One of the very best new series I've found is the "Home Repair is Homicide" by Sarah Graves, featuring Jake Tiptree. Jake (Jacobia) is a former high finance hot shot from New York who was married to a successful surgeon; after he repeatedly cheated on her, Jake divorced him and took their son to a small island in Maine, where she bought a lovely old house in need of repair.
She soon makes friends with Ellie, her neighbor and long time resident of the island; the remark is made that Ellie's ancestors were pirates, and she is a very strong, resourceful and hardworking person. Ellie is married to George, a man of few words who knows how to deal with home repair, critters, and fires with equal competence; he is the local fire chief, among other things. Ellie and George have one child, three year old Lee. Jake and Ellie have become known in the area for their abilities to investigate local crimes, so she has become good friends with Bob Arnold, local police chief. Jake has also since remarried: Wade is Eastport's harbor pilot, and another hardworking person. Her son Sam has grown up a great deal and has recently moved to Portland.
In this book, however, Jake is drawn into her own past as the man who killed her mother is about to stand trial. Even though it has been over 30 years, Jake still remembers the events of that night; she was a small child but recalls details too vividly. She has been asked to write a victim's impact statement, which is shared with the defense--and then Ozzie Campbell goes missing. Jake's father, Jacob, and her longtime housekeeper Bella recently married and are off on a trip. Ellie and George have also gone on a trip, leaving her with three year old Lee. Even her faithful dogs are off at obedience camp, and Wade is away on a job, leaving her and Lee alone in the big house.
When two thugs come to town and kidnap Lee and her teenaged babysitter, Jake realizes that Campbell is behind their disappearance, and decides that it is up to her to get the child back. The story is both a test of her own strength and determination, as well as an opportunity to come to a better understanding of her parents. There is also an interesting subplot about the young babysitter who is taken with Lee, and her efforts to protect her young charge.
Along with her efforts to find Lee and put Campbell back behind bars, Jake has to deal with more home repair challenges. Each chapter opens with one of her tips: for example, "When replacing a broken lamp switch, replace the cord and plug, too."
I love this series for its cast of characters, strong storylines, and wonderful description of life in a small town on the East coast. Having lived in Newport, Rhode Island for eleven years, when I read these books I can shut my eyes and smell the ocean, feel the grit of the sand between my toes, and see the harbor, with the fishing boats down at the dock.
c Waterloo Public Library 2008
