Amagansett

I was reminded of John Dunning's Two O'Clock Eastern Wartime when I read Mark Mills' period mystery set on the south fork of Long Island right after WWII ( Also published under the title The Whaleboat House). Place is richly drawn and the history of the area and the cultures are well-researched and handed out in digestible chunks. Son of a Basque fisherman, Conrad Labarde, immigrated to this country when a child, and continues the tradition of fishing for a living. When the book opens, his catch includes the body of a beautiful and wealthy young woman, who we eventually learn was Conrad's love and lover. So we are introduced to the class wars that prevail between the rich (the "summer people") and...just about everyone else, but especially the locals.  Although the death is apparently a drowning in treacherous currents, both Conrad and the Deputy Chief of police, Tom Hollis, find it odd that the woman, Lillian Wallace, was wearing pearl earrings for her swim. Independently, they undertake to find out who killed her and why. Hollis is hampered by being new to the area and by having a lazy and corrupt boss; he must undertake the investigation without really seeming to, and without ruffling the feathers of her wealthy family, who we come to suspect pretty quickly are involved in Lillian's death. Conrad is hampered by being a local who had a secret and unacceptable affair with a wealthy woman, and by a past that haunts him. His war experience involved working behind enemy lines in a special forces unit, so he is not your ordinary fisherman, and eventually he stages the drama that will reveal those responsible for the murder. There are many additional characters of note who are also well-developed and intriguing: Conrad's fishing partner Rollo Kemp, Hollis' friend and local photographer Abel, Hollis's love interest Mary,  the wealthy Wallaces and their "fix-it" man, and the local fishing family scions. You will not regret reading this book--in fact, I'm tempted to sit down and read it again! Fortunately, Mills already has 3 other books published, so I may read those first ;-)