Book Review: ‘The Body In The Back Garden: A Crescent Cove Mystery’ By Mark Waddell

Crecent Cove, near Vancouver Island, is the setting for this fun, well-written first novel in this new series. Luke Tremblay has returned to the place he left years ago, after his family disowned him for being gay. The one woman, his aunt, that he thought he could count on, also turned her back on him. She was killed by a hit-and-run driver, and has left her home, and antique shop to Luke, who has returned to sell both. He wants to get in and out quickly. On his first night there, a man named Joel shows up, claiming his aunt owes him something he bought. They get into a fight, Luke threatens him, and he leaves. The next morning, he finds him dead in the water. And then Mountie Jack shows up, a tall drink of water, who Luke knew when they were kids, and is shocked to see him, and Luke is a suspect. He decides to investigate on his own, and soon learns shocking secrets, and helps break the case, putting himself in danger along the way. There’s also a strong attraction between Luke and Jack, that play out in future books. Fans of small town mysteries, and budding a romance, will like this book. Hopefully more novels in the series will be coming.

You can pick up The Body In The Back Garden in stores on Tuesday, August 22nd from Crooked Lane.