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Meg Daniels #3
Wrong Beach Island
The third in the Meg Daniels Mystery series. Meg Daniels never had the displeasure of meeting Dallas Spencer, but when the body of the prosperous Brit washes up on Long Beach Island with a bullet in the back, it immediately derails her romantic vacation plans with P.I. Andy Beck.
As Meg sets out to clear Andy (and protect him from the seductive widow) she soon learns that Dallas Spencer had more skeletons than his Loveladies mansion has closets. The ensuing adventure takes more twists and turns than a boardwalk roller coaster, and involves Meg with an unforgettable cast of characters.
- GenresMystery
327 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2002
7 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Jane Kelly
11 books26 followersJane Kelly is a native of Philadelphia, close to the Jersey Shore settings of the Meg Daniels mysteries available from Plexus Publishing. Jane is also the author of the Widow Lady Mysteries and the Writing in Time Mysteries, both set in her hometown. She is the past president of the Delaware Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime and served on the board of the New York Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Her next Meg Daniels novel, Last Seen in Sea Isle, will be released in April 2026. In 2025, she launched a series of novellas, the Meg Daniels Mystery Weekenders, in which all the action takes place in a weekend, and the book can be read in a weekend. In addition, she published a stand-alone novel, NIGHTINGALE SONGS, that is romantic but doesn't obey all the rules of a romance. Her latest publication is A DEATH IN SCILLY, a traditional mystery set on a small island off the coast of Cornwall.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 28, 2009
Good, fun read. Some minor plot twists were a little "convenient" or predictable, but it was well written and clever enough to overlook a few small issues. Also loved the detailed accuracy of the LBI/Jersey geography. I could picture exactly where the author was at all times. Now I need to read her other 2 Jersey Shore mysteries.
October 6, 2013
Having spent my summers on Long Beach Island, I enjoyed all the references to places I know. The story and character development was good for the genre of a modern mystery novel. It is a little more than just a beach read, but I know the perfect spot on LBI where I could while away an enjoyable read.
September 18, 2017
I picked this book up, read the first few lines, and fell in love with it. The writing is crisp, the dialogue snappy, and the sleuth, Meg Daniels, is irresistible. She's bright, funny, and just a tad cynical. She's determined, but doesn't take herself too seriously. What she does take seriously is finding the truth when her boyfriend, Andy, is suspected of murdering the husband of an old girlfriend. Of course, she has her own reason for wanting this little problem solved quickly. (No, I'm not going to tell what the reason is. No spoiler from me.) Along the way, Meg encounters a cast of original characters that Kelly manages to make totally believable. The plot is satisfyingly full of twists that I didn't see coming, but that made perfect sense once they happened. If you like mysteries that are funny without being silly, you'll like this book. If you're a Jersey Shore fan, you'll love it. If you're not a Jersey Shore fan, you will be after reading WRONG BEACH ISLAND.
July 23, 2017
I found this book on a shelf in the beach house we were staying at on LBI. It was a quick, light, fun beach read made even more enjoyable because of the locale and local color throughout the book. We ate at Kubel's Too and when we got home, I read the next chapter and where are they but at Kubel's Too. Glad I stumbled across this one.
August 23, 2024
My first time reading this series and I really enjoy the fact that they are all set at locations on the Jersey shore, all places I am familiar with. I also love that the main character narrates her thoughts with just the right touch of sarcasm. I liked the characters, plot and humor. Looking forward to another.
May 1, 2021
I loved this book!
It's a very good mystery, lots of clues, lots of suspects, lots of activity.
The best part is - it's so funny! Sometimes I had to laugh out loud.
And I love the main character.
I enjoyed this book so much!
It's a very good mystery, lots of clues, lots of suspects, lots of activity.
The best part is - it's so funny! Sometimes I had to laugh out loud.
And I love the main character.
I enjoyed this book so much!
October 3, 2024
Perfect
Great read about a great place I frequent often. Its always nice when you read something and you can picture where they are cause you've been there. Can't wait to read more in this series
Great read about a great place I frequent often. Its always nice when you read something and you can picture where they are cause you've been there. Can't wait to read more in this series
June 15, 2017
Update: after a long hiatus, I started over and finished this.
It was just okay, fun but not fantastic, it's missing that "spark" that would make it a real page-turner. Nothing much happens for most of the book. So it feels very long and slow. Meg is meant to be quirky and self-deprecating, in the vein of Stephanie Plum, but she's missing the mark a bit. Still, would make a fun beach read at LBI.
***
Humorous mystery novel set on Long Beach Island, NJ - I picked this up at the Surf City 5&10 on LBI, thought it would be a fun read but didn't expect much (since it's published by a teeeny NJ publisher in Medford). By page 3 I was laughing uncontrollably. My daughter who was sleeping next to me woke up and yelled at me to stop laughing, I was shaking the bed. Is this funny, or is it just because I was reading it at 2am?? (quote is main character, Meg, discussing how ludicrous it is to believe that someone killed the victim just to steal his kayak in the middle of the night, but did not steal the wallet or Rolex.)
*
Strong start, but the middle is weak. I expected to be very geographically accurate. But she hops in a car in Loveladies, has a two minute conversation, and suddenly they are driving past Joe Pops? No. Even with no traffic, no. That jarred me out of the whole story, I set it down and haven't picked it up in days. I know, it sounds like no big deal to anyone who doesn't know the island, but ... it's a big deal for me.
It was just okay, fun but not fantastic, it's missing that "spark" that would make it a real page-turner. Nothing much happens for most of the book. So it feels very long and slow. Meg is meant to be quirky and self-deprecating, in the vein of Stephanie Plum, but she's missing the mark a bit. Still, would make a fun beach read at LBI.
***
Humorous mystery novel set on Long Beach Island, NJ - I picked this up at the Surf City 5&10 on LBI, thought it would be a fun read but didn't expect much (since it's published by a teeeny NJ publisher in Medford). By page 3 I was laughing uncontrollably. My daughter who was sleeping next to me woke up and yelled at me to stop laughing, I was shaking the bed. Is this funny, or is it just because I was reading it at 2am?? (quote is main character, Meg, discussing how ludicrous it is to believe that someone killed the victim just to steal his kayak in the middle of the night, but did not steal the wallet or Rolex.)
"What? Are bands of roving kayjackers lurking up and down Long Beach Island waiting for a midnight paddler to stumble down to the water alone?" Andy didn't respond. "I can just see the perpetrator leaving the house. 'Okay, honey, it's about eleven-thirty. Think I'll wander down to the beach and see if I can pick up that kayak Junior wants for his birthday. It's about time all those night-owl-partying, polar-bear-club-joining kayakers should be headed for the water. Yep. I have my gun. I know I could pick a kayak up on half a dozen porches around town, but I enjoy the challenge of stealing from the victim directly. We don't need any cash, right? Or a watch? I'll leave the wallet, all valuable jewelry, and any negotiable securities the victim might be carrying.' "
*
Strong start, but the middle is weak. I expected to be very geographically accurate. But she hops in a car in Loveladies, has a two minute conversation, and suddenly they are driving past Joe Pops? No. Even with no traffic, no. That jarred me out of the whole story, I set it down and haven't picked it up in days. I know, it sounds like no big deal to anyone who doesn't know the island, but ... it's a big deal for me.
September 15, 2013
Meg Daniels has finally managed to book some time with potential boyfriend Andy Beck. They are on the way to the airport to fly to where his boat is docked and then sail to the Caribbean. On the way to the airport Andy gets a desperate call from a former girlfriend -- her husband has just been murdered and she may be a suspect. They turn the car around.
The ex-girlfriend is, of course, beautiful, and she seems a little too attached to Andy.
Evidence soon points to Andy as a suspect. The attentions of the recent widow don't help. Meg tries to investigate on her own, as much to clear Andy as to find the murderer -- and manages to make things more complicated.
This is another good, light, "cozy" mystery. The story moves back and forth between the Jersey Shore and Philadelphia, and the author obviously knows both locales very well. Recommended as a light, fun read.
The ex-girlfriend is, of course, beautiful, and she seems a little too attached to Andy.
Evidence soon points to Andy as a suspect. The attentions of the recent widow don't help. Meg tries to investigate on her own, as much to clear Andy as to find the murderer -- and manages to make things more complicated.
This is another good, light, "cozy" mystery. The story moves back and forth between the Jersey Shore and Philadelphia, and the author obviously knows both locales very well. Recommended as a light, fun read.
December 12, 2023
A fun mystery set on LBI and the surrounding NJ area. It didn’t blow me away, but I had a good time.
I don’t read a lot of mysteries, but I found it unique that the main character isn’t a PI or cop or anything. She’s just a woman who is caught up in a murder investigation who doesn’t want to be there and isn’t very skilled at investigating.
I don’t read a lot of mysteries, but I found it unique that the main character isn’t a PI or cop or anything. She’s just a woman who is caught up in a murder investigation who doesn’t want to be there and isn’t very skilled at investigating.
January 1, 2009
Currently reading this one. The author is fun to read.
October 13, 2011
Book Aunt Karen's friend wrote
August 6, 2013
If you like mysteries and vacation at the Jersey Shore, especially Long Beach Island, then you will enjoy this one.
September 15, 2014
Just a wonderful series, you just have to like Meg, Andy and all the other quirky people. Only bad thing, only one more book in the series, anymore coming?
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews