The Off-Islander

An Andy Roark Mystery #1

by Peter Colt

In Peter Colt's gritty, gripping new series set along the New England coast, a Boston-born Vietnam veteran and P.I. is hired to find a missing father--but may find far more than he bargained for . . .

Boston, 1982. Private investigator Andy Roark has spent the past decade trying to rediscover his place in the world. In Vietnam, there was order and purpose. Everything--no matter how brutal--happened for a reason. Back home, after brief stints in college and with the police force, Roark has settled for a steady, easy routine of divorce and insurance fraud cases.

Roark's childhood friend, Danny Sullivan, dragged himself out of blue-collar Southie to become a respected and powerful lawyer. Now he wants Roark to help one of his clients with a sensitive request. Deborah Swift, wealthy wife of an aspiring California politician, is trying to trace her father, last seen on Cape Cod, who walked out on her and her mother long ago. Other investigators have turned up nothing, but Roark's local connections might give him an edge.

The case takes Roark to the island of Nantucket, tranquil in its off-season, and laden with picturesque charm. Yet even here, on the quaint cobblestoned streets and pristine beaches, Roark's finely honed senses alert him to danger just below the surface. Nothing is quite as it seems. And the biggest case of Roark's career may just shatter what little peace of mind he has left . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Noir, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

232 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

Peter Colt is currently a police officer in a small New England city where he has worked since 2007. He spent over twenty years in the Army reserve and was deployed to Kosovo in 2000, where he was attached to the Russian Army. He was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and again in 2008. He was fortunate to get to know many Vietnam vets and U.S. Army Special forces soldiers. He lived on Nantucket Island from 1973‑1986. He’s currently working on the next Andy Roark mystery.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Roark is just a guy doing the best he can. A stint in Vietnam left him a changed man & after a short career as a cop, he decided it would be better to work for himself as a PI. So he picks & chooses low level cases that support his simple life.

Andy & best friend Danny Sullivan grew up in the tough area of Boston known as Southie. While Andy went off to war, Danny went to college & became a successful lawyer. So what if most of his clients are of the “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” variety. He’s living the high life, baby & he’s got a job for his old pal.

Deborah Swift is a wealthy woman whose husband is a rising political star. When she was a child, her father went out for cigarettes & never came back. He was last seen a decade ago around Cape Cod & she needs someone to find out what became of him. Discretely. God forbid he pop back up during the election & cause a scandal.

Discretion is Andy’s middle name & not only will it give him a break from cheating spouses, it means a huge payday. All he has to do is hand over his findings to Danny & collect the cheque. Deal.

Ah, if only it were that simple. Andy’s search for Charles Hammond eventually leads him to Nantucket & it’s not long before he realizes there is more to Hammond’s story than he was told.

What follows is a well written slow burn kind of suspense with a moody, noirish feel. Initially there’s this vague sense of unease, something you can’t quite put your finger on, that makes you want Andy to watch his back. He’s a compelling character with a firm code of ethics who would rather do what’s right instead of what’s legal.

The book is set in 1982 & reflects the culture of the time. Vietnam vets still hesitate to mention they fought & no one has heard of PTSD. Andy’s scars are invisible & he’s carefully curated a solitary existence that helps him cope with the psychological tics he brought home. He & Danny are polar opposites. They’re bound by their shared childhood history & I found myself wondering if they’d be friends if they met now. Because Danny is kind of a dick. Mind you, he has a few things on his plate. Life as a mob lawyer can be a little stressful & as his behaviour becomes more erratic you begin to question why this case matters so much.

I really enjoyed this. The search for Hammond has plenty of forks in the road to challenge your detective skills but it’s time with Andy that kept me reading. He’s a good man with flaws who is just trying to find his place in a world that doesn’t always make sense. He’s struggling to figure out who he is now & over the course of the story you watch as he slowly accepts that maybe you really can’t go home again.

The pace picks up for the last quarter as all is revealed including the darker sides of Andy’s character. It’s a case that makes him face some hard truths & I’d like to meet up with him again to see where he goes from here. If you enjoy the style of authors such as Robert B. Parker, Douglas Skelton & Malcolm Mackay, give this a shot.

[Ernie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have added Peter Colt to my list of favorite authors. Really intriguing story line and vivid descriptions. I became totally immersed in the story. You need a warm fire and a cup or black coffee. Whiskey optional.

[Karen Albamonti]

This book cried out for an editor! It was incredibly repetitive:

- If I had to read the phrase "the woman with the honey-colored hair" one more time I thought I'd scream.
- Repetition throughout. For example, Page 4: "He [Danny] feels guilty that I went to Vietnam and he didn't" Page 33: "In the end, I think he [Danny] felt guilty that I went to Vietnam and he didn't."
- Luckies and liquor, liquor and Luckies. Over and over and over again. I'm surprised he wasn't dead from lung cancer or cirrhosis by Page 25.
- So we have to get a rundown of everything he eats? You're not Spenser, and you never will be.
- "I felt like Philip Marlowe or Humphrey Bogart." One's a fictional character, one's a real person. Make up your mind.
- No one in your world uses contractions? Everybody in the book speaks the same way: "You are what I have been looking for," rather than "You're what I've been looking for." You're not Damon Runyan, either.
- And don't get me started on paragraphs and paragraphs about his experiences in Vietnam. Poor girl asks a question, gets a dissertation.

There's a story in there somewhere, clawing to get out.

[Maureen DeLuca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book. But that is about it. It reminded me of -- "See Spot. See Spot run. " and then "Spot stopped running " yes, it was THAT bad. Other than that I enjoyed it ;-)

[Victoria McVicker · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this had been any longer than its 224 pages, I would not have finished. The writing was incredibly juvenile…like “see Spot run” juvenile. The actual story and plot without all the unnecessary filler might have taken 75 pages. Sentences like, “I put a Lucky in my mouth and lit it.” That sentence can probably be found at least ten times in this book. Here is another perfect example: “I pulled open the dark, wide-plank door by its wrought-iron handle. I stepped inside into a low, dark, narrow hallway.” WTH.

Never again with this author.

[Annalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book doesn't read in the way I expected of a mystery, but it isn't bad. I'd say about 40% of it is traveling, eating, New England pride. Which is actually pretty interesting. I enjoyed the scenery and the way the setting is almost a character of it's own. 40% is Vietnam War related flashbacks, stories, dreams, etc. This part is actually fascinating. It builds the character well and gets into the mind of a veteran in a way I think is beneficial for people to hear. Then about 20% is the mystery unfolding. The first 150 pages are a bit slow and meandering. They take time with those other subjects but are still interesting, then the last pages pick up momentum fast and result in an ending I didn't quite see coming and was surprisingly emotional about. While reading it I was never sure what to make of it and in the end I've decided I like it. Some parts were a tad too much. Like so much commentary on the appearance of women and of food eaten. In some capacity this works like a unique restuarant or some women to show his character, but it is just done a little too much. All in all I did really enjoy it though. I'd probably read the next. It had a uniqueness and I'm glad I read it and stuck with it.

[Melody Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Off–Islander – Peter Colt

Private Investigator Andy Roark is a bit of a loner, grabbing divorce and cheating spouse cases to make a living. He’s Boston raised, and Vietnam bred and just doesn’t quite fit in with society any longer. Used to a purpose for everything, he struggles with PTSD in a world he sees with no order. Andy’s closest friend is Danny Sullivan, his childhood buddy and now successful attorney, who calls Andy with a missing person’s case. A wealthy client in San Francisco is looking for the father who disappeared many years ago. With her husband making a Senate run, she wants to ensure there will be no surprises forthcoming from the past.

Andy flies to the west coast and meets with Deborah Swift. There he learns of her father, Charlie Hammond, also a war vet, who headed out for a pack of cigarettes one evening, never to return to his family. Despite her hiring Pinkerton detectives, his trail ran cold, and Andy may her last hope. Pinkerton was able to learn that several checks from the VA were sent to Hyannis MA before they stopped altogether. She and Danny are hopeful that as a Boston ‘insider’ he’ll discover things that others cannot.

Intrigued, Andy takes the case. Upon visiting the address where the checks were delivered, he discovers an old woman who used to run a commune of sorts on her property. After speaking with her and learning of her youthful exploits and the many vagrant visitors she had back in the day, he’s intrigued by her explanations and her inability to remember if Charlie Hammond had ever been one of them. When he takes his leave, he does a bit of snooping and finds a pretty sophisticated camera system, and evidence of drug dealing. What seemed like a dead end is suddenly much more interesting.

As Andy keeps digging and gets ever closer to his prey, he inadvertently raises the ire of others, and strange things start happening. A shove out of nowhere that launches him off of a hillside, a very close call or two in the woods, and an unexpected (well, perhaps in retrospect it was to be expected) ending, will keep the pages turning deep into the night, and the mystery lover satisfied!

The book started off a bit slow for me, but then took off like a rocket. The characters are engaging - though at times difficult to like – and the backstories into their lives serve to help us understand why they are who they are for this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed Andy’s character and really hope to see him continue to develop and grow in future novels! Here’s hoping!!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective (if not very, very overdue) review.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a solid 3 1/2 stars. Set in 1982 in New England. Andy Roark is a Vietnam vet and those violent experiences have changed him and made him who is today. He lives in Boston and after the war he tried policing, but has since given it up. Now he is a private detective. One of his oldest friends from Southie has grown up to be a lawyer - a lawyer who handles crime families. He is well paid, but is beholden to the underworld he services. He sends work Andy's way. One day he calls Andy and asks him to take a job for a woman in California whose husband is planning on running for political office. The woman wants Andy to find her father, who was a Korean vet who ran out on her family when she was a child. She wants him found, dead or alive, in order to make sure there aren't any scandals in her past that might affect her husband's aspirations. Her previous private detectives traced him from the west coast to New England before they lost the trail. She thinks Andy might have more luck since he is a war vet and he is local. Thus begins his search. He traces the wayward father to Nantucket, but has to rely on his instincts to make the final leaps. Meanwhile his updates to his lawyer friend become increasingly unpleasant. He knows that his friend is under some kind of pressure, but his angst is getting out of proportion to Andy's reports to him. While trying to figure out what is going on Andy finds a link to an aging hippie commune on the island. Things get dangerous as he hones in on the father. Finally, the dominoes fall and Andy realizes he is in great danger. He relies on his soldier training to survive.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. It was dreadful. The book is set in 1982. Andy Roark is a Vietnam Vet who is a private detective now working for his attorney friend who has mob ties but is trying to go straight.

There is so much wrong with this book, in my opinion, I'm just going to make a list.

The author has done research on the Vietnam War and dumps facts, facts, facts into his book, willy-nilly without a point or advance to the story or insight into Roark's character.

The author has gotten 1982 all wrong with regard to technology, news, fashion and air travel.

The author spends more time trying to make Roark a "real" private eye similar to those written about in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and telling us Roark was just like these people than he does telling a story.

Almost nothing is tied up at the end and even what IS tied up is so sloppy and contrived I threw the book across the room.

There must be hundreds of references to Roark's sports car. Sure Roark is in the car a lot but it's not necessary to mention the model every single time he climbs on in. I love cars, but come on.

Roark smokes, drinks and eats more than he follows clues. He probably has a better chance of dying from lung cancer, a bad liver or a heart attack than old age at this rate.

The author makes it clear that Roark suffers from PTSD but not anywhere does the author provide resources for people with PTSD to seek help.

There is one line in the book from Andy Roark that is the only reason I rated this book one star. I'll paraphrase: The bookstore is my church. Oh yes.

Skip this book.

[David Freas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this story.

I liked Andy Roark, the main character, but thought he used his experiences in Vietnam too much as a crutch to explain erratic behavior. What Colt wrote was realistic and probably on-target for what real people experienced serving over there and after they came home. But I think Colt’s use of it was a bit heavy handed.

I never really got a firm sense of when this book was set. There is only one definite reference to the year (which I had to go back and look for). Other than that, only brief mentions of cultural touchstones keep the reader connected to the time when the book is set, and that’s not enough.

The story itself – the search for the missing father of the wife of a political candidate – was engaging even with Colt’s somewhat plodding writing style. He had to tell us step by step how Andy got from here to there and tell us every time he got dressed what comprised his usual attire. Andy pretty much trots along for most of the story but doesn’t really get anywhere. Then he gets the clue that breaks the case wide open and the story is a mad sprint to the finish.

When Andy discovers that clue, Colt doesn’t tell us how he found it, just that he did. It left me (and I’m guessing some other readers) wondering what tripped him to it. On the plus side, it leads to a somewhat surprising (but not unexpected) twist.

I’ll read more of these books if they come my way, but I can’t say I’ll actively hunt for them.

[Marty Solotki · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: outdated racist language regarding Asian peoples.

I love hard-boiled noir and this introduction to New England gumshoe and Vietnam vet, Andrew Roark, was a humdinger. Roark has struggled to fit in for a decade, since returning home from the war, and has finally settled on the life of a private eye: he can be his own boss, and work simple cases that will ensure he doesn’t get shot at.

That is, until he does a job for his high-profile defense attorney pal, Danny Sullivan: help a wealthy California socialite find her long-missing father, a struggling vet of Korea.

There’s a lot of interesting monologuing about PTSD, and despite being written in the 2010s, it has a solid grasp of the 1980s view of soldiers and the American opinion of their trying to adapt back to civilian life.

Keith Sellon-Wright is an amazing narrator, with a great delivery where Roark’s anger or frustration is conveyed even in something as simple as announcing the next chapter. A fully immersive experience that draws you into an intriguing slow-burn mystery that concludes with both an explosive climax and shocking denouement. Despite having a LOT of moving parts, Peter Colt ties this tale up like an expert. A must-listen!

[David Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of the series. The story takes place along the New England coast. This story is about a Boston born Vietnam veteran who got out of the military, went into the Boston police force. He found he didn’t like care for the way the police department was managed, tried college, didn’t care for it. He becomes a Private Investigator and settles for a steady routine job of divorces and insurance fraud cases.
His best friend during his childhood, Danny Sullivan, a powerful lawyer, has Andy help one of his clients try to find her father. The client is Deborah Swift, the wife of an aspiring California politician, try to track her father. He walked out on her and her mother a long time ago. The closer Andy gets to finding this mystery man, more people seem to want him dead. I am not going to get into the storyline any further other than to say, it is a book that is very interesting and hard to put down. I can’t wait to get the next book in the series.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Roark is looking for Charlie Hammond because his daughter is concerned that he might pop up and cause problems for her husband's political campaign. Reset your brain to 1982 because that's th year Colt has chosen to start what might be a series. Roark is a Vietnam veteran with PTSD so know that there will be references to that conflict. He's also struggling to make a living doing small time PI work while his childhood friend Danny Sullivan is a big time attorney, who, has sent him this job. Set in Boston, Cape Cod, and Nantucket, this has good area atmospherics. Roark's a good tortured hero with smarts, the mystery evolves logically, and it's well written. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Off-Islander follows a private investigator named Andy Roarke who is also a Vietnam veteran. He is tasked with searching for the runaway father of a prominent woman. Needless to say the search doesn't go as planned and involves many unexpected encounters and relationships.

While I didn't enjoy this book, there are aspects that others may truly enjoy. It is heavily laden down with images and scenes from Vietnam but they add to the complexity of the Andy Roarke character. It is also a very descriptive book throughout. If you are looking for an easy read, than this is one you should check out.

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway from Kensington Publishing Group. This book is the first in a new Andy Roark series and comes out 09/24/2019.

The Off-Islander was a decent book, just not a type of book that I enjoyed reading but others might. Private investigator and Vietnam Vet, Andy Roark is tasked with finding the runaway father of a wealthy and prominent woman. Andy's case doesn't go as planned and is not quite exactly what he thought in searching for a fellow veteran.
This book was an easy read and the case moved quickly throughout the book and kept me turning pages. This era of the book was just not something I enjoy reading but would definitely interest others.

[Pat G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I could have moved at a slightly faster pace for me but that is my only complaint. The descriptions and setting the scene are brilliant. I can almost feel the cold rain of Nantucket Island while reading this book.
Andy Roark is asked to find a missing person by his friend since childhood lawyer Danny Sullivan. The missing person is the father of the wife of an aspiring politician. She wants to know if her father is dead or could possibly cause trouble later on. The missing man left a long time ago. Roark has a suspicion more information could be found on Nantucket Island. Interesting read and I would read another of Peter Colt's books.

[Tom Stadler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ultimately disappointing, a good premise but bogs down in continual rehash of main character's Vietnam experience. More importantly he isn't a very good detective, even when something as obvious as getting pushed off a bluff happens, he just shrugs it off. While I'm willing to accept people change as they age, unless they've made serious efforts to change their appearance you should be able to recognize them from an old picture, but he can't. Then there is all the sitting around in bars and restaurants consuming unbelievable amounts of booze, that alone would make it hard to detect anything. The fact that he succeeds in the end while once again drunk is borderline absurd.

[Mel Brannen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a Philip Marlowe-type PI mystery. Typical scenes read, “I opened a door made of oak planks and walked down into a bar that would have to do a lot of work to move up to being a dive bar. The bartender was a fat man with a patch of thinning dark hair, a mean little mouth, and a chambray work shirt.”

Best friends from South Boston grow up and make it out of the tenements. One college then law school, the other Viet Nam, Boston PD and now a PI. They’re still best friends when the lawyer asks the PI to take a missing persons case.

Action takes place in Boston, Cape Cod and Nantucket.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me realize what good writers do that this guy can’t. When they describe, it fills in a picture that the reader has in his head, and then adds dialogue. It does not describe everything down to the flavor of the cigarette. If he had taken half of that out, it wasn’t a bad book. There were superfluous people in there … woman he takes to bed, and then she leaves because he’s too crazy or his job is too crazy is just filler. Too many coincidences. Too much of everything except a totally coherent plot.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book in this series, The Off-Islander takes place in beautiful New England in 1982 with a Vietnam vet private investigator with an old school charm. Andy Roark has his issues since returning from the war, being a cop didn’t work out so he became a PI with a small office and caseload. His childhood buddy refers him to a woman that want her missing father tracked down after walking out on the family in 1968. The case takes him to Cape Cod and Nantucket Island, which I love but Peter Colts writing and details throughout were the high points for me, whiskey and all!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and enjoyable book provides an engaging story in the style of times past. Strong characters and interesting storyline will provide readers answers to questions as well as a worthwhile and satisfying reading experience. Recommended 5 star read.

My thanks to goodreads and this book's giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain an advance readers copy of this book. This reader looks forward to the next book in this series.

[Jo-Ann Houde · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Took a chance on on unknown author and new mystery series set in Boston and Nantucket in the 1980's. Lots of throwback references to Vietnam and books and music of the times. I found it to be a quick, enjoyable read with lots of character development and buildup, but I thought it unfolded too quickly at the end for my preference. Good read, and I'll look to read the 2nd book in the series, Back Bay Blues, Sept. 2020.

[Jenn Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of all over the place, but I enjoyed the read. It's a fast read, but the story itself is slow-paced, if that makes sense. I think around 1/4 of the book actually had to do with the investigation/case and the rest was descriptions of Boston/the Cape/Nantucket, what Andy is eating/drinking, the attractive women he sees.

Read because I have an eARC of the next in the series and even though you can probably read them standalone I wanted to do my due diligence.

[Corny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two thirds of this book are extraordinarily boring. Descriptions of everything the protagonist wore where he carried his gun, what he had for each meal, I could go on. Repetitive, going nowhere etc. I felt that the author was trying to channel Ross McDonald and his wonderful detective Lew Archer. He failed.
The last third of the book saved it somewhat. Although ridiculously contrived, at least there was some interesting action and plot twists. I would give this a pass.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Andy Roach series, about a Vietnam vet plagued by flashbacks who has become a private detective. A pretty interesting character, he is sent to the Cape and Nantucket to try and track someone down. Maybe a little too much exposition and back story but still a pretty fast and interesting read. We don't have to have the main characters entire life story in the first book! But it was good enough I'm anxious to get to the next book in the series, Back Bay Blues.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in Rhode Island for over 70 years, I just had to start reading this series. The Rhode Island landmarks mentioned were all familiar to me, (especially liked the Aunt Carries reference) and overall this was a very good read. As a fan of the late Robert Parker's Spenser series, I really loved the humor and attitude of Andy Roark and could see how they would have paired well together. A nice read and a must read for Rhody residents.

[Jackie Martello · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story just slowly and pleasantly plods along until the last hour and then it EXPLODES! The last hour of the audiobook makes the entire book, so if you read this book please stay the course to the end. The audiobook is expertly narrated and adds to the story that is written with great atmosphere.

Quote from the protagonist: “I am hard to live with and apparently easy to live without”.

It’s a slow burn, but a very enjoyable book!

[Debbie Schiedel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the plot was a little slow in developing, I enjoyed the very easy to read style of the prose.The characters and descriptions were rich in detail. I especially liked the stories of Vietnam which added so much to the authenticity and understanding of Andy Roarke. ( Just please do not say Ghia, again.)

[Craig Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A relatively simple private investigator story. The characters are well developed and interesting. There are enough people being investigated that the reader would have fun thinking about who is involved and why. A good read at the beach book.

[Jerry Peace · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Mr. Co!t wants to write a Vietnam war novel, he should. And if he wants to write a p.i. book, he should. But this book is a mess. Even alternating chapters- Vietnam and missing person- might have worked. But plot and characterization are lightweight. Mea culpa obsession is lazy and the minutia of clothes and food and drink gets tiresome.