What do you think?
Rate this book
The Body on the Beach
Inspired by True Events
Harbour Grace, 1920
Frank Fallon, a veteran policeman, finds himself demoted and transferred back to his hometown. Having left the community in 1905 after being rejected by his first love, Constable Fallon never wanted to return to the place of his childhood. Although they were young budding lovers, Marie Callahan's denial of him for the love of another is still a painful memory.
An opportunity to join the Constabulary in St. John’s had presented him with an escape from a place he never wanted to see again. However, his growing dependence on alcohol while in the city, at a time when Prohibition was cracking down on the illegal sale of booze in the Dominion of Newfoundland, resulted in Fallon butting heads with the Chief of Police. Now, challenged to police a town where only bitter memories exist isn’t going to be easy.
Two weeks into his tenure, an anonymous caller reports a fully-clothed body on Martin’s Beach. The investigation begins, and Constable Frank Fallon must go up against his most difficult case yet. He becomes embroiled in a tale of intrigue surrounding the victim that leads to a shocking and devastating conclusion.
Harbour Grace, 1920
Frank Fallon, a veteran policeman, finds himself demoted and transferred back to his hometown. Having left the community in 1905 after being rejected by his first love, Constable Fallon never wanted to return to the place of his childhood. Although they were young budding lovers, Marie Callahan's denial of him for the love of another is still a painful memory.
An opportunity to join the Constabulary in St. John’s had presented him with an escape from a place he never wanted to see again. However, his growing dependence on alcohol while in the city, at a time when Prohibition was cracking down on the illegal sale of booze in the Dominion of Newfoundland, resulted in Fallon butting heads with the Chief of Police. Now, challenged to police a town where only bitter memories exist isn’t going to be easy.
Two weeks into his tenure, an anonymous caller reports a fully-clothed body on Martin’s Beach. The investigation begins, and Constable Frank Fallon must go up against his most difficult case yet. He becomes embroiled in a tale of intrigue surrounding the victim that leads to a shocking and devastating conclusion.
280 pages, Paperback
Published September 22, 2021
3 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 2, 2021
Based on true events, “The Body on the Beach” by Patrick Collins is an absorbing mystery novel full of charismatic characters, secrets, romance and murder! This page turner is not just about a body on a beach, indeed that is only the very beginning. And you won’t believe what happens!
Frank Fallon has been demoted, returning to his hometown in disgrace, his growing dependence on alcohol standing in the way of his life and career. When a body is discovered on Martin’s Beach, Frank is shocked to discover it is that of his former lover, Marie Callahan – the woman who rejected him so long ago, the one who broke his young heart. Rumors abound. Amidst the illegal sale of booze and the limitations of prohibition, has something else even more toxic made its way beyond the shores of the Dominion of Newfoundland? Potentially anyone could be a suspect; is the motive drugs, a jilted suitor, or did Marie Callahan stumble onto something she shouldn’t have?
Fallon soon finds himself up against not only his own feelings of self doubt but also against his boss, the chief of police, and the burgeoning feelings he has for the beautiful new reporter in town. Together the two of them rush to unravel the mystery of the death of Marie Callahan and to prevent any more people from dying an untimely death.
Collins does a wonderful job of character and plot development in this book. The murder is the catalyst here but the mystery goes deeper than that and I very much enjoyed not being able to guess what would happen next. This is a great read; fast paced but also one of those books that you just don’t want to finish. A solid 10/10 for “The Body on the Beach.”
Frank Fallon has been demoted, returning to his hometown in disgrace, his growing dependence on alcohol standing in the way of his life and career. When a body is discovered on Martin’s Beach, Frank is shocked to discover it is that of his former lover, Marie Callahan – the woman who rejected him so long ago, the one who broke his young heart. Rumors abound. Amidst the illegal sale of booze and the limitations of prohibition, has something else even more toxic made its way beyond the shores of the Dominion of Newfoundland? Potentially anyone could be a suspect; is the motive drugs, a jilted suitor, or did Marie Callahan stumble onto something she shouldn’t have?
Fallon soon finds himself up against not only his own feelings of self doubt but also against his boss, the chief of police, and the burgeoning feelings he has for the beautiful new reporter in town. Together the two of them rush to unravel the mystery of the death of Marie Callahan and to prevent any more people from dying an untimely death.
Collins does a wonderful job of character and plot development in this book. The murder is the catalyst here but the mystery goes deeper than that and I very much enjoyed not being able to guess what would happen next. This is a great read; fast paced but also one of those books that you just don’t want to finish. A solid 10/10 for “The Body on the Beach.”
May 1, 2022
I absolutely adored this book. Finishing it in just under a week I am excited to get my hands on the sequel.
A quaint and detailed look into the history of Harbour Grace, it's constabulary and the people surrounding the events of Alice Williams Death.
A quaint and detailed look into the history of Harbour Grace, it's constabulary and the people surrounding the events of Alice Williams Death.
November 11, 2021
Teaser (spoiler?) question: If you’re a cop, what’s worse than being demoted and reassigned to the one community you never wanted to live in again?
Answer: Encountering the body of your first true love lying dead in the landwash, perhaps.
Want to know for sure? Ask Constable Frank Fallon.
After being accused of drinking during the time of Prohibition in Newfoundland, Constable Fallon has been demoted and transferred from St. John’s to Harbour Grace — out around the bay, the boondocks in a manner of speaking, the toolies as my B. C. daughter-in-law says.
On a “lazy Sunday morning” in July (1920) Fallon is called to inspect a body that has been discovered on a local beach. To his sorrow, Fallon recognizes the body of Marie Callahan, “the love of his life.”
So, here we go, jumping feet first into Patrick J. Collins’ novel The Body on the Beach [Flanker Press].
At the risk of mixing metaphors — or whatever it is stuffy ol’ pedagogues say to reluctant scholars — it’s full steam ahead as Fallon sets out to investigate the cause of Marie’s death.
That’s a lie. Fallon doesn’t charge full steam ahead. Rather, he moseys around Harbour Grace, talking to — questioning — this one and that one like someone rooting under rocks in search of worms.
Don’t misunderstand me, moseying isn’t a bad thing. Fallon’s slow, yet inexorable, search allows the historian in author Pat Collins to give readers a guided tour of the place where he was born and reared, a place he obviously loves — from Lady Lake to Water Street, from Riverhead to Bears Cove Point.
Speaking of Bears Cove Point, I’m about to reveal a titillating scrap … well, kind of titillating, I suppose, of the novel’s plot.
Close your eyes if you don’t want to see it yet.
While Body on the Beach is certainly more murder mystery than love story, there is some romantic dalliance in the novel.
One moonlit night, Fallon takes Grace Murphy in his Model T to the tippy-top of Bears Cove Point. From there they can hear the clattering of cobbles on nearby Red Beach Cove. Soon, by the light of the silvery moon, a carload of canoodling ensues.
Ah, Grace Murphy. She isn’t exactly who she pretends to be in Harbour Grace. Forsooth, as Billy the Bard of Avon might say, she’s Chief Inspector John Sullivan’s daughter, Christine.
Plot thickening, eh b’ys?
Inspector Sullivan is the frigger who demoted Frank Fallon and shipped him back to his erstwhile home. Sullivan also sent his investigative journalist daughter — or near enough job description — to Harbour Grace undercover to sniff out evidence regarding cocaine use in the area.
So then, it’s actually Sullivan’s daughter who grapples passionately with Fallon inside the steamed up windows of his Model T — Inspector Sullivan’s daughter Christine, alias Grace.
(Maggie Atwood might smile at that cloak-and-dagger name, eh b’ys?)
Speaking for myself …
… while I moseyed along with Constable Fallon, both of us following the path of Pat Collins’ pen, I learned much to stock some of the empty shelves in my noggin. The popularity of cricket in Harbour Grace once upon a time, for instance.
And another thing …
… last year I nearly went whoopsie in my small clothes, I was so excited about growing nine ears of corn in our flowerpot garden.
Then I read this line about traditional farming in Harbour Grace: “Thousands of pounds of vegetables, including corn and oats, are harvested right here every year.”
“Thousands of pounds of corn.” Frig sake, what’s that in ears, I wonder?
Listen, to say the least, I enjoyed my ramble with Frank Fallon.
And you know what?
I hope Constable Fallon returns tout de suite for another mosey around Harbour Grace.
Thank you for reading.
Answer: Encountering the body of your first true love lying dead in the landwash, perhaps.
Want to know for sure? Ask Constable Frank Fallon.
After being accused of drinking during the time of Prohibition in Newfoundland, Constable Fallon has been demoted and transferred from St. John’s to Harbour Grace — out around the bay, the boondocks in a manner of speaking, the toolies as my B. C. daughter-in-law says.
On a “lazy Sunday morning” in July (1920) Fallon is called to inspect a body that has been discovered on a local beach. To his sorrow, Fallon recognizes the body of Marie Callahan, “the love of his life.”
So, here we go, jumping feet first into Patrick J. Collins’ novel The Body on the Beach [Flanker Press].
At the risk of mixing metaphors — or whatever it is stuffy ol’ pedagogues say to reluctant scholars — it’s full steam ahead as Fallon sets out to investigate the cause of Marie’s death.
That’s a lie. Fallon doesn’t charge full steam ahead. Rather, he moseys around Harbour Grace, talking to — questioning — this one and that one like someone rooting under rocks in search of worms.
Don’t misunderstand me, moseying isn’t a bad thing. Fallon’s slow, yet inexorable, search allows the historian in author Pat Collins to give readers a guided tour of the place where he was born and reared, a place he obviously loves — from Lady Lake to Water Street, from Riverhead to Bears Cove Point.
Speaking of Bears Cove Point, I’m about to reveal a titillating scrap … well, kind of titillating, I suppose, of the novel’s plot.
Close your eyes if you don’t want to see it yet.
While Body on the Beach is certainly more murder mystery than love story, there is some romantic dalliance in the novel.
One moonlit night, Fallon takes Grace Murphy in his Model T to the tippy-top of Bears Cove Point. From there they can hear the clattering of cobbles on nearby Red Beach Cove. Soon, by the light of the silvery moon, a carload of canoodling ensues.
Ah, Grace Murphy. She isn’t exactly who she pretends to be in Harbour Grace. Forsooth, as Billy the Bard of Avon might say, she’s Chief Inspector John Sullivan’s daughter, Christine.
Plot thickening, eh b’ys?
Inspector Sullivan is the frigger who demoted Frank Fallon and shipped him back to his erstwhile home. Sullivan also sent his investigative journalist daughter — or near enough job description — to Harbour Grace undercover to sniff out evidence regarding cocaine use in the area.
So then, it’s actually Sullivan’s daughter who grapples passionately with Fallon inside the steamed up windows of his Model T — Inspector Sullivan’s daughter Christine, alias Grace.
(Maggie Atwood might smile at that cloak-and-dagger name, eh b’ys?)
Speaking for myself …
… while I moseyed along with Constable Fallon, both of us following the path of Pat Collins’ pen, I learned much to stock some of the empty shelves in my noggin. The popularity of cricket in Harbour Grace once upon a time, for instance.
And another thing …
… last year I nearly went whoopsie in my small clothes, I was so excited about growing nine ears of corn in our flowerpot garden.
Then I read this line about traditional farming in Harbour Grace: “Thousands of pounds of vegetables, including corn and oats, are harvested right here every year.”
“Thousands of pounds of corn.” Frig sake, what’s that in ears, I wonder?
Listen, to say the least, I enjoyed my ramble with Frank Fallon.
And you know what?
I hope Constable Fallon returns tout de suite for another mosey around Harbour Grace.
Thank you for reading.
April 8, 2025
I'm a fan of almost all books set in Newfoundland, so that is definitely a plus for this book. However, I have one major quibble. To me, this book felt like a contemporary story that the author later decided to relocate in time to 1920. I have to believe that isn't true, since the story apparently was based on true historic events, but it sure feels like it.
The language spoken by the characters is very current and not at all how anyone would have spoken in 1920. They frequently use the word "teenager" though that did not become commonly used until the 1950s. A person who wanted to give a woman a warning gave her a "heads up". When someone left a relationship, he "bailed". When asked whether things were alright between them, a character said "we're good". Every time this sort of language was used, it jarred me out of the story. I had to work really hard to believe the events took place in 1920. I think it's up to the author to build the world the action takes place in, not just tell us it's 1920 and write as if it's happening today.
There was also an awful lot of focus on cars - types, models, features, etc. and the characters seemed never to be out of cars. Again, that is very contemporary. I have never seen or read anything about 1920 where everything took place in cars.
I found the book a bit slow-paced as well.
I'm not sure why I couldn't really get into this book the way I wanted to, but it just didn't happen for me. I see that there are many other reviewers who greatly enjoyed it, so I suppose it's just a matter of personal preference.
The language spoken by the characters is very current and not at all how anyone would have spoken in 1920. They frequently use the word "teenager" though that did not become commonly used until the 1950s. A person who wanted to give a woman a warning gave her a "heads up". When someone left a relationship, he "bailed". When asked whether things were alright between them, a character said "we're good". Every time this sort of language was used, it jarred me out of the story. I had to work really hard to believe the events took place in 1920. I think it's up to the author to build the world the action takes place in, not just tell us it's 1920 and write as if it's happening today.
There was also an awful lot of focus on cars - types, models, features, etc. and the characters seemed never to be out of cars. Again, that is very contemporary. I have never seen or read anything about 1920 where everything took place in cars.
I found the book a bit slow-paced as well.
I'm not sure why I couldn't really get into this book the way I wanted to, but it just didn't happen for me. I see that there are many other reviewers who greatly enjoyed it, so I suppose it's just a matter of personal preference.
January 18, 2025
This book was a very good read 📕
I really like the location being in Newfoundland as I always found my self finding it hard to put down .
The story line and main characters in this novel were on point
One of those books where you feel attached to the people and the challenge
Flanker press does not disappoint!!!!
Read while at work on Tanker Sarah Desgagnes ⚓️
I really like the location being in Newfoundland as I always found my self finding it hard to put down .
The story line and main characters in this novel were on point
One of those books where you feel attached to the people and the challenge
Flanker press does not disappoint!!!!
Read while at work on Tanker Sarah Desgagnes ⚓️
January 11, 2025
A novel "inspired by true events" The Body on the Beach is set in Harbour Grace Newfoundland and explores the setting and its history as well as presenting the murder mystery. I enjoyed the e-Book and recommend it. I enjoyed the book's sequel Murder at Lover's Leap even more.
November 29, 2021
Not a bad little page-turner. I'll have a fuller review in the December edition of the NorthEast Avalon Times and will eventually post that here.
April 4, 2022
I could not get excited about this book. I found it slow.
May 19, 2023
Good plot
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews