The Back Wing

by Mike Befeler, Ron Ford (Narrator)

Grieving widower Harold McCaffrey moves into the Mountain Splendor Retirement Home and finds himself living in the Back Wing with a group of strange residents - aging witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters. He bonds with his fellow denizens, especially Bella, who has promise of becoming more than just a friend. Things are looking up for Harold - until he and Bella must use all their normal and extranormal skills to solve two murders in this very unique retirement community.

©2016 Books in Motion (P)2016 Books in Motion

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Vampires, Humor

Audible Audio

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

Mike Befeler writes the humorous Paul Jacobson "Geezer Lit" mystery series featuring an ocotgenarian protagonist with short-term memory loss. The series includes: Retirement Homes Are Murder, Living With Your Kids Is Murder, Senior Moments Are Murder, Cruising in Your Eighties Is Murder, Care Homes Are Murder and Nursing Homes Are Murder. His other books include Unstuff Your Stuff, Death of a Scam Artist, The Tesla Legacy, The Best Chicken Thief in All of Europe, Court Trouble, Murder on the Switzerland Trail, Mystery of the Dinner Playhouse, The V V Agency, The Back Wing, The Front Wing, Paradise Cort, Coronavirus Daze, and Old Detectives Home. Mike retired from the computer data storage industry to write full time. He's past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

Reviews

[Jerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

So corny, cliched, trite, cutesy, and far from scary - but I read it and enjoyed it anyway!

[3 no 7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Back Wing” by Mike Befeler is an entertaining and funny book. It is about people, people missing, people searching for them, and eventually people dead. The story is told from the point of view of Harold McCaffrey who moves into the back wing of the Mountain Splendor Retirement Home. A move like this is quite common for senior citizens, but this retirement home is far from common. McAffrey finds himself surrounded by retired vampires, witches, werewolves, and shape-shifters who live in the “back” wing of the center. This strange cast of characters takes it upon themselves to investigate the whereabouts of two front wing residents who have disappeared.

Befeler brings together a diverse cast of characters, both young and old, some typical and others very different. Readers easily accept the vivacity of the residents and their unusual circumstances and idiosyncrasies. This is a mystery book so, so people die, and there is blood, but the blood comes from vampires robbing the blood bank next door.

“The Back Wing” is easy to read, does not cause excruciating trauma–induced headaches, and yet has personality conflicts, intrigue, financial indiscretions, and murder. The unusual residents are perfectly crafted to amuse and puzzle readers. McAffrey’s grandson visits, so the worlds of otherretirees and teenagers intersect with ingenious outcomes. The interactions, the mystery, and the unusual story line combine to make an amusing, inventive, and entertaining book.

[Bonnie Ramthun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew vampires, witches and werewolves need nursing homes too? Such is the premise of The Back Wing, Mike Befeler's charming mystery set in the gorgeous Mountain Splendor Retirement Home in Golden, Colorado. Befeler, who writes the Retirement Home Geezer Lit series, takes a whimsical turn with The Back Wing. The main character, Harold McCaffrey, faces the difficult move into a retirement home with a mixture of dread and resignation, only to find himself accidentally assigned to the Back Wing where the residents sleep all day and stay awake all night. McCaffery must solve a disappearance that swiftly turns into murder, keep his bored teenaged grandson entertained during a week-long visit, deal with limping werewolves, forgetful vampires who lose their dentures, and a very attractive witch who can walk through walls. The jokes and the plot-twists keep coming until the satisfying finale. This is a fresh and unique take on paranormal mysteries and it's thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

i enjoyed this book, partly because my parents had lived in two different retirement facilities and partly because I have a 15 year old grandson....this "geezer lit" book brought the world of retirement & the world of teenagers together in a very creative way. I loved the characters in the Back Wing, definitely not your normal residents, but what an amazing group. Loved the interaction, mystery, characters, and the unusual story line. And, I will never look at a couch or sofa again without wondering....??!!!

[Toni Perreira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of the Paul Jacobson series of geezer lit and hoped to find the same enjoyment with this series. I didn’t. The premise sounded great but it never gelled for me. I listened to the audiobook and was not a fan of the voice the narrator chose to use for the main character. It reminded me of Harvey Fierstein and I didn’t like it for this character at all. I found the introduction of the nephew unnecessary and just added another annoying element. I doubt I’ll be reading the second book in the series.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange neighbors

What more can a reader ask for than an engaging mystery, a like able main character ( plus grandson), and unique neighbors. When Harold Mccaffrey moved into a nursing home, he thought it was a huge mistake. Until he met his neighbors, learned of missing residents, and became an amateur detective. This is a fun read filled with laughter and excitement. In all fairness it could use a little editing.

[Heatherinblack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery, a little too easy to solve

Great characters. I love they idea of the supernatural getting old and having to retire. I do not believe for a second that a 14 year-old buy is going to keep his adventures to himself. The series could end up with a “how can yet another murder happen in this place” problem. But we will see.

[Heli · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a paranormal geezer-lit mystery. Witches, vampires and shifters in a retirement home. My favorite of course was the couch shifter. What a great way to spend the day, eavesdropping people while they sit on you. There's a mystery, some detecting and bonding with grandson. Nice book.

[Judith Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book with interesting characters in need of an editor. It was often hard to understand who was speaking because the dialog did not conform to the rules for quote marks and spacing. I did enjoy the plot, characters, and setting, though

[JOANNE NUTTER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back wing

There was plenty to keep your mind wondering. I laughed and found myself routing for the back wing. Loved this book.

[Mhd]

[WBC rec ... kind of...]

[Saytchyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and funny, The Back Wing is a lighthearted paranormal mystery about Harold McCaffrey, a widower reluctantly moving to the Mountain Splendor Retirement Home, where otherworldly beings inhabit the facility's back wing.

When missing residents are discovered dead, suspicion naturally falls on the resident witches, vampires, and shape-shifters. But Harold and his witchy new love, Bella, set out to uncover the true villains.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like his book, The VV Agency, this is another supernatural mystery, but also includes the "geezer lit" theme that Befeler is well-known for. An enjoyable read, though his writing seems a bit more amateurish here--mainly, the internal dialog comes off as a bit stilted. Really enjoyed getting to know the characters in the book, though a little more depth in character development is called for. Sure hope he writes more in this series.

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book to read, a two-winged establishment with 'others' inhabiting the back building. But nothing about them even hinted at scary or spooky. Good mystery with a bit of a twist.