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Manny Williams #1
Caribbean Moon
Rick Murcer is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author having sold over 850,000 books. Written in the tradition of James Patterson, JA Konrath, and Michael Connelly, this first book in the series will have you wanting more. Small-town detective/workaholic, Manny Williams, is thrilled with the prospect of finally taking the long-awaited vacation he had promised his wife, Louise. The couple’s exotic getaway begins in sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico, by attending the June wedding of a fellow Lansing police officer, followed with an incredible week-long Southern Caribbean cruise on the glamorous Ocean Duchess. Tropical paradise appears to be a perfect recipe for desperately needed R and R...until the first dead body. A bizarre, seemingly random murder in their posh San Juan Hotel, and the heinous cruise ship deaths of two of Lansing’s law enforcement family, brings Manny, and his unique skills, out of cruise mode and head-long into the FBI-led investigation. Manny soon discovers that in this killer’s twisted perception nothing is off limits, prompting a race against time that could cost him everything. If you like edge-of-your-seat thrillers laced with humor, you'll love this! Caribbean "A new standard has been set for thrillers. In Rick Murcer's debut novel, Caribbean Moon, he's mixed the perfect ingredients to lock in readers, starting with the opening witty banter between Manny and Sophie. From there, the book takes off like a run-away roller coaster. Murcer knows just when to slow the pace and when to hit the gas. He's created a twisted mystery, with infectious characters and an unfathomable ending. Manny Williams might be the new Jedi of investigators, and Murcer is a Spielberg-like creative powerhouse. Caribbean Moon is absolutely magnetic!" John W. Mefford, Best-selling suspense author of COMMITTED
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2011
496 people are currently reading
894 people want to read
About the author
Rick Murcer
36 books68 followersRick Murcer lives in Michigan and like many in that part of the country lost his job in 2008 due to a decline in the economy. An experienced executive, he sent out over 600 resumes without success. With unemployment benefits waning and savings nearly depleted he did the only logical thing he could think of...decide to become a writer.
Fortunately for Rick, he defied all conventional wisdom about self-publishing and literally became an overnight sensation. His first three books Caribbean Moon, Deceitful Moon, and Emerald Moon sold more than 300,000 copies between April and October 2011. He had two books in Amazon's top ten for many weeks and became both a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author.
Rick graduated from Michigan State University and is fairly new to the game of writing. Proving his knack for storytelling, the first piece he had ever written, Herb's Home Run, was published by The Writer's Journal in 2002. Rick attributes his success to hard work and God's blessing and believes that you can achieve any goal you wish if you just set your mind to it.
Rick has been married longer than his wife likes to admit, and they have two grown children, three grandkids, and a blind, black Lab named Max, who serves as Rick's "writing" dog. Each morning Max pushes Rick to his writing room so that the dog can snore on his rug while Rick ponds away on the keys. And pounds away he does. Rick is one of those amazing writers that are so energized by the stories in their heads the words just flow onto the page. He has many works in progress so expect more titles from him in the near future.
Fortunately for Rick, he defied all conventional wisdom about self-publishing and literally became an overnight sensation. His first three books Caribbean Moon, Deceitful Moon, and Emerald Moon sold more than 300,000 copies between April and October 2011. He had two books in Amazon's top ten for many weeks and became both a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author.
Rick graduated from Michigan State University and is fairly new to the game of writing. Proving his knack for storytelling, the first piece he had ever written, Herb's Home Run, was published by The Writer's Journal in 2002. Rick attributes his success to hard work and God's blessing and believes that you can achieve any goal you wish if you just set your mind to it.
Rick has been married longer than his wife likes to admit, and they have two grown children, three grandkids, and a blind, black Lab named Max, who serves as Rick's "writing" dog. Each morning Max pushes Rick to his writing room so that the dog can snore on his rug while Rick ponds away on the keys. And pounds away he does. Rick is one of those amazing writers that are so energized by the stories in their heads the words just flow onto the page. He has many works in progress so expect more titles from him in the near future.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
July 17, 2015
'Caribbean Moon' pulled me in from the start. I couldn't put it down. Even though I had a clue as to who the 'bad' guy was, it was still quite an adventure. The storyline was well written and very thrilling. If you don't like gruesome details, this book probably isn't for you. But for me, it was part of the story and added to the story as a whole. The characters were great. Manny is a great lead and an even better detective. Sophie is a spitfire. I loved her go-get-em attitude. I loved the added surprise that arose around the case. I can't wait to read more of this series. A great thriller to add to your tbr list. Recommended.
August 30, 2015
Walking in the footsteps of a psychopathic killer, the reader is soon mesmerized and enthralled with the workings of Robert Peppercorn’s, aka Eli Jenkins mind as he travels from one victim to another. Diagnosed with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) Robert patiently waited, playing an Oscar deserving role, until the doctors of the Lansing, Michigan mental hospital were sure they had booked a rare success and he was cured.
Manfred Robert Williams is a detective in the Lansing Police Department. He and his wife Louise, along with a goodly part of the L.P.D. were on a communal vacation on a Caribbean cruise. When the trail of mutilated bodies followed them on the ship, Manny’s detective instincts went into overdrive (he is a well-known workaholic) and the chase was on. A serial killer in the confined spaces of a luxury liner can easily cause panic so everyone involved (except for the killer) are determined to keep the nightmare situation under wraps. Despite the limited space of the pleasure cruiser a multitude of passenger characters become a fuzzy confusion in the reader’s head; the only one that stands out is the man with the insatiable appetite for vengeance and blood.
Written in a short chapter form, the writer keeps the action moving and the reader guessing (and maybe the occasional glance over a shoulder) while reading the book. This narrative can easily rival any James Patterson novel and is sure to appeal to a large public. I warmly recommend it to all.
Manfred Robert Williams is a detective in the Lansing Police Department. He and his wife Louise, along with a goodly part of the L.P.D. were on a communal vacation on a Caribbean cruise. When the trail of mutilated bodies followed them on the ship, Manny’s detective instincts went into overdrive (he is a well-known workaholic) and the chase was on. A serial killer in the confined spaces of a luxury liner can easily cause panic so everyone involved (except for the killer) are determined to keep the nightmare situation under wraps. Despite the limited space of the pleasure cruiser a multitude of passenger characters become a fuzzy confusion in the reader’s head; the only one that stands out is the man with the insatiable appetite for vengeance and blood.
Written in a short chapter form, the writer keeps the action moving and the reader guessing (and maybe the occasional glance over a shoulder) while reading the book. This narrative can easily rival any James Patterson novel and is sure to appeal to a large public. I warmly recommend it to all.
October 25, 2014
The first thing I learned in my journalism classes was show, don't tell, a lesson this author has not learned. He keeps telling the reader how smart and gifted Manny is, but what he shows the reader is a team of inept crime fighters. I was mostly liking this book because I kept thinking that even though this Peppercorn guy was the obvious suspect from the start, there must be some twist coming because otherwise these are the dumbest detectives ever. There was a twist, but it wasn't enough. This killer had an MO that they recognized before the trip even started. He killed the exact same way, but still they weren't sure who the killer was? And they had all seen this guy (and the doctor) before, but none of them recognized him? I get that there are disguises, but the author made a point of saying over and over how huge this guy is. You know Peppercorn is huge, you know it's the same MO, but you don't actively look for him, you don't try to confirm his whereabouts at any point, you don't find his picture in the passenger manifest?! The killers were ten steps ahead of these detectives the entire time and in the end, one of them escaped capture. Readers don't like that! We want the killer to get what's coming. We want detectives to actually solve and thwart crimes. I feel like the Scooby gang could have done a better job than these bumbling idiots.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2011
It was very high on Amazon, but I didn't care for it much. My biggest complaint was that they heroes just reacted to the villain in almost all cases. By that I mean they didn't use any internal strengths to overcome obstacles and force the flow events in a direction they wanted, or at least interrupt the flow the villain had planned. I like stories where the heroes struggle and overcome. In this book they were basically puppets in the hands of the villain.
In the beginning I was also a little creep-ed out by how cruel the villain was. The story did not have excessive graphic violence but too many nice people got hurt for me.
And finally I found the writing to be just okay. The dialog, but internal and external, seemed to be a little unnatural in places. And sometimes the emotions and thought shown in the writing seemed to be out of step with the horror that had recently occurred.
In the beginning I was also a little creep-ed out by how cruel the villain was. The story did not have excessive graphic violence but too many nice people got hurt for me.
And finally I found the writing to be just okay. The dialog, but internal and external, seemed to be a little unnatural in places. And sometimes the emotions and thought shown in the writing seemed to be out of step with the horror that had recently occurred.
August 31, 2011
I loved it. It was a fast moving who done it with some very interesting people. I was amazed at the number of characters in this book that had to be kept track of...and it was done with a certain degree of elegance and style.
Loved the story. This is my first time reading one of his books...I don't think it will be the last time I check his work out
Loved the story. This is my first time reading one of his books...I don't think it will be the last time I check his work out
May 6, 2014
Cruising murder
I gave this book high marks as it hooked and reeled me in from the beginning. Characters were well developed and an emotional attachment unique to each of them was formed. Parts of the story were a little too graphic for my gentle mind. If you like NCIS and other police-based stories, this book will not disappoint you.
I gave this book high marks as it hooked and reeled me in from the beginning. Characters were well developed and an emotional attachment unique to each of them was formed. Parts of the story were a little too graphic for my gentle mind. If you like NCIS and other police-based stories, this book will not disappoint you.
August 12, 2011
The story ended with the killer still on the loose, I hope that doesn't mean a part two is coming. Once around the block with this pile of rubbish is more than enough.
August 11, 2011
Definitely do not take this book on a cruise to read.....people on a cruise ship are
getting murdered right & left.....
getting murdered right & left.....
September 11, 2011
it seems like the plot could be interesting, but the writing style seems immature.
December 10, 2011
A pretty bad read. Incidentally this happened to be the my first Kindle book as well. Learnt not to trust Amazon reviews. Badly written and a wafer thin plot. Hardly worth a review.
February 20, 2013
Very good mystery with nice twists. Never boring.
July 24, 2017
4 and 1 / 2 stars
This book starts out a little slow – and confusing. I can only assume that the author did this because the book is the first in a series and he wanted to properly introduce his characters. However, if the reader sticks with it, it gets much more exciting and action-packed.
We meet Manny Williams and his wife Louise as they embark on a Caribbean cruise on the Ocean Duchess along with several other members of the Lansing (Michigan) Police Department. Louise is awaiting results of her mammogram and she and Manny told one another that they wouldn’t open the results until they returned from their trip.
But a serial killer is loose. He appears to be on the same ship as Manny and his team. As people start getting viciously murdered, the FBI is called in and with the aid of a San Juan Island detective Perez they begin to search for the killer.
Several murders later, the detectives have the killer cornered. But it seems too easy.
Sophie, Sophie, I just didn’t like her at all. She has a bad attitude and doesn’t know when to keep her smart comments to herself. She was the only member of the team that I didn’t like. The others got along well and worked together nicely.
This book is well written and plotted. It is a very nice debut mystery and I was pleasantly surprised at its strength. After a brief delay at the start of the book, the suspense started out with a bang and increased dramatically until the denouement. The author even puts in a big surprise at the end. This is an explosive read that will keep you entertained and reading on past your bedtime. Mr. Murcer is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his books.
This book starts out a little slow – and confusing. I can only assume that the author did this because the book is the first in a series and he wanted to properly introduce his characters. However, if the reader sticks with it, it gets much more exciting and action-packed.
We meet Manny Williams and his wife Louise as they embark on a Caribbean cruise on the Ocean Duchess along with several other members of the Lansing (Michigan) Police Department. Louise is awaiting results of her mammogram and she and Manny told one another that they wouldn’t open the results until they returned from their trip.
But a serial killer is loose. He appears to be on the same ship as Manny and his team. As people start getting viciously murdered, the FBI is called in and with the aid of a San Juan Island detective Perez they begin to search for the killer.
Several murders later, the detectives have the killer cornered. But it seems too easy.
Sophie, Sophie, I just didn’t like her at all. She has a bad attitude and doesn’t know when to keep her smart comments to herself. She was the only member of the team that I didn’t like. The others got along well and worked together nicely.
This book is well written and plotted. It is a very nice debut mystery and I was pleasantly surprised at its strength. After a brief delay at the start of the book, the suspense started out with a bang and increased dramatically until the denouement. The author even puts in a big surprise at the end. This is an explosive read that will keep you entertained and reading on past your bedtime. Mr. Murcer is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his books.
July 5, 2024
My main complaint about this novel is the writing, which got in the way of the storytelling. It seems the author tried too hard to write "fancy" sentences that too often made me pause reading and think "What?!" Here are three sample sentences. "Perez was a bit jumpy. Good. That meant that she and paranoia were dining at the same table." "Ethel released the unconscious grip on the front of her shirt." Surprise tapped him on the shoulder.” I understand this is book 1 in the series, so maybe the writing has improved in later books, but this novel needs to be gone over by a good reviser.
Extraneous descriptions also make reading tedious. Descriptions are needed to make the reader visualize scenes, for example how grand the ship is or what a murder scene looks like, but not everything has to be described.
Given the book's blurb and the Caribbean cruise setting, I didn't expect the level of violence in the crimes and the graphic descriptions. I have a weak stomach for such descriptions, so if you're like me, you may want to pass or skip these parts, which is what I did.
Extraneous descriptions also make reading tedious. Descriptions are needed to make the reader visualize scenes, for example how grand the ship is or what a murder scene looks like, but not everything has to be described.
Given the book's blurb and the Caribbean cruise setting, I didn't expect the level of violence in the crimes and the graphic descriptions. I have a weak stomach for such descriptions, so if you're like me, you may want to pass or skip these parts, which is what I did.
Read
January 12, 2020Pretty damned good!
Too close to many television scripts to be great, but well done! Great characters, worldbuilding, dialog, etc. Ok g enough to be satisfying, short enough for an easy day's or weekend read.
Why does any author have a table of contents that is merely a numerical count down? Not a particular complaint just an observation. Tables of contents with titles give enough of a book to return to a chapter for rereading. Numbers serve no purpose.
Too close to many television scripts to be great, but well done! Great characters, worldbuilding, dialog, etc. Ok g enough to be satisfying, short enough for an easy day's or weekend read.
Why does any author have a table of contents that is merely a numerical count down? Not a particular complaint just an observation. Tables of contents with titles give enough of a book to return to a chapter for rereading. Numbers serve no purpose.
January 7, 2021
Senseless murders, no reasoning. People doing stupid stuff..you just knew they were going to be next.
Made no sense at all All the books would be the same.People putting themselves in harm way when I know there's a murder working about.
Made no sense at all All the books would be the same.People putting themselves in harm way when I know there's a murder working about.
April 9, 2018
Great Detective Mystery
One of the best U’ve read in a long time. Great plot, great characters, great scene selection. Thoroughly worth reading!
One of the best U’ve read in a long time. Great plot, great characters, great scene selection. Thoroughly worth reading!
Read
March 2, 2021Love everyone of Rick's books - the Manny Williams series is a great read!
April 9, 2021
Caribbean Moon
This book was a real page turner. Read cannot wait to order the new in the series
I know that ship. We have traveled on it several times.
This book was a real page turner. Read cannot wait to order the new in the series
I know that ship. We have traveled on it several times.
January 5, 2022
Wonderful
This kind of book isn't one i usually read bu i enjoyed. So parts were a little more detailed than i like but a really good book
This kind of book isn't one i usually read bu i enjoyed. So parts were a little more detailed than i like but a really good book
April 26, 2025
A bit gruesome.
May 29, 2012
Caribbean Moon
by Rick Murcer
3 Faerie Points
Before I start in on the main review of this book I need to go on a bit of a rant about something that ticks me off about books, which was brought back up for me with this particular book. In one section of this book, I won't mention where due to spoilers, the author has a character talk about fags and queers in a basic derogatory manner. In Murcer's case I can forgive him somewhat because it is from the viewpoint of a killer, but a part of me can't even forgive him. If a writer wants to talk down about gay people I think there needs to be a bit of a balance in their book where they put something positive about them as well, so that readers that may identify in that particular persuasion do not instantly want to throw the book (or in my case their kindle) out of a moving vehicle. When did it become okay to just blatantly be hateful in writing with no balance? I would have given this particular book a higher rating if it hadn't been for this simple inclusion on Murcer's part.
There was another less minor issue that I had with Murcer's writing of "Caribbean Moon", which was that he included religion sometimes in the weirdest spots. A character would be dealing with something very profound on the case and suddenly they would mention God or have a thought about him. I understand a writer that believes in Christ including those elements in their work, but it needs to feel organic in the story. There was one point of the book where it was organic and felt very much a natural part of the story. This was in the preacher woman that was on one of the islands. This didn't feel like Murcer was forcing religion into his story. I understand that I am not an author and nor should I criticize heavily on any aspect of writing, but again elements of a story need to feel natural to the reader. The inclusions of religion in many spots of this book felt like an after thought that Murcer has shoved in to appeal to the Christian market. It doesn't work that well here.
The murder mystery aspect of this story and the character of Manny Williams, however, does work masterfully in this story. The story is just a fun little romp on a cruise ship that turns deadly. Murcer makes you feel like you have been on a cruise even if you never have (I never have been) because he tells us that the basic behavior of them is crazy and over the top. This drags us into the world that Williams finds himself in. The story develops in a manner that is believable and at times jaw-dropping. One of the only issues with the mystery aspect of the book is the sheer number of people that end up dead in the book or have something horrible happen to them. It feels like a bit much, but it adds to the urgency of the story as well, thus I am not sure I would have changed this aspect, but still it could be seen as a deficit to another reader of the book.
I would give Murcer's "Caribbean Moon" a solid three faerie points with a few knocks coming off for some of the above issues I have mentioned. If you are looking for a story where you can just try to figure out what is really going on in the story without a lot of moral questions then this could be the book for you. It is definitely one that I could see people sitting on their lawns in their lawn chairs devouring in a single sitting.
by Rick Murcer
3 Faerie Points
Before I start in on the main review of this book I need to go on a bit of a rant about something that ticks me off about books, which was brought back up for me with this particular book. In one section of this book, I won't mention where due to spoilers, the author has a character talk about fags and queers in a basic derogatory manner. In Murcer's case I can forgive him somewhat because it is from the viewpoint of a killer, but a part of me can't even forgive him. If a writer wants to talk down about gay people I think there needs to be a bit of a balance in their book where they put something positive about them as well, so that readers that may identify in that particular persuasion do not instantly want to throw the book (or in my case their kindle) out of a moving vehicle. When did it become okay to just blatantly be hateful in writing with no balance? I would have given this particular book a higher rating if it hadn't been for this simple inclusion on Murcer's part.
There was another less minor issue that I had with Murcer's writing of "Caribbean Moon", which was that he included religion sometimes in the weirdest spots. A character would be dealing with something very profound on the case and suddenly they would mention God or have a thought about him. I understand a writer that believes in Christ including those elements in their work, but it needs to feel organic in the story. There was one point of the book where it was organic and felt very much a natural part of the story. This was in the preacher woman that was on one of the islands. This didn't feel like Murcer was forcing religion into his story. I understand that I am not an author and nor should I criticize heavily on any aspect of writing, but again elements of a story need to feel natural to the reader. The inclusions of religion in many spots of this book felt like an after thought that Murcer has shoved in to appeal to the Christian market. It doesn't work that well here.
The murder mystery aspect of this story and the character of Manny Williams, however, does work masterfully in this story. The story is just a fun little romp on a cruise ship that turns deadly. Murcer makes you feel like you have been on a cruise even if you never have (I never have been) because he tells us that the basic behavior of them is crazy and over the top. This drags us into the world that Williams finds himself in. The story develops in a manner that is believable and at times jaw-dropping. One of the only issues with the mystery aspect of the book is the sheer number of people that end up dead in the book or have something horrible happen to them. It feels like a bit much, but it adds to the urgency of the story as well, thus I am not sure I would have changed this aspect, but still it could be seen as a deficit to another reader of the book.
I would give Murcer's "Caribbean Moon" a solid three faerie points with a few knocks coming off for some of the above issues I have mentioned. If you are looking for a story where you can just try to figure out what is really going on in the story without a lot of moral questions then this could be the book for you. It is definitely one that I could see people sitting on their lawns in their lawn chairs devouring in a single sitting.
April 23, 2013
I picked up this book at the Michigan Authors on Michigan Avenue event in December 2012 and finally had the opportunity to take it up and read it. I was excited to be reading something from a fellow Michigan author, and thrillers are kinda my thing.
CarribeanCaribbean Moon is written in a gritty, raw, cop-speak fashion and I had to look at Mr. Murcer’s website to see if he is or was a policeman. I could not determine that from his biography, but went ahead with the book, thoroughly enjoying the style of writing.
Manfred (Manny) Williams is our hero, a hard-working, dedicated, obsessed detective who has more trouble letting the job go when on vacation than he has wearing a bowtie (which annoys him a great deal). A detective for eleven years, Manny has built his reputation for being a good cop and great detective who uses intuition as well as trivial clues that lead to arrests.
In Carribean Moon, Manny and his wife join with several other couples to celebrate the marriage of one of their friends’ son and a cruise around the Carribean. Should be paradise, right? Manny and his wife, Louise, are determined to relax and enjoy the cruise in order to strengthen their bond and forget about the results of Louis’s last mammogram. They would get back to everyday life, cop work, and doctor’s appointments after the cruise.
But it is not meant to be as Manny is pulled into a brutal murder case that seems to have ties to a case from his past and a criminal he thought was behind him but now seemed to be a prime suspect in the recent deaths. Manny and his fellow police officers must put aside their excursion to hunt down a killer hiding among the passengers of the cruise ship, haunting them every step of the way, always seeming to be ahead of them no matter how hard they tried.
The story is riveting and compelling, twisting and heart-breaking as Manny tries to protect his friends and the woman he holds most dear from a maniac that seems to have evolved into a world-class monster.
Rick Murcer will take you along for the thrill ride of a lifetime and leave you wondering who, what, where, and how will the killer be stopped. I recommend picking up this first in the Manny Williams series. I know I will continue reading Mr. Murcer’s books.
CarribeanCaribbean Moon is written in a gritty, raw, cop-speak fashion and I had to look at Mr. Murcer’s website to see if he is or was a policeman. I could not determine that from his biography, but went ahead with the book, thoroughly enjoying the style of writing.
Manfred (Manny) Williams is our hero, a hard-working, dedicated, obsessed detective who has more trouble letting the job go when on vacation than he has wearing a bowtie (which annoys him a great deal). A detective for eleven years, Manny has built his reputation for being a good cop and great detective who uses intuition as well as trivial clues that lead to arrests.
In Carribean Moon, Manny and his wife join with several other couples to celebrate the marriage of one of their friends’ son and a cruise around the Carribean. Should be paradise, right? Manny and his wife, Louise, are determined to relax and enjoy the cruise in order to strengthen their bond and forget about the results of Louis’s last mammogram. They would get back to everyday life, cop work, and doctor’s appointments after the cruise.
But it is not meant to be as Manny is pulled into a brutal murder case that seems to have ties to a case from his past and a criminal he thought was behind him but now seemed to be a prime suspect in the recent deaths. Manny and his fellow police officers must put aside their excursion to hunt down a killer hiding among the passengers of the cruise ship, haunting them every step of the way, always seeming to be ahead of them no matter how hard they tried.
The story is riveting and compelling, twisting and heart-breaking as Manny tries to protect his friends and the woman he holds most dear from a maniac that seems to have evolved into a world-class monster.
Rick Murcer will take you along for the thrill ride of a lifetime and leave you wondering who, what, where, and how will the killer be stopped. I recommend picking up this first in the Manny Williams series. I know I will continue reading Mr. Murcer’s books.
February 22, 2017
Finished, but way too much gore and blood (or too much description). Also, the similes get tiresome. They seem to be in every paragraph. If I saw the word "like" one more time, I was going to scream. Won't continue the series.
February 12, 2013
In CARRIBEAN MOON, Lansing Michigan Sergeant Detective Manny Williams joins some of the other members of his department in Puerto Rico and then on a Carribean cruise as they celebrate the marriage of one of their own. As they leave their hotel to get to the ship, he sees police cars and an ambulance pull up. He continues to the ship, knowing something major happened but he realized he was on vacation.
Once aboard the ship, however, the gruesome murders continue, the first victims being members of their group. Williams recognizes the similarity between these murders and some he had solved in Lansing a decade ago. The ship’s head of security is incompetent and resents Williams’s attempts to help find the killer. As the murders continue, the ship’s captain calls in a local detective and the FBI. Soon all the trained security people are involved in trying to find the murderer.
Rick Murcer tell the story from the Williams’s perspective as well as from the killers’ and does hold the reader’s attention, though the descriptions of the murders and of the bodies were repeated each time even though they were almost all identical.
Since Williams seemed to know who the murderer was early on and the man was 6'4" tall, it shouldn’t have been that difficult to figure out who he was by using the photos taken of all the passengers as they boarded the ship. There were some witnesses and they should have been shown all the pictures of men who fit the description. Looking for fingerprints and other identifying evidence takes a while and may not have been necessary at that point.
I also found some situations unrealistic. For example, Williams had a partner who was killed when he went on an assignment by himself, against protocol. Everyone involved with this case should have known to be with someone else at all times.
There are also some murders that are not identified as such. Once they began, all deaths upon the ship should have been investigated.
The end of the story introduces important material that is not telegraphed earlier so the reader is blindsided.
This book was a free Amazon download.
Once aboard the ship, however, the gruesome murders continue, the first victims being members of their group. Williams recognizes the similarity between these murders and some he had solved in Lansing a decade ago. The ship’s head of security is incompetent and resents Williams’s attempts to help find the killer. As the murders continue, the ship’s captain calls in a local detective and the FBI. Soon all the trained security people are involved in trying to find the murderer.
Rick Murcer tell the story from the Williams’s perspective as well as from the killers’ and does hold the reader’s attention, though the descriptions of the murders and of the bodies were repeated each time even though they were almost all identical.
Since Williams seemed to know who the murderer was early on and the man was 6'4" tall, it shouldn’t have been that difficult to figure out who he was by using the photos taken of all the passengers as they boarded the ship. There were some witnesses and they should have been shown all the pictures of men who fit the description. Looking for fingerprints and other identifying evidence takes a while and may not have been necessary at that point.
I also found some situations unrealistic. For example, Williams had a partner who was killed when he went on an assignment by himself, against protocol. Everyone involved with this case should have known to be with someone else at all times.
There are also some murders that are not identified as such. Once they began, all deaths upon the ship should have been investigated.
The end of the story introduces important material that is not telegraphed earlier so the reader is blindsided.
This book was a free Amazon download.
December 20, 2011
The description of "Caribbean Moon" some places says it is “written in the tradition of Connelly, Patterson of old, and JA Konrath.” I was on the verge of writing this off as marketing hype; Murcer’s book is good, but not at the level of those three, nor, if you evaluate the words, is that claim being made. Then I realized that the statement does give a hint of what Murcer is aiming for and, in the JA Konrath comparison, is the hook to describe the qualities of this book.
Konrath’s "Jack Daniels" series is nominally a police procedural. The main character is a member of law enforcement whose goal is to solve a crime, typically one or more murders. Yet Konrath’s books have several elements that aren’t typical of the standard police procedural, all of which are shared by "Caribbean Moon." The first of these is the case becomes much more personal than a normal police procedural when the detective (Jack Daniels or Manny Williams) is at risk after they determine that they or someone close to them is the likely next target of the murderer, who is almost always a serial killer. The murders are consistently grisly, yet described in a way that isn’t very explicit, giving horror fans the chance to let their mind run free while allowing those who are more squeamish to overlook the blood and gore. The last quality Murcer shares with Konrath is that, despite the seriousness of the crimes depicted, they both sprinkle humor, helping to keep the book (and the reader) from descending too far into the dark.
This is a formula that has worked well for both. "Caribbean Moon" is a worthy first novel and an excellent series introduction. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
Konrath’s "Jack Daniels" series is nominally a police procedural. The main character is a member of law enforcement whose goal is to solve a crime, typically one or more murders. Yet Konrath’s books have several elements that aren’t typical of the standard police procedural, all of which are shared by "Caribbean Moon." The first of these is the case becomes much more personal than a normal police procedural when the detective (Jack Daniels or Manny Williams) is at risk after they determine that they or someone close to them is the likely next target of the murderer, who is almost always a serial killer. The murders are consistently grisly, yet described in a way that isn’t very explicit, giving horror fans the chance to let their mind run free while allowing those who are more squeamish to overlook the blood and gore. The last quality Murcer shares with Konrath is that, despite the seriousness of the crimes depicted, they both sprinkle humor, helping to keep the book (and the reader) from descending too far into the dark.
This is a formula that has worked well for both. "Caribbean Moon" is a worthy first novel and an excellent series introduction. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
August 25, 2018
From the start, we're told who the killer is, which instantly makes this unremarkable. It's not a murder mystery, it's a cat and mouse game and a rather unbelievable one at that: almost everyone the killer wants revenge against ends up on the same cruise ship. How convenient. If that's not enough, he's also got victims lined up for every port just because he's a killer and has to kill things.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, which isn't necessarily a problem. I like a large cast when it works, but that is not the case here. Every single character, including minor ones we never see again, needs to get their own POVs out there and it bogs down the story. As a result, the characters don't have much depth and aren't very interesting. We spend the most time with Manny, but I felt no real connection with him either. Manny's supposed to be this top detective, but he and the rest can do little more than react to everything that's happening and never manage to come up with any kind of proactive plan.
The chapters are short, probably an effort to keep the action moving and keep the suspense going, but I wasn't feeling it. There is a twist at the end, but it only dragged the story out another twenty pages and felt contrived and even more unbelievable than the rest of the book. It felt like nothing more than an effort to generate interest in upcoming sequels. For my part, I'll part ways with Manny and the rest of the team here.
Two stars, since I did finally manage to finish it, and there weren't too many typos.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, which isn't necessarily a problem. I like a large cast when it works, but that is not the case here. Every single character, including minor ones we never see again, needs to get their own POVs out there and it bogs down the story. As a result, the characters don't have much depth and aren't very interesting. We spend the most time with Manny, but I felt no real connection with him either. Manny's supposed to be this top detective, but he and the rest can do little more than react to everything that's happening and never manage to come up with any kind of proactive plan.
The chapters are short, probably an effort to keep the action moving and keep the suspense going, but I wasn't feeling it. There is a twist at the end, but it only dragged the story out another twenty pages and felt contrived and even more unbelievable than the rest of the book. It felt like nothing more than an effort to generate interest in upcoming sequels. For my part, I'll part ways with Manny and the rest of the team here.
Two stars, since I did finally manage to finish it, and there weren't too many typos.
May 19, 2011
Excellent setup for the next book in the series.
This crime thriller definitely left me wanting more, with its intense action and compelling (albeit disturbing) glimpses into a deranged killer’s mind. Warning: this is a gritty book, not for the faint of heart.
Murcer has a distinctive writing style, with metaphors galore and vivid descriptions. Although I might like to see fewer metaphors and less description during action scenes, the author uses his time in the characters’ heads to flesh out motivations, emotions, and backstory to create well-rounded individuals that for the most part the reader can empathize with, even when we can guess they’re about to die.
The book has some steamy scenes, but the generalized promiscuity, the coupling of sex with brutality, and intermingling of inappropriate sex and sexual talk left this reader ready for a change of pace, which was fortunately satisfied through the romantic sexual encounters between the hero, Manny Williams, and his wife, while the two wait to learn whether she has cancer.
The occasional typos and style and usage problems didn’t pull my focus away from the strong story line, as they too often do. I’m looking forward to the next book.
This crime thriller definitely left me wanting more, with its intense action and compelling (albeit disturbing) glimpses into a deranged killer’s mind. Warning: this is a gritty book, not for the faint of heart.
Murcer has a distinctive writing style, with metaphors galore and vivid descriptions. Although I might like to see fewer metaphors and less description during action scenes, the author uses his time in the characters’ heads to flesh out motivations, emotions, and backstory to create well-rounded individuals that for the most part the reader can empathize with, even when we can guess they’re about to die.
The book has some steamy scenes, but the generalized promiscuity, the coupling of sex with brutality, and intermingling of inappropriate sex and sexual talk left this reader ready for a change of pace, which was fortunately satisfied through the romantic sexual encounters between the hero, Manny Williams, and his wife, while the two wait to learn whether she has cancer.
The occasional typos and style and usage problems didn’t pull my focus away from the strong story line, as they too often do. I’m looking forward to the next book.
February 24, 2013
roller coaster ride!
first paragraphs
CHAPTER-1 “I’ll need to see your ID, sir.” “What?” Manny Williams stared at the pretty, Latino barmaid. He must have looked like a deer in headlights because she started to grin, rescued her composure, and asked again. “Uh, I’m thirty-eight years old. I don’t . . .” “Having trouble gettin’ served, Williams?” Glancing to his left he noticed Sophie Lee, his diminutive partner as she stood a few feet away wearing one of her famous gotcha grins. “I should have known . . . and don’t you have something else to do?” “Why no, no I don’t.” Sophie sat down on the nearest bar stool and crossed her legs. “And you should have known what?” “That you put the poor girl up to this. Does she know that even in Puerto Rico you can be arrested for messing with a cop?”
Murcer, Rick (2013-02-11). Caribbean Moon (A Manny Williams Thriller, Book One) (p. 2). Murcer Press. Kindle Edition.
first paragraphs
CHAPTER-1 “I’ll need to see your ID, sir.” “What?” Manny Williams stared at the pretty, Latino barmaid. He must have looked like a deer in headlights because she started to grin, rescued her composure, and asked again. “Uh, I’m thirty-eight years old. I don’t . . .” “Having trouble gettin’ served, Williams?” Glancing to his left he noticed Sophie Lee, his diminutive partner as she stood a few feet away wearing one of her famous gotcha grins. “I should have known . . . and don’t you have something else to do?” “Why no, no I don’t.” Sophie sat down on the nearest bar stool and crossed her legs. “And you should have known what?” “That you put the poor girl up to this. Does she know that even in Puerto Rico you can be arrested for messing with a cop?”
Murcer, Rick (2013-02-11). Caribbean Moon (A Manny Williams Thriller, Book One) (p. 2). Murcer Press. Kindle Edition.
December 12, 2016
This was interesting. I thought when it came to detective thrillers, the reader isn’t introduced to the killer in the first chapter. Kind of takes away the suspense element.
Overall it’s not a bad read, nor is it great. I lost credibility of the plot when the tour guide became one of Peppercorn’s victims. Who was going to drive the tour bus back to the boat?
There are a lot of bodies in this one and they are, to say the least, brutally murdered. If you have a weak stomach, this isn’t for you.
The ending wasn’t bad but it took on shades of Hannibal from “Silence of the Lambs” with a minor twist.
Spoiler alert. There is more than one murderer lurking in the shadows. Peppercorn’s doctor has taken on a separate identity and is his patients double. Reminded me of an NCIS episode where the patient is locked up but his work keeps showing up.
I wouldn’t call this a detective novel as much as a “catch-me-if-you-can” read.
Three stars.
Overall it’s not a bad read, nor is it great. I lost credibility of the plot when the tour guide became one of Peppercorn’s victims. Who was going to drive the tour bus back to the boat?
There are a lot of bodies in this one and they are, to say the least, brutally murdered. If you have a weak stomach, this isn’t for you.
The ending wasn’t bad but it took on shades of Hannibal from “Silence of the Lambs” with a minor twist.
Spoiler alert. There is more than one murderer lurking in the shadows. Peppercorn’s doctor has taken on a separate identity and is his patients double. Reminded me of an NCIS episode where the patient is locked up but his work keeps showing up.
I wouldn’t call this a detective novel as much as a “catch-me-if-you-can” read.
Three stars.
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