SOLVED. Crime novel circa 2000-2010. US coastal setting, male protagonist, cover has image of wooden cladding painted white. Title may contain the word Shack and/or mention of the sea [s]

[Rachel]

I picked up this book at my parents' house sometime in the mid 2000s, but only read the first few chapters. Parents no longer have the book and don't remember it - probably borrowed from the library - so they can't help me identify it.

It was a pretty cliched crime novel set in a seaside town in the US (can't be more specific about location unfortunately). The main character was a divorced middle-aged man who had a difficult relationship with his ex wife, and at least one teenage daughter. I think the book was told in the first person from his perspective, but I don't remember if he was the policeman investigating a crime, or if he was the victim of the crime (possibly both?) He was a bit of a stereotypical grouchy loner.

I don't remember the crime that the book revolved around, as I stopped reading early on. I do remember that the book cover had an image of very weathered white painted wooden cladding on a building, possibly some kind of seaside shack or beach hut. I also think the title may have contained the word Shack or some other reference to either the building or the seaside.

Probably a male author but I'm not 100% on that.

That's all the information I have, sorry it's a bit limited but hoping it might ring a bell with someone.

[Tab]

Was this part of a series?

[Rachel]

Tab, as far as I'm aware it was a standalone novel.

[Andria]

The Shack?

[Rachel]

Andria, I did come across that book while searching but I'm 99% sure it's not what I am looking for. The cover doesn't look familiar, and the book I remember didn't have any religious themes.
Thanks for the suggestion though!

[Andria]

hah, it was too obvious not to suggest! It was one of those books that nearly everyone's parents owned in the mid-aughts.

[Adele]

There's this, but the cover doesn't match and the plot isn't an exact match either, so I don't have high hopes: The Bait Shack

[Rachel]

Adele, I don't think this is what I'm looking for either, but thank you for the suggestion.

[Rachel]

bump

[Adele]

Another bit of a stretch - possibly this edition of Duma Key The main character is divorced and has two daughters.

[Rachel]

Thanks Adele for the suggestion, but it's not what I'm looking for.

[Kris]

The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow turned up while searching. It has multiple cover images but the ones posted on Goodreads don't match your description. Could the male protagonist have been a retired hit man/assassin?

[Adele]

The Last Refuge seems like it might be a possibility. Grouchy man with ex-wife and daughter lives in a bay-side cottage and investigates a crime.

[Rachel]

Thanks for the suggestions, Kris and Adele. Unfortunately I don't think either of these is the book I am looking for.

[Melody]

May I suggest the Jesse Stone novels by Robert B Parker. He's a grouchy lone police chief in a small coastal town who has an ex wife.

[Kell I Am]

Jesse Stone doesn't have kids, and I know for 100% certainty that what she described isn't a Jesse Stone book.

[Rachel]

I don't think it's from that series, Melody, but thanks for the suggestion.

[Rachel]

bump

[Rachel]

bump

[Rachel]

bump

[Rachel]

bump

[Rachel]

seaside shack mystery bump

[Rachel]

seaside shack bump

[Fresno Bob]

was it set in Florida?

[Rachel]

Fresno Bob, I really couldn't say. It could have been Florida, but I'm a Brit and my US geography is pretty poor! Definitely a coastal town/city but I can't be more specific than that.

[Kajehas]

Rachel wrote: "I picked up this book at my parents' house sometime in the mid 2000s, but only read the first few chapters. Parents no longer have the book and don't remember it - probably borrowed from the librar..."

The character could match this series, but the covers don't match. Here are a couple of the books:

[Rachel]

Thanks for the suggestions, Kajehas, but none of these is the book I am looking for.

[Fresno Bob]

Rachel wrote: "Fresno Bob, I really couldn't say. It could have been Florida, but I'm a Brit and my US geography is pretty poor! Definitely a coastal town/city but I can't be more specific than that."

were there alligators in it?

[Rachel]

I do not remember any alligators. Then again, I did not finish reading the book.

[Rachel]

seaside shack mystery bump

[Rachel]

seaside shack detective bump

[Adele]

Here's a guess: Flesh and Blood This is the cover I'm thinking of:

[Rachel]

Many thanks for the suggestion, Adele, but I don't think this is it. I read the first few chapters on the Amazon preview and it's not ringing any bells.

[Lynda]

Just throwing these out there: Further Lane: A Novel by James Brady. Amagansett by Mark Mills?

[Rachel]

Lynda you found it! It's Amagansett by Mark Mills, which I read under its UK title The Whaleboat House. Here's the cover I was thinking of:

I remembered quite a few details wrong so thank you for finding it!

[Lynda]

Rachel, glad you found your book!