The quaint coastal town of Port St. Joe, FL isn’t the kind of place where people go around getting stabbed to death.So, when Jake Bellamy – an insurance agent and beloved father – is found murdered in the dewy grass of a local park, it comes as a bit of a shock. Now it’s up to Evan Caldwell, the new Sheriff and recent transplant, to solve the case.
All he wants to do is live peacefully on his … and recent transplant, to solve the case.
All he wants to do is live peacefully on his boat and tend to his comatose wife, but that’s easier said than done when he’s tasked with solving the murder of a man with no enemies. Evan struggles to find a motive for the brutal slaying, but when the killer strikes a second time, even the theories he thought he had fall apart. The only thing he knows for sure is that no one will be safe in Port St. Joe until he closes this case.
This is the second book in the Still Waters series; character-driven suspense filled with rich, coastal atmosphere and dry humor.
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Good read
Love all from this author.
I highly recommend any book that Dawn Lee McKenna is involved with.
Thanks
Interesting, no “F” words to skip over, and no specific sex. Just a great story. Thank you.
While the authors had a very original motive for the killer, the reader must first plow through pages of the antics of the sheriff’s cat and his visits to the nursing home.
Love all McKenna’s books, realistic, great characters and action. Only problem is she doesn’t write fast enough! Wish there were many more, can’t wait for the next one.
Great boo about Florida panhandle living.
This is the second book in this series and it is a delight. Small town living in Florida, in depth look at the people living there. Solid original plot that holds up throughout the book.
Evan is now the head of the police department after the death of his boss. He is still dealing with his wife, in a coma, the cat, his wife had from her lover, the politics of running the town and adjusting to his new life.
Geoff, his sidekick is a hoot, totally adores his wife, is not quick to anger or judge and helps Evan. There is Vi, smoker, buried 3 husbands, and runs the police station. All the main characters are back from the first book and easy to remember.
A man is found stabbed to death in a park and because he is new to the community, his past is checked. Not long after, Tina, is found by her car after work, also stabbed to death. As with real life, to build a case you need evidence and a motive. Evan and his team check laptops, phones, and friends to find a connection between the two stabbings. Meanwhile Qwillen, a commissioner, reflects that it looks bad to have people stabbing each other! Evan still visits his wife in the nursing home, tries taming Plutes the cat that pees in his shoes, and solve what seens to be no motive crimes.
Things look up with the 3rd stabbing as they finally track down some minute evidence. It is police detecting at its best..going through the bits and pieces and forming an idea about the crimes.
This is a character driven and does not take death lightly but does use humor for dealing with life and death. The scenes of Evan making eggs for the cat, trying to walk him on a leash, they are so perfect and hilarious! And full of atmosphere as one smells the salt air, the taste of fresh shrimp, the docks and boats…all add to the book.
Can’t wait to read the third one, not a cozy but close to it without graphic violence and full of insight into how hard it is to solve certain crimes…..but Evan and his team come through. 4.8 stars