#1 Amazon Bestseller in Hard-Boiled Mysteries.“Dark Paradise is the kind of island murder mystery that easily keeps the reader captivated, guessing, on their toes, and wanting more!” — Jersey Girl Sizzling Book ReviewsBoise Montague returns to the Caribbean after his life falls apart. He seeks solitude, but finds murder.To vindicate the reputation of his childhood best friend whose death stings … his childhood best friend whose death stings him to the core, he descends into the criminal underworld of a beautiful island.
Boise wants answers. He enlists a local reporter to help him dig deeper.
With not much left to lose, a bone to pick with the justice system, and a relentless partner, Boise sets out to do what the police would not: solve the murder of Roger Black.
He must also struggle to control the darkness within himself that led him back to St. Thomas.
St. Thomas is a gleaming tropical paradise where murder is as common as sunshine.
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Boise Montague is an every-man. He’s carrying a few too many pounds, drinking too much, and is convinced Colitis is of the devil’s own making.
Losing his environmental attorney wife in a freak hit-and-run accident has caused him to flounder and descend into a downward spiral.
The police say it was an accident. He knows it was murder.
A private investigator for a law firm, Boise does his own digging, but the only thing he gets close to is being arrested for interfering in a police investigation.
To keep his sanity and his freedom, Boise does what we all do when trying to make sense of it all… he goes home, to the place of his birth.
But the U.S. Virgin Islands have changed, and St. Thomas is nothing like the place Boise left as a twelve-year-old.
Instead of finding peace, he finds more confusion and heartbreak when he learns his best friend, Roger Black, died because of the life of crime he led.
Things make little sense for Boise. Finding out the investigation into Roger’s death was lackluster, and plagued by guilt for not keeping in touch with Roger, he begins asking questions.
This leads Boise to encounter some colorful characters, get kidnapped, get shot, and almost blown up by a grenade—and get into a parallel case where murder isn’t a big deal.
Boise partners with a reporter who has sources… and attitude.
Dana is a gutsy little thing not afraid to go where the story leads—but she also annoyed me… because she’s not afraid to go where the story leads. Reckless isn’t a good look. However, Dana is disgusted with the island’s social status quo and knows there’s more going on… and covered up below the surface. She’s determined to open a few cans of worms and skeleton-filled closets.
Her sources and moxey are good and serve her well, but Boise’s gut instincts win the day in this read.
Dark Paradise is an engaging story I highly recommend. The island flavor enhances the story and its dark, gritty tone brings to life the community behind destination vacations tourists never see. It also shows one need not look any further than the ugliness of human flaws and frailties to find motive.
The ending is solid… and open for another visit from Boise. Sooner than later, I hope.
Enjoy!
This book took me beyond the tourist traps and deep into the dark heart of the Caribbean.
Characters with interesting stories you’ll want to know more about.
Ever been to paradise? This is it.
One of the very few books I gave up on and did not finish reading. Got half way there and just could not invest anymore time into it.
Found the vernacular difficult to read, words didn’t flow and the characters were hard to like.