So I spent some time on Drummond Island (in Michigan just off the east side of the upper peninsula) a few weeks ago. You can see a better perspective of where this is by checking out this map. Note the solid line that zig-zags around it, that’s the Canadian international border. You have to take a ferry (from DeTour on the Michigan Upper Peninsula side) to get over to the island, it was great both times, didn’t have to wait for the next ferry (only once and hour) although we just made the ferry and I had to part at a 45 degree angle to fit! But at least I didn’t have to wait an extra hour. Since there is only one ferry you only have to pay to go there, there ride back is free.

I’ve been there before but only when it was very cold. It was beautiful weather the whole time, it was great to bicycle around. The stars were so clear and I had an excellent view of the Perseids Meteor shower.

The internet access was lacking though. They offer hi-speed free wireless at the chamber of commerce but the DSL was down for the whole weekend, , I was starting to get the shakes!!! FYI, the Chamber of Commerce is kind of the Visitor’s Center and is located at “The Four Corners”, everyone knows that’s the intersection with both the blinking red-light and a stop sign :)Plus, while I was there I got to hang out at the Northwood which is where everyone hangs out in all the Jill Traynor Mystery books. I had actually started re-reading New America (Book 4) while I was on the island.

So it’s a very relaxed atmosphere there, which is good as long as you want to relax. That’s all that I wanted to do so it was perfect, well, except for the internet being broken that was a problem for me (they did fix it sometime the morning I left) but not so much for most people….

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I just finished reading Stowaway by D. Ann Kelley and James G. Kelley (and I happen to know the authors). Most of it takes place in Michigan, it’s kinda part of a series but it’s by far the best one yet so I’d definitely recommend this one first. It might reveal a few details from the first few books but it’s the most polished and fast read of any of the stories. The endings still end kinda quick though.

Jill Traynor returns as the main character (after the first book they started adding “A Jill Traynor Mystery” as the subtitle. One of the new characters chooses the Edumund Fitgerald as the ship to sneak onto, I think we all know how that’s likely to end. But the whole mystery revolves around the message they managed to get off the ship that reveals where the ________ is/are located. It’s got a bit of historical fact weaved in (and they clarify the details in the afterward). If you’re from Michigan or the Great Lakes area and like mysteries it’s a must read.

As a reminder I’ve mentioned their books before, the first two books they wrote were Lighthouse Paradox and Legacy.

I did have one big complaint about this book, I don’t know who/what did their typesetting but in more than a few spots there are definitely some problems (mostly related to carriage returns and spacing) that I’ve got to assume it was added goofed up in at the final stage of the publishing process…

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I know, I never review books enough, even when I mention I’m reading them I forget to post info later…

I know the folks who wrote this one so I was a little more motivated. It takes place on Drummond Island off the east coast of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The authors grew up there and one of them still lives there. I was at D. Ann’s place this weekend and noticed the framed picture in the living room (which has been there for at least a year) was a larger landscape version of picture that they had commissioned for the cover of the book. I’ve seen this a bunch of times and I just finally made the connection. But I digress…

My biggest problem (in talking about books) is telling enough but not giving the story away. It’s an historically accurate portrayal of life on the Island, life is different there than it is on the mainland. It’s a small-town people story, with some romance, a mystery and even a UFO all wrapped up into one story. It spans 60 years with several families stories intertwined as they try to figure out al the connections…

Actually, I totally digressed here (it’s ages later and I didn’t really review the book, but it’s too late for that now).

This is the first in a series of novels that take place in Michigan with the main character of Jill Traynor who will eventually become the lead character in future books. The books get better and better so if you like this one, keep reading the others…

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