“Fogland Point is a unique, surprising, moving, occasionally hilarious, and entirely marvelous book about the complicated mysteries that lie at the heart of all families – although the Hazard family is definitely more complicated and mysterious and interesting than most.” –Nick Petrie, author of Light It Up, the latest of the award-winning Peter Ash thrillers “Elegant prose, a veritable Chinese …
“Elegant prose, a veritable Chinese box of puzzles, and authentic, well-rounded characters make this a standout.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
David Hazard wanted nothing more than to forget his renegade family and the foggy New England village “on the wrong side” of Narragansett Bay where he grew up. When sudden tragedy brings him back to Little Compton to care for his grandmother during her struggle with dementia, he discovers her fragile memories may hold the key to a bizarre mystery half a century old – and perhaps to the sudden and brutal murder right next door.
Once Chief of Police Billy Dyer names her as a witness, Grandma Maggie’s recollections become vital. But can they be trusted, especially in a town where everyone has a secret, including David himself?
The investigation stalls. Then eccentric millionaire Marcus Rhinegold’s yacht disappears into the fog, bodies begin to wash ashore, and Maggie’s stories come vividly to life, setting off a chain of events both horrifying and hauntingly familiar. Puritans, gun-runners, Mafiosi, and a rogues’ gallery from past and present converge in the mists of the bay, challenging Billy with layers of deception. On Christmas Eve, he enlists David in a daring move to uncover the many truths surrounding Fogland Point.
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Fogland Point is first-class fiction, a multilayered and original mystery underscored by fine writing, fully developed characters, and a wonderful sense of place. Doug Burgess writes with humor and poignancy while creating an eerie, atmospheric tale that is sure to please.
If only we all had friends like the Laughing Sarahs: fiercely loyal, mordantly funny and murderously clever. Doug Burgess’ Fogland Point brings a wildly original amateur detective to the table of the most secretive small town in New England. I can’t wait to go back.
Fogland is a slightly creepy story (if you didn’t already get that from the title) about a family that has interactions and secrets even my own family of origin couldn’t top, and a village filled with the most interesting and over-the-top characters (like the Bangladeshi couple who stocked their store with items they *think* Americans will buy, you can see where that’s going) and a poltergeist who does housework.
4 stars- The cover and blurb for Fogland Point initially caught my eye and I’m happy I gave this novel and author a try. Fogland Point mostly focuses on a trans man who returns to his small hometown to help with his ailing grandmother. He subsequently finds himself immersed in a bit of a mystery as an odd chain of events occurs. There is a second chance romance included as well and it was sweet, but it’s definitely not the star of the book. As far as I can tell, this is the author’s first fictional work, but I’m hopeful it won’t be his last.
Fogland Point is told from one point-of-view and really only features a single main character. The secondary characters all range from highly involved to minor roles, but they were well-flushed out and quite vibrant. I was immediately drawn to David’s life and history in Little Compton and found the setting itself quite intriguing. The mystery definitely captured my attention and I loved how many twists the tale took along the way, revealing side stories I hadn’t anticipated. However, I found the pacing and style of Fogland Point a tad off-putting and, as much as I liked many of the details, after a while the random asides, brief recollections of the past, and family lore from generations ago slowed the book so much that I found myself easily distracted. And so, I was completely caught off guard with the major twists that unfolded toward the end. Suddenly I found myself reading as fast as possible to see what else would come to light and how it would all conclude. Fogland Point was certainly a departure from my norm, but not in a negative way; and though I had my ups and downs while reading this novel, I absolutely loved the ending and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good mystery.
*Received eARC via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
Drop everything and read this book. A terrific story in a terrifically honest voice — it’s intelligent and original, hilarious and heartbreaking, evocative and charming. A beautifully written tale of murder, dementia, family, love — and surprises! Standing ovation.
Doug Burgess has written a unique, surprising, moving, occasionally hilarious, and entirely marvelous book about the complicated mysteries that lie at the heart of all families — although the Hazard family is definitely more complicated and mysterious and interesting than most.