Nantucket Penny: A Henry Kennis Nantucket Mystery

Axelrod’s agreeable sixth outing for Nantucket police chief Henry Kennis (after 2018’s Nantucket Counterfeit) presents Henry with a number of threats on the Massachusetts resort island. Unbeknownst to Henry, two maladjusted young men, inspired by the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders after WWII, are planning to abduct, “judge,” and execute all the people they imagine tormented them in high school. If Henry is a bit slow to recognize the significance of the wave of disappearances related to this scheme, it may be because he has other matters to distract him. A crazy ex-cop has come to the island intent on murdering the police chief’s mystery novelist fiancée, and an entitled, bigoted rogue cop is trying to incite a racist massacre. These two subplots fizzle out, though Axelrod does a good job making the reader care about their outcomes. Once Henry, a levelheaded, empathetic, and decent lawman, figures out what’s behind the disappearances, the action builds to an exciting climax. Readers will look forward to Henry’s further adventures. (July)