Shooting at Loons

Deborah Knott Mysteries #3

by Margaret Maron

Following Bootlegger's Daughter and Southern Discomfort, the multi-award-winning team of Margaret Maron and Judge Deborah Knott return for their third case, involving commercial fishermen, sportsmen, and real estate developers. Ultimately the case ends up not only in court, but in murder.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Southern, Cozy Mystery, Crime, Audiobook

229 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Born and raised in central North Carolina, Margaret Maron lived in Italy before returning to the USA. In addition to a collection of short stories she also authored numerous mystery novels.

Her works have been translated into seven languages her Bootlegger's Daughter, a Washington Post Bestseller won Edgar Anthony, Agatha, and Macavity awards.

She was a past president of Sisters in Crime and of the American Crime writers' league, and a director on the national board for Mystery Writers of America.

Like Margaret Maron on Facebook
Follow Margaret Maron on Twitter

Reviews

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 2 out of 5]

Any novel containing animal death will not receive five stars from me. Even books on love or protection must be happy, to earn my star allotted to enjoyment separately from story writing excellence. Four stars are earned by stories that curb disturbing aspects, with an acceptable reason for their use. The title “Shooting At Loons” did not bode well but pertained to the paramount subject of conservancy against extinction. It is also reasonable that incidents of poaching needed to express the reluctance of some people to comprehend the urgency of upholding rules, while learning another way to make a living.

I might have further understood an animal death to characterize an asshole in a story and this one was as is true to life, abusive overall, with no distinction from animals and people. However, having dispatched with Margaret Maron’s horrendous previous novel, on the unconscionable act of immigrants eating pets, the entirety of my respect and patience sank again to two stars for publishing another theme of cruelty. I am not talking about the beautiful loons, whom the authoress accused Canadians of poaching and eating, by the way! In exasperation, I was driven to yell again: enough cat abuse and portraying the protagonist to excuse it!!!! Twice, cats were victims but unreported to the law! Did North Carolina, USA have zero protection for family animals in 1994? Do they now? Judge Deborah Knott told an attempted deer poacher, he was lucky “to hit a cat instead of a deer”! Has she no heart!?

Were it possible to respect any characters, the mysteries were intriguing and demonstrated the consequences of people not trying to learn a new industry. I read that Margaret went to Heaven in 2021 and wish her family well. I hope to enjoy the other novels I have.

[Dennis Fischman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loons are an endangered species. Shooting at loons is illegal. But that doesn't keep folks on Harkers Island from taking their shot. They grew up doing it, and outsiders coming in to regulate their lives just seems like an unwarranted act of arrogance. Besides, loon stew is good eating. And what can it hurt if I bag a bird or two?

Lots of people on Harkers Island and on the shore of North Carolina are taking their shots at getting rich, too, whether it's strictly legal or not. Eventually, a couple of them get killed. And Judge Deborah Knott, on temporary assignment away from her home in Colleton County, has to figure out who killed them, and why.

It's tempting to read this book as a diagnosis of the attitudes that elected Donald Trump, more than twenty years before the fact. If you're going to read it that way, however, notice that no one is on the side of the angels here. Environmentalists who care about the water and the land clash with conservationists who care about the endangered species, and each sometimes allies with and sometimes fights against commercial fishermen, sports fishermen, tourists, and developers. This book reminds us that all of us feel tempted to cut corners when we believe our cause is just. Let's hope all of us do the right thing, but none of us can afford to be so self-righteous.

[Rod Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t say I read this book, more like I skimmed it. Was there a story in there somewhere? A whole lot of dialogue about gaming laws and land purchases and … zzzzzzz … somebody gets murdered and I think somewhere in all the talk talk talking you find out why … zzzzz …. zzzzzzzzzzz

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short and tight mystery. Like the best writers, Margaret Maron does not tell you each suspect’s murder motives, she shows you.

The book was a gift from my sister who may be trying to steer me into fiction… if so… it was a good choice. The Goodreads squib quotes the Indianapolis News as crediting author for writing books as “a portrait of a place”. Besides the story, there is an informed travelogue covering the flora, fauna, legal proceedings and development issues of small Nrth Carolina coastal towns..

This book is an Edgar Award winner and highly recommended for mystery readers and anyone who wants a quick – but still substantive – read.

[Mary Ronan Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shooting at Loons by Margaret Maron is the third in her Deborah Knott mystery series and in this book Deborah has been sent pro tem to Beaufort (pronounced BOW - fort, not BYEW - fort like that other place down in South Carolina) to fill in for a judge who is ill. She has a cousin who has a small house on Harkers Island where she can stay. Her neighbors, whom she knows well because she vacationed there every summer when she was a child, are natives of the island some of whose families have been living and fishing there since the 1720s.

Shortly after she arrives a neighbor takes her out on the water and they find the body of another neighbor, Andy Bynum, on a sandbank. Andy owns a menhaden processing plant and is a member of a committee of developers, vacationers, fishermen, and environmentalists who are trying to work out compromises that keep everyone happy. That is impossible to do in a very old but now quickly changing area like the Crystal Coast, which is what they call this beautiful area, and there are bitter feuds between these people. . . .

To read the rest of my review, see my blog at:

http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the story and setting. Miss my friends on Harker's Island and Down East..

[Jerry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very light mystery, mostly Outer Banks NC chit chat...

We've noted before, both for this Judge Deborah Knott series (Loons = #3 of 8 {circa 2002}) and the earlier 8-book Sigrid Harald series, that Maron is a fine writer that can do wonders with anything to which she sets her mind and pen. We would probably rate this and the rest of the set higher were it not billed as a mystery. A murder or two occurs, but it seems nobody is chasing clues or suspecting anybody except in the few moments of idle thought Deborah turns to the subject. Then, all of a sudden, the murderer is revealed all too conveniently at the end of the book.

What we really have with this series is human drama, mostly about the rural life and lifestyles of the wonderful characters Maron gives us from all over North Carolina, this one set on the lovely, albeit anachronistic, Outer Banks. Her dialogue and imagery are quite enjoyable, and she does well in describing the societal conflicts between the old and the young. But it might be better to just take out the mystery rather than do it such poor justice (so to speak). Those used to the Harald series will be particularly upset, for in that set the crime and the procedural detection of the culprit were everything. In fact, we find it hard to believe Maron is winning mystery awards (per se) for the Knott stories. Even the courtroom scenes where we get to watch Knott judge mostly menial cases are pretty dry going. Frankly, Knott could be holding down almost any profession and these stories would still work.

These books will probably satisfy those not wanting or looking for much of a crime and solution motif; but those that are looking for plot complexity will be quite disappointed. We will probably forego the rest of the set as just a little too bland, even though the nice easy reading style will please many who don't care about intrigue, suspense, or procedure in their crime stories. Just be aware...

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it kept me guessing until the very end. So many suspects, and I learned a great deal about life on the water, and the people that make a living there and those who try to take that away. I'm really enjoying Margaret Maron's mysteries, and Judge Deborah Knott's way of somehow becoming involved in and around the people or crime that has been committed. Great reads and now I'm off to start the next story of Southern rural living, and the characters that make you laugh one minute and cringe the next.

From Amazon:
Margaret Maron has garnered both the praise of critics and the raves of satisfied readers for her award-winning Deborah Knott series. The Indianapolis News notes that a Deborah Knott book is “more than just a mystery; it is a portrait of a place.” The Houston Chronicle compares Maron’s rich description of central North Carolina to the writings of Sarah Orne Jewett and Kate Chopin. And the Raleigh News & Observer gets it exactly right when it says that the series is “like pecan pie. It leaves you wanting more.”

Now, in SHOOTING AT LOONS, we follow Judge Deborah Knott to the state’s lush Crystal Coast, where expensive yachts ride at anchor…and murders wash in on the “Down East” tide.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My library had just received several of the Deborah Knott Mysteries on CD. I had never read any of the books so I picked the one with the earliest copyright. I enjoyed the story. It was a very easy going mystery. There was a lot of background about the location and the people who live there. Nothing moved at a fast pace. There was plenty of time to enjoy the story and the characters while wondering who did what. There were several twist as the story progresses. There were things in the story that dated it but it did fit the time when it was written. It is a good read when you want something a little light with a mystery attached.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5-star offering from the talented Ms. Maron. This 3rd book in her Judge Deborah Knott series was set on Harker's Island, off the coast of North Carolina, and focused on the fishing industry and the changes wrought by contemporary societal concerns. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and she surprised me with some skillful bait-and-switching at the end; the killer was not who I had picked out! (I love that.)

This series is getting ever better. I genuinely like Judge Knott and her wild, humongous family. Looking forward to starting the next one!

[Lisa Carlsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get "the feel" of the main character (who she is, what's her history, etc.)--perhaps because this is part of a series of books about Judge Deborah Knott, and I haven't read any of the others. Once I got going, however, I began to enjoy her smart, sassy personality. We need more female protagonists like her! :-) The story itself was fairly solid, with a good blend of suspense and personal interest. Not knock-your-socks-off-good, but a pleasant page-turner.

[Jamie Wyatt Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this 5 stars if it wasn't for the ending. I think this is another series that I could definitly get into. I really enjoy the writing style, the characters and the unique plots, buuuuuut I am hoping that all her books don't have a disappointing ending like this one. I mean it wasn't a BAD ending, but it was just diappointing and I closed the book going "really?" I am still going to check out her other books though.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm trying to catch up on my reviews, and some will just be perfunctory. I'm recovering from surgery, and haven even been doing much reading. I've been enjoying this series by Marion Maron. Deborah Watts, now. Judge, is covering a court near the Carolina coast. If I had been up to snuff, I probably would have given it more stars. With all new characters, it was a test for me to keep them straight, but I learned something about how coastal shell-fishers operate.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice combination of character development, geographic detail and murder mystery. Actually the murder mystery is almost secondary. The book paints a picture of conflict on the coast of NC - environmentalist, developers, long-time locals, newbies, and a way of life trying to cope with a changing world. She pulls it all off without being preachy....nice.

[Barbara B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just started reading this author in the past year. And since there is a main character (Judge Deborah Knott) I decided to read them in order (and there are over 15 or more). This one was written in 1994, so it's fun to read a story lacking all of today's technology.

[Debbie Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Deborah Knott mystery series!!

[Kimberlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light mystery... conservationist vs. recreational fishermen in the industry. unpredictable, little gore. Characters were excellent in the Carolina setting. Good easy read

[Anne, Unfinished Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

This series only gets better with each installment. Judge Deborah Knott is sent to the Outer Banks, the Crystal Coast, to fill in for a judge who is ill. She will only be there a week but will encounter bodies and find herself in the middle of the conflict between the locals and the tourists.

Years earlier the area had improved and built up the area, and now the beauty and wealth pulls in boats and yachts from around the world. It is a paradise for the leisure class. The dispute is ruled by "everyone wants a slice of the resources", described as four factions, that are even further complex: the environmentalists (who are different than the conservationists), the commercial fishermen (whose livelihood is at risk), the recreational fishing community which includes motels, tackle shops, restaurants, marinas, boat sales, piers... and the developers. The groups move from one side to the other depending on the issue. Much of the shore that was open for the locals to dig for clams or gather oysters is now privately owned, or are leased bottoms, even by the locals. Some locals still shoot loons and take turtles for eating, as they have for generations, though as they are endangered species it is illegal. The commercial fishermen find themselves subject to bycatch limits, equipment limits, turtle extruders, right-to-sell licenses, size limits, and more restrictions as the tourist industry takes over. The tourists don't want to look at rusty old fishing boats, or ships that seek the menhaden, fish that are pressed and ground up for fertilizer. One resident has a plant for processing menhaden that is on prime bayfront property, and a developer, Linville Pope wants it. Fishing menhaden also is close to shore, a factor hated by the leisure industry, who want pristine views and waters for their yachts and speedboats. Pope is not opposed to nefarious methods of getting what she wants and is suspect in the death of Bynum. Andy was the organizer of the Independent Fishers Alliance, which is not looked upon very enthusiastically by the commercial fishermen who are stubborn and loners.

As Deborah accompanies the young man from next door, Guthrie Davis, to dig clams, they find the body of Andy Bynum, a local institution, well-liked by most. He is found by the leased bottom of Hes and Jay Hadley, and Deborah finds herself confronted by Jay as she waits for the police. As the story progresses, Linville is also killed. Deborah develops a relationship with the local game warden Kidd Chapin, who is watching Mahlon Davis and his son Mickey Mantle Davis, from under the cottage Deboran is staying in. Mahlon is a talented boat builder but rises to rages easily. He is believed to be shooting loons, and he is in a dispute with Linville who owns the property in back of his. His trash, and part of the boat he is currently building is partly on that land.

Judge Chet Winberry and his wife Barbara Jean are also friends of Deborah. Barbara Jean owns the Menhaden factory. She is unaware that her husband committed some illegal acts when Linville was getting started, thus helping the person who is now harassing Barbara Jean. Another family is visiting, comes to the court on an issue, and Deborah is faced with a former lover, from her time in Boston. Linville is also involved with Levi Schuster, partner of Catherine Llewellyn. However, it is the simple rage against the changes that affect the lives of Mahlon and his family that has him spontaneously killing both Andy and Linville with they won't listen or budge in flexibility. In the quick confrontation when he is found out he threatens Deborah with death and then shoots himself. A truly tragic picture of the changes people face.

All in all there are an abundance of suspects, and a convoluted plot. It again explores the Southern culture and the old South. In this case it is more at odds with the new world. Again, the author is brilliant at the narrative.

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very excited to see the continuation of a feature which I enjoy as it provides a "heading" and/or very effective "lead-in" at the beginning of each chapter. In this novel the italicized sentences are verses of hymns which are credited on the copyright page to: "Gospel Hymns: Nos. 1 to 6," by Ira D. Sankey, James McGranahan and George C. Stebbins. Copyright 1895 by the Biglow & Main Co. and The John Church Co.

Deborah is staying at a cousin and his wife's cottage on Harkers Island on the southern coast of North Carolina as she's substituting for another judge at the Carteret County courthouse. Discovery of a body brings Deborah a close-up view and understanding of the differences between appreciating the offerings of the island as a "weekender" or "tourist" and that of a "local."

Margaret Maron does an excellent job of giving readers this "insider's or local view" through Deborah's experience and learning curve which gives her a deeper perspective to the challenges of all parties. Sadly, "weekenders" and vacationers are not always respectful to the environment of not only coastal towns but all locations they so revere during their escape planning.

This book is one of many that clearly highlights that a novel doesn't need to be over a certain number of pages to offer a powerful message and especially for those that visit coastal towns. I think this novel would make an excellent book club selection to provide a comfortable setting for thoughtful discussion.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third entry into the Deborah Knott series moves her from Colleton County (south of Raleigh) to the coast. While the court is located in Beaufort, Deborah stays in a cousin's cottage on Harker's Island.

Practically everyone in the Piedmont of North Carolina has spent time at the beach, although the Crystal Coast, located between the famous beaches of Nags Head and the beaches south of Wilmington, is one of the last ones to pull in the tourists. This book, published in 1994, does a great job of showing the tension between the traditional professions and the new tourist industry and the environmental concerns. I enjoyed the mystery, which played fair with the reader, but what really drew me in were the descriptions of the land and the people.

While each book is episodic, this one is richer if you have read the earlier books. I highly recommend it if you enjoy mysteries or general fiction with a North Carolina setting.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a Margaret Maron books in so many years, but I was recently trying to find the title of a book I read many years ago that had loons in it, and this one came up in my search. I'm so glad I read it, and I'm sure that I'm going to read more. I loved reading about her Carolina characters when I lived in North Carolina, but now, almost seven years after leaving North Carolina, they are even more lovely to me. It just about melted my heart when one character called another "shug"!!

This is a slow-moving mystery, centering on the conflicts between all of the different players in a coastal Carolina community, the commercial fisherman, the recreational fishermen, the developers, etc. There was a moment where I was sure I knew who the bad guy was, and it turned out I wasn't nearly as smart as I thought I was. 😉

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

You really need not have read the earlier books in this series to enjoy this. Sometimes I felt like it was more preachy politics than mystery, but the series gets better, and this wasn’t bad.

Deborah managed a week on one of North Carolina’s idyllic islands where a family member owns a small cottage she can stay in. It’s a working vacation since she must substitute for an ill and hospitalized judge.

The island feels like a long way from home, and it’s one of those places where environmentalists/conservationists face off against local commercial fishing interests. (That’s where the preachy politics comes in.)

On her first day on the island, Deborah finds the body of a fisherman. Someone obviously murdered the guy, and there’s a solid selection of suspects from which to choose. Before the book ends, Deborah’s life will be on the line and other murders happen.

[Davidg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read in this series. My criticism of the first, 'Southern Discomfort', was that there was no mystery or crime until over halfway through. This is not the case here. I am not giving anything away by saying that a murder has already happened when the book begins, as it is discovered by the end of the first short chapter.

There is a sense of menace and discontent in the community throughout the book, which keeps the interest and widens the number of suspects. Of course, Judge Knott is not an investigator or sleuth, so the book isn't about an investigation; it is about the pressures that change makes on a community and how people respond.

Much better than the first I read.

[J. Jeffery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, it is a really good read. Not who you'd expect to be the killer at the end, which makes it good. Also, the independent thoughts to self from the first person aspect is nicely done. It also was a little bit romancy which I typically don't love, but it was in a good way for the main character in the end. A true classic mystery with great language and imagery of the coastal life, I would read again. The only critique was chapter 4; Maron added in too many random characters all at once unnaturally, in my opinion. Would rate this a 3.9/5 🌟

[Micheale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read by Margaret Maron and this one set in and around one of my favorite places in NC, Beaufort. As always, Maron weaves a solid mystery leaving me guessing until the reveal with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Her knowledge of Beaufort, Harper’s Island and the surrounding area, as well as the history and culture of the area, made this an even more interesting book for me.

[Hazel Bright · Rating 1 out of 5]

The series initially rose above the level of theme cozy, but the fluff has increased like an exploding feather pillow. Take out some random southerner cutsie and throw in some chocolate or a sleuthing cat and you've got yourself a theme cozy. Some people like them, and I have liked some theme cozies in spite of myself, but they are generally ways to pad out a series, and this series suffers from the same ailment.

[Denise Spicer · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Deborah Knott Mystery, the author once again is on a soapbox. This time the theme of her sermons is environmentalism. The topic IS relevant to her plot, (contentions between coastal groups of traditional fisheries, conservation interests, developers,) but, as usual, she goes into too much extra and gratuitous detail. The Judge and other characters are fairly interesting and well-drawn, and the author does give us a nice peek at small-town coastal North Carolina.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mysteries in this series are usually kind of weak, and this one was no exception. But I really read these books for the characters and the setting. You feel as if you are in North Carolina when you read these and that these people do exist. They’re true to life and a joy to read about. So a highly recommended series - just not if you want a gripping mystery, because the mysteries here usually take a backseat.

[Anna Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery and well developed characters

I really enjoyed this mystery. Deborah Knott is a well developed character who has plenty of wit and depth. This novel is set in Carteret County, NC along the coast of NC. All of local places are depicted with great accuracy and the sea scape is described is beautiful. All of the characters are well written and you can picture them easily. The murderer/murderers are not predictable at all.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very much enjoying this series even if some of the content isn't something I enjoy reading. I just call whoever a idiot and read on. Deborah tries to help out a fellow judge and stumbled into a murder. No big surprise there but what was a surprise was her New York ex showing up and a new guy making himself at home. Very eager to read the next book to see what on earth Deborah is going to do next and see who is going to be murdered next. 😉