The Cranefly Orchid Murders

Rating:
Summary: Another "Don't let the developers ruin the island" mystery
Review: Although this book had less Martha's Vineyard than Cynthia Riggs first novel starring "detective" Victoria Trumbull, I found it more enjoyable. In "Deadly Nightshade", there were too many coincidences that placed Victoria Trumbull in just the right place at the right time to be involved in the solution to the murder mystery. In The Cranefly Orchid Murders, Victoria still happens upon the first dead body, but the rest of plot involves her skills and pluckiness in a more natural way. There is more mystery to this book, and some enjoyable exchanges among the varied groups vying for the 200 acres of prime real estate which lead to the murders. There is also a wonderful description of one characters slip into alcoholism and homelessness, and I like that there are a few minor loose ends which are NOT neatly tied up at the end.
I look forward to the next Cynthia Riggs novel!

Rating:
Summary: Another enjoyable read from a Vineyard author.
Review: Although this book had less Martha's Vineyard than Cynthia Riggs first novel starring "detective" Victoria Trumbull, I found it more enjoyable. In "Deadly Nightshade", there were too many coincidences that placed Victoria Trumbull in just the right place at the right time to be involved in the solution to the murder mystery. In The Cranefly Orchid Murders, Victoria still happens upon the first dead body, but the rest of plot involves her skills and pluckiness in a more natural way. There is more mystery to this book, and some enjoyable exchanges among the varied groups vying for the 200 acres of prime real estate which lead to the murders. There is also a wonderful description of one characters slip into alcoholism and homelessness, and I like that there are a few minor loose ends which are NOT neatly tied up at the end.
I look forward to the next Cynthia Riggs novel!

Rating:
Summary: Loosely Constructed But Generally Enjoyable
Review: Cynthia Rigg's debut DEADLY NIGHTSHADE read rather like it had been written by committee--and a particularly uninspired one at that. Her second novel, THE CRANEFLY ORCHID MURDERS, is quite a bit better. Not only is the plot solid, the solution to the mystery is considerably more well concealed, the characters feel less forced and are more consistent, and the whole thing hangs together in a fairly decent sort of way.

CRANEFLY finds Victoria Trumbull, an elderly poet and resident of Martha's Vineyard, caught up in a land deal gone sour--and after she discovers a decaying corpse on the property in question it transpires that there are quite a few people who have interests in the land. The original seller was duped into the sale and regrets it; her disenfranchised heirs are none too pleased; and the buyer who is determined to develop the land as an elitist enclave faces opposition from a host of others who would like to put the land to other use--including a land conservation program that suggests Victoria prowl the property in hopes of finding a rare plant, the Cranefly Orchid, that will put the breaks on development.

The tone is light, and although Riggs still tends to leave loose ends and improbabilities dangling all over the place it all adds up an amusing read. While this is hardly in the league with such masters of serious mysteries as Christie and Sayers, or such masters of ultra-light chamers as Braun and Brown, it is an enjoyable little book that most mystery fans will enjoy.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Rating:
Summary: Another "Don't let the developers ruin the island" mystery
Review: This plotline has been done to death...and generally, much more satisfactorily than by Ms. Riggs. Totally unbelievable main character, stilted dialog...ugh!

Rating:
Summary: strong senior citizen amateur sleuth tale
Review: Victoria Trumbull is a spry ninety-two year old woman who lives on Martha's Vineyard year round. She has more energy than most people half her age, goes hiking, writes poetry and reads to the residents of the retirement home.

One of Victoria's neighbors, Phoebe Eldridge, has just sold her home and land to another Martha's Vineland resident, Harry Ness. While hiking Victoria discovers the murdered body of the lawyer who represented both parties in the property sale. Many different interest groups offer to buy the land from Ness but he refuses to sell it to anyone because he intends to build an exclusive $180 million dollar luxury community. When Harry is found murdered every person who wanted to buy the land is considered a suspect and Victoria decides it is her job to bring the killer to Justice.

The heroine of THE CRANEFLY ORCHID MURDERS makes this mystery novel very special. It's great reading about an elderly woman who has all her faculties while solving crimes, hiking and being creative. Victoria comes across as very believable and will appeal to readers of all ages. Thanks to Cynthia Riggs colorful descriptions, the real Martha's Vineyard comes alive to readers who will feel as if they vacationed there.

Harriet Klausner