Murder in Mystic Cove

Sunshine State Murders #1

by Daryl Anderson

Guarding the manicured wilds of an exclusive retirement community might seem like exile to a homicide cop. But Addie Gorsky moved to Florida to live with her ailing father, not to chase criminals. In fact, her new job as head of Mystic Cove security is a nice break from all the big-city bloodshed.

But when the community's most despised resident is found dead in his tricked-out golf cart, Addie's ready for action. The local cops focus on the obvious suspect—the unhappy wife—but Addie knows there's more to the story. When the sheriff asks for assistance, she can't resist. Only the deeper she digs, the more questions she turns up.

Surrounded by secretive, tight-lipped residents, Addie soon finds herself hip-deep in a mystery as tangled as cypress roots—and directly in the sights of a cool, clever killer who has no compunction about killing again…

90,000 words

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 16, 2013

About the author

DARYL ANDERSON is a USA Today Bestselling writer and author of the Addie Gorsky Mysteries. Her most recent series The Murderer’s Apprentice explores the supernatural side of mystery.

Though a longtime resident of Florida, Daryl recently traded all that heat and sunshine for the cool, rainy vistas of Washington state. When not plotting her latest homicide, you might find her hiking a lonesome woodland trail with her dog Pitch, always on the lookout for where the bodies are buried.

For more about Daryl, visit her at https://darylmystery.com/

Reviews

[LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) · Rating 2 out of 5]

[An old review I'm just now adding to GR.]

Addie Gorsky used to be a homicide detective in Baltimore but is now Chief of Security at Mystic Cove, a retirement community in Florida. It's not her favorite place to be, but it does mean she's around to help out her dad, who has cancer.

At the start of this book, Addie discovers the body of Mel Dick, one of Mystic Cove's more annoying residents, with gunshot wounds indicating that he was murdered. The police think the most likely suspect is the man's wife, but Addie isn't so sure. Mel had been acting oddly in the months prior to his death, and he certainly wasn't lacking in enemies. Addie decides to conduct an investigation of her own, risking the ire of both her boss and Sheriff Spooner.

I went into this book expecting it to be a cozy mystery. That was a mistake. The tone was closer to a hard-boiled detective story than a cozy.

There were a lot of elements that would have fit in just fine in a cozy: an overweight pug that ended up becoming Addie's responsibility, a few Mystic Cove residents that might have qualified as “quirky” in another novel, and Mystic Cove itself, with its fake historical landmarks and residents who probably traveled more via golf carts than on foot. However, Addie's cynicism and general humorlessness colored everything. A couple examples:

“There was a serpent in paradise and last night it had slithered from its hidden place and struck, bringing death to Mel Dick.” (32)

“Admiral Street was ominously quiet—silent houses with shuttered windows, like blind eyes. The eyes of the dead.” (99)

The publisher's description made it sound like Addie preferred the slower pace of Mystic Cove to the life of a homicide detective, but, in reality, she quit being a homicide detective because she wasn't good at following rules and working with others and her partner had paid the price. And yet she didn't blame herself for his death – no dwelling on her mistakes, no wondering what might have been, no wallowing in guilt.

Instead, Addie felt emotionally guarded, even from the reader. Although the book was written in first person POV, it might as well have been third for all the insight it gave me on her. For example, her dad was probably the most important person in her life, but she rarely thought about him in detail when she wasn't in his presence. Her feelings for Tyler, her ex-boyfriend, were a puzzle. I could never figure out whether she was over him and he was just an occasional fuck buddy or something, or whether he still had some hold over her emotions.

The mystery itself was okay, although complicated bymore than one person having a secret murderous past.It did bother me how many times Addie did things that she knew could get her in trouble, and possibly even arrested. She had her job and her dad to worry about, but none of that was enough to keep her from doing as she pleased. Even worse, she was frequently sloppy about her rule-breaking. For example, instead of breaking into a building, getting what she needed, getting out, and then taking a closer look at what she'd found, she took that closer look while she was still in the building, dawdling just long enough to get caught.

Had the murderer not suffered from a sudden bout of stupidity near the end of the book, things wouldn't have turned out well for Addie. I'm still not sure why the murderer conveniently confessed to everything in Addie's presence – it was practically a given that Addie was either recording it all or that the Sheriff was within hearing distance.

At this point, I have no plans to read the next book. Addie's relationship with her father was relatively interesting, and I liked Jinks the pug, but the tone of this first book really didn't work for me.

(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

[Lee Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was sold as a light, cozy mystery set at a retirement community. Instead, it was rather dark, rather depressing, and not what I was looking for. I "read" this using Amazon's Whispersync audio-book technology, and the soporific narrator did nothing to lighten the sense of grim heaviness. I didn't finish it.

[Annie Pisarello · Rating 3 out of 5]

A murder in a Florida Retirement community, how appropriate for reading in one of the states many such communities. I bought this book because it was a by a local author and it was discounted. Addie Gorsky, head of security, finds the body in a tricked out golf cart. So Florida! The story is dark, and the ending is a stretch. If you love mysteries this is for you, but I am more fussy, so I was not impressed.

[Deanna Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing mystery, vivid characters!

I throughly enjoyed the plot line and the explicit characters. The way the main character defeated the setbacks was fun and not predictable, the way a mystery should be. Definitely rated R language; although the storyline supported it. Great read🙂

[Kristine Tymusz · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fun read well worth the money i spent.

[L.E. Denton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out strong, but then flatlined midway through. Too many stereotypical figures for my taste. It was a quick read, though.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is "billed" as a cozy and it is - with a bit of rougher language than you usually find in a cozy mystery. A relocated, former Baltimore cop takes the job of head security officer in Mystic Cove, an upscale retirement community. When she stumbles across one of the residents sitting in his golf cart late at night dead, her old lifestyle kicks in and she is on the trail of a murderer who is very crafty! Good read.

[Alannah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this neat little mystery about Addie, a former Baltimore cop who now works as a security guard at a Florida retirement community. The characters are well-written, and the twists and turns in the mystery left me constantly guessing. I especially enjoy the relationship between Addie and her dying dad, which is touching without being cloying. I also find it refreshing that the characters are allowed to cut loose with a bit of swearing. That's how real people talk, and I like it. I was sorry when the book ended. I'll definitely be getting the second book in the series when it's released.

[cynthia zeiders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retirement has its benefits and its down side, as murder trumps relaxation...

Sleepy Florida town, sleepy inhabitants, and secrets long buried stiring together create this good book's appeal. Weaving thru lies and clues Addie struggles to unravel motive, as means and opportunity slowly reveal the options. Solutions remain hidden until the end of her disgraceful firing and then all is set right...as it should be...so the sequel has firm foundation. And there really has to be one.

[Rosemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded this book because it was discounted. It was actually a very good mystery. In fact, it surprised me more than once. On two occasions, I thought the mystery had been solved. Of course, looking at the number of pages left to read, I knew that couldn't be the case; yet, I couldn't figure out what else could be left. Daryl Anderson surprised me twice....deftly weaving in small details previously mentioned and showing how they were major factors in the solving of the mystery. Anderson also threw in some new twists to the story. A very good read for mystery lovers, for sure.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Addie Gorsky is in charge of security at Mystic Cove, a senior citizen complex. A man is found seated in his golf cart, dead. Who killed him and why. There are a lot of suspects. Can she choose the killer? She goes over the line, breaking and entering, etc. but in the end, she is successful. Not only that, but she is adopted by an aging pug, who brings joy to her, and her dying father.

[Celeste Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this mystery

This was a nice cozy. I liked that I couldn't guess which of the characters committed the murder until the detective did. Lots of characters with believable motives helped.

Merged review:

I enjoyed the book. I like how there were enough potential suspects that it was hard to figure out who actually did the murders.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this little cozy. Addy moves to Florida to be near her father and get away from her stressful job as a homicide detective in Maryland. As head of security in this small retirement community she has to find the killer of the village's most despicable resident.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in a Florida retirement community, while having the victim murdered on his golf cart.... this was a book that I HAD to read while here in Florida for the duration!! A good first effort by the author who obviously plans more installments.

[Sonjie Outlaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real mystery

A different type of mystery. You weren't sure who done it right away. I can't wait for more what's next.

[Minerva King · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mystery, but the main character was a bit too "rough" for me. The nastiness was not necessary for the character.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Sunshine State Murders

[Mary Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was just okay

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the fact that this "who dun it"kept me guessing, but I had no sympathy for the murdered. I really didn't like any of the characters.