I really enjoyed this mystery set on a tiny island on one of the Great Lakes. (The particular lake and state go unnamed in this one.) This was a really well-written "whodunit" (and "whydunit!") that kept me reading. Even though it was published in 1992, it didn't feel particularly dated. Perhaps the skeptical treatment of a wife who thinks she's being stalked by her estranged husband seemed out-of-date, but I suspect women still encounter plenty of that, especially in rural areas. The suspicion of the wife when the husband turned up dead seemed normal enough. Fortunately, the sheriff didn't want her to be guilty, and was willing to look further for suspects.

I liked the interplay of the characters and the snappy dialogue. I just thought it was extremely well-written. ( )

Kudos go to the good folks over at DorothyL for recommending this series to the group. Wow, what a first book in a series. There are lies and betrayal and secrets and murder(s) and all on an isolated island that has a grand total of SIX cottages!

Gosling leads with plenty of hints, red-herrings and angst to keep people guessing at every turn. I had *no* idea what was actually going on, but I sure enjoyed the ride!

Daria Grey is on Paradise Island to help her Aunt and to try and stay safe from her husband who is tormenting her. When husband Michael Grey ends up dead the hunt is on for the killer with Daria as the main suspect. Local cops ask for the help of the visiting Jack Stryker who is involved with Daria's former best friend, Kate. Throw in all the families in the other cottages and you have a wild and crazy bunch of people who have secrets at every turn.

I can't wait to read the next in the series. ( )