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The Haight Mystery #1
The Haight
As SFPD Detective Jimmy Spracklin tracks a killer in Haight-Ashbury in 1968, his greatest worry is the fate of his runaway daughter Marie.
The reality of what’s happening in Haight-Ashbury in 1968 hits Spracklin as he tracks the killer of artist John Blakely. Heroin has become the dominant drug in the hippie enclave, and the carnival atmosphere of the Summer of Love has given way to a wave of violence. Most worrying to Spracklin is the knowledge that Marie is hiding somewhere in The Haight.
The reality of what’s happening in Haight-Ashbury in 1968 hits Spracklin as he tracks the killer of artist John Blakely. Heroin has become the dominant drug in the hippie enclave, and the carnival atmosphere of the Summer of Love has given way to a wave of violence. Most worrying to Spracklin is the knowledge that Marie is hiding somewhere in The Haight.
272 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2020
36 people are currently reading
1402 people want to read
About the author
Peter Moreira
21 books25 followersPeter Moreira is the author of The Haight Crime Series, in which Lieut. Jimmy Spracklin investigates crimes in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district in the late 1960s.
The series is the result of Peter’s love affair with Haight-Ashbury, which began when he hitchhiked twice to San Francisco from Vancouver in 1981. He adored the history, the friendly people, the romance of the setting. Throughout his career in journalism – which included postings in Ottawa, Hong Kong, Seoul and London – he kept mulling over the idea of a mystery set in Haight-Ashbury. He wanted to produce what he called a whodunnit with hippies.
As an author, Peter began with non-fiction, starting with Hemingway on the China Front in 2006. After a few non-fiction titles, The Haight was published in 2017 and The Haight Mystery Series was launched. Today it comprises several acclaimed novels, and Peter is always at work on the next one.
The series is the result of Peter’s love affair with Haight-Ashbury, which began when he hitchhiked twice to San Francisco from Vancouver in 1981. He adored the history, the friendly people, the romance of the setting. Throughout his career in journalism – which included postings in Ottawa, Hong Kong, Seoul and London – he kept mulling over the idea of a mystery set in Haight-Ashbury. He wanted to produce what he called a whodunnit with hippies.
As an author, Peter began with non-fiction, starting with Hemingway on the China Front in 2006. After a few non-fiction titles, The Haight was published in 2017 and The Haight Mystery Series was launched. Today it comprises several acclaimed novels, and Peter is always at work on the next one.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 21, 2024
The Haight is a murder investigation book that is more than murder investigations. The book is fast-paced, and we are introduced to many characters; almost all of them are fleshed out well with their distinctive traits. Although many names are thrown around, I don't have difficulty remembering them because they are not just names.
The story follows the main character, Jimmy Spracklin, to a case that is easily overlooked as suicide, but things are not what it seems. Besides the case, we learn about Jimmy's personal life, which relates closely to the case as we go deeper. His political views about the real troubles happening in the world during that time are well documented without disrupting the main storyline. I find all the details interesting and believable. The revelation of the case and the domestic trouble feels natural with the character's prowess and shortcomings. The only thing I find lacking is the supposed intelligence of Marie's character. The intelligence is mentioned a lot by Andy's character that it draws my attention to it, but I see none of it displayed in her actions or thinking. Yes, we are not privy to her view actively, but from the way she reacts to everything happening around her, I don't see anything that proves that statement. It would be fine if not for the repeated mentions.
Overall, this is a good read. It's a very decent and interesting murder mystery. I like the main characters and the setting. As the title says, there is more to them in other books.
4.5 rounded up
The story follows the main character, Jimmy Spracklin, to a case that is easily overlooked as suicide, but things are not what it seems. Besides the case, we learn about Jimmy's personal life, which relates closely to the case as we go deeper. His political views about the real troubles happening in the world during that time are well documented without disrupting the main storyline. I find all the details interesting and believable. The revelation of the case and the domestic trouble feels natural with the character's prowess and shortcomings. The only thing I find lacking is the supposed intelligence of Marie's character. The intelligence is mentioned a lot by Andy's character that it draws my attention to it, but I see none of it displayed in her actions or thinking. Yes, we are not privy to her view actively, but from the way she reacts to everything happening around her, I don't see anything that proves that statement. It would be fine if not for the repeated mentions.
Overall, this is a good read. It's a very decent and interesting murder mystery. I like the main characters and the setting. As the title says, there is more to them in other books.
4.5 rounded up
April 19, 2024
Great book by a local author. The first in a series about a cop with a work ethic that at times affects his family life. Set in the 1960’s the story surrounds a murder of a young, talented artist in a hippie community.
Acting almost as a character in the story, the political climate at the time involves assassinations of real life figures. This creates a sense of desperation in the background, like the world itself is crumbling.
While the book is more of a police procedural, I was impressed with how well the author switched to high tension action scenes in the end to wrap things up. I’d like to read more of that from him. Those types of scenes can be chaotic and difficult for the reader to follow at times, but not here. Well done tying up the loose ends in the conclusion.
Acting almost as a character in the story, the political climate at the time involves assassinations of real life figures. This creates a sense of desperation in the background, like the world itself is crumbling.
While the book is more of a police procedural, I was impressed with how well the author switched to high tension action scenes in the end to wrap things up. I’d like to read more of that from him. Those types of scenes can be chaotic and difficult for the reader to follow at times, but not here. Well done tying up the loose ends in the conclusion.
June 25, 2024
Set in 1968, one of the most tumultuous years in US history, The Haight follows San Fransico police lieutenant Jimmy Sprackling as he tries to solve multiple murders, track down violent drug dealers, and locate his beloved stepdaughter who after losing a friend in the Vietnam war, blames her father and runs away. It is tightly plotted, features exceptionally well-drawn characters (even the secondary characters have lives of their own), and piles on the suspense as it drives to an exciting conclusion. I particularly appreciated the book’s portrayal of late 1960s Haight-Ashbury, where under the veneer of peace, love, art, and music, many were lost to drugs and those who preyed upon them for their own gain. A fine opening to a series that I will definitely follow.
January 15, 2024
Engaging Read
The Haight is a crime fiction / mystery novel set in the 1960s. Jimmy Spracklin investigates the death of a heroin addict, John Blakely, and quickly finds out he was murdered. A series of deaths follow. His search for the killer(s) is complicated by the fact that his teenage daughter, Marie, has run away and is living amongst addicts in Haight-Ashbury. Could she be involved in the murders? Can he solve the cases and bring her home?
This is the first crime fiction I’ve read, and it found it an engaging read. Spracklin, although certainly not without his faults, is likeable, and the supporting cast are also memorable. I could really picture the atmosphere in Haight-Ashbury. I liked the old-fashioned police work – no surveillance cameras, limited forensics. The story has plenty of twists and turns, building to a good climax. I didn’t work out who was involved before it was revealed.
Overall, fans of the genre are likely to enjoy this exciting read.
The Haight is a crime fiction / mystery novel set in the 1960s. Jimmy Spracklin investigates the death of a heroin addict, John Blakely, and quickly finds out he was murdered. A series of deaths follow. His search for the killer(s) is complicated by the fact that his teenage daughter, Marie, has run away and is living amongst addicts in Haight-Ashbury. Could she be involved in the murders? Can he solve the cases and bring her home?
This is the first crime fiction I’ve read, and it found it an engaging read. Spracklin, although certainly not without his faults, is likeable, and the supporting cast are also memorable. I could really picture the atmosphere in Haight-Ashbury. I liked the old-fashioned police work – no surveillance cameras, limited forensics. The story has plenty of twists and turns, building to a good climax. I didn’t work out who was involved before it was revealed.
Overall, fans of the genre are likely to enjoy this exciting read.
August 13, 2018
Compelling detective drama set in 60s-era San Francisco. The atmosphere is so rich and detailed, you really feel transported to Haight-Ashbury back in the day. It's a hotbed of creativity -- teeming with artists and musicians -- but there's also a dark side. It's equal parts alluring and thrilling. Excited for the next addition to this series.
December 26, 2025
Peter Moreira does an excellent job transporting you to a different time and place in this first novel of his series. A real care for local flavor and historical context wonderfully colors a very taught and well written murder investigation. Make sure you have tomorrow morning off because you will be up late turning pages to see what happens next.
July 26, 2018
The Haight is a compelling, fun and poignant book. Moreira seamlessly blends family drama with mystery and hippy culture. The book offers shockers along the way, especially the way the mysteries unfold and the ways that the characters change. Overall, a great read!
October 20, 2025
A great read with well paced storytelling
The Haight is a great portrayal of the darker side of 1960s San Francisco with compelling characters and a well developed plot. There is a definite sense that the author has a connection to the time and place of the story, and also to the current events of the time in the wider U.S.
The Haight is a great portrayal of the darker side of 1960s San Francisco with compelling characters and a well developed plot. There is a definite sense that the author has a connection to the time and place of the story, and also to the current events of the time in the wider U.S.
August 5, 2024
It was a fun, quick read. Having lived in San Francisco, I liked trying to map everything out in my head. The only thing that felt false or forced to me was the "romance" with the lead character. I think the background of that time period really made for an interesting read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2025
great series starter
Held my interest the entire story. Exceptional portrayal of late-60s hippie-laden San Francisco. Truly can’t wait to read book two.
Held my interest the entire story. Exceptional portrayal of late-60s hippie-laden San Francisco. Truly can’t wait to read book two.
January 15, 2024
The Haight has a lot going for it as a thrilling crime fiction with its setting in 1968 and a flawed detective, Jimmy Spracklin, as the main character. He is investigating the murder of John Blakeley, an artist and heroin addict. With the setting in the hippie area of San Francisco during the so-called Summer of Love, there was a lot to take my particular interest, having been a teenage fan of The Beatles et al during those times. The author’s portrayal of Spracklin, his family and other characters is well done and the dialogue came across as quite realistic to this UK reader. What was most refreshing was the less sophisticated methodology used by the police in their investigations: such as less talk of mobile phones, CCTV, and precise forensic science. All of those things seem to figure a lot in every film, TV series or novel featuring a crime thriller in current times.
Adding to the authenticity of those times, through their pedantic and slogging investigation methods, are the frequent references to the Kennedy assassinations. Spracklin is depicted as an ardent supporter of Robert Kennedy: something else that stirs the curiosity of the reader. There are plenty of twists and turns to confound your suspicions along the way; and a hint about the safety of Spracklin’s runaway daughter, Marie, provides yet another hook to intrigue one enough to keep turning the pages. The story gallops along at a pace to end with a satisfying denouement. This is a recommended book for any fans of the crime thriller genre; writers such as Mickey Spillane or Raymond Chandler.
Adding to the authenticity of those times, through their pedantic and slogging investigation methods, are the frequent references to the Kennedy assassinations. Spracklin is depicted as an ardent supporter of Robert Kennedy: something else that stirs the curiosity of the reader. There are plenty of twists and turns to confound your suspicions along the way; and a hint about the safety of Spracklin’s runaway daughter, Marie, provides yet another hook to intrigue one enough to keep turning the pages. The story gallops along at a pace to end with a satisfying denouement. This is a recommended book for any fans of the crime thriller genre; writers such as Mickey Spillane or Raymond Chandler.
February 27, 2024
A tightly plotted mystery.
This is not a perfect book, but it is a perfectly enjoyable one, and it's a good reminder that there're a lot of great independent novels out there that deserve more exposure. It's a good book.
~The dialog is snappy, realistic.
~The characters are believable.
~The mystery is satisfying and adheres to genre conventions.
Fans of gumshoe mystery will enjoy the nods to noir (the book is not noir but has some of the same rhythm to it) and the interplay between personal and professional for our detective, Spracklin.
But I craved a little more immersion, dimensionality, or depth. The author relies heavily on dialog and doesn't weave in much along the lines of feelings, regrets, reflecting. This complaint on my part is the flip side of the 'snappy' coin. The pacing is tight, (snappy), at the expense of deeper characters with lives lived.
But it's a minor complaint, and on a different day I might not have mentioned it.
Five stars. Good read.
This is not a perfect book, but it is a perfectly enjoyable one, and it's a good reminder that there're a lot of great independent novels out there that deserve more exposure. It's a good book.
~The dialog is snappy, realistic.
~The characters are believable.
~The mystery is satisfying and adheres to genre conventions.
Fans of gumshoe mystery will enjoy the nods to noir (the book is not noir but has some of the same rhythm to it) and the interplay between personal and professional for our detective, Spracklin.
But I craved a little more immersion, dimensionality, or depth. The author relies heavily on dialog and doesn't weave in much along the lines of feelings, regrets, reflecting. This complaint on my part is the flip side of the 'snappy' coin. The pacing is tight, (snappy), at the expense of deeper characters with lives lived.
But it's a minor complaint, and on a different day I might not have mentioned it.
Five stars. Good read.
August 27, 2018
Peter Moreira's new detective thriller, The Haight, is a real trip that takes readers back to 1968 and the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood of San Francisco that spawned the Summer of Love. A killer is on the loose and detective Jimmy Spracklin, is just the cat to wade through the counter-culture lifestyle to find the guilty party. Moreira brings alive one of the most fascinating times in American history at the epicentre of the hippie culture. It was a groovy read, man, and I look forward to meeting Jimmy Spracklin again.
July 11, 2025
I enjoyed this novel very much. Just read it for the second time.
The expose of the underside of the summer of love and the Haight was pointedly bracketed by two assassinations--from the local and the particular to the social and political. I've read a few murder mysteries (James, Penney, Leon, Rankin) and Jimmy Spracklin shares similar characteristics as theirs, in that he is conflicted, human, facing family tensions. Such complexities in the characters raise the work to the level of novel, well beyond any formula fiction like Christie. Well done, Peter! A real page-turner.
The expose of the underside of the summer of love and the Haight was pointedly bracketed by two assassinations--from the local and the particular to the social and political. I've read a few murder mysteries (James, Penney, Leon, Rankin) and Jimmy Spracklin shares similar characteristics as theirs, in that he is conflicted, human, facing family tensions. Such complexities in the characters raise the work to the level of novel, well beyond any formula fiction like Christie. Well done, Peter! A real page-turner.
October 30, 2025
The Haight pulls you straight into late ’60s San Francisco, where peace and love blur into chaos and danger. Peter Moreira captures the city’s pulse so vividly you can almost hear the guitars fade beneath the sirens.
Lieutenant Jimmy Spracklin’s search for a killer and for his daughter is tense, heartbreaking, and deeply human. It’s more than a mystery; it’s a portrait of a man and a moment in time unraveling together.
Lieutenant Jimmy Spracklin’s search for a killer and for his daughter is tense, heartbreaking, and deeply human. It’s more than a mystery; it’s a portrait of a man and a moment in time unraveling together.
September 10, 2018
A great mystery - the first one I've ever read set in the world of late 60s hippies. Moreira weaves together a compelling plot with a rollercoaster finish. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
June 3, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4
June 11, 2024
Pretty good novel…3.5 stars
May 24, 2025
NICE IDEA
What a wonderful concept to do the Haight circa late Sixties. Lots of errors but story is no more far-fetched than are Connelly and Patterson’s.
What a wonderful concept to do the Haight circa late Sixties. Lots of errors but story is no more far-fetched than are Connelly and Patterson’s.
October 1, 2025
Good detective story. Manages to put the characters into the place and period really well.
September 23, 2022
Great story and writing syle. Captivating to the end.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews