Game Drive

Sidney Marsh Mysteries #2

by Marie Moore

Game Drive is a cozy mystery by Marie Moore about a New York-based travel agent on a research trip for her agency who suspects foul play after a colleague is killed in a tragic accident. Game Drive is the second book in a series featuring amateur sleuth Sidney Marsh. This time Sidney’s travels take her to Cape Town, South Africa, and a private game lodge near the Kruger National Park.
Sidney Marsh is a Mississippi-born, New York-based travel agent. She and her best friend and business partner, Jay Wilson, are struggling to remain standing in a world where the ground is shifting. Their boss at Itchy Feet Travel has a new scheme to attract customers—safari tour packages. He sends Sidney and Jay on a familiarization trip to Cape Town and safari country to check out the accommodations and confirm that the experience lives up to the hype in the brochures.
Sidney looks forward to the deluxe trip and so does Jay, despite his deathly fear of animals, both wild and domesticated. Their experience will be far wilder than either could have imagined. First Sidney stumbles upon a suspicious rendezvous and possible murder scene in Cape Town. After Sidney’s pocket is picked on a cable-car ride up Table Mountain, she suspects that someone in their group is an imposter, a suspicion that is soon confirmed. At Leopard Dance—the luxury game lodge near Kruger National Park that serves as their base camp—one of the other agents on the “fam trip” turns up dead.
Sidney carries on a risky flirtation with a handsome Afrikaner, who may or may not be the latest manifestation of the “Marsh Curse,” which seems to jinx her every relationship. And Sidney and Jay discover that they have far more to fear from predatory humans than wild animals.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

222 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2013

About the author

Shore Excursion is Marie Moore’s first novel, but not her first writing experience, and like Sidney Marsh, she is a native Mississippian. She graduated from Ole Miss, married a lawyer in her hometown, taught junior high science, raised a family, and worked for a small weekly newspaper, first as a writer and later as Managing Editor. She wrote hard news, features and a weekly column, sold ads, did interviews, took photos, and won a couple of MS Press Association awards for some of her stories.

In 1985, Marie left the newspaper to open a retail travel agency. She completed agency and computer training with Airlines Reporting Corporation, Delta Airlines and TWA, earned her CTC (Certified Travel Counselor) designation, and joined the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). For the next 15 years, she managed her agency, sold travel, escorted group tours, sailed on 19 cruises, and visited over 60 countries. Much of the background of Marie's work comes from that experience.

Marie also did location scouting and worked as the local contact for several feature films, including Heart of Dixie, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, and Robert Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune.

Marie and her mystery novels have been featured in Southern Writer's Magazine, Click! Magazine, and At Home Memphis and MidSouth Magazine. She has been a guest on WREG's Live at 9, BookTalk, and The Earle Farrell Show. She has given 30 minute presentations: Whodunnit? Crafting the Mystery Novel and Finding A New Career in Mid-life to numerous civic groups, senior citizens groups, libraries, and from The Balancing Act Stage as part of the program of The Southern Women's Show. She has also served on numerous panels at mystery conferences, including Malice Domestic Mystery Conference (Bethesda, MD, 2012 and 2013) and Killer Nashville Mystery Conference (2013).

Shore Excursion (April, 2012), the first book in The Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery Series, was set on a cruise ship. The second book in the series, Game Drive (April, 2013), is set in Cape Town and on safari in South Africa.

Marie is a member of Sisters in Crime.
For more info, visit her website at http://www.mariemooremysteries.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mariemooremys...

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Reviews

[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored the first book in the series, Shore Excursion, so I was delighted to read the next book in the series, Game Drive. No cruise ship this time for Sydney, but instead its to Cape Town, South Africa to a private game lodge. There, Sydney and Jay are to check out the place for a potential safari package. But nothing is ever easy with Sydney.

Not only do they have to check every shadow and corner for predatory animals, but when someone is found dead, Sydney puts her amateur sleuthing abilities to the test once again. The men still flock to her, but she keeps her mind sharp and focused on doing her job, finding a killer and trying to stay alive. Through-out it all though, she is still the quirky heroine who I came to love in the first book.

Lively, suspense-driven and adventure through-out, Game Drive is an exciting mystery that quickly had me trying to out-guess Sydney. Moore has a flair for scattering clues through-out, even though sometimes I'm just wrong with my conclusion. I thought the backdrop was beautifully detailed, bringing the safari to life. If you enjoy cozy or light mysteries, pick up Game Drive! It can be read as a standalone, but I'd urge you to not miss the first one in the series, Shore Excursion!

[Arow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read the second installment of this series to full fill a final spot in my cozy mystery challenge. I had read book 1 and wasn't impressed but kind of know I would eventually read book 2 and maybe book 3 because I have a problem of once I start a series I have to finish it unless it is completely un-readable.

I don't think this series is un-readable but there is something about it that I can't quite get past. I enjoy the overall premise of the story but I felt the sleuthing was an after thought. The story focused on the African Safari and the little back stories of the characters. I just didn't feel engaged in the mystery. I never understood why she was questioning the deaths. There are hints that something might be off but I didn't think it was fully developed.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5 to 4. I enjoyed revisiting Cape Town and Krueger Park. The murders were creative and there were some good twists. A bit of fem jep - hopes she learns not to get herself in predicaments where she has to be rescued.

[Paula Ratcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sidney and Jay are back with their tour group this time heading to Africia to test out Cape Town and Kruger National Park to see if it something that will sell with high rollers. Early on Dennis goes missing and no one seems to know what happened to him, then George shoots Mabel while attempting to subdue an elephant.

There is so much going on it's hard to tell if Jay and Sydney are ever going to figure it out. Lots of ups and downs. There is the owner of Leopard Dance who has shown up in Cape Town and Leopard Dance and Syndey discovers that there are lots of secrets with the boss. What is his agenda?

I really enjoy reconnecting with Sidney and Jay and seeing what trouble they are getting into now. This one had me really guessing until the end who the bad guy was talk about a real page turner I couldn't put it down, such a great adventure and mystery! I really enjoyed the way it ended, what a great story. Can't wait to see what Ms. Moore comes up with next for Jay and Sidney!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved that this was set in such Africa, with the rich scenery being so well described. Marie Moore did a fantastic job of making me feel I was whisked away on this tour that they were getting familiar with. There were a lot of characters in this book, and at times I would get a little confused.

The main characters we a bit quirky, making the novel more interesting. A couple of them I didn't really care for as I don't think it necessary to mention peoples sexual orientation in novels as much as it seems to be creeping in. We are kept guessing till the end about who killed two of the tourists, though Sidney had her suspicions.

I loved in the beginning of the novel, the Itchy Feet Travel Agency in Manhattan has a secretary who we can hear when you read it! She has the New York accent and stereotypical gal cast in this role and I thought that was so neat that I could read it and hear her talk!

There was some language in this book, but nothing too bad.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3.5 star.

Sidney Marsh, MS girl living in the Big Apple. Travel agent. Her and her work partner Jay are being sent to Africa before they start taking groups- and after a previous debacle on a cruise ship, they've been warned that the Africa trip must be flawless.

Except it's not. Sidney suspects an imposter on the trip, and then a body is found. Was it accident? Or something more sinister? As the days of the safari roll on, Sidney begins to suspect something fishy on the trip, catches the eye of an handsome man, and learns that animals are dangerous- yet humans who have something to hide are even more dangerous.

My review:

Traveling With T

[Carol Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love exotic settings and South Africa certainly lives up to its promise. Granted, if I actually get to go on a safari, which would be amazing, I don't want any murders taking place, especially in such a gruesome way as one of the murders in Game Drive.

For me, the characters and setting outweighed the actual mystery plot a little, but that's not a bad thing. There were clues, revealed as Sidney discovers them, and several suspicious individuals. I was interested to see the solution, but more interested in Sidney and Jay getting back home alive.


You can see my full review on my blog, Carol's Notebook

[Beverly Mccollum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book in the Sidney Marsh mystery series. The author- a former travel agent- selected a gorgeous setting- Africa and painted a vivid picture of life on a safari. Loved the location. Plot was interesting and the characters worth knowing. An easy read- perfect " Plane book!"