I have a new favorite fictional police officer and his name is Silas Lopez. In this debut novel, Christopher Mirabile has created a character with heart, humor, wisdom, perspective, and a huge likeability factor. Silas is the titular “washashore,” something that washed up on the beach in Provincetown, Mass on Cape Cod. He arrives from the far west in response to an opening for a Chief of Police in the small coastal tourist/fishing town. Silas has 17 years of experience with the Salt Lake City police and a lifetime of experience on horseback and working a western ranch. He is a fish-out-of-water with a head full of down-home similes and a desire (need) for a fresh start. It doesn’t get much fresher.

The small Provincetown police force is composed of young, inexperienced officers after its former Chief died suddenly and his two top lieutenants quit. Silas comes to the rescue, convincing the town administrator that he can whip the current officers into shape and be an effective mentor. He means it, but his officers have a lot to learn. Building a relationship with his charges, including an arrogant officer who thinks the job should have been his, is one of two main subplots. Silas peppers his speeches with amusing (amusin’) anecdotes and phrases like “madder than a kitten in a mailbox” and “ This thing’s growin’ antlers like an eight-point buck” and “this thing’s unfoldin’ faster than a tent in the wind” and “wouldn’t want Wren seeing him thrash like a raccoon in a feed sack.” There were many more similes throughout the text – all of which made me smile.

The main plot involves the investigation into a hit-and-run in the middle of a stormy night that killed a local resident. The dead man fought with his spouse the night of his death, making the spouse the first suspect. The investigation takes several turns, ultimately connecting with a much larger criminal enterprise (no spoilers here). The painstaking investigation, including several false leads and dead ends, paces the story through the end, with Silas pursuing each lead like a bloodhound chasing a prime rib. The police procedural aspects ring true, if not always providing excitement or much immediate tension.

The second subplot is Silas’s budding romance with a photography artist from the town, Wren. She’s tall (a necessity, since Silas is even taller), smart, and doesn’t suffer fools. Silas is socially awkward and has to be dragged into a dinner date, but throughout the book the relationship grows and provides a sweet juxtaposition to the criminal investigation and the small-town politics. We’re rooting for Silas to figure out that Wren is sending out mega signals, but he’s sometimes as clueless as a cow on a highway.

This story is captivating, the setting is unique and adorable, and the characters are interesting, which keeps you reading through the rather long (and sometimes a little slow) narrative. The final payoff is worth the wait and the wrap-up includes plenty of room for more stories in this new series.

Along the way, Mr. Mirabile suffers from some common maladies of first-time novel writers. The story drags in places and could have done with some trimming. The Silas and Wren chapters are often captivating, but often fail to advance the story enough to justify their length. The criminals are not fleshed out much, except for one comically villainous bad guy. The recitation of the very realistically slow, plodding, investigation is often not well linked to other aspects of the story. The final climax is understatedly realistic, but leaves the reader wanting more.

Despite these (quite normal) blemishes, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and its characters and can fully recommend it for fans of realistic characters, solid police procedurals, New England scenery, and fish-out-of-water tropes. I look forward to reading book #2 in this series.