Sea Shell Ginger: A Wildflowers of Florida Mystery

by Sherrie Hansen

When gangsters kidnapped Ginger’s great-aunt from the Pink Palace Hotel in 1939, few clues ever surfaced. Those that did pointed to the alligator-infested waters of the Florida Everglades. All anyone knows for sure is that neither her aunt, the gangster who kidnapped her, nor the ransom money were ever seen again.

Antonio has his own reasons for wanting to solve the mystery of why his great-uncle disappeared—and where he hid the ransom. While Antonio and Ginger work at trusting each other enough to deal with the truth, all they seem to unearth are secrets that are better left buried. Will the facts finally free their families from the clutches of the past, or will history repeat itself?

412 pages, Paperback

Published February 10, 2023

About the author

Sherrie Hansen just retired from her life calling - operating a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea House, The Blue Belle Inn. She enjoys writing novels, quilting, playing the piano, renovating old houses and traveling. Sherrie and her husband live in Northern Iowa.

Reviews

[Kayla Krantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love a good mystery about a questionable family past, and this book was perfect for that craving.

With an alternating storyline between past and present, we're given the truth bit by bit as the present day characters, Ginger and Antonio, find trust in one another.

I enjoyed the suspense and recommend this for fans of cozy mystery though I feel romance fans will love this story too.

[Joshua Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The story revolves around Ginger, A housekeeper of a beachside resort trying to piece together an old puzzle that involved one of her relatives, the mob, and ransom money that went missing a long time ago. She runs into a sous chef named Antonio who is also trying to figure out the same mystery. Ginger has no idea who she can trust as more pieces fall into place, putting her in danger on several fronts. Who can she trust? It seems that everyone has a secret, even Antonio, which could cost her everything. There's plenty of drama, mystery, and suspenseful tension that will keep you turning the pages just to see how it all plays out. I highly recommend it!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea Shell Ginger was an excellent read; I gauge this by not wanting to put the book down and continuing to read into the early hours of the morning. I am sorry to say this was the first book I have read of author Sherrie Hansen. I definitely plan to read all of her other books. The book is intriguing; sparking both emotion and mystery. I have travelled many times to St. Petersburg and Pass a Grille so the book came alive for me. I could envision the locations and experience the setting. Sherrie does a superb job describing the setting and providing just enough detail to make the book ‘pop’ off the page and allow your mind to imagine you are there with the characters. This is a must read, and thumbs up; overall an excellent book to read. You will not be disappointed!

[Trudie Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As expected, this is another enjoyable book from this author. The combination of mystery and romance works well and she has the split between the two right. There is enough of each to keep fans of each genre turning the pages. My only criticism is that I have some unanswered questions. What really happened to Tony and what is the truth about Ranger Dan? But these are insignificant in regard to the main story and in now way spoil a good book.

If you haven’t read any books by this author before, you should give them all a try. She has a skill for creating interesting and diverse character and plots.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy of this book ahead of the release date and all these thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this story. There were a lot of twists and turns and I found myself wondering what would happen next when I wasn’t able to be reading it. I also enjoyed the Florida facts and references to tasty recipes mixed in. Like other books of Sherrie’s that I’ve enjoyed, this one did not disappoint.

[kc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost relatives, their descendants, gangsters and a missing ransom are at the center of this charming, well written adventure/mystery with a touch of romance. There’s a cast of multi-faceted characters that range from quirky, deceitful, sweet, subversive, greedy and adventurous. This is Ms. Hansen at her best.