Endangered!

by Lance Carney

Llewelyn LeFevre, Jr. has a new island home, a new school, and a new nickname. They call me Licorice. He also has a new friend Alex who is “tomboy to the core” in her words. (Followed by “Wanna make something of it?”) One night on the beach, searching for Alex’s brother Frankie (who thinks he’s a werewolf), they discover a mother loggerhead sea turtle instead, using her large flippers to scoot toward the dunes. When she digs a hole and drops close to a hundred ping-pong ball sized eggs into the nest, Licorice thinks it is the most incredible thing he has ever seen.
But when the eggs disappear the next day, claw marks in the sand around the nest, Licorice and Alex are thrown into a mystery. What or who stole the sea turtle eggs?

Licorice and Alex team up with classmates, their physics teacher, a wildlife officer, and the giant disfigured butler of a has-been rock n’ roll star to investigate, while having to navigate an array of bullies, including the gym teacher and his son, plus a gang of boys known as the Barnacles.

Will Licorice and Alex become as endangered as the loggerhead sea turtle and her eggs? Will they have time to finish their physics homework? Will the Barnacles pass enough classes to graduate? Find out in Lance Carney’s fun and entertaining Endangered! A Llewellyn LeFevre Island Mystery.

Genres: Mystery

203 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2023

About the author

Lance Carney is an award winning 30+ year hospital pharmacist (5 year award, 10 year award, 15 …). He has been writing medical/pharmacy based fiction since the 1980s. His first novel, Ripped Tide: A Daniel O’Dwyer Oak Island Adventure, follows a hospital pharmacist who reluctantly goes undercover to fight prescription drug diversion in a hospital near his new home. Ripped Tide is a 2017 McGrath House Indie Book Award Winner in the Humor Category. His second novel, No Egrets: A Glenn and Glenda Oak Island Mystery, teams Daniel with husband and wife bar owners to solve a medical mystery. Mantis Preying: A Daniel O'Dwyer Oak Island Adventure (Book 2) picks up post-Ripped Tide. Of Vamps and Vampiros: A Finnian O'Dwyer Universal City Crime Cape(r) will be released on October 7, 2019 and follows Daniel's grandfather Finnian on the set of "Dracula" in 1930.

Lance’s short stories have been published in magazines, anthologies and trade paperbacks. He often collaborates with David Moss, a buddy since junior high school. David is mostly grown up now, working for state government and having every holiday off, including Peter Rabbit's birthday. “Truth is Stranger than Fishin'" with David was chosen for publication in The Year's Best Fantastic Fiction. One of Lance's own, "Snare of the Fowler", was published in the trade paperback "Monsters from Memphis" and recognized by a nomination from the Darrell Awards Jury for Best Midsouth Short Story.

Lance lives in West Virginia with his wife and too many cats. His daughter graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 2017 in film studies and is currently in Los Angeles. His son graduates from Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018 (hallelujah!) Somehow, at times, they still manage to throw the empty nest into turmoil. He escapes to Oak Island, North Carolina, whenever The Man isn’t keeping him down.

Reviews

[Sofi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Endangered! by Lance Carney is a thrilling roller-coaster ride that deftly combines suspense, humor, and poignant moments into a seamless narrative. Carney’s characters are richly developed, each with unique quirks and believable motivations. The plot is fast-paced and keeps you guessing, with unexpected twists that add layers of complexity without overcomplicating the storyline. Carney's writing style is sharp and witty, infusing even the most intense scenes with a touch of levity. Whether you're a fan of thrillers or simply enjoy a well-crafted tale, Endangered! is a must-read that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment.

[Beth Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this book was set in the Reagan administration, it was written just a few years ago so some of the dialogue and actions are hindsight to us now and are therefore hilarious! Licorice and his friend Alex stumble across a “gang” (a bunch of high school dummies) doing nefarious things on the beach so they set out to find out what it is. Throw in an aging rock star and his hulk of a body guard, the start of the new (semi-reluctant) girls basketball team and the chase is on!
I really enjoyed this book and laughed out loud so many times my husband asked me what I was watching! Lance Carney truly has the gift of storytelling. This is the 4th or 5th book of his I’ve read and all I can say is “keep’em coming”!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a story about saving the Loggerhead turtles nest. It really makes you want to learn more about sea turtles.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.
It opens your eyes to some endangered animals you don't think about.
Good for kids.
Thanks to Goodreads and the author for my digital copy.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read about saving loggerhead turtles nests. Left me wanting to learn more about sea turtles. Thank you for the Goodreads digital copy.