When his girlfriend dumps him and a drug dealer rams him on a bridge, Al DeSantis quits the New Haven Police Department. As he makes plans to head for LA, he learns his father, Big Al, is alive, has dementia, and is entering a nursing home. More surprising, he has deeded the Blue Palmetto Detective Agency in Savannah to him.
Al wants nothing to do with the man who abandoned him at eight years … eight years old, or his agency. But when his California condo goes bankrupt and he loses everything, he drives down to Georgia, intending to sell fast and head west. But then he discovers a dead body on the agency dock.
He delays leaving until he can solve the murder, but things get complicated. He finds that a strong, attractive female detective, Max, is his superior in the agency that he owns. Also, his father, now determined to help his “new partner” solve the crime, keeps escaping the home. The facility now wants Big Al out, and Al must become his father’s advocate. With his traditional values challenged, Al has a lot of adjusting to do.
When his father goes missing, Al and Max, team up to find him and capture the murderer. With Max by his side, he battles everything from PTSD to explosions to alligators. Old secrets stretch from the Savannah low country to the Okefenokee Swamp–all shedding light on the murder and Al’s relationship with his father.
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Excellent debut to a new series! Writer is very detail-oriented so the reader can “see” the locations and what is happening at every chapter. Descriptions of characters are made so that we can get the connections to other characters. That is not to say that readers don’t need to try connecting the dots because the author gives enough red herrings the reader must join the PI in solving many mysteries. I was pleased the answers were not easy but not so difficult I would stop eagerly turning pages to see what happens next! This book could be read in one day as there are only 282 pages in the paperback I read. I can hardly wait to read more books in this series. Bravo!
Al DeSantis quits his job with the police department when he’s almost killed by a drug dealer on a large expansion bridge. On the same day he learns that his father who abandoned he and his mother when he was a young child, has deeded him the Palmetto Detective Agency in Georgia. He alaso gets the house, the car, the boat.
He sees dollar signs because there is no way he’s going to stay in Georgia … he has his sights on going to Los Angeles.
He learns, much to his chagrin, his father is still alive and in a home suffering from the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. He has also inherited an office manager and the primary female detective name Max.
He plans on finishing the cases that are still on the books, then selling out. But finding a dead body under his dock changes things. Who was the victim … who wanted him dead? Al finds himself involved against his will.
This is a well-written crime/mystery, loaded with twists and turns. The characters are finely drawn. I especially love the relationship between father and son. The secondary characters lend a great deal to the story telling. Very entertaining, holding my interest from start to finish.
Many thanks to the author / Encircle Publications / Netgalley for the digital copy of this entertaining mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Intriguing Southern Mystery. This is a solid mystery set mostly in the South Ga coastal region along I-95, with appearances from coastal Connecticut in the opener and mentions of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA to locals) and specifically Aiken, SC and Augusta, Ga. The action is somewhat laid back yet flowing, much like the Savannah River it takes place on the shores of. Overall not quite a “cozy mystery” and yet also not an action-packed Reacher or Gone Girl type, this is a solid entry for readers who enjoy mysteries without all the darkness, confusion, and action. Very much recommended.
I like mystery/thrillers. This one is heavy on the mystery and very little thriller aspect. It is an enjoyable sometimes snarky read that made me smile. The main characters were so well written I felt like I knew them. The mystery itself was wrapped in mystery as we got to know the individuals and the hidden nuances of small towns. It was almost like watching (albeit reading) a 50/60 movie. I personally wanted the ending to share with everyone who was guilty. Have to leave it there, no spoilers. Thank you for the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own and were unsolicited.