Summer of Love

Music & Murder Mystery, #3

by

Paul D. Martin

Hear the music, feel the love, and find the truth!

Summer of Love is not only a novel of mystery and music but also an immersive, fictional account of San Francisco during the summer of 1967. Viewed through the eyes of twin brothers, recent graduates of UC Berkeley, I could almost feel the thumping of bass, the smell of pot, or the heat and buggy humidity of Vietnam in this fantastically atmosphere-drenched tale. 

After graduation in May, Bobby Doyle, an aspiring writer, remains in San Francisco to hone his skills as a stringer for the newspaper reporting on the burgeoning music scene there. His brother, Jack, heads to Vietnam as a young, unprepared second lieutenant in the Army. Each faces adulthood during that summer, weathering vastly different trials, though Jack does sum up that each is a prisoner in their own way. Bobby and Jack are incredibly likable characters, and I enjoyed the story from both of their viewpoints. 

The novel’s initially bright atmosphere gradually darkens with tension and foreboding as the summer days pass, and sudden death strikes without warning people in the brothers’ circles. The tension was palpable, relieved only when Bobby’s story stepped into the realm of the musical explosion happening in the city. For Jack, the tension only builds as the war continues, and he is consumed by the things he experiences. 

The descriptions of the music festivals, the groups, and the songs were a wonderful throwback and will be a trip down memory lane for some readers. As I read, I played many of the tunes, eventually creating a pretty entertaining playlist of the songs by the artists that were mentioned. 

The murders that occur in the story are sudden and frightening. Were they random? Was there a motive behind it all? The police seem to throw up their hands pretty fast when they decide Bobby has an alibi and later don’t feel the need to look any further when they think they’ve got their suspect in custody. It falls to Bobby and his friend, Raul Pitman, to try and get to the truth. This storyline is solid, with a red herring and a surprising twist or two that made me gasp out loud! 

With its likable main characters and immersive historical setting, I recommend SUMMER OF LOVE to readers who enjoy historical mysteries, coming-of-age stories, and tales set in San Francisco and those of the Vietnam War. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.