Highball Exit by Phyllis Smallman

A Sherri Travis Mystery #5

by Phyllis Smallman

Sherri Travis is three months behind on her mortgage and it will be last call for the Sunset Bar and Grill if she doesn't come up with some cash. So when Aunt Kay offers to pay Sherri to ask a few questions about Holly Mitchell's death, it sounds like easy money. But it quickly descends into a dangerous world of drugs, sex workers, and perversion. Did Holly really take the highball exit, or was she murdered? And what happened to her baby?Set in small beach towns along the western coast of Florida, the Sherri Travis Mysteries follow Sherri Travis, a bartender and ordinary woman caught up in extraordinary situations. A traditional mystery series serving Jack Daniels instead of tea, the stories walk the line between mystery and suspense and include a delicious mix of cocktails, beaches, and murder. In a place where the very rich live next door to the very poor, where tourists come and go, and where newcomers reinvent themselves, all good stories begin with "One night in a bar . . ." Highball Exit is the fifth book in the series.

Genres: Mystery

Unknown Binding

First published October 2, 2012

About the author

Crime Writers of Canada award winning author, Phyllis Smallman, was short-listed for the Debut Dagger in the UK, and has been awarded both silver and gold medals by the Independent Publishers. She was a potter before turning to a life of crime. She lives on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, where she golfs badly and writes madly.
Visit http://www.phyllismallman.com to read excerpts from her Singer Brown and Sherri Travis books.

Reviews

[Nora-adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highball Exit
By Phyllis Smallman
Copyright October 2012
Publisher: Touchwood Mystery

Sherri Travis is three months behind on her mortgage and it will be last call for the Sunset Bar and Grill if she doesn't come up with some cash. So when Aunt Kay offers to pay Sherri to ask a few questions about Holly Mitchell's death, it sounds like easy money. But it quickly descends into a dangerous world of drugs, sex workers, and perversion. Did Holly really take the highball exit, or was she murdered? And what happened to her baby?

Set in small beach towns along the western coast of Florida, the Sherri Travis Mysteries follow Sherri Travis, a bartender and ordinary woman caught up in extraordinary situations. A traditional mystery series serving Jack Daniels instead of tea, the stories walk the line between mystery and suspense and include a delicious mix of cocktails, beaches, and murder. In a place where the very rich live next door to the very poor, where tourists come and go, and where newcomers reinvent themselves, all good stories begin with "One night in a bar . . ." Highball Exit is the fifth book in the series.



This was truly the most terrifying Sherri story to date. It held me spellbound all day until now at 3:01 am Brooklyn time. I have finally read the last two words "THE END" and I can finally drag myself off to bed.

Poor Sherri is dragged into the hunt for a missing young woman, and the only reason she let herself get pulled in was MONEY. It all started on a quiet Sunday morning when a police car pulled into her driveway and her “Aunt Kay” pulled herself out of the back seat. Kay is not a relative. She was her after school sitter, baby sitter, and when she was older, a safe haven from her hellish life at home.

Sherri tried to turn her aunt down but the lure of the money (the three months back mortgage payment) was too much. This began the adventure and case from hell.


FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher who only hopes for a fair and impartial review.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Phyllis Smallman's fifth entry of her Sherri the bartender/detective series, set near Sarasota, Florida. I had not read any of the previous 4 books, and It did not seem to matter too much. Sherri runs a restaurant and bar with her boyfriend-partner, Clay. They are way behind in their mortgage payments on the business, so when her Aunt Kay comes to her for help to find a missing young woman named Holly and her baby Angel, Sherri agrees since she needs the money Aunt Kay is offering as payment for Sherri's help.

The plot is interesting, and moves along at a good clip. Sherri manages to get herself into many different scrapes while trying to help her ailing aunt. Ms. Smallman uses stories and headlines she has discovered in the newspaper, or taken from headlines to provide ideas for stories. She explains a couple of plot elements used in Highball Exit, which one might question as unrealistic, (one in particular I won't discuss since it is an important part of the book's conclusion).She discusses these real-life occurrences at the back of her book, as if to say, "see, I didn't make this up!

I will definitely read more books starring Sherri and her group of offbeat friends and relatives. I think I will go back to the beginning, and she how she got herself into the bar/restaurant business in the first place. She reminded me a little bit of Stephanie Plum in Janet Evanovich's series. Sherri is not quite as sophisticated as Kinsey, in the Sue Grafton series, but not a gal to back into a corner. She would be fun to share a beer with, sitting at her bar in the Sunrise.

Incidentally, I chose this book originally, for four reasons. I love reading books set in Florida and liked the cover with highball drink on it. The GR reviews I read suggested it would be a fun read. Lastly, I needed a book with a green cover for the green cover challenge I started in March. There are not a lot of books with green covers. While searching for possibilities, I read that publishers rarely choose green for a cover. Being green, does not necessarily sell books, but no one seems to quite understand why not. So.... That is why I started at number five, rather that at the beginning, which is normally where I begin a series.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 5, in the Sherri Travis mystery series

Ms. Smallman definitely has oodles of ideas to keep her series vibrant and entertaining. You would think that after 5 novels her bartender protagonist, Sherri Travis, would learn she has enough trouble of her own and not get involved in the madness around her, but some people are just not cut out that way…..

The inspiration behind this wonderful series is taken from the numerous headlines we witness in the news, in my opinion, the author is not about to run out of ideas. Local wildlife and weather conditions such as alligators and hurricanes always play an important part in spicing up the action and of course there is always a light touch of romance to titillate the reader’s imagination.

In this saga Sherri is behind on her mortgage and about to lose the Sunset Bar & Grill, her home and source of revenue. To the rescue comes Aunt Kay with a proposition: she is willing to compensate Sherri for help in an investigation as to what really happened to Holly Mitchell and her daughter Angel. Aunt Kay was very fond of Holly and played an important part in her upbringing. They always kept in touch and when Holly was found dead and her baby girl missing, Aunt Kay was devastated. To Sherri this seems like easy money till one day she finds herself over her head in a world of drugs and hard core prostitution.

I have always been partial to the style of writing in this series: it is sharp, funny and the plot keeps a steady pace with plenty of suspenseful moments throughout. “Highball Exit” is a bit more violent than the previous novels however the gruesome details have not been sensationalised. I love the new addition to the cast. Aunt Kay is a bubbly old lady with a colourful side (shocking pink outfit and all) but don’t let that fool you. In my view she really was the star in this novel and I hope to see her back someday. Sherri’s beau is still making promises and we are left wondering if he is going to finally settle down and make Sherri’s life a little bit easier.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. The character, Sherri Travis, do get in trouble a lot. But she is a likeable character and I do enjoy reading.

[Sjervey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoy Phyllis Smallman's series of Sherri Travis. Sherri is plucky, funny and quixotic. This entry in the series wasn't quite as upbeat. We're dealing with a Sherri who seems stuck between bankruptcy and a quest which apears hopeless and dangerous. She is not at her best. Still, the gritty slice of small town coastal Florida remans intriguing and I look forward to the next volume, fully expecting Sherri to rebound after this unexpected success.

[Janet Barclay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first Sherri Travis mystery, Margarita Nights as one of the monthly freebies I received after purchasing my Kobo a few years ago. I found it badly written but enjoyable enough that I read a few more in the series. When I found myself in need of a short book to fill in time until I could get to the library to pick up my holds, I remembered Sherri Travis. Luckily this next one in the series was available on Overdrive.

Smallman's writing style seems to have improved since that first book, and I enjoyed the story as much as previous ones in the series. What I found surprising was that there's absolutely no swearing. Not that I'm easily offended by language, but it was kind of refreshing.

[Susie Perri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billed as “a traditional mystery series serving Jack Daniels instead of tea,” this is the fifth in Phyllis Smallman’s Sherri Travis mysteries. The protagonist, who co-owns a restaurant/bar with her lover, Clay Adams, is going through difficult financial times in the current economy, and uneasy romantic times in her relationship with Clay. As the book opens, “Aunt” Kay arrives at Sherri’s house in a police cruiser, and tells Sherri that her former waitress, 21-year-old Holly Mitchell, has been found dead, in what the police declare to be a suicide: There was what appears to be a suicide note with an empty highball glass sitting on it; it is their belief that she washed down some pills with a strong drink. Three months behind in mortgage payments, and terrified that she will lose the Sunset Bar & Grill, she finds a temporary solution to that problem when Aunt Kay persuades her to look into the young woman’s death, made more urgent by the fact that there is no sign of Holly’s baby, telling her that she will take care of the outstanding payments if Sherri will give her a week of her time.

Now thirty-one, Sherri’s life had not been an easy one: Married when she was 19, she had survived the murder of her cheating husband, been kidnapped by a psychopath, and now takes martial arts classes, goes to the shooting range, and is never without her can of pepper spray, in spite of all of which she regularly suffers from panic attacks. Her current inquiries puts her life in danger from totally unexpected quarters, as she enters a world of drugs, sex workers, and perversion, but she is determined to get to the bottom of Holly’s death and to find her baby.

The book is filled with interesting characters, starting with Elvis, “the only egret in all Florida who preferred hotdogs to fish;” feisty “Auntie” Kay, who had known Sherri from the age of five; Sherri’s father, Tully, and Sherri’s former mother-in-law, Bernice, who are now romantically involved, to Sherri’s consternation.

This was a thoroughly entertaining novel, and it is recommended.

[Phyllis]

Sherri Travis is three months behind on her mortgage and it will be last call for the Sunset Bar and Grill if she doesn't come up with some cash. So when Aunt Kay offers to pay Sherri to ask a few questions about Holly Mitchell's death, it sounds like easy money. But it quickly descends into a dangerous world of drugs, sex workers, and perversion. Did Holly really take the highball exit, or was she murdered? And what happened to her baby?

Set in small beach towns along the western coast of Florida, the Sherri Travis Mysteries follow Sherri Travis, a bartender and ordinary woman caught up in extraordinary situations. A traditional mystery series serving Jack Daniels instead of tea, the stories walk the line between mystery and suspense and include a delicious mix of cocktails, beaches, and murder. In a place where the very rich live next door to the very poor, where tourists come and go, and where newcomers reinvent themselves, all good stories begin with "One night in a bar . . ." Highball Exit is the fifth book in the series.(less)

[BeverlyB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Sherri Travis mystery. Just when she was getting over the heebie jeebies from her last brush with death, her Aunt Kay gets her involved in what seemed like an easy task--just chauffer her Aunt around while she asked questions. Easy? Never, with Sherri. Another fast roller coaster road through the streets in Florida! Wooh! I'm hot and exhausted! Can't wait till the next one!

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read in this series - each one is better than the next!! I especially liked this one because it takes place in Sarasota, where I live!! Feisty Sherri does it again. Cheers for Phyllis Smallman.

[Laura Speer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny

[Lynn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adequately written and entirely forgettable.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always a very enjoyable read. Kudos Phyllis, keep them coming!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series. This episode had some interesting plot points. It's great that Sherri seems to be maturing as the series moves along.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another tough case for Sherri, still waiting for the girl to get her happily ever after.