The
Paradise Key Caper
Sandra
Madden
Book Details:
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Sandra Madden
Date of Publication: June 1, 2020
ISBN-13: 979-8650077220
ASIN: B089G5W42M
Number of pages: 318
Cover Artist: Sarah Paige
About the Book:
Kathleen Cassidy's transition
from uptight Boston babe to barefoot island warrior begins with a bang when her
newly inherited sleek go-fast boat explodes. Soon the intrepid redhead is
questioning her father's death under the watchful eyes of a rugged Miccosukee
undercover ICE agent who is definitely not her type, an attractive marine
archeologist who definitely is her type and perhaps…a killer.
Cassidy is plainly a fish out of
water and way down on her luck when she arrives on Paradise Key to claim her
inheritance, a sleek go-fast boat and a battered old bar called the 'Gator
Hole. Items bequeathed by the father she barely remembers, a man her mother
referred to as Wild Bill—when she was being kind.
Joe Scipio, ICE agent and
full-blooded Florida Miccosukee lives on his boat docked behind the Gator Hole.
Although he'd promised her father to look after Cassidy, he considers the
headstrong beauty supremely unsuited for the Keys lifestyle. He constantly
urges her to return to Boston where she belongs. To no avail.
Mystery, love, humor and a cast
of wacky Keys characters come together in this wildly entertaining novel.
Purchase You Copy: Amazon
My Review:
Purchase You Copy: Amazon
My Review:
The Paradise Key Caper is a cute cozy mystery that transplants a Boston native to Paradise Key, Florida. As the new proprietor of Gator Hole, Kathleen Cassidy sticks out like a sore thumb. She's tailored and Boston-casual among the locals of this less-than-affluent town. The Gator Hole was bequeathed to her upon the death of her estranged father and along with it came a nice, shiny new boat. One of her father's customers, Joe Scipio, tries to convince her to sell the bar to him so she can return to Boston. Only, there's nothing left in Boston for her, so, Kathleen sets out to run the bar until suitable buyers can be found.
When events occur under mysterious circumstances, Kathleen begins to question the nature of her father's death. As she investigates what happened, Joe makes it his mission to look after her. Kathleen attempts to figure everything out before she ends up like her father.
I enjoyed Kathleen's character and her interactions with Joe and the rest of the characters. It's bad enough her father abandoned her as a young child, but she's suffered additional tragedies in her life. Kathleen is a very strong, independent character taking charge of her inheritance and trying to figure out what exactly happened to the man who walked out of life and never looked back.
The author tossed in several suspects and red herrings, keeping me guessing throughout the book. I was pulled into the book and captivated by the wonder characters and fun setting. I enjoyed the author's writing style and pacing of the book. This is a must read!!
I was provided a copy of the book to review. All opinions are my own.
My Rating:
Read an Excerpt:
“Go back to Boston, Cassidy. Do yourself a
favor and sell me the bar and the land. Just take the money and run.”
“The name isn’t
Cassidy,” I muttered for the one thousandth time. “Call me Kathleen or don’t
bother to call me.”
Joe Scipio had
planted his six-foot-three frame on the stool opposite me. I stood safely
behind the bar—separated from him by a width of approximately three feet and
seven inches. Everything about Joe Scipio intimidated me. When I saw him walk
through the door, my whole body went into a weird vibrate mode. Like my heart
started to dance. And my brain leapt into a tumbling team routine.
Not that I’d
ever let him know how he affected me. I’d never met a man like him before. Not
one Joe Scipio doppelganger lived in my Boston neighborhood.
I'd just opened
the Gator Hole for the day. It was only a few minutes after eleven in the
morning, and in my opinion way too early for people to be drinking anything
other than lemonade, my beverage of choice. But I've learned they did things
differently in the Florida Keys, especially here in Paradise Key.
My name is
Kathleen Ann Cassidy. I inherited what is fondly referred to in these parts as
"The Hole," shortly after Justin, my fiancé of three years ran off to
Barbados with my best friend Ashley Finegold.
Meet
the Author:
Sandra Madden is a former Miami
and Los Angeles broadcast writer and producer. After retiring from broadcasting
she became a full-time romance writer.
Fourteen of her historical and
contemporary romances have been published traditionally –and in several
languages. She also wrote Reuben Kincaid Remembered, the memoir of her late
husband, actor Dave Madden, best known as Reuben Kincaid on The Partridge
Family television series.
Sandra writes mystery, romantic
comedy and an occasional historical. Her goal is to provide entertainment for
all readers to enjoy. She is a member of
NINC, Sisters in Crime and the Florida Writers Association.
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