almost quit.
Kindle unlimited book, what is with charging for a crappy audiobook companion??
Next book in series still kindle unlimited. $1.99 for audiobook. With another crappy reading? May as well not pay $ and get the equally bad 'audio assistant' [I think it is called] scrappy AI audiorecording??
I love combining e-books with audio companion for listening while engaged in other things [driving, knitting, household chores etc], but the crummy audio recording almost made me quit with an otherwise good book.
#DoBetter #AIDoesntCutIt
December 11, 2025
I found this author and book on TikTok; I enjoyed his Florida-vibe videos that kept popping up on my feed.
If you want a book that doesn't waste time, pick up The Million Dollar Staircase. David Crosby hooks you immediately—literally starting with the disposal of a body. The momentum rarely lets up, save for just enough breathing room for a grouper sandwich and a bottle of wine.
Beyond the "fun thriller" pacing, what I enjoyed was the unique angle on eminent domain. It turns a dry concept (bureaucracy and government power) into a high-stakes battle and shines a light on how easily systems can be abused, all while keeping you entertained with a solid mystery. Highly recommended if you like your thrillers with a side of social commentary.
If you want a book that doesn't waste time, pick up The Million Dollar Staircase. David Crosby hooks you immediately—literally starting with the disposal of a body. The momentum rarely lets up, save for just enough breathing room for a grouper sandwich and a bottle of wine.
Beyond the "fun thriller" pacing, what I enjoyed was the unique angle on eminent domain. It turns a dry concept (bureaucracy and government power) into a high-stakes battle and shines a light on how easily systems can be abused, all while keeping you entertained with a solid mystery. Highly recommended if you like your thrillers with a side of social commentary.
March 15, 2021
Fast-paced and educational
Couldn't put it down. Will Harper is a very likeable, well-developed character. His motives are genuine, even if his actions are occasionally borderline poor judgment.
This is a story about eminent domain, an often abused government strategy that can destroy citizens' hard work and leave them poorer, while enriching large corporations and developers. Greed can be contagious, as there are always unscrupulous characters looking to make a fast buck, and politicians who can be corrupted.
Well-written, fast-paced and contains very few typos or errors to distract the discerning reader.
Couldn't put it down. Will Harper is a very likeable, well-developed character. His motives are genuine, even if his actions are occasionally borderline poor judgment.
This is a story about eminent domain, an often abused government strategy that can destroy citizens' hard work and leave them poorer, while enriching large corporations and developers. Greed can be contagious, as there are always unscrupulous characters looking to make a fast buck, and politicians who can be corrupted.
Well-written, fast-paced and contains very few typos or errors to distract the discerning reader.
January 16, 2020
A must read. Mr Crosby did a suburb job in exposing a problem with society. Greed pure and simple. A reporter does the necessary research to expose town officials and a contractor who set out to swindle a town and 3 businesses out of property so they can line their own pockets. In the story they are exposed where as in real life this doesn't happen often. "Can't fight city hall" A very well narrative with characters that you will remember. Hopefully the story will stay in your memory as these things can and do happen.
July 17, 2020
Great Florida Mystery with a twist
David Crosby’s a Million Dollar Staircase actually did take place just not in Florida! His fictional story begins near Bradenton, Florida where our hero falls in love with a beautiful woman who owns a struggling marina in a cove nearby. Unfortunately the city decides to take her marina and the the other two businesses by eminent domaine. They offer a pittance. So what is behind the offer? Highly recommended to all lovers of boating and sailing and Florida mysteries. Enjoy!
David Crosby’s a Million Dollar Staircase actually did take place just not in Florida! His fictional story begins near Bradenton, Florida where our hero falls in love with a beautiful woman who owns a struggling marina in a cove nearby. Unfortunately the city decides to take her marina and the the other two businesses by eminent domaine. They offer a pittance. So what is behind the offer? Highly recommended to all lovers of boating and sailing and Florida mysteries. Enjoy!
March 28, 2021
Good read
Enjoyed this book for more than one reason. I am a resident of Florida and live just north of the area which is the focus of the story. So it was nice to be familiar with the areas he was writing about. I liked that the author, at the conclusion of the story, wrote about an area north of Florida that did actually have the same problem, a while back. I really liked the way David Crosby wrote this book and thought it was done very well - I look forward to the next in this series.
Enjoyed this book for more than one reason. I am a resident of Florida and live just north of the area which is the focus of the story. So it was nice to be familiar with the areas he was writing about. I liked that the author, at the conclusion of the story, wrote about an area north of Florida that did actually have the same problem, a while back. I really liked the way David Crosby wrote this book and thought it was done very well - I look forward to the next in this series.
February 3, 2022
Good story with meaningful subject matter
The plot is interesting. The subject matter is a disturbing reality in our country. The writing flows fairly well, but is a little stilted creating a feeling that it drags a bit. I would like to see some variation in sentence structure and vocabulary to spice up the actual reading experience, and deeper character development to draw one further into the story, rather than just reading an account of events on the surface. This said, it is just book one, and I will definitely be giving the series more time to develop.
The plot is interesting. The subject matter is a disturbing reality in our country. The writing flows fairly well, but is a little stilted creating a feeling that it drags a bit. I would like to see some variation in sentence structure and vocabulary to spice up the actual reading experience, and deeper character development to draw one further into the story, rather than just reading an account of events on the surface. This said, it is just book one, and I will definitely be giving the series more time to develop.
January 25, 2023
A Wonderful Change of Pace
I am addicted to action/adventure mysteries, mostly those with historical or archaeological themes. So "Million Dollar Staircase" was a change of pace for me. Don't get me wrong, there's a good deal of action, adventure and bad guessing bad things, and it was really a fun read. Mr. Crosby kept my interest with the narrative. Prescriptive writing enabled me to picture the setting. Bottom line, he wrote a mighty fine mystery. I will most certainly be checking out future Will Harper adventures.
I am addicted to action/adventure mysteries, mostly those with historical or archaeological themes. So "Million Dollar Staircase" was a change of pace for me. Don't get me wrong, there's a good deal of action, adventure and bad guessing bad things, and it was really a fun read. Mr. Crosby kept my interest with the narrative. Prescriptive writing enabled me to picture the setting. Bottom line, he wrote a mighty fine mystery. I will most certainly be checking out future Will Harper adventures.
July 26, 2018
This is a story loosely written about an actual occurance. Crooked politicians and developers with a $65 million dollar project in a very small Fla. town. There's murder, greed, blackmail, a little romance and the "little" guys fighting the government over domain. I had a problem with Rick dumping 2 bodies in the ocean, he's suppose to be fighting for truth and justice. But having said that, it is an entertaining, easy read.
June 12, 2021
Million Dollar Staircase: A Florida Thriller — a review [ 4**** ]
(Will Harper Mystery Series Book 1)
by David Crosby
A good story that plays out in a marina — one of my favourite places to be. The characters are developed well enough to make you care, but not much room is available to do it fully. These people are too busy.
The boating- and marina-life are nicely done, and the plot is complex and engaging. The ending gob-smacked me.
I’m pretty sure I’ll suss out book #2.
(Will Harper Mystery Series Book 1)
by David Crosby
A good story that plays out in a marina — one of my favourite places to be. The characters are developed well enough to make you care, but not much room is available to do it fully. These people are too busy.
The boating- and marina-life are nicely done, and the plot is complex and engaging. The ending gob-smacked me.
I’m pretty sure I’ll suss out book #2.
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June 22, 2021Since I live in Sarasota and have visited all the places David outlines in his novel, it is wonderful to see how he created a real-life event from another state into a charming, creative, and exciting book. I loved the script, storyline, characters, and how one can fight the giants of politics, greed, money, and win. So many people live on boats in Florida, and David has captured a small marina personality exceptionally well. I think you will love the book! Read it!
July 17, 2021
Great mystery
Will finds the life of leisure he planned so carefully erupts in the chaos of a government takeover of his lovely friend about to lose her marina by eminent domain. When he discovers back dealings and murder he is pulled heavily into solving multiple crimes with only his good sense and experience as a reporter. Fast moving and full of intrigue with just the right amount of shady and heartwarming characters.
Will finds the life of leisure he planned so carefully erupts in the chaos of a government takeover of his lovely friend about to lose her marina by eminent domain. When he discovers back dealings and murder he is pulled heavily into solving multiple crimes with only his good sense and experience as a reporter. Fast moving and full of intrigue with just the right amount of shady and heartwarming characters.
August 12, 2018
Great moving plot
I enjoyed the refreshing characters and great plot with twists and turns. Will Harper is an affable character and the book is a refreshing page turner. Especially enjoyable that it was not laden with bad language. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
I enjoyed the refreshing characters and great plot with twists and turns. Will Harper is an affable character and the book is a refreshing page turner. Especially enjoyable that it was not laden with bad language. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
August 22, 2018
A Great Story!
This turned out to be a wonderful story with interesting characters. It also explained the emotions and pain that people feel when they are subjected to imminent domaine. The book has a love story in the midst of killing. It also shows what people will do for money while abusing the laws. It is a great book!
This turned out to be a wonderful story with interesting characters. It also explained the emotions and pain that people feel when they are subjected to imminent domaine. The book has a love story in the midst of killing. It also shows what people will do for money while abusing the laws. It is a great book!
September 13, 2020
Good overcomes bad in a small Florida town
I found this free book in my email and hoped I had found a new author to read. I loved the book, the story, characters and now a new family of books to read. I enjoyed the book and will read more by Mr. Crosby. Some music with Stills and Nash and that other guy would be good also.
I found this free book in my email and hoped I had found a new author to read. I loved the book, the story, characters and now a new family of books to read. I enjoyed the book and will read more by Mr. Crosby. Some music with Stills and Nash and that other guy would be good also.
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