Sticky Wicket by John Kemp, A Comic Mystery

A STICKY WICKET:
An embarrassing problem or situation
by John Kemp
Trade Paper: ISBN: 0-918736-78-1
6" x 9", 228 pp. $12.95

The retirement community of Oxbridge Estate is slam-bang in the middle of Dudberry, England, but life on its premises is just a tad askew. New resident, Corrie Flowers, has returned to England after many years on an Arizona Dude Ranch. She has linked up with a cultured, cricket-loving, hermit-like Scotsman, Jim McPhail.
    After their questionable acquisition of an old railway ticket, Corrie suspects that one of the residents at Oxbridge may be a member of the old "Johnny Hibiscus" gang—a group of "gentlemen crooks" responsible for an infamous and daring local robbery nearly forty years earlier. After all, she reasons, "Even criminals have to retire."
    Corrie and Jim then investigate the mix of odd bods, misfits, and quirky residents that constitute the denizens of Oxbridge. Their sleuthing mishaps include arthritic bouts of breaking-and-entering, "senior moments" with regard to crucial evidence, and investigations constantly interrupted by unscheduled sleep.
    Meanwhile, the lovely Patricia Witherspoon, "the dish of Oxbridge" is flabbergasted when she runs into her old boyfriend (and new resident)—the handsome Ronny Summers, after standing him up for a date nearly thirty-five years earlier.
    Corrie’s intuition leads her to suspect that this same Ronny Summers and his peculiar, shadow-like accomplice, J.C. Finch, have something to "hide."
    Is there really a retired criminal in their midst? Will their evidence lead them to the real culprit? And will Ronny Summers win back the lovely Patricia or lose her to the exasperating cricket player, Charlie Burton? Or, would everyone be better off just to have a nap and play some cribbage?
    Readers will discover the answers as they smile at the twists and turns of Corrie, Jim and the other fascinating and loveable characters of Oxbridge Estate and their attempts to resolve the long-forgotten past with the realities of the present.

For more information or to read a sample chapter of A Sticky Wicket go to: astickywicket.com.

About the Author
    John Kemp studied photography at Plymouth College and Watford College in England. He worked in London as a civilian photographer for the Metropolitan Police.    Following this, he took a position working onboard luxury cruise ships which allowed him to travel and also acquire a much needed suntan.
    He is married to Michelle, whom he met at a lifeboat station, "at sea" on a quaint little ship that used to sail up and down the California coast line.
    He has worked closely with retirees for a number of years. He was continually inspired by them, and this prompted his most recent book.
    He can be found reading or writing most days, and very rarely, will you see him playing cricket.

Reviews
In A Sticky Wicket, John Kemp writes an unusual, intriguing tale of the many retired citizens living at the Oxbridge Estate in Dudberry, England. Kemp, having lived much of his life in England, captures the undeniable essence of British humor in this novel, which includes mystery and personal relationships in its clever comedy.

The story delves into many characters' personalities... and secrets. Corrie is a new resident, but she quickly fits right in and, alongside companion Jim McPhail, investigates the "mysteries" of the residents at Oxbridge. For example, heartthrob Ronny Summers and the "dish of Oxbridge," Patricia Witherspoon, seem to have an immediate and yet tumultuous connection. And another resident, Finch, appears to have more than a closet full of skeletons – his whole apartment is overflowing with them. Corrie and Jim wonder if perhaps he is behind an infamous train robbery.

With the weight of the crimes and secrecy, the more elderly residents lighten the mood with their hilarious comments and "senior moments." Kemp interweaves the residents' lives in a brilliant, although sometimes confusing, way and truly brings life to the each character.

Author John Kemp studied at England's Watford College and Plymouth College and worked as a photographer for many years. He met his wife, Michelle, on a small ship in California after working as a photographer for luxury cruise ships. Kemp's book, A Sticky Wicket, can be purchased at Amazon.com, rockpublishing.com, and other major booksellers. You can also learn more about the book, and buy it, at astickywicket.com.

—Ellie Parnes, The Pepper Tree Literary Magazine, Sarasota FL