Official Review: St James Landing by Frank Waltmire

Michele H · Post by **Michele H** » 10 Mar 2021, 16:24

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "St James Landing" by Frank Waltmire.]

3 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

St James Landing, by Frank Waltmire, takes place in the late ’80s in a southwestern Michigan tourist town on the coast of Lake Michigan. Zachary Fields is a divorced thirty-something who transplanted himself from the east coast of Michigan to this seasonal town six years ago for a fresh start. After closing on a modest house in the area's prestigious neighborhood in the bluffs of Lake Michigan, Zachary works at a local deli and plays music at a bar and restaurant on the weekends to make ends meet. Over the years, Zachary has made friends with his bluffs’ neighbors, who all have one thing in common. They all like to get together regularly and enjoy cocktails!

Although Zachary is always included in these get-togethers, he often feels he doesn’t fit in with the educated and refined group. He enjoys playing music and often ends up being the entertainment once he’s had a few drinks. Unlike his neighbors, Zachary has no formal education. What he does have is a secret about his past and how he was able to afford a house in the bluffs. When one of his friends from his checkered past ends up mixing in with his new friends, it changes the dynamic of the entire group. The St. James Landing residents are full of surprises involving drugs, adultery, love, friendships, forgiveness, and even murder.

What I enjoyed most about this book was that it takes place in an area of Michigan that I resided in for twenty years. I had a summer place in the same general area as this fictional town. I liked the mix of local history and the elements of mystery and suspense the author has woven into the storyline. I also liked that the characters are very diverse. I experienced the same thing with the people that I befriended on the coast of Lake Michigan. As with most diverse groups, real-life drama naturally occurs. Waltmire did a great job of tapping into this dynamic with his characters. The main character, Zachary, is the primary narrator. At times, the narration switched to a couple of minor characters to fill in the storyline where needed. The main character is likable and easygoing. The best part about this book is that the author introduces many other characters as part of the bluffs neighborhood. Each of these characters adds a different dimension to the overall story. Friendship and support are woven into the story with Penelope and Morris. Zachary’s old-world friends Bob, Diana and Darrell, create conflict when Zachary’s past and present collide. Family dynamics and forgiveness are the lessons learned with Penelope and her relatives. The additional neighborhood couples also add color and drama to the story. Learning about these diverse characters and how they add to the drama of St. James Landing is the best part of the book.

My biggest complaint about the book is that the storyline develops slowly. I felt the momentum built around the characters was flat and disappointing at times. Some of the characters had a shady past as drug dealers, and one character met his demise from this unfortunate choice of line of work. However, this part of the story seemed to take a back seat in the plot. I felt the author could have added more detail to this part of the storyline and characters to create more drama and suspense. As a reader, it felt like it was an afterthought. The shady past and illegal actions of some of the characters are heavily focused on in the overview of the book, but in reality, more of the book focused on Michigan history and the lineage of a well-known family that developed the area. Although I did enjoy that part of the book, at times, it was difficult to keep track of the many historical characters mentioned. I also felt that the dialogue between the characters was often too formal for their level of friendship.

I have decided to rate this book 3 out of 4 stars for multiple reasons. It does appear that this book has been professionally edited, but unfortunately, I did find multiple typos in the text. I did not find them to be overly distracting, but due to the guidelines, I cannot give a four-star rating. Even without the typos, I would have likely still given this rating due to my above-stated dislikes regarding the book. This is an adult-themed book and would not be appropriate for young readers. This is a great choice for anyone who would like to know more about Michigan’s geography and history. It is also a quick and light read that would be enjoyed by anyone who likes to explore multiple characters and plots within one book.

******
St James Landing
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon