Reviewer Thomas Drinkard: Thomas is
a graduate with a degree in English from the University of North
Alabama. He is a novelist and poet and his poetry has been published
in Negative Capability, Elk River Review, Cotton Boll/Atlanta Review
and others. For several years he was president of Alabama State
Poetry Society and editor of the annual anthology, "The
Sampler." According to Thomas, his real education came as a
result of ten years as a U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret)
soldier, living in Asia for much of that time.
Author: Gene Pissale
ISBN: 978-1-4327-4133-4
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Author: Gene Pissale
ISBN: 978-1-4327-4133-4
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Click Here To Purchase Vineyard Days
First: a word of advice to the reader. It is not a good idea to read Vineyard Days when you are hungry and have no access to food. Gene Pissale has two websites; one is dedicated primarily to food and wine (with a little travel throw in for good measure) and another, which focuses on travel (with a bit of food and wine thrown in).
Pissale obviously knows all the better places to eat and drink on Martha’s Vineyard and he also knows which meals are better in various restaurants. In fact, on the first page of the book the protagonist, Jim and his wife Natalie have just arrived on the island from Philadelphia and, as the book says, “Jim’s only thought on the plane was having a drink at his favorite place—the Seafood Shanty—a chance to relax and kick back …” From the Seafood Shanty, the couple go to the Wharf Pub for dinner. The descriptions of the food and drinks are sure to start the reader’s stomach grumbling.
Vineyard
Days takes the reader through spats between Jim and Natalie;
through Jim’s temptations to stray from his wedding vows and
their exploration of the island. It is not all relaxation and
food, however. Early in their stay they observe, from the
balcony of their hotel room, the Harbor Police taking what appears to
be two bodies off a huge yacht and putting a man who appears to be he
yacht’s owner in handcuffs and leading him away. Everything is
not peace and tranquility on Martha’s Vineyard.
Although
the couple’s mood is somewhat sobered, they continue their vacation
by renting bicycles for their exploration of the island. They
experience several adventures connected with their bicycling,
including a fistfight on the beach.
The
principal mystery/ thriller element of Vineyard Days begins
when Jim and Natalie are on the beach at Gay Head and discover an
expensive-looking heavy leather satchel. On the heavy,
brass buckle are the initials “C.T.” Inside the case
are soaked documents, “…probably 200-300 pages of
material…” by Jim’s estimate. Later, when they meet a
couple at dinner in a restaurant, Jim mentions the case to the
man, Eddy—who one of the parties to the fight on the
beach—the man’s reaction to the find spooks Jim.
The book leaves
the reader wanting to know more because of an ominous ending brought
about by what the couple find inside the case.
I
wish that the author had given us the story of the satchel found
on the beach and its implications and connections earlier
in the book. It would have made for more tension in the book,
but if you like a good “foodie” travelogue with a bit
of suspense included, read Vineyard Days.