Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries Books In Order

Publication Order of Martha's Vineyard Mysteries Books

The Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries book series is a renowned series of suspense, mystery, and thriller books. It is written by a popular United States writer named Philip R. Craig. The series is comprised of a total of 22 novels, which were released between the years 1989 and 2008. The series ended with the untimely death of author Craig, and his last novel of this series was published posthumously. Each and every novel of this series takes place in a town called Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, United States. Author Craig has featured the chief protagonist in all the books as Jefferson ‘J.W.’ Jackson. He is described as a former cop from Boston, aged in his thirties, and working as a freelance detective in Martha’s Vineyard. A few books of this series form a part of another mystery series written by Philip Craig, which also features J.W. Jackson as the lead character. This linked series is known as the J.W. Jackson series and also as the Brady Coyne series. Author Craig was very famous for creating the character of Jefferson J.W. Jackson. He has shown Jackson has a true hero of the 20th century, who fights against the evils that come in the form of corrupt builders and land developers, nefarious tourists, as well as the ones who threaten or kill his close ones or acquaintances. It is mentioned in the books that J.W. Jackson never wishes to lead an idyllic with his lovable family on the Martha’s Vineyard, fearing his family members would get get unnecessarily involved in the dangerous situations. However, she keeps finding himself trying to clear the names of his friends, his own, and making sure his family is safe. In spite of all the difficulties and the dangerous business of crime fighting, Jackson manages to enjoy the simple and the finer things of life, such as fresh seafoods, outdoor showers, cooking, family, good friends, and well finished job. In order to give a taste of the delicious and delightful dishes that Jackson tries to make in his kitchen, author Philip Craig has added a recipe book called Delish : The JW Jackson Recipes.

Philip R Craig was born on December 10, 1933 and died on 8th May, 2007. He had taken birth in Santa Monica, and was brought up on a ranch located close to Durango in Colorado. Craig joined the Boston University in 1951 with the intention of becoming a minister. He obtained his degree in the year 1957. While he was studying at the BU, he developed an interest in reading poetry. His batchmate, Robert Lowell, made him believe that he did not have any future in poetry. So, on the advice of another batchmate named Gerald Warner Brace, Craig started studying prose. Gerald Brace even encouraged Craig to try his hand at writing fiction. Later, Philip Craig took a job of teaching Journalism and English at the Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts. He was employed in teaching at the college between 1962 and 1965. After this, he moved to Boston and started teaching again at the Wheeock College. Until 1999, Craig was fully involved in teaching, and then he took retirement to focus on becoming a full time writer. Philip Craig was given the invitation of joining the fencing squad of Olympic. But, he was not able to make it because of his knee injury. During the last stages of his life, Craig fought with cancer and died eventually after some time. He is now survived by a couple of children named James and Kimberlie, his wife named Shirley Craig, and 5 grandchildren. The first novel that Craig had written at the start of his career is entitled ‘Gate of Ivory Gate of Horn’. It was released in 1969. After this single novel, all his subsequent novels featured Jefferson Jackson and are part of the Martha’s Vineyard series.

A very successful book of the Martha’s Vineyard series written by author Philip R. Craig is entitled ‘Death in Vineyard Waters’. This book was released by the Avon publishers in 2003, after it came out first in 1991. Craig has described the primary characters in this book as Marjorie Summerharp, J.W. Jackson, and several others. At the start of the book’s story, Marjorie Summerharp is introduced as an acerbic professor. It was believed about Marjorie that she had found a second life on the island. But, when her dead body is found near the shores, everyone in the town becomes shocked. They are not able to understand why Marjorie Summerharp would visit the ocean on one of June’s warm mornings, ending up getting swallowed by the merciless sea forever. When JW Jackson learns about this incident, he knows that the evil is capable of flourishing in utmost serene settings also. As Marjorie was a local scholar, no one was able to digest the fact that she died accidentally. Jackson investigates the investigates the incident as deep as he could, but he doesn’t find any hard proof of the death being accidental. He suspects that Marjorie Summerharp’s death was premeditated and that someone has played a role in the death and may have killed her. The case becomes too dangerous for Jackson as he goes on exposing numerous sinister secrets. He knows the town is full of adultery, jealousy, bogus religion, etc., and there are people who could go to the extent of killing him to prevent him from unraveling their secrets. But, Jackson is not the one to stop because of such threats. He continues to investigate and vows not to rest until he solves the case.

Another popular novel of this mystery series is called ‘Vineyard Deceit’. The Avon publication released this book too in 2003. Craig has included the central characters in this particular book in the form of Zee Jackson and J.W. Jackson. At the beginning of the story of the book, it is depicted that a potentate from the Middle East is about descend on Martha’s Vineyard along with this entourage. So, the entire town is about to get filled with chaos. Jackson thinks he has some free time on his hand that he can use to enjoy fishing with the lady of his life, Zee Jackson. But, his plans get interrupted by the town’s police, who approach him to help them in controlling the madness stirred by the arrival of the new visitor. It is learned that the potentate has no plans of leaving Martha’s Vineyard until he has collected the precious emerald necklace that was taken away from his country around a century back. Shortly after, both Zee and the jewel vanish mysteriously, forcing Jackson to take a personal interest in this new case. J.W. Jackson knows he will lose all the things he holds precious and dear to him if he does not act fast and solve the new mystery at hand.