Pelican Point: A Webb Sawyer Mystery
by Douglas Quinn
Published by iUniverse
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Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart
The last time readers saw reluctant PI Webb Sawyer, he was headed back to North Carolina’s marshes for some fishing, his favorite girl was acting cool toward him, and his son Preston had unexpectedly shown up on his doorstep. The peace and quiet Webb had hoped to get back to was short-lived in Pelican Point, the sequel to Blue Heron Marsh.
Webb had managed to get Preston enrolled in Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) and life was starting to get back to normal. Once Preston was settled, Webb headed back to the marsh only to receive a frantic phone call from the young man.
Preston and a buddy had stayed late one night to complete a project when Preston stumbles upon the ECSU’s Director of Arts and Humanities. Unfortunately for everyone, the Director has a stainless steel letter opener sticking from the back of his neck. Preston is arrested as a person of interest, but Webb enlists the help of his friend, city and county prosecutor, Randy Fearing.
Preston is much like his old man in that he can’t keep his nose out of where it doesn’t belong. Soon, Preston is looking for more information about the Director, and then he turns up missing. When Webb goes to look for him, he enlists the aid of Preston’s girlfriend, Sunshine.
What Webb and Sunshine uncover is too ghastly for words. Unfortunately for the reader, the tension, which should be higher than high, is lost in Quinn’s excessive use of details. It’s annoying when Quinn gets his characters in a tight spot, then slows everything down with description.
This writing flaw was easy to overlook in the series’ first book, Blue Heron Marsh. It was nice in the first couple of chapters of Pelican Point to remind readers what had happened and who was who, but it’s off putting–and it’s a deal breaker for the rest of the series.
Armchair Interviews says: Heed his reviewer’s words.
Author’s Web site: http://www.DouglasQuinn.com