Murder on Bearskin Neck: An Annie Quitnot Mystery

Annie Quitnot Mysteries #1

by Gunilla Caulfield, Mark Kanegis (Cover Design)

When the artist Carlo Valenti is murdered in Rockport, a small New England fishing village and art colony, Annie Quitnot, the local reference librarian, becomes the chief suspect. Annie and Carlo were lovers until five years ago, when Carlo went to Rome to join what he called "the real art world." Carlo returned recently with the nubile young Margo on his arm. Now Carlo lies dead in the morgue. Naturally, the police and the townspeople are convinced that Annie did it. Jealousy is a strong motive, and Annie has no alibi. With the support of the library's sympathetic director, Duncan Langmuir, and Annies brother Justin, who flies in to help after seeing a disheveled Annie on TV news, Annie tries to solve the murder and acquit herself. Even her friends seem to think her guilty—and can she really trust Duncan Langmuir? Justin, to Annie's chagrin, enlists the curmudgeonly Judge Bradley to help clear her. Instead, Annie keeps getting deeper into trouble.

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 2009

Reviews

[Bill]

I try to buy local writers at local bookshops when I travel - if I can find it, something set in the region or town. In this case, it was the idyllic seaside town of Rockport, Massachusetts. I was there a couple of years ago for a long wedding weekend, and as we wandered the streets and galleries in and around Bearskin Neck, I found my way into Toad Hall, which appears in the book and has sadly since closed. What works in her favor here, and why it's three stars instead of two, is the local flavor, which Caulfield captures in a delightful way (if you're able to overlook the horrendous patois). She also has a gift for pacing. Despite some of the book's obvious flaws, I found myself flying through it, sucked less into the mystery, and more into the charm of the town itself.

[Jen]

This book is the perfect combination of intrigue and the history of Rockport. I grew up in the small town of Rockport and didn't even know half of the places existed or had names! This book certainly kept me up all night, but not because it was scary, but because I couldn't put it down. The cover art is gorgeous too! I highly recommend this book. If you are from outside of the Rockport area, you can find it on Amazon. I can't wait for the sequel!

[Jack]

I enjoyed it. It was interesting since I just went to Rockport and strolled Bearskin Neck and saw the train station and other shops and areas that the action takes place in. It would be of interest to a mystery reader or someone with ties to the area. Glad that the passages about the detail of bookbinding were relatively short... it must be a passion of the author - she was making a scrapbook for God's sake!! Can't see myself re-reading it but will definatly pass it on to my Mom.

[Liz Fortin]

I very much enjoyed this book. Not so much for the storyline but for the location in which the story is set. I love Rockport MA. It’s my happy place. So it was a lot of fun reading about the places with which I’m so familiar. In fact, I purchased this book as well as the next two in the series from a bookstore in Rockport, Toad Hall (which, unfortunately, closed a year or so ago).

As for the story itself, it is a very quick and easy read (310 pages). It’s not a murder mystery that keeps you guessing all that much but it certainly kept me turning the pages. I like the author’s writing style. I’m looking forward to the other two books in this series.

[Martha]

Fun mystery that takes place in ROckport, MA. Found the book in the bookstore in Rockport and found the mystery a bit light, but enjoyed reading about the town and some of it's history. Plan on reading the other two books by Cunilla Caufield as I vacation on Cape Ann.

[Maura]

It's always fun to read a book set in someplace you know. You can easily picture the settings and movements of the characters, making for a richer reading experience. I found this book in Toad Hall, a bookstore in Rockport, just up the block from the actual Bearskin Neck. It's a fun read just for all the local mentions, whether of streets, beaches, parks or buildings. But the plot and characters are weak. I'm reserving total judgment until I read the second book.

Update after the second book: characters are still pretty weak. Not until the end of the 2nd book do I get some sense that I am starting to know who Annie is. Also, the author needs to know more about police/legal procedures in the event of murder to make the plot better - ignoring this makes the stories amateurish.

[Judy]

Good self-published, "locally set" mystery. Fun read, with Shakespeare quotes pertaining to the story heading each chapter. BTW: nice editing job - a minimum of typos, no apparently story line errors. Recommend.

[Linda]

Good descriptions of scenes and characters. Interesting plot twists. Book did end abruptly, like a tv show trying to wrap up everything in the last 5 minites.

[Kimberly Moses]

The historical information is wonderful, and I liked Anne Quitnot quite a bit. It was a bit tedious, there was no real tension...I hate when I figure out the mystery before it ends.