Ocracoke Island, warm water, white beaches
Our hero has had his fill of the cold northeast weather this particular spring, and decides to grab himself some sunshine on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. As he drives south in his little yellow Pontiac Sunfire, he has no pre-selected destination, the temperature of the air, the ocean and the sunshine will make his choice for him.
He drives past Nags Head—still too cold—on to Cape Hatteras—warmer as the Gulf Stream passes by—but continues to Ocracoke Island. He has heard that Ocracoke, despite its funny name, is noted as a ” pristine and thoroughly charming vacation spot.” Ah, this is it.
Peters tells of Cape Hatteras, Pamlico Sound, Nags Head, Hatteras Inlet, helping readers imagine the fishermen (maybe some fisherwoman) lining the white beach, the mile-long bridge, the small town where he stops for gas.
The Outer Banks and Ocracoke offer unexpected “delight”—a sun-burnt blond
Our hero has just gotten out of a dreary relationship and isn’t looking for romance. If he had been, this hot young babe with a flashy smile and southern drawl might be a good candidate. He changes his mind in a hurry when the hot young babe grabs his shoulders and throws him to the sand.
Thus begins the story. He is bright and has legal training but none in the martial arts, although he had played football in high school. This Valkyrie knows his name, and appears—actually it’s obvious, I’d say—that she has a grudge of some sort against him.
He gets an idea of what her problem with him might be when she observes him looking at her in a carnal manner and says, “A womanizer even now. Well, take your last gander at comely female flash, Tommy, because it’s over for you.” But he survives.
She continues to slap, chop, throw him down, up and over for page after page
Our hero is bruised, battle-scarred, cold-cocked, and finally creates a defensive strategy—avoid her at all costs. The rest of the book tells of his attempts (mostly failed) to flee her depredations, and eventually explains the reason for all the mayhem inflicted on the confused and battered young lawyer who is looking only for some R&R in a warm spot.
Between martial arts displays on the part of the hot young babe and our hero’s ability to survive it all, Peters manages to get in some interesting description, both historical and modern day, of the Ocracoke area and its lifestyle and denizens. If you enjoy watching vicariously a young man get knocked around, slammed into the sand, gravel or plain earth, you’ll get a chuckle from “The Ocracoke Affair.”
Add to that Peters’ interesting descriptions of that part of the eastern seaboard of North Carolina, a thin but amusing plot written in an equally amusing manner, this makes an unusual, unchallenging, but entertaining read for a mid-summer afternoon.
For a quick summer unchallenging read, “The Ocracoke Affair” is a good choice.