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The Great Saugatuck Murder Mystery
Saugatuck in the 1920s was the Paris of the Midwest. Visitors came for the beaches, to study art at Ox-Bow Summer School of the Arts, or to dance the night away to hot jazz at the Big Pavilion. Beneath the carefree lifestyle there was a dark side bubbling to the surface on Venetian Night when the minister at the Episcopal Church was found murdered. Doctor Balfour, the one visitor who did not want any part of it, soon found himself caught up in intrigue and mystery, forced to confront the demons and ghosts of his unhappy past.
- GenresMystery
188 pages, Paperback
Published May 19, 2016
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September 15, 2016It was fun because of the familiarity with Saugatuck, but I'm willing to offer proofreading gratis for the next book.
November 7, 2017
The Story takes place in Saugatuck 1920 just after the Great War and during Prohibition. Doctor Horace Balfour is on vacation on his boat "Aurora" They have to dock at Saugatuck for a while to repair the boat. Doctor Horace sets out for a walk in Saugatuck. He meets a young lady named Phoebe, who is selling flowers. Doc Horace buys her entire inventory and has her take it to the "Aurora" for the evenings dinner table.
The story centers around Doctor Horace Balfour, Doctor Theo and Clarice Balfour, Phoebe and her mother. We also meet Frank Nitti, one of Al Capone's henchmen, Reverend and Mrs. Smith, Callie the local sheriff, the Garwoods, Fred, and a host of others.
If you have ever been to Saugatuck you will enjoy recognizing some of the places mentioned in the book.
Doctor Horace is anxious to return home however repairs of "Aurora" are taking longer than expected. One early morning (2am) both Doctors are called out to the Episcopal Church where they are asked to examine the body of the visiting minister. He has been murdered by an odd method called "wadding" execution style. That sets Callie on the trail of Frank Nitti. The Two brothers have other ideas and begin to investigate for themselves.
The book is not only about the murder. Relationships between Horace and his brother. Both had been front line Doctors in the Great War. Horace had returned to his practice working hard at that. Theo had taken some time to recoup before he returned to his practice.
Horace lost his wife and son shortly after the war leaving him with only his work. His daughter had married and moved away. He was lonely.
I liked the book because it was written about Saugatuck. However, around Chapter 8 things start to get exciting. I liked that chapter to the end.
The story centers around Doctor Horace Balfour, Doctor Theo and Clarice Balfour, Phoebe and her mother. We also meet Frank Nitti, one of Al Capone's henchmen, Reverend and Mrs. Smith, Callie the local sheriff, the Garwoods, Fred, and a host of others.
If you have ever been to Saugatuck you will enjoy recognizing some of the places mentioned in the book.
Doctor Horace is anxious to return home however repairs of "Aurora" are taking longer than expected. One early morning (2am) both Doctors are called out to the Episcopal Church where they are asked to examine the body of the visiting minister. He has been murdered by an odd method called "wadding" execution style. That sets Callie on the trail of Frank Nitti. The Two brothers have other ideas and begin to investigate for themselves.
The book is not only about the murder. Relationships between Horace and his brother. Both had been front line Doctors in the Great War. Horace had returned to his practice working hard at that. Theo had taken some time to recoup before he returned to his practice.
Horace lost his wife and son shortly after the war leaving him with only his work. His daughter had married and moved away. He was lonely.
I liked the book because it was written about Saugatuck. However, around Chapter 8 things start to get exciting. I liked that chapter to the end.
September 10, 2022
The Great Saugatuck Murder Mystery is clearly a passion project, a dedicated writing project from a fan of the area. As a visitor to the area, I picked it up in a local shop and was excited to read a story that evoked the local environment and hit a little history. Alas, I did not enjoy the book very much.
Things I liked:
- The region got solid representation in the novel, and if you're visiting, you'll be pleased to find references to local landmarks.
- The nuances of local boating were well discussed and researched.
A couple quick comments on the things I thought didn't work:
- The book reads like it's part of the middle of a series -- making offhand references to things as if the readers should know what they are, and only later filling us in about the details.
- The main character has three or four things that seem to be 'key phrases' for him. And he says them a lot. By the end of the novel, it's very tiring to read another 'Thunderation!' or reference to 'being stuck in the Waiting Room.'
- The transitions are often jarring and confusing. A character will retire for a nap or leave a location and then in the next line be saying something.
- There are quite a few typos. This book definitely needed a pass from a copyeditor (and probably a sustained pass from a content editor as well). While some of the typos are minor, others make sentences confusing or nonsensical.
- The logic applied in several situations doesn't work very well. For example, at one point the town constable (or Sheriff?) suspects the main characters of being involved in a crime, but also asks them to help investigate it -- even sending them to search locations on their own and report back to him.
- The story as it's laid out doesn't earn the dramatic ending.
There seem to be six novels in the series, so perhaps they get better, or maybe the local readership is enthusiastic about the characters in a way that overlooks some of the (perhaps) petty complaints I've offered here. But I would not recommend.
Things I liked:
- The region got solid representation in the novel, and if you're visiting, you'll be pleased to find references to local landmarks.
- The nuances of local boating were well discussed and researched.
A couple quick comments on the things I thought didn't work:
- The book reads like it's part of the middle of a series -- making offhand references to things as if the readers should know what they are, and only later filling us in about the details.
- The main character has three or four things that seem to be 'key phrases' for him. And he says them a lot. By the end of the novel, it's very tiring to read another 'Thunderation!' or reference to 'being stuck in the Waiting Room.'
- The transitions are often jarring and confusing. A character will retire for a nap or leave a location and then in the next line be saying something.
- There are quite a few typos. This book definitely needed a pass from a copyeditor (and probably a sustained pass from a content editor as well). While some of the typos are minor, others make sentences confusing or nonsensical.
- The logic applied in several situations doesn't work very well. For example, at one point the town constable (or Sheriff?) suspects the main characters of being involved in a crime, but also asks them to help investigate it -- even sending them to search locations on their own and report back to him.
- The story as it's laid out doesn't earn the dramatic ending.
There seem to be six novels in the series, so perhaps they get better, or maybe the local readership is enthusiastic about the characters in a way that overlooks some of the (perhaps) petty complaints I've offered here. But I would not recommend.
June 3, 2023
Saugatuck is a Michigan town on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Although I lived in Detroit for five years, I never went to Saugatuck. My brother-in-law and his wife went up there recently in conjunction with one of their trips to nearby Holland, Michigan, found this book, and loaned it to me. I suspect the reason they travelled over to Saugatuck this time is that his brother died there during a vacation not long ago.
The book was written by a local who is obviously very fond of his town. Whatever the town does now in the way of attracting tourists, it is apparently a far cry from its popularity 100 years ago, which is when this story takes place. Then it was described as the "Paris of the Midwest", in that it was a vacation mecca, with beaches, an art and music scene, and horse racing in nearby Muskegon.
The Aurora, a yacht, pulls into Saugatuck to avoid an evening storm. Its owner is the famous surgeon Dr. Horace Balfour, a lonely and sour widower, and his small crew. The next day he finds himself escorted all over town by a precocious young girl named Phoebe. Dr. Balfour is introduced to Phoebe's mother, Harriet Walters, a widow. When we are already deep into the tale, a pastor in the town is murdered, and one thing after another conspire to not only keep Dr. Balfour in Saugatuck, but to involve him in the mystery of the killing.
There are instances of less-than-polished writing, including lines that would be better spoken by a character being delegated to our third-person narrator. And unfortunately a number of typos remain to distract the reader. But the novel is well-researched as to real figures and topics of the era, and one of the infamous gangsters of that time becomes embroiled in the shenanigans.
The book was written by a local who is obviously very fond of his town. Whatever the town does now in the way of attracting tourists, it is apparently a far cry from its popularity 100 years ago, which is when this story takes place. Then it was described as the "Paris of the Midwest", in that it was a vacation mecca, with beaches, an art and music scene, and horse racing in nearby Muskegon.
The Aurora, a yacht, pulls into Saugatuck to avoid an evening storm. Its owner is the famous surgeon Dr. Horace Balfour, a lonely and sour widower, and his small crew. The next day he finds himself escorted all over town by a precocious young girl named Phoebe. Dr. Balfour is introduced to Phoebe's mother, Harriet Walters, a widow. When we are already deep into the tale, a pastor in the town is murdered, and one thing after another conspire to not only keep Dr. Balfour in Saugatuck, but to involve him in the mystery of the killing.
There are instances of less-than-polished writing, including lines that would be better spoken by a character being delegated to our third-person narrator. And unfortunately a number of typos remain to distract the reader. But the novel is well-researched as to real figures and topics of the era, and one of the infamous gangsters of that time becomes embroiled in the shenanigans.
October 5, 2018
I picked up this book at the local used book sale held by my local library. Chosen because it happens to take place in Saugatuck, Michigan I learned that I really am not familiar enough with the town to know any of the places mentioned in the book.
The story begins with some locals talking in a bar on a slow night. One man begins to share his story of a murder that occurred in the town back in the late 1920's. The story then reverts to that time frame and the writer never returns to the present.
Doctor Horace Balfour is a prominent and well respected man who happens to be tied delayed on his boat in Saugatuck after trying to duck from a storm on Lake Michigan. He and his crew end up rather stranded as they need to work on some engine troubles. In the meantime, Dr. Horace Balfour gets to meet a few of the local people and somehow finds himself in the midst of a murder mystery.
Quick scene changes in the midst of chapters gave the book a choppy feel at times, and the annoying typos scattered in the first couple of chapters were a little off putting. The typo problems got better. The writing style remained. There were some likeable characters in the story and the relationship between the lonely and guarded Dr. Balfour and the energetic and spunky young lady named Phoebe helped draw out his personality in a nice way.
The story begins with some locals talking in a bar on a slow night. One man begins to share his story of a murder that occurred in the town back in the late 1920's. The story then reverts to that time frame and the writer never returns to the present.
Doctor Horace Balfour is a prominent and well respected man who happens to be tied delayed on his boat in Saugatuck after trying to duck from a storm on Lake Michigan. He and his crew end up rather stranded as they need to work on some engine troubles. In the meantime, Dr. Horace Balfour gets to meet a few of the local people and somehow finds himself in the midst of a murder mystery.
Quick scene changes in the midst of chapters gave the book a choppy feel at times, and the annoying typos scattered in the first couple of chapters were a little off putting. The typo problems got better. The writing style remained. There were some likeable characters in the story and the relationship between the lonely and guarded Dr. Balfour and the energetic and spunky young lady named Phoebe helped draw out his personality in a nice way.
February 1, 2020
A local author, his first book out. Set in Saugatuck, MI, in 1928 (Publ 2016), it's a whimsical little tale using local area settings that we all know, and he has since put out 3 more in a series, with another one on the way. A quick read, a good part of the joy of this book is recognizing all the places he writes about. It starts in the Sandbar Bar & Grill, which has been around forever (and still is) and meanders through the local village scape in an outlandish murder mystery. Well crafted & entertaining story line, but editing should have been a lot tighter. My friend who recommended this book also has the other ones in the series, so I'll be reading the rest of 'em probably before the end of the winter. It does make for good break in between more serious books.
July 24, 2023
I liked the historical aspect of this book and found that the book was very interesting in that way. However, it almost seemed like the murder mystery was a side plot. They didn't spend that much time on the actual mystery and spent a lot more time on the relationships between the characters. I am not sure why it was titled like it was mainly a murder mystery, when the murder was not the main plot. I still enjoyed it, because I like history and there was some mystery-related intrigue, but it felt a little like false advertising. Also, there were a LOT of spelling, grammar, and word-choice errors for a published novel. I expect to see 1 or 2 mistakes in any given book that somehow slipped past the editor, but I don't expect to see 15-20, especially in a book that isn't really that long.
October 28, 2022
I liked this book, it is an easy read. I first saw the series in a bookstore in Saugatuck, and thought the title sounded interesting. I bought the last book and decided to read the series. This is the first one. It was a little confusing figuring out the characters but I enjoyed the book. Now on to the second one.
November 3, 2017
A solid entertainment (especially if you were visiting or live in Saugatuck). It feels like a first novel and although some of the plot twists are melodramatic to the point of unbelievablity —it’s a fun adventure in the style of an old time movie.
June 7, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. We did a short trip to Saugatuck and I found his books at the paddle boat dock store.
Characters were easy to relate to and warm up to. The ending got a little complicated as far as Who Done It, but I'm looking forward to reading his next book.
Characters were easy to relate to and warm up to. The ending got a little complicated as far as Who Done It, but I'm looking forward to reading his next book.
July 15, 2023
Picked this up in a little library while vacationing in the area. It was cute to see references to the area, but the story has holes and there were many typos. Still, not a bad choice of you're looking for a beach read.
September 7, 2024
A cute book, especially if you love the Saugatuck area. I would love to be the editor - someone could have caught all the typos and made this more enjoyable. At times the story is a bit muddled but all in all an enjoyable and quick read.
July 9, 2017
The overall story was alright, but the editing was horrendous.
July 6, 2025
Enjoyed the Saugatuck references. And the throwback to nearly 100 years ago. Worth the read if you are a fan of the area. You should write another story that takes place in modern times.
November 7, 2016
An ineresting story but not a conventional murder mystery. Just go with the fun.
July 16, 2019
It's light reading for the beach or a rainy day. The situation and characters aren't the most believable, and the dialogue is pretty stilted in places. But if you're familiar with the area, the Saugatuck references add some entertainment. I'd recommend that the author find a proofreader.
August 14, 2017
I enjoyed reading it while vacationing in Saugatuck and connecting to the locations in the story.
October 5, 2018
This was another quick read. I bought this at the thrift shop, because my family has made numerous day trips to Saugatuck for some summer and fall fun. It's a beautiful town. We've even ridden on the chain ferry described in the book. It still runs, even today. The book was okay, however, it needed some editing help. When the action changed, there should have been some separation between paragraphs like this *******. Also, some of the dialog was rather repetitious. The story was fine and it felt like I was right there with the characters. Not a bad first effort by the author.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews