Book Review: The Practical Navigator

I spent the past few days reading The Practical Navigator by Chris Crowley. I was sent this book months and months ago, but you know how tbr lists can get. My list is ever growing and things always come up that require more immediate reading, so this one kept getting pushed. However, I am so happy I did read it because I really liked it. I’m actually surprised how much I liked it.

The Practical Navigator takes place in the late 80s and is narrated by Tim Bigelow, a Wall Street lawyer in his 30s. The story begins shortly before the annual regatta at an ultra exclusive yacht club in Maine, which his older brother, Harry, serves as commodore. The yacht club boasts members of the millionaire and billionaire variety and Tim enjoys his occasional visit up from New York City as he loves to boat and idolizes his older brother.

Though the two came from money, they had a troubling childhood and Harry being much older took care of his little brother. Now it is Tim’s turn to take care of his older brother. After the regatta and the subsequent ball, George Minot, a Greek billionaire, member of the club, and friend of Harry’s is found murdered. There are a slew of suspects including Harry. Determined to help find the killer and also clear his brother’s name, Tim unearths a whole world that he was largely unaware of all these years – a world of sex and drugs within the most wealthy circles of the yacht club. As he finds out details of his contemporaries that he never would have guessed, he learns more and more about his own brother, friends, and love interest, Cassie. From murder to cocaine fueled sex parties, and much more, Tim does what he can to save the person he cares about. most – his brother.

I really enjoyed this book and I could not guess who the killer was or what really happened at all and I’m usually pretty good at guessing the right answer. I was completely enthralled in the storyline and although Tim did some questionable things that I didn’t like him for (in terms of his love life) I still liked his character overall. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to finish the book by today since it is over 400 pages and I just started it over the weekend, but it really flew by and I would go for long stretches of time reading because I couldn’t put it down.

I definitely recommend it if you’re interested in the intrigue and a glimpse of a mystery set in the late 80s featuring the rich and powerful.

*I was sent this book complimentary, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.*