Tip A Canoe

Elderhostel #3

by Peter E. Abresch

Like A Corpse Out of Water.

Maryland physical therapist James P. Dandy embarks upon his third Elderhostel vacation, eager to reunite with his ladylove Dodee Swisher for some romance and outdoor adventure in South Carolina's lovely Santee Dam lakes.

At first, nobody was calling the accidental drowning of a local man murder, or worrying about ecoterrorism at the discovery of an empty box of dynamite. Then the body of a fellow Elderhosteler is found feeding fish in the swamp, and soon Jim is wading into the muddy waters of murder. False trails lead in ever-widening circles as a conspiracy claims yet another victim. But when Jim's clever reasoning unravels the shocking true motive for murder, it leaves him up the proverbial creek -- with a killer holding the paddle.

Genres: Mystery

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 7, 2001

About the author

    Born in the USA... a long, looooong time ago.
    I held many knock-about jobs before going to college, and after two with the government: a geodesist traveling all over the world: and a systems computer programmer, traveling back and forth to work: and now, retired, a full-time writer which I had been doing all along. Also during this time I managed to hammer and nail a 3400 square foot house together and build three sailboats.
    I sold my first story, a novella called Hi Diddle Diddle, to Analog Magazine in 1968, sold a movie option on it, and thought my career was made, but it was thirty years before I was published again with Bloody Bonsai, the first of the Elderhostel Mysteries. Four more in the series followed.
    My latest novel is THE FALTESE MALCOM. Within its pages you'll find adventure, love, laughter, a hard-boiled mystery, a walk on the fantasy side with time travel. It's a humorous take-off on the Maltese Falcon, a Harry Potter entertainment for adults.
    The Faltese Malcom is published through Create Space, an Amazon company, along with If They Ask for a Hand, Only Give Them a Finger, and soon to be published, Capitol Coven. Both books are available on CDs.
    Some time back I started a free newsletter called BookMarc, lessons and advice in fiction writing. It led to a contract and the publishing of Easy Reading Writing, easy reading about writing easy reading, http://easyreadingwriting.com/ The BookMarc newsletter is ongoing, restarted recently, and everyone is welcome to join the list by emailing me with 'subscribe BookMarc', it's free and can be stopped anytime.
    I'm still not a NYT bestseller. I'm still not a millionaire. Nor do I rule the universe.
    But my Father does.

Reviews

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short series (5 books) is proving entertaining enough to keep me reading. All of them are set at Elderhostel events, where James P. “Jim” Dandy and Dodee Swisher first met; although living several states apart, they’ve continued a relationship by going on Elderhostel vacations together. While a bit too cutesy-poo with the romance angle for my taste, the idea works and the scope for story sites is plenty wide. Author Abresch takes full advantage
Here, Jim and Dodee are in South Carolina for a week of canoe trips, bird-watching and history at the Santee Dam lakes. First a local man is found drowned and it’s declared an accidental death, but then a member of the Elderhostel group goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Dodee as ever is all for solving the puzzle by herself and Jim, as ever, is dragged along for the ride. But then they find themselves “up the creek without a paddle.”
Entertaining, and the climax is well done. Looking forward to their next adventure.

[Carolyn (in SC) C234D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a readable, fairly interesting mystery, but the author's style became heavy to me quickly. One character's "milk chocolate " skin was mentioned way too many times, as was his wife's "honey-blonde" hair. A memory game, attaching animal names to Elderhostlers names, such as Becky the Beaver and Leo the Lion, became tired after the first dozen times, but lasted for the entire book. This is a series, but I won't be in a hurry to read more. Set in South Carolina, Beidler Forest was misspelled, as was another place. A no-no.

[Brian O'Leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far I have read all three of the series and a 5 out of 10 is the highest I would score any of them, not a good sign.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as James D. Doss but I am certainly reading his books and will most likely read them again.
Very readable, interesting, well written.
His characters have "character." Lots of great conversations.
Definitely worth reading.

[Daisyaday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Dandy, a physical therapist living in Maryland goes to an Elderhostel to the Santee-Cooper in SC. Lots of info about SC birds and trees. A great read, especially for someone like me who grew up in SC and enjoys reading about the area. Nice mystery story, but guessed most of the ending early.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the South Carolina lakes there is valuable wood under water.
OK

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love these Elderhostel mystery books! It's just pure, mystery fun.