What do you think?
Rate this book
A Loon Lake Mystery #6
Dead Jitterbug
When advice columist and local loon lake resident Hope McDonald is murdered, police chief Lewellyn Ferris, with the help of diehard fisherman Doc Osborne, sets a trap to reel in a clever killer. Original.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 5, 2005
115 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Houston
36 books275 followersShe is the author of the Loon Lake Mystery Series -- DEAD ANGLER, DEAD CREEK, DEAD WATER, DEAD FRENZY, DEAD HOT MAMA, DEAD JITTERBUG, DEAD BOOGIE, DEAD MADONNA, DEAD HOT SHOT, DEAD RENEGADE. DEAD DECEIVER, DEAD TEASE, DEAD INSIDER, DEAD HUSTLER, DEAD RAPUNZEL, DEAD LOUDMOUTH, DEAD SPIDER, DEAD FIREFLY, DEAD BIG DAWG and WOLF HOLLOW in hardcover, trade paperback and as an eBook from Simon & Schuster. The mysteries are set in the Northwoods of Wisconsin against a background of fishing – fly fishing as well as fishing for muskie, bass, bluegill and walleyes.
Houston’s mystery series was featured in a story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal (January 20, 2004) and on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation with Neal Conan” (February 2, 2006). Both can be seen/heard on the website: www.victoriahouston.com.
She has also written or co-authored over seven non-fiction books. An award-winning author specializing in family issues, Houston’s non-fiction books include the highly recommended ALONE AFTER SCHOOL: A Self-Care Guide for Latchkey Children and Their Parents (Prentice Hall, 1985); the national bestseller, LOVING A YOUNGER MAN: How Women Are Finding and Enjoying a Better Relationship (Contemporary Books (1987); Pocket Books (1988); MAKING IT WORK: Finding the Time and Energy For Your Career, Marriage, Children and Self (Contemporary Books, 1990) -- which was published by Simon & Schuster's Fireside imprint in August 1991 as a trade paperback titled MAKING IT WORK: Creative Solutions For Balancing Your Career, Marriage, Children And Personal Life. Houston co-authored RESTORE YOURSELF: A Woman’s Guide to Reviving Her Libido and Passion for Life (The Berkley Publishing Group/2001) with Dr. James Simon, a Past President of the North American Menopause Society.
Houston’s mystery series was featured in a story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal (January 20, 2004) and on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation with Neal Conan” (February 2, 2006). Both can be seen/heard on the website: www.victoriahouston.com.
She has also written or co-authored over seven non-fiction books. An award-winning author specializing in family issues, Houston’s non-fiction books include the highly recommended ALONE AFTER SCHOOL: A Self-Care Guide for Latchkey Children and Their Parents (Prentice Hall, 1985); the national bestseller, LOVING A YOUNGER MAN: How Women Are Finding and Enjoying a Better Relationship (Contemporary Books (1987); Pocket Books (1988); MAKING IT WORK: Finding the Time and Energy For Your Career, Marriage, Children and Self (Contemporary Books, 1990) -- which was published by Simon & Schuster's Fireside imprint in August 1991 as a trade paperback titled MAKING IT WORK: Creative Solutions For Balancing Your Career, Marriage, Children And Personal Life. Houston co-authored RESTORE YOURSELF: A Woman’s Guide to Reviving Her Libido and Passion for Life (The Berkley Publishing Group/2001) with Dr. James Simon, a Past President of the North American Menopause Society.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 28, 2022
Dead Jitterbug is another strange mystery by Victoria Houston. Once again Lew Ferris has to rely on Doc and Ray to help her solve the murder and maybe do a little fishing to relax. I like these smalltown mysteries even though I'm not a fisherman. I don't even like fish. But the characters and the setting is all it takes for me. Oh, and the dialogue.
October 9, 2017
I am working my way thought this series. Greatly enjoy the setting of Loon Lake, and main characters Doc, Lew, and Ray. This wasn't my favorite of the series thus far, but a good read none the less. On to the next...
October 18, 2018
Glad Lew is not going to be Sheriff
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
This book made me sad because I have only a few books left that have Audible editions. (Yes, I listened out of order.) Another satisfying adventure.
Kindle Unlimited, Read & Listen
Kindle Unlimited, Read & Listen
March 1, 2017
Personal Response:
I read the book Dead Jitterbug by Victoria Houston. I really enjoyed reading this book, because of the suspense in the murder. I really enjoyed the fishing, and the mystery incorporated into the book.
Plot:
In the beginning of the book, Ray and Doc took a group of girls out for a two day fishing seminar. On the last day of the seminar, Kitsy Mcdonald got a phone call. She was upset at the person on the phone. When she put the phone back in her purse, a pistol fell out of it. She told them that it was just for self defense. When Doc got back to the shore from the fish seminar, he saw his good friend the Chief Lewellyn Ferris. Chief Lew got a call from dispatch saying that Hope Mcdonald’s property has her alarmed tripped. When Ray and Lew got to Hope Mcdonald’s house, they found her murdered in her living room with no sign of the murderer. They found a pistol shell on the ground behind Hope Mcdonald. While working on the case, they found out that Kitsy had an huge argument with her mother, Hope Mcdonald, before she was killed. After weeks of working on the case, they charged Kitsy Mcdonald for the murder of her mother.
Characterization:
Doc was a retired dentist and was a very good fishermen. Doc also helped the police department with some of cases. Doc was a older gentleman and was a very kind loving person. Another person was, Chief Lewellyn Ferris or called Lew. She was the Chief of Police, and she was running for the position of Sheriff. She also was a very good fishermen, and she was learning how to fly fish. She was close friends with Doc.
Setting:
The book took place on Loon Lake in Wisconsin, which was near the Wausau area. The crime team who helped in the investigation was from the Madison area. The setting was important because Hope Mcdonald was a known figure around the United states, and this was her home without everyone knowing.
Recommendation:
I recommend this book to high school students because of the reading level. High school guys might find this book more interesting, because of the fishing incorporated in the book. High school girls might like this book because of the mystery.
I read the book Dead Jitterbug by Victoria Houston. I really enjoyed reading this book, because of the suspense in the murder. I really enjoyed the fishing, and the mystery incorporated into the book.
Plot:
In the beginning of the book, Ray and Doc took a group of girls out for a two day fishing seminar. On the last day of the seminar, Kitsy Mcdonald got a phone call. She was upset at the person on the phone. When she put the phone back in her purse, a pistol fell out of it. She told them that it was just for self defense. When Doc got back to the shore from the fish seminar, he saw his good friend the Chief Lewellyn Ferris. Chief Lew got a call from dispatch saying that Hope Mcdonald’s property has her alarmed tripped. When Ray and Lew got to Hope Mcdonald’s house, they found her murdered in her living room with no sign of the murderer. They found a pistol shell on the ground behind Hope Mcdonald. While working on the case, they found out that Kitsy had an huge argument with her mother, Hope Mcdonald, before she was killed. After weeks of working on the case, they charged Kitsy Mcdonald for the murder of her mother.
Characterization:
Doc was a retired dentist and was a very good fishermen. Doc also helped the police department with some of cases. Doc was a older gentleman and was a very kind loving person. Another person was, Chief Lewellyn Ferris or called Lew. She was the Chief of Police, and she was running for the position of Sheriff. She also was a very good fishermen, and she was learning how to fly fish. She was close friends with Doc.
Setting:
The book took place on Loon Lake in Wisconsin, which was near the Wausau area. The crime team who helped in the investigation was from the Madison area. The setting was important because Hope Mcdonald was a known figure around the United states, and this was her home without everyone knowing.
Recommendation:
I recommend this book to high school students because of the reading level. High school guys might find this book more interesting, because of the fishing incorporated in the book. High school girls might like this book because of the mystery.
November 2, 2016
Personal Response
I enjoyed reading this book, because it was very interesting and fairly easy to read. I was not expecting the book to go the way that it did either. After the first few chapters I thought it was getting boring until the murder happened, and then I wanted to keep reading to find out who the killer was. I think I might read more books in the Loon Lake mystery series.
Plot
In the beginning of the book Ray and Doc take girls out fishing for a two day seminar. On the second day one of the girls named Kitsy gets a phone call, and she is very mad at whoever is on the phone. When she puts the phone back in her bag a 22 caliber pistol falls out. Everyone is surprised she had a gun when they seen it. She tells them that it is just for self defense. After the fishing trip Rays good friend the sheriff gets a mysterious call saying that Hope Mcdonald’s property has been broken into. When Ray and Lew get to Hope’s house they find her murdered in her living room with no sign of the murderer. They find empty 22 caliber casings that were used to kill her.
After talking with neighbors they found out that a little girl that had permission to fish on Hope’s dock set the alarm off when she tried to get into Hope’s house to see if she okay. Doc and Lew asked the girl if she knew anything about Hope or her family and she said that Kitsy who happens to be one of the girls from the fishing seminar is her daughter. The girl tells them that Hope and Kitsy got into a huge fight a couple weeks ago. After a lot of work they find out that Kitsy had killed her mother because she was still mad at her.
Characterization
Doc and Lew do the investigations, and they were the people that found the killer. They also tried to find the people who had robbed the banks in the area. They were very smart and worked very hard to do what they did. Hope Mcdonald was murdered in her house by a murderer but before that she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Since she was diagnosed three months before her death her attitude and kindness would change every day. She also wrote a column for many newspapers for many years called Ask Hope. I can relate to Ray a lot because we both like to go fishing.
Setting
The setting of this book is in Wisconsin in the Wausau area. It takes place on Loon Lake and I think in the 1990’s. I wonder if something like this has ever happened where the story takes place.
Recommendation
I recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 14 and 17, because it tells about how the murder took place. It also explains the ways and strategies they used to find the killer. I think males might relate a little more to the story than females, because the story takes place around a lake and involves fishing. I hope more people read this book, because it is very interesting and I learned a lot from it.
I enjoyed reading this book, because it was very interesting and fairly easy to read. I was not expecting the book to go the way that it did either. After the first few chapters I thought it was getting boring until the murder happened, and then I wanted to keep reading to find out who the killer was. I think I might read more books in the Loon Lake mystery series.
Plot
In the beginning of the book Ray and Doc take girls out fishing for a two day seminar. On the second day one of the girls named Kitsy gets a phone call, and she is very mad at whoever is on the phone. When she puts the phone back in her bag a 22 caliber pistol falls out. Everyone is surprised she had a gun when they seen it. She tells them that it is just for self defense. After the fishing trip Rays good friend the sheriff gets a mysterious call saying that Hope Mcdonald’s property has been broken into. When Ray and Lew get to Hope’s house they find her murdered in her living room with no sign of the murderer. They find empty 22 caliber casings that were used to kill her.
After talking with neighbors they found out that a little girl that had permission to fish on Hope’s dock set the alarm off when she tried to get into Hope’s house to see if she okay. Doc and Lew asked the girl if she knew anything about Hope or her family and she said that Kitsy who happens to be one of the girls from the fishing seminar is her daughter. The girl tells them that Hope and Kitsy got into a huge fight a couple weeks ago. After a lot of work they find out that Kitsy had killed her mother because she was still mad at her.
Characterization
Doc and Lew do the investigations, and they were the people that found the killer. They also tried to find the people who had robbed the banks in the area. They were very smart and worked very hard to do what they did. Hope Mcdonald was murdered in her house by a murderer but before that she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Since she was diagnosed three months before her death her attitude and kindness would change every day. She also wrote a column for many newspapers for many years called Ask Hope. I can relate to Ray a lot because we both like to go fishing.
Setting
The setting of this book is in Wisconsin in the Wausau area. It takes place on Loon Lake and I think in the 1990’s. I wonder if something like this has ever happened where the story takes place.
Recommendation
I recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 14 and 17, because it tells about how the murder took place. It also explains the ways and strategies they used to find the killer. I think males might relate a little more to the story than females, because the story takes place around a lake and involves fishing. I hope more people read this book, because it is very interesting and I learned a lot from it.
November 20, 2017
Victoria Houston's Loon Lake series of murder mysteries are always full of surprises. Set in the Wisconsin northwoods, you can count on Ray Pradt, the colorful local fishing guide to be wrapped up in any murder investigation this small town has. Ray is not only a fishing master, he knows the area's chain of lakes and backwoods trails better than anyone. When popular advice columnist, Hope McDonald, is found murdered in her home, police chief Lew Ferris sets the investigation in motion. Are locals involved? Are Madison business people implicated? Are wealthy Chicago vacationers connected? Dead Jitterbug is an enjoyable read.
April 3, 2025
This series got off to a great start - the characters were likeable, the settings were enjoyable, the circumstances were believable. But as I read more and more of the series, little things started bugging me - time had passed, but characters didn't age... tiny stuff like that - It was almost as if Victoria Houston had contracted other writers to keep the stories going, and they didn't do their homework... or follow the style book... As I was reading these recovering from an illness, I was reading them one right after the other, so those inconsistencies would be more apparent....just my two cents.
February 3, 2019
Ms Houston would benefit from a better editor. There have been numerous continuity problems in the first 6 books in the series. Most recently it involved several people discussing how a neighbor had been fishing along the murder victims shoreline, yet at that time they did not know that. The neighbor girls tells them in a later chapter that she had been fishing the shoreline.
Overall, it is still a good enough story but instances like the above happen way too frequently in this series.
Overall, it is still a good enough story but instances like the above happen way too frequently in this series.
December 27, 2018
Ray Pradt is leading a seminar of "Fishing for Girls." Chief Ferris is called in to investigate a murder of Hope McDonald, an advice columnist, also the mother of one of the seminar girls. One of the girls also holds a grisly secret. And they are called in to find out who is robbing banks.
Another delightful tale of Chief Ferris, Dr. Osbourne and Ray. Enjoyable reading and A LOT about fishing!
Another delightful tale of Chief Ferris, Dr. Osbourne and Ray. Enjoyable reading and A LOT about fishing!
August 18, 2023
#6 in the Loon Lake mystery series. A fast paced read. Multiple mysteries: a rich columnist is murdered in her home; marked bills from banks robberies throughout the state are circulating in Loon Lake; a murder from 30 years ago comes into play. All the loose ends are nicely tied up at the end of the book without feeling rushed.
July 27, 2018
Didn't love it. A little too much detail on the fishing aspect for me. The characters were interesting, although sometimes the descriptions were a little too long. And the murderer kind of came out of nowhere. Not sure that I'll read any others in the series.
October 16, 2022
Excitingly suspenseful & humorous
Love the humor and suspense combined in each book. Hi York's ha a great way to include all of it into each story!!! Facts about fly fishing, musky fishing included are a plus.
Love the humor and suspense combined in each book. Hi York's ha a great way to include all of it into each story!!! Facts about fly fishing, musky fishing included are a plus.
January 9, 2020
This is a great series and I am learning a lot about fly fishing.
November 15, 2020
Loon Lake #6
Hadn’t read one for quite awhile, enjoyed getting back into the stories and characters. Looking forward to Dead Boogie #7.
Hadn’t read one for quite awhile, enjoyed getting back into the stories and characters. Looking forward to Dead Boogie #7.
February 17, 2021
A quick, fun read, especially if you live in Wisconsin.
March 13, 2021
Not one, not two but three mysteries to dive and they all get tied up so quickly that I feel like I have whiplash. And no one needs that much information about fly fishing.
May 5, 2021
Another fun read with the Loon Lake gang of crime solvers and this time, something is really fishy. hahahaha
April 2, 2023
Another good mystery with the Loon Lake crowd- enjoying my binge reading of this series.
May 12, 2023
Very light reading. Likable characters.
August 2, 2023
Actually a pretty good cozy mystery. Lots of nice twists to keep you guessing without all the needless repetitive stuff so many cozies do.
September 30, 2024
So far, this is my favorite of the Loon Lake series
October 18, 2024
really enjoying the series, this book had some interesting cases...
December 28, 2008
The 6th book in the Loon Lake Fishing Mystery series.
Retired dentist Dr. Paul Osbourne gets roped into helping his neighbor Ray Pradt with his latest money making adventure - a 2 day seminar called "Fishing for Girls" where he takes a group of women out on the lake and teaches them his skills as a fisherman. When the mother of one of the seminar students turns up murdered in her home on Loon Lake - Dr. Paul is called in by chief of police Lew Ferris to help out with the investigation. Soon after an old murder case is brought up to be looked at again (think Cold Case Files) and strangly the child of the murder victims is also a "Fishing For Girls" seminar student. Throw in a couple of bank robbers and Lew running for re-election to Chief of police and you have yourself an exciting little read.
Retired dentist Dr. Paul Osbourne gets roped into helping his neighbor Ray Pradt with his latest money making adventure - a 2 day seminar called "Fishing for Girls" where he takes a group of women out on the lake and teaches them his skills as a fisherman. When the mother of one of the seminar students turns up murdered in her home on Loon Lake - Dr. Paul is called in by chief of police Lew Ferris to help out with the investigation. Soon after an old murder case is brought up to be looked at again (think Cold Case Files) and strangly the child of the murder victims is also a "Fishing For Girls" seminar student. Throw in a couple of bank robbers and Lew running for re-election to Chief of police and you have yourself an exciting little read.
May 18, 2010
I am enjoying this series by Victoria Houston. I enjoy reading the series partly because I do like to fish and I also like reading about places I have been to in my home state. I like the character Ray--his lust for 'tv time' is a great addition to the stories. His latest venture of Fishing Girls ads a humorous flavor to the book. These books are always an easy read.
November 22, 2016
I enjoy Ray, Doc and Lew
Hope McDonald is murdered, the lovelorn columnist -- killed by the garbage man in a deluded fit. Old triple family murder is also solved -- the gay newspaper guy did it and then married the little girl 30 years later. The garbage man's daughter and friend are multiple bank robbers.
Hope McDonald is murdered, the lovelorn columnist -- killed by the garbage man in a deluded fit. Old triple family murder is also solved -- the gay newspaper guy did it and then married the little girl 30 years later. The garbage man's daughter and friend are multiple bank robbers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2014
I've really tired of this series, and find so much of the information on Wisconsin law enforcement to be inaccurate and unrealistic. The only reason I read this is because I own a copy of the book. I have one more to go and then I will be done with them.
July 17, 2016
This series was recommended to me. I liked the idea of a WI based author who focuses on recurring local characters. The story took some wacky twists and was a little too neatly wrappedup but I did enjoy it and will read more from the series.
January 18, 2021
I absolutely love these books. I happen to come across one in our library at the high school. The author is from Wisconsin and things to relate to small town here in the northwoods where I live. The mysteries are exciting.
Read
October 13, 2011Greed and cruelty lead to murder. In solving this mystery, and old murder is also solved.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews