A Nags Head Murder

by Joe C. Ellis

Private Detective Angie Stallone opens her fledgling agency in the quaint town of Buxton, North Carolina on the Outer Banks. Struggling to establish a credible business, she teams up with local bookstore owner, Mee Mee Roberts, to solve a cold case from the 1960's. Their investigation leads them to a remote island in the middle of the Currituck Sound. The evidence they dig up opens a door to membership in a strange cult that meets in one of the old beach houses along Nags Head's Historic Cottage Row. The recent death of a cult member raises new questions. Was it murder? Is the cold case connected to the recent death? If so, who's next? A compelling thriller, A Nags Head Murder will keep you on the edge of your seat and looking forward to the next book in the series.

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2023

About the author

Joe C. Ellis, a big fan of the North Carolina's Outer Banks, grew up in the Ohio Valley. A native of Martins Ferry, Ohio, he attended West Liberty State College in West Virginia and went on to earn his Master's Degree in education from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. After a thirty-six year career as an art teacher, he retired from the Martins Ferry City School District.
Currently, he is the pastor for the Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church and the Colerain Presbyterian Church.

His writing career began in 2001 with the publication of his first novel, The Healing Place. In 2007 he began the Outer Banks Murder Series with the publication of Murder at Whalehead (2010), Murder at Hatteras (2011), Murder on the Outer Banks (2012), Murder at Ocracoke (2017), The Treasure of Portsmouth Island (2019), and Roanoke Island Murders (2020)

Joe credits family vacations on the Outer Banks with the inspiration for these stories. Joe and his wife, Judy, have three children and five grandsons. Although the kids have flown the nest, they get together often and always make it a priority to vacation on the Outer Banks whenever possible. He comments, "It's a place on the edge of the world, a place of great beauty and sometimes danger--the ideal setting for murder mysteries."

Reviews

[Stephanie Moyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was a slow read for me. Up until about halfway through the book, I was bored and it seemed to drag on. The last half of the book was better but a bit predictable for my liking. I did love being able to recognize a lot of the OBX specific areas and details. The number of grammatical errors kind of drove me crazy.

[Debbie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the setting of the book, the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Right at the beginning of the book a private detective and bookshop owner, two women alone are out in a kayak in the sound going to a small island to dig up a skull. Right away they are bitten by a water moccasin, encounter flying overhead agitated birds and bumped by a bull shark leaving a large tooth. If all this is not unbelievable enough it only digs deeper, like a 4 x 4 stuck in the sand spinning it’s stuck wheel.

Then we have the found skull which is joined by more skulls…

What did I like about the book? The characters are great. Lots of local humor and the setting is spot on. Hopefully the next book I read by the author will be more?? What is missing?? You will have to read the book to find out.

I need to know was it just me or the skulls getting to much attention slowly creeping me out?

Thank you Joe Ellis for advance copy and special pricing from Amazon.
Please keep writing about the beautiful Outer Banks where I am lucky enough to live everyday in this paradise.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Nags Head Murder

A fast paced easy read with twists and turns. I love to read books with places I've visited and can identify those places as I read. Not sure law enforcement would be happy with their portrayal in this book, although it gives a lighthearted moment to the reading. Also I don't think my husband, A deputy, would let a pregnant wife go off on her own to solve a dangerous crime,especially after being almost killed. I just found some parts hard to believe, but all in all I enjoyed the book. Just what I needed on a cold afternoon in the North, wishing I could be back to the OBX in the hot summer! Look forward to reading other OBX mysteries by this author.

[Deedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one! It was like a 'Scooby Doo' episode.I even thought Mimi sounded like Velma. Angie is a private detective who is married to a cop.She gets involved in a cult like 13 skulls mystery..They infiltrate the next meeting of the holders of the skulls,but do not do a good job fitting in. Cathi Colas was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narration of Cathi Colas, will make you hear and feel the action, suspense and pace. Perfect.

Angie is a private detective and married to a police offer. Both her and her friend MeeMee undertake a case to solve a decades old disappearance. It evolves mysterious Mayan cults, skulls, murder, kidnappings, sharks, snakes

Superstitions and twisted criminal people who think they are above the law.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is clear that Ellis gets a lot of inspiration from Dan Brown. Perhaps it is my unfamiliarity with the genre, but there were some stylistic elements that I just didn’t care for, namely the way the dialogue was written, some of the minor details (really? A boat malfunction, osprey attack, AND shark attack?), and characters always being saved at the last minute. However, the idea behind the novel was incredibly interesting and well-thought. I think Ellis would benefit from more editing

[Reggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was supposed to be a simple investigation into a cold case for PI Angie and her sidekick, Mimi. The case becomes a mystery steeped in crystal skulls believed to be from the lost city of Atlantis and the group of guardians. Someone who wants the entire collection of rare skulls that they believe could lead to supernatural power. Good cozy mystery.

[Ilona · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 read Oct 2024 in OBX
I picked up this book bc I have been coming to OBX and was here for vacay.overall in was an ok read. I liked all the. Local mentions and being able to picture the locale. However all at once the plot was too little and too much. Detective gets hired as last request of dying man to find out about grandfathers murder. They find a special skull and then it involves investigating a cult around Mayan artifacts that will save the world from Armageddon. Likeable characters. Halloween feel. Agatha Christie like with more action.

[Albert Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story line

The Outer Banks being one of my favorite vacation spots I knew this book might be interesting, and I wasn't disappointed! It touches all of the haunting grounds of the N/S 12 sea coast as well as the sound areas!
Great Read

[Amber K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced with lots of twists. I enjoyed this story and characters. The mystery, especially at the beginning, had a very creepy and dangerous vibe that pulled you right in. Great mystery and enjoyable audio narration.

[Kathy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept my attention to the end. I have read many books by this author and have not been disappointed. Look forward to more mysteries from Mr. Ellis.

[Rfsisk Sisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, easy read. Set In beautiful Nags Head, it is fun to read about a place you know so well.

[Torie Inman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was goodĺ.good. The dialog between characters was lacking.

[Gabrielle Alderman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story and really loved all of the OBX references, but some of the dialogue and jokes were a bit cringey.

[Shelley Chamberlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm an author living on the Outer Banks, so I enjoy reading other authors who write about my home. The plot was quite involved, and I didn't notice any plot holes. It was a bit wordy at times, and the silly dialogue from the sheriffs and deputies made them sound like country bumpkins, which I can assure you they aren't. There are a lot of cozy mystery books that are shamefully bad. This is not one of them. I will check out Joe Ellis' other books.

Shelley Tustin Chamberlin