Feeding Frenzy

Aristotle Socarides #4

by Paul Kemprecos

For Aristotle “Soc” Socarides, diver, Cape Cod fisherman, and sometime private investigator, summer on Quanset Beach can have its irritations. The throngs of pushy tourists who converge on the town turn everyday events like parking and finding a seat at a bar into headaches, and the heat and humidity make fishing expeditions grueling tests of endurance. Still, for all his griping, this is home, and Soc likes it. Likes it, that is, until the day horrible screams shatter Quanset Beach’s calm. A swimmer is attacked and killed by a mysterious aquatic predator, his body viciously disfigured in a way that is unlike anything ever seen. The town goes into a state of complete panic, and when another swimmer is mutilated, and bodies start coming ashore, Soc knows there is no time to lose. Time is something Soc already has little of, though, for he has agreed to help beleaguered Tillie Talbot, the owner of the Quanset Beach Sailing Camp for children. The camp is set on prime waterfront real estate, and Tillie has repeatedly fought off aggressive developers looking to buy. But now sinister forces are at work to bankrupt Tillie and make her sell—forces that, Soc learns, have ominous levels of power in local and state government. And, as if Soc didn’t have enough to think about, his mother coerces him into trying to shake some sense into his cousin Alex, a spoiled young punk who has started running with a particularly nasty crowd. Add to that a messed-up love life and you have all the ingredients for a thoroughly rotten time. And then John Flagg shows up in Quanset, and Soc knows that things are about to go from rotten to surreal. A sinewy ex-commando with ice in his veins and a wicked mean streak, Flagg is an old friend who does odd, unsavory jobs for the CIA, and his sudden interest in the Quanset Beach attacks is definitely not a good sign. Other groups in Quanset are interested in the attacks as well, and some of them make the CIA look like Cub Scouts. As usual, Soc is in completely over his head; one false step on his part could jeopardize national security at its highest level and cause him to be very dead. So much for a quiet summer.

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Mystery

300 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1993

About the author

My fiction-writing career owes it start to the bad navigation of an 18th century pirate. For it was in 1717 that a ship, the Whydah went aground, reportedly carrying a fabulous treasure. In the 1980s, three salvage groups went head-to-head, competing to find the wreck. The controversy over the salvage got hot at times and I thought there might be a book in their story. I was working for a newspaper at the time.
I developed my own detective, an ex-cop, diver, fisherman, and PI named Aristotle “Soc” Socarides. He was more philosophical than hard-boiled. Making his first appearance in “Cool Blue Tomb,” the book won the Shamus award for Best Paperback novel. After many years in the newspaper business, I turned to writing fiction and churned out five more books in the series.
Clive Cussler blurbed: “There can be no better mystery writer in America than Paul Kemprecos.”
Despite the accolades, the Soc series lingered in mid-list hell. By the time I finished my last book, I was thinking about another career that might make me more money, like working in a 7-11.
Several months after the release of “Bluefin Blues,” Clive called and said a spin-off from the Dirk Pitt series was in the works. It would be called the NUMA Files and he wondered if I would be interested in tackling the job.
I took on the writing of “Serpent” which brought into being Kurt Austin and the NUMA Special Assignments Team. Austin had some carry-over from Soc, and another team member, Paul Trout, had been born on Cape Cod. The book made The New York Times bestseller list, as did every one of seven NUMA Files that followed, including “Polar Shift,” which bumped “The DaVinci Code” for first place.
After eight NUMA Files I went back to writing solo. I wrote an adventure book entitled, The Emerald Scepter, which introduced a new hero, Matinicus “Matt” Hawkins. I have been working on the re-release of my Soc series in digital and print, and in 2013, responding to numerous requests, I brought Soc back again in a seventh Socarides book entitled, Grey Lady. My wife Christi and I live on Cape Cod where she works as a financial advisor. We live in a circa 1865 farmhouse with two cats. We have three children and seven granddaughters.
To learn more about Paul Kemprecos, check out his website at http://www.paulkemprecos.com.

Reviews

[Wenzel Roessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great series I really hope more people would pick up on it. This is another strong story that has our poor fisherman/detective chasing several issues at once. Nice flow to the story and great characters.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little reminiscent of Jaws (the characters actually make references to the movies) but with a very different premise. Very faithful portrayal of Cape Cod.

If you like Philip Craig's books, you'll like this series, too.

[Vicky Coughlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book jn this series! This time the author kept me guessing till the very end about what was attacking the swimmers on Quanset Beach. Great story. I just love reading about diving so this series is so up my alley!!! Can’t wait to see what Soc gets himself into next!!

[Alexia Athanassiadou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ωραία η ιστορία του Αριστοτέλη Σοκαριδη στην παραλία της Κουανζετ. Στηναρχη πήγαινε λίγο αργά αλλά σιγά σιγά αρχισε να έχει έναν ρυθμό. Πολλά πρόσωπα μπλέκονται αλλά βρήκα πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα την υπόθεση. Και όχι δεν είναι πολύ καλοκαιρινή αλλά είναι σχετικά ανάλαφρη και ότι πρέπει για χαλάρωση.

[Nancy A. Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Soc solves another mystery and helps a couple people in tough spots. The mystery in their ocean gets solved as well

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. I have read Kemprecos before, but not without Cussler. Great Cape Cod setting and funny main character. Hope to read more PK in the future.

[Jonathan C. Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storytelling

This book has it all. Great big story with great little sub stories to go along. Great descriptions of Cape Cod.

[Elizabeth Citti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read very enjoyable. Great for a summer read at the beach

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

#4 in the Aristotle "Soc" Socarides series. I've deducted a half star because source of the wounds that baffle everyone (including commercial fisherman/detective, "Soc")was my first guess.

Aristotle "Soc" Socarides series - At Cape Cod's Quanset Beach a swimmer is badly mauled and dies from his injuries. "Soc" is baffled by the wounds. The selectmen vote to keep the beach open--until corpses start washing up. Tillie Talbot asks him to find out whether the official scrutiny her summer camp has recently come under is linked to a real estate agent's interest in the valuable beachfront property. John Flagg, an old friend and "spook", hires Soc to do a bit of diving on the quiet. Soc even finds time to help straighten out his cousin Alex, who has fallen in with a bad crowd.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good read. The mystery of what was getting the swimmers was huge and really got the old Jaws fears going. Good thing I can recall the difference between fiction and fact. :-) amazing how Soc figured it out. I love the way he figures out puzzles. His resolutions to Tilly's problem was genius. Loved how he helped his cousin who didn't want help. Very enjoyable.

[colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

read 07.16.07