Murder On The Oregon Coast

O'Toole and Starker Murder Mysteries #1

by G.A. Cockerham

The normally peaceful southern Oregon coast has its tranquility shattered by more than winter storms - in this case murder. In these first three short stories of the series, Police Detectives O'Toole and Starker use their intellect, experience and drive to bring more than one killer to justice. O'Toole's relatives and Starker's haunted past present life problems and tragedies that make the characters real, leaving the reader with a desire to follow their lives beyond the book's cover. Whether it's the discovery of a dead medical doctor on the bank of the Chetco River, or an unexpected witness that turns a previously closed case of suicide into a current murder investigation, the reader will find it hard to put this book down.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

172 pages, Paperback

Published July 19, 2017

About the author

G. A. Cockerham lives on the southern Oregon coast with husband Bruce. She is a retired financial advisor and insurance broker. The first three books of the O'Toole/Starker Oregon coast murder mystery series were featured in the fall, 2019 issue of Southern Oregon Magazine. The fourth book in the series, Murder Takes All, was published in 2020. Murder at Macklyn Cove, number five in the series, was published in October of 2021!

Reviews

[Calla Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting light reading

Police procedural in a small town, detective story with brilliant deductive work. The setting along the southern Oregon coast is part of the charm of the three short stories that are collected as one volume. I did have to set aside my skepticism that Brookings could afford the salaries of 2 detectives and a supervisor, as well as the veritable crime spree that 3 murders would be here, but the flip flop bank robber woven into another murder investigation was fun. An enjoyable read, and not so gruesome as to cause a citizen to be afraid, or visitors to look over their shoulders. Enjoyable main characters with lives outside the office, too. Unfortunately, there's no doughnut shop nearby or in Brookings, so I imagine the detective stopped by Freddie's (grocery store with bakery) on his way to the office!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was included in the box of books I receive monthly from the Chetco (aka Brookings, OR) library! The title alone lured me in and the Southern Oregon & extreme Northern California settings did not disappoint! I knew almost every scene and place so meticulously described, which made for piquant reading! The book consists of three consecutive short novelettes which each contain a mystery to be solved by the Brookings PD, specifically the detective team of Patty O'Toole & Rick Starker, late of Boston PD. It certainly wins in terms of uniqueness of place and in letting the reader visualize the surroundings.
From those high points, it does descend quite a bit. The plots of the three stories are pretty solid, if somewhat far-fetched, especially the last one involving a trip for the team to Little Rock, AR! In fact, the book is riddled with unlikely coincidences that could only be found in a book and not in real life!
It also contains significant fails in the details of private lives of the main characters. First and foremost, consider the outmoded names the author gives to the young people through-out the book: Becky, Kelly, Tiff, Robbie & Sally. Really? In 2017?! I could let the names slide as they're tricky, especially now when anything goes! But what is far more glaring are the "conversations" that Patty has with her adolescent daughter, Becky. The discussion they had about the drugs at a party sounded to be perfectly scripted by a Public Service Announcement, circa 1983! The author clearly needs to chat with some real, modern-day teenagers!
Last but not least, was the very disturbing and nonchalant way in which a police officer is shown pulling a hand gun on a barking dog! The author states that her husband, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, assisted her with police procedures and protocols, so I have to believe this kind of scenario is not that uncommon. While I am not a fan of recalling guns across the board, neither do I approve of such casual and inappropriate use.
All-in-all, this is an interesting foray into crime as it might play out in a very specific locale.

[Bruce Mendelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife and I spend a lot of time on the Southern Oregon Coast. If you are ever in the area, I recommend that you stop in to Gold Beach Books and Art Galley. A great coffee shop, book store and art gallery all in one place. They have a section with books by local authors. This book by G.A Cockerman caught my eye. It contains 3 short murder mysteries. They are all set on the Southern Oregon Coast and describe the local scenery and establishments very well. They are entertaining, simple stories that catch the local flavor well. They are quick reads; a nice way to spend an hour or two while also enjoying the crashing waves of the Pacific, or the local scenery in your area.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was for sale at a Brookings diner, so that's how I got exposed to it. It was fun to read a book that takes place in Brookings, but this is definitely a very simple story. Actually, there are three different cases. There's really no mystery involved in any of them. The first suspect who comes along is guilty in each case. There's no suspense. Mostly, it seems this book is to set up the relationship between the two detectives. I greatly appreciated that Cockerham feels no need to use any profanity, nor did she use any sleazy, chintzy material. Lastly, no social political agendas - just the story. Those bits were a breath of fresh air.

[Donna Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A true beginning to the author honing her craft. The The 3 short stories are a little elemental as a beginning writer following a formula and writing about what she knows. Stories read not only as a murder mystery but also like a travel log of Brookings, Oregon. Each story wraps up very tidy however the third story had a little more depth and mystery to it. All of that said, it was an enjoyable read. I will explore G.A.Cockerham's novels that followed her book of short stories, again with the main characters being detectives O'Toole and Starker.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder on the Oregon Coast was more of a collection of short stories rather than a full murder mystery book. Whereas the stories were good, the book lacked sparkle. In my opinion, the characters needed more depth. Considering this is the 1st book in the series, more pizzaz was needed to bring readers back to read more. I will read the next one to see if there is any improvement in character development. Honestly, my 3 stars were generous.

[Terry Throop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a great read

This collection of three short stories is a quick read, but not very satisfying. The prose is flat, with little descriptive material or intrigue. The plots are simple and solutions come quickly. The book would have benefited from better editing and closer proof reading.
I'm not going to bother to read the sequel.

[Judy Davey · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I am familiar with the Oregon Coast, that made this book extra enjoyable to read. It’s a fun cozy I would recommend to anyone to enjoy.

[kathey loftis · Rating 5 out of 5]

kept my interest

Interesting story lines. Good flow into the next story. Kept me guessing who was guilty. Will definitely seek out other books by this writer.

[Sally Trabulsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really impressed with this one, which in the ebook I read turned out to have #1 and 2 in the series. Lightweight and short, both of them. Or maybe it was just 2 short stories. I found them to be very lightweight.