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Betrayal In The Bay: A Claire O'Keefe Mystery

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On a bachelorette trip to Cozumel,Claire O' Keefe didn’t expect to fall for an attractive scuba diver, who was also on vacation.Now back in the Bay Area and waiting for her next teaching job overseas, Claire decides to find out if her connection with Aiden Filipowski is too good to be true.But when Claire and Aiden make plans to join a diving tour to Monterey Bay, she is dismayed to find her rival, Annisa Choi, has signed up for the dive as well.Before the dive begins, one of the diving guides, Trevor Jones, is found dead. Things get complicated when Annisa is implicated in his death, and Aiden volunteers to help Annisa with her legal troubles. As Claire delves into the crime, she discovers that Annisa and Trevor had been keeping secrets.Will Claire’s sleuthing help solve the case, or will her involvement drive a wedge between her and Aiden?A fun and cozy scuba diving mystery, Betrayal In The Bay is the second book in the Claire O’ Keefe mystery series.

314 pages, ebook

Published February 1, 2024

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Cindy Quayle

3 books15 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Christine.
1,956 reviews60 followers
April 11, 2024
I enjoyed the first book in the Claire O'Keefe Mystery series and was excited to read the second book, Betrayal in the Bay. Claire is currently on a break from her job teaching English abroad and takes advantage of the time off to plan a scuba diving trip to Monterey Bay, California with the man she's been seeing, Aiden Filpowski. The trip doesn't go as planned when her frenemy Annisa invites herself along and ends up in the middle of an investigation into the death of one of their diving guides.

I really enjoy the characters in this series. Claire is so likable and I enjoy her growing relationship with Aiden as well as her best friend, Julia. It's refreshing that Aiden encourages Claire to investigate the death of their scuba guide. This is a fun read and once I started, I didn't want to put it down. One of the plot twists really got my attention and surprised me. I love when that happens, especially in a cozy mystery.

This is a fun read that readers who enjoyed the first book won't want to miss. It would also work perfectly as a standalone since all the necessary background information is given. The book has a great balance of cozy mystery, a little romance, and details about scuba diving and Korean culture. I like how things ended and am looking forward to reading Book 3 when it comes out!
Profile Image for Katy Metzger.
Author 4 books59 followers
February 6, 2024
Betrayal in the Bay picks up where Death on Cozumel Island left off, allowing the reader to see the growth in Claire, both as a person and an amateur sleuth. She's still snarky, awkward, and totally relatable, but she's gained a little more confidence as her relationship with Aiden has moved forward. When her frenemy Annisa ends up in hot water over the death of one of their scuba guides, Claire's inner conflict over how (and whether) to help her makes for good story tension and even provides a twist I wasn't expecting. Quayle's writing particularly shines in the scenes between Claire and Julia, showing the depth and fun nature of their friendship, as well as in the introduction to Claire's parents. The scenes with her mom definitely had me chuckling. If you like books that realistically convey how an average person can transition into detective work with exotic locales and solid knowledge of scuba diving, check out this series!
Profile Image for Meezan.
138 reviews
March 2, 2024
Betrayal in the Bay picks up where the first installment in this series, Death on Cozumel Island left off. Claire is back in the Bay Area waiting to find out where her next overseas teaching assignment will be. It's the perfect opportunity to spend time getting to know her new love interest. When the two of them decide to go on a scuba diving tour, their best laid plans are tainted not only with Claire's frenemy, Annisa, joining them, but also with the discovery of a dead body. Can Claire and her new beau work together to solve this apparent murder or will they drift apart?

This was the first time I've read a cozy where such a small amount of time has passed between the first and second installment and I have to say, I loved it! It was a natural transition into the next phase of Claire's life. I really enjoyed the time Claire and her love interest spent together getting to know each other and figuring out where exactly they stand in their relationship. Their playful banter had me smiling and even laughing at times. I was also glad to see Claire's best friend, Julia, join in the sleuthing.

This is not really a culinary cozy, but there was plenty of foodie talk that had my mouth watering. I started to crave everything the sleuthers were eating. Their getting together to talk about the investigation while having a delicious meal is reminiscent of similar scenes in the Hannah Swensen mysteries, by Joanne Fluke.

The mystery in Betrayal in the Bay is complex and strong. There are a few suspects with motives and opportunity. I had no idea who the culprit was until the solution was revealed. There were lots of twists and turns along the way and it was fun trying to figure how everything was connected. I also loved the way the scuba diving theme was naturally incorporated into the plot.

If you're looking for a clean cozy mystery with a fun cast of characters, look no further than the Claire O'Keefe mystery series, by Cindy Quayle. While both of these books have self-contained mysteries, they are more enjoyable when read in order. I recommend starting with Death on Cozumel Island so you can get to know the main characters, then move on to the second one, Betrayal in the Bay. The third installment has not yet been published, but when it is, I will be sure to read it. I look forward to following the lives of the main characters and finding out what Claire's next adventure will entail.

Thank you to author Cindy Quayle for providing me with a copy of this e-book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Profile Image for Joan Wiley.
Author 9 books7 followers
March 13, 2024
Mischief, Mystery, and Murder in Monterey!

The winds of fate have put their trust in sweet, charming, and spunky Claire O'Keefe once again! In the beautiful setting of Monterey and with a blossoming romance putting a sparkle in her eye, Claire should be having the time of her life. But Claire barely has time to catch her breath after returning from her crazy Cozumel trip only to find herself plunged into the mystery of another disturbing death. It looks like murder and what's worse, someone with whom she has close ties may be involved!

The more Claire dives into the strange behaviors and activities of others, the more her concerns and suspicions grow. Betrayal in the Bay is a fun read that had me intrigued and guessing until the end. If you enjoy fun seaside locations, loveable characters, scuba diving, and mysteries, I recommend you take a trip with Claire O'Keefe!

An enticing bonus peak into book three South Beach Scandal at the back of the book has me excited for more mystery adventures with Claire!
Profile Image for Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader).
1,474 reviews46 followers
March 28, 2024
Claire O'Keefe was looking forward to her next opportunity to go scuba diving, particularly as this excursion would be enjoyed with Aiden Filipowski. However, Claire's joy is quickly diminished by nemesis Annisa Choi's inviting herself to join the fun. Neither Claire nor Aiden could have imagined that being in Monterey at the same time as Annisa would not only extend their trip but reveal surprising secrets about Annisa's life.

Friendships, secrets, and crime create a mystery with red herrings that take a reader's suspicions for the reveal on unexpected detours, leading to a surprise conclusion. The series' beautiful settings add to reading pleasure, and I enjoy how information about scuba diving is sprinkled throughout the storyline.

Sadly, needed copy edits again prevent a higher star review.

I look forward to reading the next adventure in this series.
11 reviews
November 23, 2024
There’s so much to love here. All of the characters are relatable…especially Claire, who’s so very likable. She’s smart, but a little bit awkward, and she’s got a lot of moxie. Her friendship with Julia is a real bright spot, and meeting her parents was fun. Seeing Claire’s deepening relationship with Aiden was really sweet. I like them as a couple and appreciate how they support each other. I’m not a scuba diver and found the descriptions and details about dives and equipment interesting. The layered mystery with surprise twists and Claire’s sleuthing kept me guessing, while I also enjoyed taking an instant vacation filled with scenic views and yummy food (you’ll love that about the first book, too!). Although the second book in the series, this also works well as a stand-alone, so dive right in!
Profile Image for Sharon Kay.
Author 4 books13 followers
February 17, 2024
Betrayal in the Bay is the second book in the Claire O’Keefe series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are endearing, the location exotic, and the mystery a real page-turner. A few twists and turns caught me by surprise, which made the mystery even more fun. Not being a scuba diver or familiar with Korean culture, I like learning about both. Betrayal in the Bay has romance, mystery, friendship, adventure, and a healthy dose of conflict between characters—all the ingredients of a fun, cozy mystery that should be on your TBR list. I can’t wait to read Book Three!
Profile Image for J.R..
Author 9 books59 followers
February 17, 2024
I can't recommend this book enough to cozy mystery readers. Each book takes place in a different gorgeous location for a scuba diving trip, and Monterey Bay is such a lush background for a murder mystery! I loved the complicated characters, the growing relationship between Claire and her lawyer love interest, and the mystery that kept me guessing!
2 reviews
July 23, 2024
"Betrayal in the Bay" was such an enjoyable read! The story was easy to follow, with a great twist and the perfect amount of suspense. I loved discovering more about the characters and seeing their development in this second book. Claire's sleuthing and the scuba diving setting made for an interesting and engaging setting. If you're into cozy mysteries, this one is definitely worth picking up!
Profile Image for R.A. Hutchins.
Author 30 books67 followers
March 26, 2024
Highly recommend this fast paced cozy mystery which has a splash of romance and keeps you guessing until the end!
2 reviews
May 20, 2024
I just love Claire and her adventures. This series is so good at throwing in a twist that you just don’t see coming. This book jumps straight into action and I didn’t want to put it down.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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