A Desperate Place for Dying: An Oregon Coast Mystery

Scott William Carter

Sep 2016 · Garrison Gage Series Book 2 · Flying Raven Press

About this ebook

 An old flame.
A killer on the loose.
A crazy cult on the rise.

Nearly a year has passed since Garrison Gage became the reluctant guardian of a troubled teenage girl, but neither fatherhood nor the the intervening months has improved his mood. His right knee is still mostly worthless. He still prefers to drink his bourbon alone. And even with a certain blonde bombshell a persistent part of his life, he still can't be bothered to buy a cell phone. Or any phone, for that matter. Why? Then somebody might call him. 

But grumpy as Gage can be, he still finds that life on the Oregon Coast has settled into a comfortable if not happy routine -- until the man who murdered his wife shows up in town. 

That's just for starters. A desperate plea from an old flame -- his first love, in fact -- soon entangles Gage in a high profile case involving a famous and brazenly outspoken lecturer on evolution and atheism, a crazy fundamentalist cult that uses all means necessary to silence its critics, and a brutal local murder of a far more personal nature. 

Before the mystery can be unraveled, Gage's abilities and beliefs will be put to the ultimate test. And the man who claims he doesn't need anyone will discover he may just lose everything.

The Garrison Gage Mysteries (in chronological order):

A Plunder By Pilgrims (short story prequel)
The Gray and Guilty Sea
A Desperate Place for Dying
The Lovely Wicked Rain
A Shroud of Tattered Sails

Ratings and reviews

The man who killed Garrison Gage's wife is in Barnacle Bluffs and won't tell Gage why he is there. Gage is then contacted by an old friend who needs help. When Gage's old friend is murdered he starts investigating and finds her killers. This was a great mystery. Really enjoyed this book.

I like this character and the author's style. Some of the story was a little too predictable and even cliched at times. But the main reason for the mediocre rating was the vast amount of typographical errors in the book. Countless times, entire words were missing or words were repeated. Spelling errors were less common, but noticeable. It was all very distracting from the story. Doesn't anyone proofread e-books before putting them online?

Easy and descriptive reading. Eagerly starting the third in the series now. It's been a while since I've been able to stay interested and finish a book. Awesome well written series.!!

About the author

SCOTT WILLIAM CARTER's first novel, The Last Great Getaway of the Water Balloon Boys, was hailed by Publishers Weekly as a "touching and impressive debut" and won an Oregon Book Award. Since then, he has published many novels and short stories, his work spanning a wide variety of genres and styles. His most recent book for younger readers, Wooden Bones, chronicles the untold story of Pinocchio and was singled out for praise by the Junior Library Guild. He lives in Oregon with his wife and children. Visit him online at ScottWilliamCarter.com.

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