Island Blues

Wendy Howell Mills
Poisoned Pen Press (2007)
ISBN 1590583965
Reviewed by Rebecka Vigus for Reader Views (2/07)

Ms. Mills writes a mystery with a witty twist.  Her characters are unconventional and her island setting makes it all seem probable.

Sabrina Dunsweeny gave up her dull, boring life as a school teacher and moved to Comico Island with her parakeet to live her dream.  There she goes from one job to the next trying to fit in until, finally landing the job of Comico Island Omsbudsman. Her job will be to end the tension between the tourists and the locals, a job that will take nothing short of a miracle as long as Vickie Carroway, the new travel agent, keeps booking people to stay on the island.

Sabrina is described as “being dressed in one of her neon dresses, this one pink and full-skirted, with her lemon colored curls blowing in the breeze.”  She seemed to be sticking her nose in everywhere, so the town council gave her a reason too.

Her first job was to settle a dispute at the Shell Lodge with a group called the Hummers International.  They claimed to hear a constant hum.  They wanted privacy for their sessions.  She suggested they be taken to one of the remote islands for their sessions.

That job completed satisfactorily she headed off to see what she could learn about the two island break-ins where nothing was taken.  It is only while she is off investigating that she learns one of the leaders of Hummers International has been murdered.

This all comes falling on her head.  She spends the rest of the time trying to find out who killed Gilbert Kane and almost gets herself killed in the process. All the while she is still tracking the person responsible for the break-ins. An attack on a second person connected to Hummers International leads Sabrina to breaking and entering in her search for clues.

Sabrina has the support of eighty-something Lima Lowry.  Lima is a figure on the island.  He accompanies her kayaking dressed in a clown costume. It is only when he ends up in the hospital that Sabrina comes to the realization that she knows who is behind the break-ins.

Can she get all the cast members together to unmask the burglar?  Is the burglar the killer?  If not, who killed Gilbert Kane?  Will Sabrina be next?

“Island Blues” is hilarity at its best.  Sabrina Dunsweeny is a memorable character because of her flaws.  She is insecure, a meddler, and much like a dog with a bone when she is after something.  The care she gives to Lima and Bicycle Bob show she is kind hearted. She is the most incompetent sleuth you will ever come across.  I can hardly wait to get back to Comico Island to see what kind of trouble she gets into next.

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