Black Bear Alibi

Rockfish Island Mystery #1

by J.C. Fuller

A small island with big lies...Welcome to Rockfish Island.Philip Russell, a U.S. Park Ranger for a small island in the Pacific Northwest has stumbled across a dead body in the woods. Unsure if the dead woman is a local or someone from the mainland, the new female sheriff is called in to find out if the community has anything to fear. Eager to help solve the mystery, both instantly find themselves at odds with each other. Philip, defending the people he's known his whole life, and Sheriff Lane, giving no one the benefit of the doubt...not even Philip. Together the investigation progresses and both quickly realize that on this sleepy island not everyone is who they pretend to be...and possibly, one of their fellow islanders is a killer.Read the first book in the Rockfish Island Mysteries Series followed by The Push, False Findings and Within The Pines!

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Book Club

479 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 11, 2019

About the author

J.C. Fuller is a PNW author living in Washington state who loves all things mystery, especially thrillers and whodunits. She loves sharing her imagination with readers and has written her first psychological thriller, Safe to Assume. She also has a cozy thriller whodunit series known as The Rockfish Island Mysteries, the first of which is Black Bear Alibi. She is looking forward to continuing this series while working on additional standalone thrillers.

Reviews

[Angela Liempt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story took me back to the days of Murder she Wrote and Matlock. It was a great murder mystery with a surprise ending and plot twists along the way. Looking forward to reading more in the series!

[Jennifer Sebring · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read, from page one we are given a mystery with tension and the stakes are high. The new Sheriff in town is female and has a lot to prove to the citizens of Rockfish island. She takes no prisoners and isnt afraid to get her hands dirty to do so. Her sidekick Phil is a Ranger whom finds the body and he too has something to prove not only to himself but to the Sheriff. This book was a page turner for me. I devoured it in one day.

[Kim Seay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this story! A small town mystery where you suspect everyone! All the cozy vibes and it kept me guessing the whole time! I must add that the character development was done really well too! Highly recommend this cozy mystery!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great small town mystery where everyone is a suspect. I enjoyed the writing it wasn't too corny and the main characters weren't annoying. A big feat in this genre. A couple weird remarks about the FMCs physique in the beginning but it leveled out quickly. I had a lot of fun this book needs some attention I'm excited to continue on.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything a thriller needs. The tension between main characters. The suspense of who done it mystery. The banter between the main characters Lane and Phil were great. I did predict some, but not all and still recommended highly! The concept in general was impressive.

[Jaclyn Prestidge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dumb name & to be honest there’s not a whole lot of twist in this book but DAMN I ate this one up. I was questioning everybody 🤣

Short chapters & a super fast murder mystery. Highly recommend.

[Brittany James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this author before and I'm not even sure how I came across this book but I'm glad I did because I really ended up enjoying it!

[Sammie Pechkurow · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOWOWOW!!!!!

This book was so good. I love a good murder mystery where everyone has a motive and this was just that.

I was shocked by the final reveal & definitely cannot wait to continue this series!!

[Audrey Finchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen...first off, I need to say mystery/thrillers are my favorite genre. I am the reader who is trying to figure out the killer as early in the book as possible. This book was totally different. I wasn't trying to figure out who did it until toward the end of the book! I was enjoying the ride way too much. The banter! The twists! Hattie! All the townsfolk made me want to live there. The book is fast-paced with short chapters. I highly recommend it. You will laugh and be swept away to a little island in the PNW.

[Jeff Beesler · Rating 5 out of 5]

JC Fuller has brought the characters of Rockfish Island to life. They almost seem like every day people I could run into, though with what happens in this mystery, I'd probably try to avoid one or two of them. Great story!

[René Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was right about thr murderer and the motive! However it wasn't easy to solve, kept you guessing right up to the last chapter.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a series of four. It is a suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing. I couldn't put it down.

[Jessica Fousek · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book really kept me guessing! The book is about a girl getting murder in national park that is on little island with 1,000 people in town. And this nee sheriff just got the assignment the murder happens. She meets with a park ranger. They become a teak that go on a wild chase to track down the murder.

[Nicole Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A park ranger finds the body of a young woman mauled by a bear. Except the bear didn’t kill her…so who did? An out of town sheriff pairs up with the local park ranger to solve the crime. The story kept me guessing for a good while before I did guess who did it. Enjoyed this one.

*Available on Kindle Unlimited

[Ana (_ana.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars!

A classic whodunit with small town secrets, steady pacing, and plenty of suspects to keep you guessing. I enjoyed the atmosphere and mystery, even if it didn’t completely blow me away. Still, it’s a solid pick for anyone who loves traditional murder mysteries with that cozy but sinister feel.

[Kathleen W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read! Kept me guessing throughout. Great story!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down!

[Mary Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great murder mystery. Great characters. Surprise ending. Will continue on with the series. Rockfish Island Mystery . 📕

[Marissa Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exciting mystery from chapter 1! J.C. Fuller draws you in to her small town mystery and you’re able to meet all the town locals through the eyes of the new-to-town sheriff. I loved being able to guess and theorize along with the characters and it felt IMPOSSIBLE to put down! I’m so glad there are 3 more books in the series so I don’t have to say goodbye to this setting or the characters yet!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good read.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the mystery, but the main character, Lane was so basic. She was also annoying and flat as a character. All I know about her is that she’s obviously white and blonde and not much else. I didn’t like her. She’s a terrible investigator with absolutely no instincts and terrible hunches. No charisma. No charm. Her entire career and her ambition is centered around her brothers, i.e. men. She unfortunately compares herself to her brother’s and also measures her successes by their’s. Like why??? It was disappointing. There’s also no mention of her mother unless I missed it which is very odd.
Phillip was an interesting character, and had better investigative skills than Lane in my opinion.
It would be nice to see a black or brown girl in some of these mystery novels. I know the author is white and may have a hard time writing a character who isn’t white, but but I’d like to see more inclusive representation….oh well.

[Jacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of YA fantasy books so this one was something new for me. I wouldn't call it a cozy mystery because the crime scene has a lot of gore, thankfully they don't talk about that too much. But what I fell in love with is the town. Rock Fish Island sounds like it would be a wonderful place to live. It's kind of like Mayberry with a cast of irascible and memorable characters. When the new Sherriff Lane arrives, she is not very likable (She has a secret name you'll never forget). But, by the end of the first book she softens up a lot and I imagine if these same characters appear in the sequels, they will each grow on you more. For a debut novel, this is good stuff and can only get better! Nancy Peterson did a good job bringing these characters to life. I’m still thinking about the town and the characters which to me is always the sign of a good book. Well done J.C. Fuller

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished rereading this thriller for a book club, but I didn’t review it on my first read, so here it is!

Rockfish Island is a small, neighborly community in the Pacific Northwest that is rocked by the unaliving of a young woman, which becomes new Sherriff Lane’s first case. Park Ranger Phillip Russell discovers the body, which has been mauled by a bear. He and Lane team up to investigate - she has the investigative experience, and he knows everyone in town. But Phillip soon grows frustrated as Sherriff Lane seems to suspect everyone close to him.

I loved this when I first read it, but the reread was even more fun because I was able to pick up on things I missed the first time. I enjoyed the (platonic) relationship between Phillip and Lane, especially their banter. There are three more books in this series, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for them!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a good Whodunit murder mystery this is the perfect book to spend an afternoon getting lost in. I was addicted to the story from the beginning and couldn't put it down. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the author brilliantly weaves an array of characters together that keeps you guessing just who the murderer is till the end. Great Read, looking forward to more novels by this author.

[Rhonda Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read, I couldn't put this down!!! Without reading anything from this author, I didn't know to go expect, but was more than pleasantly surprised!!! Well written and thought out storyline, anxiously awaiting the next installment!! Literally was so emersed in the story, I was sad it ended!!!

[Books_n_critters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apr 19, 2022 - Excellent start to a new series! I can't wait to read the next book!

EDIT: Aug 22nd 2022 - Just finished listening to the audiobook version. The narration is amazing! One of my all time favorite reads.

[Amy Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SUCH a good thriller! Fantastic writing and great characters. The setting of the Pacific Northwest was perfect for this cozy mystery. I cannot wait to read the rest of J.C. Fuller’s series! Phil is my fave!

[Jessica Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! It kept the suspense going and the twist was unexpected. All around great read.

[Jennifer Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing.! I can hardly wait to read book two!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Bear Alibi is a straightforward, small town whodunit that delivers on setup but never quite crosses into must-read territory. The story kicks off with a dead body discovered in the woods by Park Ranger Philip Russell, bringing a new sheriff to town and stirring questions about whether danger is lurking in the community, or if it’s just a tragic accident.

One thing I did enjoy was the dynamic between the two main characters. Their playful, sometimes tense banter added personality and realism to the story, especially as they worked through their differing perspectives. The character development was solid, and I appreciated how clearly the author built their backgrounds and motivations.

That said, the story just never fully pulled me in. I didn’t struggle to read it, but I also wasn’t racing back to it either. There wasn’t a particular twist or reveal that stood out, and while I did connect with the characters, the plot itself lacked emotional weight or urgency.

Final thoughts: If you’re looking for a light, easy to follow mystery with well drawn characters and low stakes pacing, this could be a good gap filler. Nothing groundbreaking, but pleasant enough if you’re in the mood for something simple and familiar.