A slightly disappointing mystery was fully redeemed in my eyes by the location and atmosphere.
A bizarre murder takes place during a solar eclipse. (Some issues with that, too.) But author Langton gives a tremendous amount of information on the biology of the island with its tides and wildlife. I grew up on Mass’s North Shore, and I was captivated by the immediacy of the descriptions.
I’d recommend this cautiously to those who love the northeast coast, and are mystery lovers as well. ( )

During the few minutes of darkness during a total eclipse of the sun, a young woman is murdered on Nantucket Island. Discovered standing over her is the poet & college professor Kitty Clark, spurned lover of the dead woman's husband. Will Homer Kelly be able to convince a jury of Kitty's innocence?

Probably this mystery only deserves 3* but being from Massachusetts, I loved all the details and the line drawings about Nantucket in the book. ( )

[Dark Nantucket Noon] is the second in the Homer Kelly mystery series. I have realized that I like mysteries because I usually like the personality of the detectives and I like for my characters to have something to do. I am not really trying to solve the puzzle. In this one I really liked Kitty Clark the murder suspect. She is an eccentric poet with a loose grasp on reality at the best of times. The author tells you all about life on Nantucket Island past and present also about Herman Melville and Quakers. ( )

I was terribly disappointed in Ms. Langton's work; I really expected to enjoy her mysteries. This one had the most ridiculous premise to begin with - which I could have forgiven - and a hole a mile wide in the murder itself - which I cannot. I don't think I'll be taking any more of her works out for test drives. ( )