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Fisher Key Adventure #1
Mystery of the Tempest: A Fisher Key Adventure
Twin brothers Denny and Steven Anderson love helping people and fighting crime alongside their sheriff dad on sun-drenched Fisher Key, Florida. Steven likes chasing girls. Denny longs to lose his virginity, but doesn’t dare tell anyone he’s gay. Steven has a secret of his own. He lied to everyone, including his own brother, about being accepted into SEAL training for the U.S. Navy.
On the day they graduate high school, the twins meet the handsome new guy in town, a military veteran with a chiseled body and mysterious past. Meanwhile Brian Vandermark, a gay transfer student from Boston, finds himself falling for closeted Denny but hampered by his shyness. When an antique yacht explodes in Fisher Key harbor, all three boys are caught up in a summer of betrayal, romance, and danger. It’s the Mystery of the Tempest—and it just might kill them all.
On the day they graduate high school, the twins meet the handsome new guy in town, a military veteran with a chiseled body and mysterious past. Meanwhile Brian Vandermark, a gay transfer student from Boston, finds himself falling for closeted Denny but hampered by his shyness. When an antique yacht explodes in Fisher Key harbor, all three boys are caught up in a summer of betrayal, romance, and danger. It’s the Mystery of the Tempest—and it just might kill them all.
- GenresYoung AdultGayMystery
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
75 people want to read
About the author
Sam Cameron
19 books10 followersA Navy veteran, Sam Cameron spent several years serving in the Pacific and along the Atlantic coast. Her transgender, romance, and science fiction novels have been recognized for their wit, inventiveness, and passion. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and currently teaches college in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 4, 2011
Set in the Florida Keys, Mystery of the Tempest by Sam Cameron is a fast paced LGBT young adult mystery that turned out to be engrossing and entertaining enough that I read it through in one sitting. The main characters, Anderson twins Denny and Steven, are the main focus of the story as they solve a mystery that revolves around the explosion of the antique yacht The Tempest and reveal important personal secrets in this fast moving story.
Using the third point of view every other chapter is narrated from Stephen, Denny, and Brian's perspectives, making this a well rounded story where all central characters' views are well represented. I particularly enjoyed the young adults' voices and the fact that they're portrayed as young adults, not grown-ups. The dialogue is contemporary but not overdone and the characters' concerns are quite appropriate to circumstances, age and time.
The mystery in this story is enjoyable although I did figure it out before the end. However, the most enjoyable aspects of the story for me were the boys personal issues, as well as their revelations. How Denny comes to terms with his sexuality and deals with his frustrations are well addressed issues by the author, as is Stephen's personal situation. I liked that lying about his future and the newness of a sexual relationship with his girlfriend deeply affected this character. And speaking of time-appropriate portrayals, I specifically enjoyed Kelsey's character. Here's a young girl who sets a high bar for sexual interaction based on what she's read, and posts all her likes and dislikes on Facebook. If I have one niggle about this story is that when reading this book there's a sense that there have been previous stories about the Anderson twins, however I could not find any other books in this series.
As opposed to many young adult reads, adults are present in this story. Stephen and Denny's parents are not central but are there to support them and Brian's parents are very much a part of the story, but none of them take the focus away from the young adults as central characters. The secondary characters in the story are a good mix of young adults, adults, males and females, with males making the bulk of the significant cast of secondary characters.
This is a different type of read for me, a young adult gay contemporary mystery. Sam Cameron is an author whose short story, "Day Student," I enjoyed in a recently reviewed anthology (Speaking Out: LGBTQ Youth Stand Up). In Mystery of The Tempest: A Fisher Key Adventure, I again enjoyed the way this author captures young adults' voices, particularly the brotherly relationship between Steven and Denny, as well as youth's insecurities and strengths presented through the portrayal of Brian's character and his relationship with Denny. I do love mysteries and this one turned out to be an enjoyable, fresh read for me. Recommended.
Complete review at Impressions of a Reader
Using the third point of view every other chapter is narrated from Stephen, Denny, and Brian's perspectives, making this a well rounded story where all central characters' views are well represented. I particularly enjoyed the young adults' voices and the fact that they're portrayed as young adults, not grown-ups. The dialogue is contemporary but not overdone and the characters' concerns are quite appropriate to circumstances, age and time.
The mystery in this story is enjoyable although I did figure it out before the end. However, the most enjoyable aspects of the story for me were the boys personal issues, as well as their revelations. How Denny comes to terms with his sexuality and deals with his frustrations are well addressed issues by the author, as is Stephen's personal situation. I liked that lying about his future and the newness of a sexual relationship with his girlfriend deeply affected this character. And speaking of time-appropriate portrayals, I specifically enjoyed Kelsey's character. Here's a young girl who sets a high bar for sexual interaction based on what she's read, and posts all her likes and dislikes on Facebook. If I have one niggle about this story is that when reading this book there's a sense that there have been previous stories about the Anderson twins, however I could not find any other books in this series.
As opposed to many young adult reads, adults are present in this story. Stephen and Denny's parents are not central but are there to support them and Brian's parents are very much a part of the story, but none of them take the focus away from the young adults as central characters. The secondary characters in the story are a good mix of young adults, adults, males and females, with males making the bulk of the significant cast of secondary characters.
This is a different type of read for me, a young adult gay contemporary mystery. Sam Cameron is an author whose short story, "Day Student," I enjoyed in a recently reviewed anthology (Speaking Out: LGBTQ Youth Stand Up). In Mystery of The Tempest: A Fisher Key Adventure, I again enjoyed the way this author captures young adults' voices, particularly the brotherly relationship between Steven and Denny, as well as youth's insecurities and strengths presented through the portrayal of Brian's character and his relationship with Denny. I do love mysteries and this one turned out to be an enjoyable, fresh read for me. Recommended.
Complete review at Impressions of a Reader
October 24, 2011
4 STARS
Denny Anderson was joining the coast guard after graduation. Denny was also gay and hiding it.
Steven Anderson was Denny twin. He told everyone he joined the Navy and was going to be a seal. Steven lied he did not pass the physcal for seals because he was color blind.
Denny and Steven have solved mysteries since they were 12. Their father sheriff. After graduation party Steven went to Kelsey father boat to be alone. Denny gave a ride in his boat to Brian because he got left by his boyfriend without a car. Going by water to were the party they saw a boat on fire so Denny was swimming over their to see if anyone needed help when it blew up knocked him under. Threw Brian out of the boat. He was going under but a swimmer in the water rescued him and helped him and got Denny in the boat as well and got him breathing. Turns out Carter used to be a seal and said he was training for a triathalon.
The twins want to find out who blew up the boat and what was happening around them. What were they going to do about their secrets?
Their is a lot of action and the twins make mistakes but they also do some good things.
I would not mind reading another book about them. I was given this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for honest review.
Denny Anderson was joining the coast guard after graduation. Denny was also gay and hiding it.
Steven Anderson was Denny twin. He told everyone he joined the Navy and was going to be a seal. Steven lied he did not pass the physcal for seals because he was color blind.
Denny and Steven have solved mysteries since they were 12. Their father sheriff. After graduation party Steven went to Kelsey father boat to be alone. Denny gave a ride in his boat to Brian because he got left by his boyfriend without a car. Going by water to were the party they saw a boat on fire so Denny was swimming over their to see if anyone needed help when it blew up knocked him under. Threw Brian out of the boat. He was going under but a swimmer in the water rescued him and helped him and got Denny in the boat as well and got him breathing. Turns out Carter used to be a seal and said he was training for a triathalon.
The twins want to find out who blew up the boat and what was happening around them. What were they going to do about their secrets?
Their is a lot of action and the twins make mistakes but they also do some good things.
I would not mind reading another book about them. I was given this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for honest review.
November 20, 2011
I finished this book the first day I got it. I just couldn't put it down! Every time I tried, I went right back to it and picked it up.
All of the characters were great, and I loved the humor in the story. Denny really had some funny things to say, and his thoughts were even more outrageous. The UST between Denny and Brian nearly drove me insane! It was so frustrating seeing the two of them liking each other but not doing anything about it. I want to smack Denny half of the time for the way he acted.
The twins interactions with each other was great, too. They worked together and stood up for each other when they needed to. I liked hearing about their previous adventures helping their father, and wish I could see more of that. It was almost like reading a more mature verison of the Hardy Boys at points, with how they liked to get involved in solving crimes.
I'm so glad this is a series and I cannot wait for the next book! I hope everything with Brian and Denny progresses because I'd love to see what happens next in their relationship.
All of the characters were great, and I loved the humor in the story. Denny really had some funny things to say, and his thoughts were even more outrageous. The UST between Denny and Brian nearly drove me insane! It was so frustrating seeing the two of them liking each other but not doing anything about it. I want to smack Denny half of the time for the way he acted.
The twins interactions with each other was great, too. They worked together and stood up for each other when they needed to. I liked hearing about their previous adventures helping their father, and wish I could see more of that. It was almost like reading a more mature verison of the Hardy Boys at points, with how they liked to get involved in solving crimes.
I'm so glad this is a series and I cannot wait for the next book! I hope everything with Brian and Denny progresses because I'd love to see what happens next in their relationship.
January 31, 2013
I think my favorite part of this - and it was hard to pick - was the relationship between the twins and how they reacted to being confused for each other. That speaks directly to my soul. :)
I happen to also be the queer twin with a straight sibling (well, four straight siblings, to the best of my knowledge). I related to Denny a LOT.
And on top of that, a fun mystery.
I happen to also be the queer twin with a straight sibling (well, four straight siblings, to the best of my knowledge). I related to Denny a LOT.
And on top of that, a fun mystery.
January 13, 2012
at first i was a little put of but then i just read the book and it was so funny i loved it I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
August 13, 2015
This was an okay book. A very quick read but fairly enjoyable. I did get quite frustrated at Denny but thankfully he got his head out of his a**.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews