The Body in the Wake

Faith Fairchild #25

by Katherine Hall Page

Amateur detective and caterer Faith Fairchild is at her Penobscot Bay, Maine cottage preparing for a summer wedding, when she stumbles across . . . another body in this 25th entry in the beloved mystery series.

For the first time in years, Faith Fairchild has time for herself. Her husband Tom is spending days on the other side of the island using a friend’s enhanced WiFi for a project; their son, Ben, after his first year in college, is studying abroad for the summer; and their daughter Amy is working at the old Laughing Gulls Lodge, now a revamped conference center.

Faith is looking forward to some projects of her own. Her friend Sophie Maxwell is also spending the summer on Sanpere Island, hoping for distractions from her worries that she isn’t yet pregnant. And the daughter of Faith’s good friend Pix Miller is getting married to a wonderful guy . . . with a less-than-wonderful mother. Between keeping Sophie’s spirits up and Pix’s blood pressure down, Faith has her hands full.

And that’s before a body with a mysterious tattoo and connections far away from small Sanpere Island appears in the Lily Pond. Once again, Faith will get to the bottom of this strange case—and whip up a delicious blueberry buckle on the side.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Contemporary

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2019

About the author

Katherine Hall Page is the author of twenty-five previous Faith Fairchild mysteries, the first of which received the Agatha Award for best first mystery. The Body in the Snowdrift was honored with the Agatha Award for best novel of 2006. Page also won an Agatha for her short story “The Would-Be Widower.” The recipient of the Malice Domestic Award for Lifetime Achievement, she has been nominated for the Edgar, the Mary Higgins Clark, the Maine Literary, and the Macavity Awards. She lives in Massachusetts and Maine with her husband.

Reviews

[David Dowdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why on earth did I buy this book? I’m sure we all buy books for different reasons. There’s probably a nice, little essay in Psychology Today or The New Yorker that explains everything. Besides favorite authors and my TBR list, it’s often the cover. Bold title and thick, san serif font.

Upon reading the first chapter I was disappointed. It had none of the characteristics of a book that I would normally like except that it was a mystery. A too damned cozy of a mystery for me. I threatened to stop reading. One more blueberry muffin and I would be ready for a padded room.

So, I started to do some investigating of my own just like the amateur sleuth in the book. My first clue that this book shouldn’t have escaped the used bookstore in my hands was the title’s yellow font. The second clue was the title itself, The Body In The Wake.

I’m telling you I must have been out of my mind. My theory is that back in the bookstore I made a couple of serious errors. I’m thinking I saw the title as The Lady In The Wake and equated it to the noirish The Lady In The Lake by Raymond Chandler.

Nevertheless, I completed the book. Rarely do I not finish a book because that would be a waste. There’s not much to say about the book. The author gets credit for writing it. Writing is work. Getting back to the book’s excessive coziness, it’s probably something that a lot of people like and I won’t be judgmental.

Besides my tastes, though, for a mystery it was a bit lame. It takes place on an island in summer. I didn’t feel any sand in my teeth and while bad things are happening all around, the atmosphere just felt too pleasant. The climax wouldn’t have been felt in the loins of even the smallest of God’s creatures.

Whodunit? Me, your honor. I murdered my love of mysteries when I bought this book!

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a fan of this writer. Fun easy read. Keep your attention. Interesting characters. Food recipes. But not this one. It was a bit rambling and difficult to keep track of who what and where. Very disappointed.

[Mary (Biblophile) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed in this one. I've always like this series, but this one was boring and uninspiring. Not much of a mystery and too much ramblings about relationships. The plot, such as there was, seemed scattered.

[Kathy]

Absolute nonsense. Read a sample of this drivel before you believe the 5-star reviews.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Present Day. Sanpere Island, Maine. Katherine Hall Page’s The Body in the Wake (Faith Fairchild #25) is set in ‘the great state of Maine’, a favorite place of mine. The author’s characters in this mystery all love living in Maine in the summer. Some are locals, some summer there, and some are ‘from away’, but everyone gets along with one another except for two new residents who alienated neighbors and others by using a huge chainsaw so that they will have a clear view of the water, disregarding island environmental law as well as the privacy of their neighbors. The main event taking place this summer is Samantha and Zach’s wedding which is completely planned until Zach’s mother arrives. Samantha’s mom-in-law-to -be is thorn in everyone’s side attempting to change the wedding’s venue to Boston among other things upsetting all. Faith is looking forward to a relaxing Maine summer - no sleuthing until body #1 shows up. Then as in the real world, the opioid crisis takes hold in this small piece of paradise. The author weaves dealing with the troublesome in-law-to-be and the opioid crisis into an quite a mystery. 4 stars.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Body In The Wake
By
Katherine Hall Page

What it's all about...

If you are a reader of any Katherine Hall Page book you know that there is a lot of yummy food as well as a few recipes within its pages. The other great thing is that although she has written tons of books you can easily read any of her books out of order. I have not read one in a while and it was easy to step right into her latest one. In this book there are a few murders that are quite puzzling. But there is also an undercurrent of dangerous activity in this book that seems to focus on rampant drug use in a small beach town.

My thoughts after reading this book...

Faith and Sophie and their families are the backbone of this book. Faith is sort of like Jessica Fletcher...she always seems to either find a dead body or be around when one is discovered. And that’s the case here. Faith is a chef and is always working on amazing comestibles. Mackerel spread, amazing sandwiches, yummy salads, these are her specialties. There is a recipe for coleslaw as well as one for lobster rolls in the back of this book.

What I loved best...

This was a great cozy mystery...I loved Faith and Sophie and their families. I loved the surroundings. This book was a lovely breezy reading experience.

What potential readers might want to know...

Readers who love cozy mysteries and food should really enjoy this book.


I received this book from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my choice to read and review it.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This latest Faith Fairchild Mystery is another example of the author of a long established series feeling the need to keep pumping 'em out long after they have run out of ideas.

It is summer on Sanpere Island, Maine, and Faith and Pix are pretty much on their own, with their spouses elsewhere meeting work obligations. Pix's daughter, Samantha, is getting married, and her mother-in-law to be shows up wanting to change all the wedding plans to something more elaborate.

Also on the island is Sophie Maxwell, also temporarily on her own. Sophie's mother, Babs is called in to keep the overbearing mother of the groom busy so that she cannot interfere. Babs signs them up for a writer's course at an island resort.

Coincidences abound, and young Amy, Faith's daughter is working in the kitchen of the same resort. When the chef nearly OD's, Faith moves in to take over feeding the guests and gets to work side by side in a professional capacity with her daughter. Young Amy is growing up fast and determined to follow in her mother's footsteps.

The chef isn't the only one to fall under the effects of drugs. The maid of honour doesn't show up for the shower she is supposed to be hosting. Faith witnesses an unusual scene in the parking lot of the resort and finds a syringe tossed on the ground after a truck speeds off.

Pix has her own problems. A new neighbour clearcuts his land, and after Sam protests, he is accused of glueing the power saw to the floor of the shed and later burning the shed down. His work glove is found on the scene.

In spite of all the various problems going on around the island, this book is very slow moving and the resolutions to the problems just fizzle.

Reading this book is like dropping in on old acquaintances. Not much happens but it is nice to be kept up to date. I do not think that anyone who has not read the previous books would find it very interesting.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the first book I read in this series and I'm happy I requested it because I discovered a great series.
Even if there are a lot of books in this series I had no problems in understanding the plot and the characters.
I loved Faith, she likable and relatable, a strong and clever woman. The other characters other well developed and likable.
The plot was engaging, entertaining, and it kept me hooked till the last page.
The mystery was great, well developed and it kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to William Morrow and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this series. This is the 25th book in the series and I've read all of them. I've gotten attached to the characters. Faith Fairchild is the main character, along with her husband Tom. They have two kids who have "grown up" as the series has progressed and are now college and high-school age. Faith's best friend and neighbor is Pix Miller who has two or three kids also, and one of them gets married in this book!

This is another great entry to the series and deals with a timely subject matter. It was a nice quick read and as usual there are recipes in the back of the book. I might have to try making a blueberry buckle someday!

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faith and her husband Tom and daughter Amy are summering on Sanpere Island. Faith is busy spending time with her friends: Sophie, newly married, and Pix, whose daughter will soon be married. But several things mar this idyllic time, not the least of which is a dead body. Not known to the island’s inhabitants, the dead man is connected to another dead body through matching tattoos. Much of the enjoyment of the series comes from the interaction of the characters as they deal with the problems of day to day life, which soon become complicated by the unexplained deaths. Well written with a mystery to solve that almost takes a back seat to the characters lives, this book will stand alone, although to really understand the characters, readers should enjoy the series from the beginning.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been 100 pages ! She should’ve taken her own advice from a quote in the book by Elmore Leonard “ Try to leave out the things that readers Skip through “ it was too bad she didn’t ......

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read as always. CONGRATS to Katherine Hall Page on her 25th anniversary of writing and her 25th book. Was so nice to find a new book by her. Loved all the stories as she and her husband had small children and could really relate to the way their life was. Now the kids are grown and It has changed so much for them. New neighbors move in and lots of problems are starting with them. This book has a lot of mystery, murder, drug dealings and surprises and funny things too, when someone comes in town and tries to control her friends-- son's wedding plans. All in all the really evil people are found out regarding the drugs and murder and the police are notified in the nick of time. Thanks for the recipes too. Look forward to more books by KHP. (-:

[Canuck Mom of Three · Rating 1 out of 5]

After two long chapters, I'm normally either all in, or all out. In this case I am completely lost. The author has introduced a million characters, and their first names are swimming before me in a psychadellic whirl of many colors. Faith, Pix, Stephanie, Anne, Fairchilds, Daniel, Uncle Paul, Sam, Cameron, Drew, Sophie, Babs, Marge, Tom, Marilyn, Arlene, etc. etc. Who is who, how are they all related and who did what? It's all just too complex and I feel like giving up. The dead body is introduced amid all this confusion, but at this point I don't care enough about the dead body nor can I really sit back and focus on the mystery, since I am not even sure who is who. The only thing that seems really evident (at least so far) is that all the main characters are wealthy and problem free, happy, healthy, good looking and perfect people with wonderful relationships (need I add, they are also all white). So, quite a bland beginning. Update: Having skim-read through to the end, this book never did get any better. How does an author like this win any prizes? That is the real mystery here.

[Margaret Utsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is wonderful. The Body in the Wake is the twenty fifth book in the Faith Fairchild series and each one is well written! You really feel like you are catching up with old friends when you are reading this series.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Really more of a lecture than a mystery.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 This was a bit all over the place with more “message” than mystery.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Faith Fairchild mysteries for the now so familiar main character Faith Fairchild. Faith is a caterer and amateur sleuth. The settings are quintessential New England and the recipes that Faith prepares when not solving the latest murder, yummy! A light but enjoyable cozy!

[Joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was nice visiting with these characters again, but I found myself skimming a few times.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all the books in this series, some more than others - this is one of the less successful ones, but still worth reading if you like the series, or are a fan of cosy mysteries-with-food. (The recipes have always been something I could do without, and I cook a lot, but at least they usually sound edible, which is more than can be said for some other offerings in this genre!)
Part of the problem with long running series like this, set in small communities, is that the murder rate seems so high, and finding ways for "amateur sleuths" to get involved leads to many cliches. Katherine Page moves her settings around a bit, so that helps, and in this one none of the locals are killed. There's a lot of plot devoted to the opioid crisis in the US, so that makes the solution to the mystery fairly obvious.
Most of the characters have appeared in previous books in the series, which I like, though it means character development mostly happens to the youngest, such as Faith's daughter Amy, who is now 16 and working at her first summer job. This might make the book somewhat confusing for people who haven't read earlier books.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read a Faith Fairchild book in a while, and it was like catching up with old friends. Faith’s daughter Amy is working at the local resort as a chef. Faith’s friend, Pix, is alone most of the time for this summer, and is planning her daughter’s wedding. When the groom’s mother shows up, unannounced, totally self-absorbed, and planning to change all the plans, no matter what the kids want, the summer seems doomed. Top that with her new neighbors cutting trees and ruining their privacy and being disagreeable in the extreme, and Pix is not having a good time. The island is not the pleasant place it has been in the past; there is more tension, crime, and even drug problems. Mini lectures about the drug (opiod) problem are a little heavy-handed. While the problem is very real, I would have liked to see the information more integrated into the story line rather than feeling like mini-lectures. I still enjoyed the mystery and the characters were very entertaining.

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am completely at a loss, here. Reading along and then there's a sentence that is out of nowhere. The paragraph that begins by describing a hotel/conference center, then moves on to the main character's daughter working there, a sentence pops ups about the daughter's reading likes, (this has nothing to do with the paragraph's subject, but does include authors the daughter liked as a child, and then as an adult).
Then further on, in another chapter, where the subject is an upcoming wedding, and the dresses all the women would be wearing, one woman's husband walks in, makes a comment and she gets "exasperated, as always, for his lack of appreciation for any apples..." What??? First time apples were mentioned in the entire book...

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's nearing the end of summer, and Faith and company are on Sanpere Island. Pix's daughter will marry at the close of summer. Faith's daughter Amy secured a job as a sous chef at the island's resort. Faith's friend Sophie also vacations with them on the island. There's a bit of trouble with the neighbors. A body turns up. Prescription opiods figure prominently in the plot. Faith and her friends do less detecting than in other installments although sleuthing gets one of them into a spot of trouble. This installment falls a little flatter than most in the series. I received a copy through LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turns out, this is part of quite the long-running mystery series, but none-the-less, I found it easy to jump right in and get lost in the quirky characters and the rich Maine setting. I found the characters and their activities (catering, planning weddings, attending mystery writing classes, and more) to be more interesting than the actual murders, and really, at times, I forgot this was a mystery. I really enjoyed the down-to-earth protagonist and all her girl power sidekicks.

[Daniele · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this 25th entry in the long running series, being the 25th and all, but it was boring and had very little mystery. I have read the entire series and have loved Faith over the years, but this is probably the last book I will read in the series.

[Anna Amato · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty terrible. I started it Friday afternoon and gave up by Friday evening. Too much detail about the families on the island. I felt like I needed a genealogy chart about their connections and relations and believe me none of them were interesting enough to read about. You're on your own here.

[Bonney Teti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of fun; kind of meh.

[Marti Mart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to give 3 stars for sentimental reasons, but I think this series best days are behind it. Still has charm though.

[Nolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This left me wanting more—sadly, not in a good way. As a longtime fan of the series, I’m struggling to stay engaged, and this installment earns a reluctant two stars. Part of the issue lies with the narration, which pales compared to the brilliance of past NLS narrators like Mitzi Friedlander or Suzanne Toren. The current commercial narrator does an adequate job but lacks the spark that once brought these stories to life for me.

Set on a fictional island in Maine’s Penobscot Bay, the story finds Faith Fairchild hoping for a relaxing summer amidst preparations for Samantha Miller’s wedding. Faith’s daughter, Amy, now 16 and working for a chef, feels like a jarring leap from the placid toddler of earlier books I read just last week. Her son, Ben, is notably absent, grown and gone from the narrative.

True to form, Faith stumbles into trouble—literally pulling a dead biker from a pond with her friend Sophie Maxwell. The man sports a “LFDY” tattoo, hinting at “live fast, die young.” As bodies pile up, each marked with this four-letter tattoo, the mystery deepens. A parallel thread weaves in a young woman’s battle with opioid addiction, her inner thoughts raw and gripping, adding a poignant layer to the plot.

Memorable characters pepper the story. Samantha’s elitist mother-in-law pushes to move the wedding to “civilized” Boston, but the couple holds firm on their Maine island plans. Meanwhile, Sam’s parents, Pix and Sam Miller, clash with a chainsaw-wielding neighbor obsessed with clearing vegetation for a better view. When someone sabotages his chainsaw with glue and a fire later destroys his shed, suspicion falls on the Millers, stirring tension.

Despite these sparks, the plot drags like a Gregorian chant played at half-speed. The mystery feels formulaic, and the pacing fails to grip. With one more book in the series (read by the same narrator, alas), I’ll push through to say I finished, but my enthusiasm is waning. The Body in the Wake offers moments of emotional depth, especially around addiction, but it’s not enough to revive the magic of Faith’s earlier adventures.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy 25th Anniversary Ms. Page and Faith Fairchild. Faith is almost as dangerous to have around as Jessica Fletcher (TV series - Murder She Wrote.)

Faith, her minister husband Tom, and their daughter Amy are summering on Sanpere Island on Penobscot Bay. Tom is working on a book at an office away from their summer cottage. Teenager Amy is working as an apprentice in the kitchen of Sanpere Shores, a newly renovated resort on the island. Since Tom and Amy are busy in their own pursuits, Faith has time to relax with friends, some from the island and some from home who also summer at Sanpere. Faith’s one obligation for the season is to cater her friend Pix’s daughter’s wedding.

The ripples begin when Faith and friend Sophie find a body in Lily Pond. The victim’s unusual tattoo eventually links him to the illegal trade in opioids coming up the east coast. Then there is a second victim. Then Pix’s daughter’s soon to be mother-in-law swoops in to try to change the sweet island wedding into a society bash. This 25th installment offers various levels of drama: murders, wedding, extremely obnoxious & inconsiderate new neighbors, drugs, addiction. Recommended for fans and newbies to the series. Recipes included as always.

Readalikes:
Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mysteries; Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow mysteries; M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin mysteries; Joan Hess’ Claire Malloy mysteries; Carolyn G. Hart’s Death on Demand mysteries; Sarah Graves’ Home repair is homicide mysteries; Susan Wittig Albert’s China Bayles mysteries; Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Bear mysteries.

Pace: Leisurely paced
Characters: Well established through the series; amateur sleuth
Story: Character-driven
Writing style: Engaging
Tone: Atmospheric; strong sense of place
Frame: Sanpere Island, Penobscot Bay ME; contemporary
Theme: Vacation interrupted

[Nancy]

Appearances. . .

A sad, strange coincidence. . .that's Dr. Kacey Lambert's initial response to the deaths of two women who bear an uncanny resemblance to herself. It's not like there was any real connection between Kacey and the B-movie actress or the elementary school teacher. But Detective Selena Alvarez suspects otherwise.

Can Be. . .

One of the bodies contained traces of poison at the time of death. Selena and her partner, Detective Regan Pescoli, can find no motive for murder. But Kacey has started to notice ties between the dead women's lives and her own--all close in age, born within miles of each other. And all have links to Trace O'Halleran, the man Kacey just started dating.

Deadly. . .

The deeper Kacey digs, the more reason she has to fear. More look-alikes are dying, and the killer is getting bolder and more brutal. And Kacey knows it's only a matter of time before hers is the next name on a list of those who were born to die.

Good.