Troubled Sea

by Jinx Schwartz

A cruising couple live a life many only dream of aboard their 42-foot boat in Mexico's hauntingly beautiful Sea of Cortez. But their chosen sea has a serpent: Mexico's out-of-control drug trade.

After witnessing a drug-deal gone wrong, they set off a deadly chain of events that lands them in a sea of intrigue involving a best friend, the Mexican Federal Police, the DEA, US Coast Guard, the INS, and a nasty drug cartel.

This fast-paced adventure is a must-read for anyone who has ever dreamed of cutting the lines and shoving off to adventure.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2000

About the author

Jinx Schwartz is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of the award-winning Hetta Coffey series.

JUST ADD WATER, first in the series, introduces Hetta, a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she's not afraid to use it. JUST ADD SALT, JUST ADD TROUBLE, JUST DESERTS, JUST THE PITS, JUST NEEDS KILLIN', AND JUST DIFFERENT DEVILS get her into hot Mexican Waters. JUST PARDON MY FRENCH, BOOK 8, FINDS HETTA IN FRANCE and Book 9: JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY, takes a wild ride on two continents, and JUST FOR THE BIRDS, Book 10, gets her afowl of exotic bird smugglers. Book 11 finds her in Texas, and living in an RV until her boat goes missing back in Mexico, and in Just On Porpoise (12 ) her attention is drawn to the almost extinct Vaquita, and JUST SO WRONG (13) finds Hetta taking on the dogfighting trade. Her other books: The Texicans (Texas 1806-1836 Historical Western), Land of Mountains, a YA/TWEEN set in Haiti in the 1950's, Troubled Sea, a thriller in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, and BAJA GET AWAY, suspensful romance in Mexico.

Jinx spends equal time in Arizona and Mexico.

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

What drew me to this story was the setting: the Sea of Cortez. The beauty and tranquility which my wife and I, our daughter and little dog experienced on our 41 foot sailboat for two summers.
But this story is different. Very different!!!
It is an action packed, non-stop thriller. It has it all; the gunfire, drugs, explosions, high speed chases, the bad guys and death. It is a great story line, believable characters, emotions, danger factors and much more. I loved the many twists and turns which kept me wondering where it would lead to next. This book definitely keeps you on edge.
We experienced non of this violence during our Sea of Cortez journey. The only destruction we saw was in September 03, while in La Paz when hurricane Marty shattered the lifelong dreams of so many boaters...
I give this book a 4.5 star rating. If you like thrillers, don't miss this one.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventure, excitement, fun cruising

Adventure, excitement and fun cruising for Annie & Erick until they happen to see something they shouldn’t have seen. Running from drug smugglers is not fun

[Jemima Pett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Laurie Hanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fifth Hetta Coffey mystery is different from all the others. For starters, the first four books are told in the first person, by Hetta herself. I always find the first person point of view fun - I love to experience the story through one character's eyes, knowing all she knows and being as clueless as she is about the rest. So I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this book, which jumps frequently through many viewpoints. There are other things that make this book different from the other four, but I don't want to give anything away. You'll have to read it and find out for yourself what Hetta is up to these days. After getting into the story, it was easy to see how the multiple viewpoints ratcheted up the suspense. The non-stop action would make a great thriller movie, and the frequent scene changes would hold the attention of those with even the shortest span. This book has a touch or romance, enough humor to keep me chuckling, and enough action for anyone who loves a good thriller with evil bad guys, fast chases, explosions, and life and death peril for the good guys. For any animal lover there is the added bonus of a seafaring Cairn named Sam Houston and a skittish homeless mutt called Canardly. My biggest concern was for the well being of these two innocent bystanders.
All in all it was a fun, fast-paced read with a satisfying ending.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-Reader. Thriller / Cozy Mystery

This book was re-written to change the characters names. This is a stand alone book, not to be confused with Hetta Coffee series.
Annie & Erik (Mr & Mrs) Jenkins own their yacht called Hi Jenks. They leave their jobs, sell their home to travel to Mexico the Sea of Cortez. It is a vey large sea & beautiful. As long as northern wind & rain doesn't blow in. The high waves are very bad. Best to be docked & ride it out.
They are very much in love, Annie will keep you laughing

Now there's Troubled Sea. If you like danger & action, hang on tight for what what happens from now to the very end.
Throw in U.S. & Mexican governments, DEA, Federales, Mexican Navy & others because of drugs going into the U.S. & on the rise in Mexico. This story is amazing it's a really good well written book! Enjoy.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! This is one of the best boating books I have ever read. Non-stop action, can't put the book down type of story. As a boater myself, I recognized many of the anchorages, locations and people that I had met in my cruising of the Sea of Cortez in a time before this book's setting. Very authentic as well and the author's experiences as a live aboard cruiser shows. In navy talk, Bravo Zulu, which means "well done". I was actually in Turtle Bay when the incident of the murder of a boater occurred. Even though I was on a sailboat and they are on a "stink potter", I had made many friends amongst the boating crowd and some were sailboats, others motorboats with masts and also the trawlers. This book brought back many good memories for me but also stands out as an exciting boating story.

[Jean Henry Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. The seaworthy adventure swells with intrigue as well as a tidal wave of suspense in the Sea of Cortez. The author's innate sense of humor blends well with her knowledge of yacht living, her quirky characters adding to the enjoyment. I highly recommend Troubled Sea as well as the rest of the series. It convinced my husband and I to sell the ranch and buy our own yacht.

~Jean Henry Mead
Author, The Logan & Cafferty mystery/suspense series

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent sea adventure. I loved how the chapters keep every character involved. With so many different characters you can sometimes lose what a less involved character is doing. But this one really did a good job on keeping all involved. Best sea adventure I have ever read.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this book and the Hetta Coffey series! Gives another great dimension in Hetta's mystery adventures.
Keep up the phenomenal work, Jinx!

[Kay Van Slyke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this one!! Way to go Jinx. Can't wait to here more from Hetta and her adventures. Loved it that she ended up with Sam Houston and Canhardly (great name BTW).

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. It takes place in the Sea of Cortez. Once a great place American ex-patriots and other cruisers to take a break from the rat-race of an economic world. Annie and Erick Jenkins are facing a quandary. Despite loving their current carefree life, funds are starting to run short and Erik keeps reminding his wife that like it or not, they eventually have to return to the real world and replenish their dwindling reserves. This, she wants nothing to do with.

They decide to weigh anchor and sail up to San Carlos to discuss their future. They come across an abandoned panga. While they are looking to see if the boat is in distress, they are greeted with whump-whump of helicopter blades followed by machine gun fire. They quickly retrace their steps by taking refuge in a fog bank. Sound Familiar. Bit of Tom Clancy here from “Clear and Present Danger.”

Once they reach safety they hook-up with an old sailing friend, Bud Killibrew and his current squeeze, Pammy who is estranged from her current husband, Buzz Gibby.

Now, throw in a Coast Guard Cutter, the Federales and a new US task force attempting to bust up the drug trade and you have the makings of a good plot.

I never felt a connection with any of the female characters, with the exception of Pammy who’s as shallow as puddle after a slight sprinkling. Why? The main heroines were described as tough, self-reliant, independent and generally, BA! That is not how they came across. There mood swings were all over the place. Granted, this is from a male perspective. I expected more from them.

I also didn’t feel much tension a the plot thickened and attempted to develop. Too many extraneous actions were occurring that clouded over the main theme.

The final scene did remind a bit of something I’d run across in a James Bond flick-exciting yet unbelievable.

In the end, it’s not a bad beach read

Three Stars

[John Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cruising For A Bruising

This was a rollicking read that just got better as tensions mounted during a perilous flight from death by a gringo couple aboard their trawler/yacht "HiJenks" (not a spelling error) they're a married couple with the last name of Jenks, first mate and wife, Hetta and… Skipper.

They'd been cruising the Sea of Cortez for five years, and it was time to head 'round the Baja Peninsula into the Pacific, then haul-out their vessel at San Carlos storing it on the hard. Once repaired and secured, they planned to head back to the States, get work, save some money then head south again to launch their boat, fantaziing on another carefree, exciting cruise in Mexico.

They ended their wonderful cruise making many new gringo and Mexican friends as they exploring the wondrous coast and villages. Heading for the last round up they ran smack into death threatining trouble case of mistaken indentity

I was torn between whether this work was Fiction or Romance? In the end I pigeonholded it as Romanized Fiction. Writen from a gringa's viewpoint cruising on the Sea of Cortez, off Baja California Sur. As portrayed in this book it'a filled to overflowing with adventurious cruising Americans, that occasionally brush with a few local Baja Californians. Those mostly those emgaged in the drug trade or law enforcement.

[Colleen Sipes · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read this year!

Five star reading right here because of the story line, the characters, the intensity, the emotions and the danger factor!
Besides, I've always wanted to live on a boat! I think I'll stay away from the Sea of Cortez though! LOL!
This book kept me up reading until 4:30am and even then I didn't want to stop reading!
I love old Bud and his penchant for loving life! Erik and Annie reminded me so much of my husband and me so relating to their lives was easy to do!
Bud's girlfriend Pam was easy to hate because of the way she treated Annie!
All the people involved with catching the drug runners were easy to root for because of their dedication to their job of stopping the drug trafficking!
SPOILER ALERT...The only thing that made me sad was what happened to Bud! He was a good man and I wanted him to survive so badly to vindicate Pam and her spouse Gibby!
I'm thrilled Sam Houston made it and he and Canardly became part of Annie and Erika family!
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read. A wonderful book!!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't. what ever you do, run into a drug smuggling boat in the Sea of Cortez. The fear that this couple lived with is not to be believed! There are quite a few twists and turns and moments when--well--lets just say you will be wondering if they will make it out alive!

There are a few moments where there is comic relief--I especially loved the stray mutt that Emma fed hot dogs--and their friends dog who Emma fitted out with a very elaborate flotation devise with strobe lights attached!

Although this was not the Hetta Coffey type book-2 of which I have read by this author--but I liked it. Definitely kept me turning the pages!
Troubled Sea

[loretta Mathern · Rating 4 out of 5]

I

The positives of the story are that It started out very well. Loved the development of the various characters. Although I loved all the plot lines and characters, the negatives were in trying to follow all the various story lines and characters associated with the story lines. I needed to backtrack to remind myself who went where. Feel it was partly my fault as I usually read late evening so from evening to evening there was a review process to keep on top of the story. This took away from the enjoyment

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most exciting book of the bunch!

I have read almost all of Jinx Schwartz book and I love her humor! I must say though, that this was one I had a hard time putting down. To say it had non-stop action is an understatement!! From boats getting blown up at the beginning to the crazy multi-vessel chase accross the Sea of Cortez this book definitely kept you on the edge. There are a few differences between this pre-quel and the series that follows (all of which are good) but you don't notice them after reading a while. Enjoy!

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cougar is what they call an older woman who goes after younger men. What do you call a younger blond who goes after an older man? Oh, yes, this is a review, not a commentary. All Annie and Eric wanted to do was to sail around in the Sea of Cortez. Then a storm disrupted everyone’s plans and the rest, as they say, is history. I enjoyed the sailing and the behind the scenes. The climax was a real Hollywood ending and I recommend this book.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie and Erik Jenkins gave up their jobs and bought a boat to live on. Went to Mexico to the Sea of Cortez. After witnessing a helicopter shooting at a fishing boat they call a panga and being shot at themselves until they were lost in the fog and were able to escape not knowing what was going on. They discovered that a couple on a boat the same as theirs was murdered and got caught up in a drug deal with lots of suspense and excitement!

[Scott Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read

I picked up Troubled Sea after reading too many historical novels. I wanted a fun page-turner and the book delivered. I am fascinated with the cruising life and am jealous of Annie and Erik and of Jinx Schwartz, who apparently lives that way full-time, or at least when she's not in Arizona.

Don't be put off from the star I omitted. There has to be room between true classics and fun reads. This is on the fun side and very, very good for it's genre.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

It captured one from the first as you are wrestling with the waves in a storm. He is not a novice, yet so young. The Sea of Cortez, has secret runs of drugs, and murder, intriguing, tense plot.For Annie and Erick a time of leisure, and plans on what to do next. The humor of Hetty comes thru once again. Readers wanting a mystery on the sea and Mexico will love this

[Cheryl Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally love all Jinx Schwartz's books. I think she's a good writer and I find few typos. Each book is a stand-alone story. My only complaints: they drink ALL the time. I have no problem with drinking. I just think it's over done. Troubled Sea was a bit long in the middle and I ended up skipping some. But all-in-all, a good read.

[Joyce Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part whodunit, part thriller, a bit cozy mystery, part detective story, Troubled Sea kept me in suspense until the end. I loved the way the characters and various plot components were woven into the story and came together in the exciting climax. I think I want to spend time on the Sea of Cortez but without any drug Lord vs. law enforcement battle.

[Robert Knox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accidental Encounter

This book got off to a slow start but I was glad I kept going. The tale involves the two main characters peaceful life being shattered by what they witnessed. The many friends old and new make interesting contrasts and enjoyable reading in all a good book worth the time.

[Beth McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Wonderful story of crime on the high seas. Funny, then not funny, then funny again. There is a great mix of humor and seriousness. The characters are lovable and absolutely human. This book is about boating, illegal drugs, illegal aliens, friendship, love, envy, and life in general.

[Richard Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly recommended read

We love you Jinx ! You are one crazy talented author.
Yes we have read everything you have written joyfully.
My neighbor (I call her Hetta, she calls me Jan) live in Apache junction,
When I'm not in my condo in Cabo for the last 35 years.
Stay well dear heart, we will always be looking for your next creation.
And thank you CL

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chase

Wow, from the first page forwards. This is a must read. Annie and Erik from the beginning are innocently involved in the cross hairs the drug cartel. I'm not going to tell the story. It s too exciting to not read for yourself.

[Dorothy Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Jinx

Have an afternoon with nothing to do? Grab this book and be prepared for adventure, fun, and a mystery to solve. Lots of fun and laughter. Would recommend this for anyone who loves a great mystery.

[Evelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy 5 star book without the profanity

This was truly a “cant put it down” story but it was ruined for me by all the profanity that showed up in the last few chapters. Might have missed a good story but I would not have started it had I known about that beforehand.

[Shelly Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never fails to entertain!!

Lots of action here. Non stop entertainment at its best. The characters are living the good life and managing to stay alive in spite of all the crazy adventures!!

[Steve Gong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canardly wait to read the next one

Great read! Enjoyed the tale from start to fantastic finish. Great characters, credible subplot connections, well woven story lines...a keeper, if I had a shelf of e books!