The Fisher Boy

Stephen Anable
Poisoned Pen Press (2008)
ISBN 9781590584804
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/08)


Things start getting strange in Provincetown when a former fellow prep-schoolmate, sometimes nemesis, of Mark Winslow is murdered. To further complicate matters, they had a public disagreement prior to his death. Mark is the last person seen with Ian on the day of his murder. He also accidentally stumbled on Ian’s body shortly after his murder. Panicking that he will be accused of the crime, Mark runs away and keeps his knowledge of Ian’s death a secret.

Under the surface there are other unusual incidents happening at the Cape. The town seems to be inundated with filthy young adults who appear to be affiliated with a mysterious local cult. These characters panhandle and shoplift. They tell everyone that they are from Scandinavia, yet they have no accents. When a little girl who is very special to Mark is kidnapped, he believes that the cult is involved and makes every effort to infiltrate it and gather information about both the kidnapping and the murder. The cult is aware of Mark’s attempts; they do what they can to thwart him. Meanwhile, Mark is also dealing with trying to develop a relationship with his love interest Roberto. Roberto does not make it very easy for him. Mark also discovers answers about who his father is, and this knowledge has a direct bearing on everything that is going on around him.
Much of the novel revolves around Mark trying to find answers about a famous local artist who disappeared over eighty-years ago. He ran a commune on land that this new cult is occupying. When a famous painting, called The Fisher Boy, is slashed by one of the cult people, at the museum, Mark suspects that there is a connection between the two groups. He also works hard on discovering answers about his paternity.

I found “The Fisher Boy” to be fascinating. Stephen Anable has a creative touch that makes this novel stand out well above others. His development of the characters brings them alive on the pages and makes them seem very realistic. He also does a great job with describing the cult and their activities. What they have going on is very unusual and makes for a great read. This is a wonderful novel that is sure to keep you guessing.

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