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Matt Royal Mystery #2
Murder Key
DEATH LURKS ON AN ISLAND BASKING IN THE GENTLE SUNSHINE OF A FLORIDA AUTUMN
When a stranger tries to kill Matt Royal in one of his favorite watering holes on his Florida island paradise, his attention focuses on more than the sun, fishing and beer.
Matt doesn't know why anyone would want to kill him, and the only way to stay alive is to find out who and why.
Matt and his buddies Logan Hamilton and jock Algren begin an odyssey that takes them from the island beaches to Mexico and back to the mines, labor camps and farms of the interior of Florida, a place tourists never see. They find themselves ensnared in a tangle of ilegal immigrants and imported drugs, while death stalks from every point on the compass.
As Matt tries to stay alive, his love affair with a beautiful lawyer is falling apart, an he doesn't know how to fix it. The timing is bad. Sombody's trying to kill him and his lover is dumping him.
The mystery flows and tingles in the beautiful Florida autumn, the ugliness of the phosphate mines and migrant camps juxtaposed against the pristine beaches and extravagant lifestyles of the island Matt calls home.
When a stranger tries to kill Matt Royal in one of his favorite watering holes on his Florida island paradise, his attention focuses on more than the sun, fishing and beer.
Matt doesn't know why anyone would want to kill him, and the only way to stay alive is to find out who and why.
Matt and his buddies Logan Hamilton and jock Algren begin an odyssey that takes them from the island beaches to Mexico and back to the mines, labor camps and farms of the interior of Florida, a place tourists never see. They find themselves ensnared in a tangle of ilegal immigrants and imported drugs, while death stalks from every point on the compass.
As Matt tries to stay alive, his love affair with a beautiful lawyer is falling apart, an he doesn't know how to fix it. The timing is bad. Sombody's trying to kill him and his lover is dumping him.
The mystery flows and tingles in the beautiful Florida autumn, the ugliness of the phosphate mines and migrant camps juxtaposed against the pristine beaches and extravagant lifestyles of the island Matt calls home.
276 pages, Perfect Paperback
First published October 5, 2005
123 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
H. Terrell Griffin
18 books91 followersAward-winning novelist H. Terrell Griffin is a board-certified trial lawyer who practiced in Orlando for thirty-eight years. He and his wife, Jean, divide their time between Longboat Key, Florida, and Maitland, Florida. Griffin is also the author of Blood Island, Murder Key, and Longboat Blues. Blood Island was named an award-winning finalist in the 2008 National Best Books Awards, Fiction & Literature: Mystery/Suspense category.
Series:
* Matt Royal Mystery
Series:
* Matt Royal Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 26, 2013
There is so much going on in this 2nd entry in Griffin’s Matt Royal series that I hardly know where to start. Now that doesn’t mean that the book has an overabundance of characters or that it has a morass of seemingly unrelated scenes. It means that Griffin wove his various plot threads together so tightly, even the love interest, that it was a challenge to determine if any of the secondary characters qualified as good guys.
From the first novel we know that our main character, Matt Royal, is a flawed but decent, protagonist. And based on the first novel, we can also place Logan Hamilton, Matt’s good friend, and Bill Lester, the town’s police chief, into the good-guy column. In this second entry, we are introduced to Jock Algren, a government agent who has been one of Royal’s best friends since middle school. We’re never told exactly which alphabet agency he works for but, with his weapons skills, it is definitely not the IRS. So we get to put him in the good-guy column also.
But after that, it is anybody’s guess who is clean and who is dirty – federal agent, police deputy, corporate worker or the person on the next bar stool. And that is the foundation of the major plot thread – someone wants Matt Royal dead. And nobody can figure out why, let alone who, is ordering the hit. All we, and Matt Royal, know is that the attempts to kill him begin the day he discovers, during his morning run, two illegals dead on the beach and a third legal immigrant critically wounded.
Frankly, I lost count of how many times the bad guys tried to kill Matt Royal in this book. But Matt is not exactly defenseless. He was a Special Forces officer in the last years of the Vietnam War and had killed and survived being attacked on multiple occasions then. But it has been years since that innate need of kill-or-be-killed has been required of him. Out of necessity, those killing skills return and, with them, a boatload of emotional and psychological detritus. But it is primarily Jock, his agency contacts and his agency skills that keep Matt alive as they burrow further and further into a multi-national criminal conspiracy. Griffin crafts Jock’s responses both physically and emotionally realistic, making detritus for him, too.
However, it is these repeated attempts to kill Royal that caused me to downgrade my rating on the book. It is only coincidence that Jock has come to Florida from Texas and is sitting next to Matt when the first attack comes. The author acknowledges that coincidence and continues with the story. But the sheer volume of assassination attempts made me begin to wonder just how long Royal was going to survive without the author resorting to a deus ex machina situation.
And, before the story was over, not just one but two, such devices came into play. First, the bad guys, who have consistently used only boats and vans for two-thirds of the book, suddenly decide to drop a trussed up Royal, Logan and Jock at sea from a helicopter. That didn’t work, of course, not when Logan just so happens to be a retired chopper pilot.
That one is borderline plausible. But the second one, where the condo super just happens to turn the key in Royal’s door lock at the exact moment a bad guy has a gun pointed at Matt’s chest just pushed my already frayed suspension of disbelief right over the edge.
The author redeems himself in the end, however. The final conflict is well played and well written, logical and realistic, no coincidences and no suspension of disbelief needed.
And speaking of the end – a caveat here – as you read, don’t skim or skip over the sections that detail Royal’s visceral responses to the physical charms of several of the female characters. If you do, you will miss the import of the novel’s last sentence.
From the first novel we know that our main character, Matt Royal, is a flawed but decent, protagonist. And based on the first novel, we can also place Logan Hamilton, Matt’s good friend, and Bill Lester, the town’s police chief, into the good-guy column. In this second entry, we are introduced to Jock Algren, a government agent who has been one of Royal’s best friends since middle school. We’re never told exactly which alphabet agency he works for but, with his weapons skills, it is definitely not the IRS. So we get to put him in the good-guy column also.
But after that, it is anybody’s guess who is clean and who is dirty – federal agent, police deputy, corporate worker or the person on the next bar stool. And that is the foundation of the major plot thread – someone wants Matt Royal dead. And nobody can figure out why, let alone who, is ordering the hit. All we, and Matt Royal, know is that the attempts to kill him begin the day he discovers, during his morning run, two illegals dead on the beach and a third legal immigrant critically wounded.
Frankly, I lost count of how many times the bad guys tried to kill Matt Royal in this book. But Matt is not exactly defenseless. He was a Special Forces officer in the last years of the Vietnam War and had killed and survived being attacked on multiple occasions then. But it has been years since that innate need of kill-or-be-killed has been required of him. Out of necessity, those killing skills return and, with them, a boatload of emotional and psychological detritus. But it is primarily Jock, his agency contacts and his agency skills that keep Matt alive as they burrow further and further into a multi-national criminal conspiracy. Griffin crafts Jock’s responses both physically and emotionally realistic, making detritus for him, too.
However, it is these repeated attempts to kill Royal that caused me to downgrade my rating on the book. It is only coincidence that Jock has come to Florida from Texas and is sitting next to Matt when the first attack comes. The author acknowledges that coincidence and continues with the story. But the sheer volume of assassination attempts made me begin to wonder just how long Royal was going to survive without the author resorting to a deus ex machina situation.
And, before the story was over, not just one but two, such devices came into play. First, the bad guys, who have consistently used only boats and vans for two-thirds of the book, suddenly decide to drop a trussed up Royal, Logan and Jock at sea from a helicopter. That didn’t work, of course, not when Logan just so happens to be a retired chopper pilot.
That one is borderline plausible. But the second one, where the condo super just happens to turn the key in Royal’s door lock at the exact moment a bad guy has a gun pointed at Matt’s chest just pushed my already frayed suspension of disbelief right over the edge.
The author redeems himself in the end, however. The final conflict is well played and well written, logical and realistic, no coincidences and no suspension of disbelief needed.
And speaking of the end – a caveat here – as you read, don’t skim or skip over the sections that detail Royal’s visceral responses to the physical charms of several of the female characters. If you do, you will miss the import of the novel’s last sentence.
September 27, 2020
Didn't Really Enjoy
I thought the first Matt Royal book was okay but this I didn't care for. I'm not interested in Mexico, drug smuggling or especially human trafficking. The thing that surprised me was that other than Sheriff Bill Lester and Logan Hamilton and a little of Anne none of the characters from the first book were in it. He had a weekly routine of places he ate and bars he went to on different nights and seemed to be best friends with the owners and regulars. A few months later he has entirely different bars and a new set of friends. He didn't go to listen to Pearl play the piano anymore. He went somewhere else to listen to Debbie. That doesn't make sense. The next book sounds like it would have a much better story but I'm not paying $9.99 for a Matt Royal book.
I thought the first Matt Royal book was okay but this I didn't care for. I'm not interested in Mexico, drug smuggling or especially human trafficking. The thing that surprised me was that other than Sheriff Bill Lester and Logan Hamilton and a little of Anne none of the characters from the first book were in it. He had a weekly routine of places he ate and bars he went to on different nights and seemed to be best friends with the owners and regulars. A few months later he has entirely different bars and a new set of friends. He didn't go to listen to Pearl play the piano anymore. He went somewhere else to listen to Debbie. That doesn't make sense. The next book sounds like it would have a much better story but I'm not paying $9.99 for a Matt Royal book.
July 11, 2021
This is a fun book to read, the plot develops at a fast pace and hard to put down. I have read several of this series, but out of order and now going back to fill in the ones I missed. Each book stands on it's own with enough explanation of prior events to keep you from wondering what you missed. It is interested to read the earlier one while the character of Matt Royal is still in the development state. I can see how the character grows with each new installment.
January 10, 2024
Who Shot at Matt???
Murder Key is a little slow at the beginning, but it picks up and moves well in the last two thirds. Characters are well drawn as they usually are by Brother Griffin. I haven’t been able to decide if it’s Matt I want to have a beer with on the boat, or Griffin I want to have a scotch with at the bar. While I try to decide why don’t you settle in with a copy of Murder Key and your adult drink of choice and have a nice evening?
Murder Key is a little slow at the beginning, but it picks up and moves well in the last two thirds. Characters are well drawn as they usually are by Brother Griffin. I haven’t been able to decide if it’s Matt I want to have a beer with on the boat, or Griffin I want to have a scotch with at the bar. While I try to decide why don’t you settle in with a copy of Murder Key and your adult drink of choice and have a nice evening?
August 2, 2018
Actually a 3.5. Grade up for strong sense of place, most of which takes place within 10 miles of my home so fun tromping around familiar territory of the Bradenton-Sarasota area. Bit of a downgrade for the extreme multitude of characters and coincidental plot twists. Still, this is the second of the Matt Royal series and I have 2 more on the shelf that I am looking forward to.
August 31, 2023
Unfortunately, H. Terrell Griffin tries to duplicate to some extent, the writings of James Lee Burke, (one of my favorite authors.) It doesn't work as well for Griffin as it does for Burke. His description of settings and places comes off as babble and slows the storyline.
This is the second one of Griffin's books I have read in this series and I would not recommend it.
This is the second one of Griffin's books I have read in this series and I would not recommend it.
November 21, 2018
This is the 2and series of the Matt Royal series and it was excellent. The storyline was well written and kept me guessing the whole time. The details about small town life and law enforcement was excellent and well written . I am hooked and about to read the next book about Matt Royal series.
December 3, 2018
Easy read and entertaining.
I like the area of The Gulf where the story occurred. It was an easy read and entertaining. Not as good as Doc Ford or Travis McGhee but I will probably read another.
I like the area of The Gulf where the story occurred. It was an easy read and entertaining. Not as good as Doc Ford or Travis McGhee but I will probably read another.
July 22, 2021
H.T. writes very great stories,
I enjoy his writing , this one kept me waiting and what a surprise ending. I highly recommend you read this one and as I enjoy his writing I will definitely read all he writes. Thanks for the pleasure of reading your books Mr. Griffin.
I enjoy his writing , this one kept me waiting and what a surprise ending. I highly recommend you read this one and as I enjoy his writing I will definitely read all he writes. Thanks for the pleasure of reading your books Mr. Griffin.
January 7, 2022
A TANTALIZING MYSTERY THAT GRABS YOU FROM THE FIRST SENTENCE!
Keeps you turning the pages from the bit go.
A well written mystery that has a great story line and paints great word pictures of living in the heart of Florida.
Keeps you turning the pages from the bit go.
A well written mystery that has a great story line and paints great word pictures of living in the heart of Florida.
December 14, 2024
A Great Read!
I am sorry that it took me so long to discover these books by Terrell Griffin! This second Matt Royal Mystery was even better than his first book that I truly enjoyed!! Already looking forward to reading the third Matt Royal Mystery!!
I am sorry that it took me so long to discover these books by Terrell Griffin! This second Matt Royal Mystery was even better than his first book that I truly enjoyed!! Already looking forward to reading the third Matt Royal Mystery!!
June 30, 2020
Page Turned Deluxe
My second Matt Royal book. Hard to put down once you get started... Very likely I will read the whole series..
My second Matt Royal book. Hard to put down once you get started... Very likely I will read the whole series..
September 15, 2020
Great read
Great read recommended would
Read other of his books. Please take time to read this one. Good one. Good one.
Great read recommended would
Read other of his books. Please take time to read this one. Good one. Good one.
November 1, 2020
Well written. Great ending.
January 5, 2021
Overall a good read, but bogged down in places.
January 9, 2021
I didn't like this as much as the first in the series. It didn't have Matt as a lawyer this time and I really missed that. It just got bogged down.
March 16, 2021
Great
I have read the whole series ad waiting for more.if you like the keys you will enjoy the whole series
I have read the whole series ad waiting for more.if you like the keys you will enjoy the whole series
March 31, 2025
Another winner .... 12 out of 10.
Exciting from the start to the finish.
Great read!!!!
Exciting from the start to the finish.
Great read!!!!
September 12, 2022
This is the second book I’ve read. I love his fast-paced writing and all of the references to Longboat Key and Sarasota. Wasn’t crazy about the drug cartel and Mexico connection in this one.
February 12, 2010
Take a few good friends, a beautiful woman, illegal drugs, a dirty politician, a helicopter, several murders and horrible visions from the Vietnam War and you have just another day in the life of lawyer turned beach bum, Matt Royal.
The second in his Royal series, Griffin takes us on yet another fantastic ride. With every moment you’re left on the edge of your seat wondering what’s around the bend. Who can he trust? Who’s on the take? Who is trying to kill Matt Royal? That’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Some of the answers will astound you; I know they shocked me.
The humor within these pages is done as only Griffin can. However, it’s the grit and harshness of Royal’s life that makes my breath catch. One of the “bad guys”, Diaz—who isn’t exactly in a primo situation—got in Jock’s face and taunted him…not a smart idea.
“You will pay for this, gringo,” he muttered, spitting blood and saliva on the floor. “I will kill you the next time I see you. I will piss on your grave.”
Jock raised the pistol and shot Diaz through his left eye.
“Good God almighty, Jock!” I shouted. “What the hell did you do?”
“Anybody stupid enough to threaten me while he’s tied to a chair and I’ve got a gun is too stupid to breathe our air.”
Needless to say it goes on and I loved every single word! Griffin’s writing is as such that you can picture everything, you feel every emotion and you can even smell the death. What sets Griffin apart from others who write what he does is his ability to make me feel what Matt feels. Reading his books has made me a better writer. As a woman trying to write a male character, insight like Griffin gives the reader helps in very profound ways. Being able to get lost in a great story is the cherry on top of the best sundae ever! Thank you Mr. Griffin; I’m off to read “Blood Island”. I can’t wait.
www.suspensemagazine.com
The second in his Royal series, Griffin takes us on yet another fantastic ride. With every moment you’re left on the edge of your seat wondering what’s around the bend. Who can he trust? Who’s on the take? Who is trying to kill Matt Royal? That’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Some of the answers will astound you; I know they shocked me.
The humor within these pages is done as only Griffin can. However, it’s the grit and harshness of Royal’s life that makes my breath catch. One of the “bad guys”, Diaz—who isn’t exactly in a primo situation—got in Jock’s face and taunted him…not a smart idea.
“You will pay for this, gringo,” he muttered, spitting blood and saliva on the floor. “I will kill you the next time I see you. I will piss on your grave.”
Jock raised the pistol and shot Diaz through his left eye.
“Good God almighty, Jock!” I shouted. “What the hell did you do?”
“Anybody stupid enough to threaten me while he’s tied to a chair and I’ve got a gun is too stupid to breathe our air.”
Needless to say it goes on and I loved every single word! Griffin’s writing is as such that you can picture everything, you feel every emotion and you can even smell the death. What sets Griffin apart from others who write what he does is his ability to make me feel what Matt feels. Reading his books has made me a better writer. As a woman trying to write a male character, insight like Griffin gives the reader helps in very profound ways. Being able to get lost in a great story is the cherry on top of the best sundae ever! Thank you Mr. Griffin; I’m off to read “Blood Island”. I can’t wait.
www.suspensemagazine.com
December 21, 2016
A nice light read
It is not going to keep you up with the suspense, but it will, stimulate and provide a few easy chuckles.
It is not going to keep you up with the suspense, but it will, stimulate and provide a few easy chuckles.
January 17, 2013
4 STARS
Murder Key is the first book I have read using Amazon Prime program. At 11:30 pm I was around 65% through when the book quit on me. After I tried reloading it I chated with Amazon customer service and got it figured out. Had to restart my kindle. It was not at a place that I wanted to stop reading.
Murder Key is full of action and drama. Loyal friends and bad cops. Also plenty of good cops. Matt has no idea why someone wants him dead. The only way he will be safe is to find out why. Logan and Jock take off work to help protect Matt and figure out whats going on. Matt gets his first taste of what Jock has had to face in working for the secret goverment agency.
I have liked all seven of Matt Royal Mysteries that I have read this week and sad now that I have read them. If you like action,detective,spy stories you will like Matt and his friends. I would like to live in florida for the winters too.
Murder Key is the first book I have read using Amazon Prime program. At 11:30 pm I was around 65% through when the book quit on me. After I tried reloading it I chated with Amazon customer service and got it figured out. Had to restart my kindle. It was not at a place that I wanted to stop reading.
Murder Key is full of action and drama. Loyal friends and bad cops. Also plenty of good cops. Matt has no idea why someone wants him dead. The only way he will be safe is to find out why. Logan and Jock take off work to help protect Matt and figure out whats going on. Matt gets his first taste of what Jock has had to face in working for the secret goverment agency.
I have liked all seven of Matt Royal Mysteries that I have read this week and sad now that I have read them. If you like action,detective,spy stories you will like Matt and his friends. I would like to live in florida for the winters too.
March 5, 2015
I enjoyed this book. It's a departure from the books I usually read, but it was a pleasant one. There is more overt violence than I'm used to in books I read, but it wasn't off-putting. Matt Royal, a "retired" lawyer, lives on Longboat Key in Florida. He has a variety of friends, some former military buddies, some fellow refugees from society now living on the Key, with whom he solves a variety of crimes. He is an interesting enough character, as are his cronies, that I found myself wanting to read more books in the series to keep up with what was going on in their lives. I have read four of the books, and will likely read more. They aren't as formulaic as some other series out there, which is refreshing. I can only take so much of this type of story before I need to go read something a little more lighthearted or literary. After a few books from another genre, I eventually find my way back to another Matt Royal story.
January 4, 2015
Pretty good read
I reserve 5 star ratings for the absolute best of the best. If they'd allow it, I might give this 4 1/2 stars. The plot is well-developed and moves nicely. It's well-written. There are no big themes, no great ethical or personal conflicts to resolve, no great truths our insights. It's a pulpy crime novel. There are believability issues--civilians being an integral part of DEA and FBI ops, being given government weapons, killing people and getting pats on the back from the Feds. Look, it's no more unbelievable than most modern action movies, so if you don't mind a bit of a tall tale, it's a very well written tall tale and a really enjoyable read.
I reserve 5 star ratings for the absolute best of the best. If they'd allow it, I might give this 4 1/2 stars. The plot is well-developed and moves nicely. It's well-written. There are no big themes, no great ethical or personal conflicts to resolve, no great truths our insights. It's a pulpy crime novel. There are believability issues--civilians being an integral part of DEA and FBI ops, being given government weapons, killing people and getting pats on the back from the Feds. Look, it's no more unbelievable than most modern action movies, so if you don't mind a bit of a tall tale, it's a very well written tall tale and a really enjoyable read.
February 14, 2012
this was one of the best of the series. mat found a boat with 2 dead mexicans, and one dieing. he called it in. this led to someone trying to kill him and he didnt know why. his usual friends got involved. this one had a different girlfriend. seems they all have a different girlfriend. this one broke up with him, got a new boyfriend, then got back with him at the end
he had to kill someone when he was captured in the mexican slave camp, they got away in a helicopter.
i enjoyed this one a lot!
he had to kill someone when he was captured in the mexican slave camp, they got away in a helicopter.
i enjoyed this one a lot!
May 31, 2013
Love reading book 2 of the Matt Royal adventures in Florida. Great characters and suspense. Book 2 has Matt and his friends travelling throughout Florida and Mexico to find out who is behind a drug & immigrant smuggling ring and who is trying to kill him. Griffin has such an expressive way of writing he brings his characters to life and makes the reader feel they are actually there, seeing the scenery, knowing what the characters are wearing, feeling the Florida temperatures.....Book 2 definitely doesn't disappoint.
September 18, 2015
OK, You got me again!!!!!!!!
Once again the author did not disappoint. Once again the author out smarted me. Once again I came to the wrong conclusion. Just like the first book in this series I thought I had everything figured out by time i reached half of the book. WRONG! Good writing, great action and a very good story. A few typos here and there but it never took away from the story. What a well put together follow up to this series, which sometimes doesn't happens with some series. Great job.
Once again the author did not disappoint. Once again the author out smarted me. Once again I came to the wrong conclusion. Just like the first book in this series I thought I had everything figured out by time i reached half of the book. WRONG! Good writing, great action and a very good story. A few typos here and there but it never took away from the story. What a well put together follow up to this series, which sometimes doesn't happens with some series. Great job.
May 12, 2016
Very good! Matt is the target of shooters and he tries to find out who and why. In the process, he uncovers plots for illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
There are a number of crises along the way that he narrowly escapes. With his buddy, Jock, he chases the clues to Mexico and the interior of Florida.
Of course, there are several good-looking women to entice Matt.
The ultimate villain is unexpected which makes for great reading.
One of the best books in this one of miy favorite series.
There are a number of crises along the way that he narrowly escapes. With his buddy, Jock, he chases the clues to Mexico and the interior of Florida.
Of course, there are several good-looking women to entice Matt.
The ultimate villain is unexpected which makes for great reading.
One of the best books in this one of miy favorite series.
July 30, 2014
Murder Key
well written as have been the other Griffin books I've read. The changes in direction of the story line are reasonable for a thriller book. The hero is more believable than most and was not doing a lot of things that were difficult to believe. The end was a neat twist and well wrapped up. Easy to recommend.
well written as have been the other Griffin books I've read. The changes in direction of the story line are reasonable for a thriller book. The hero is more believable than most and was not doing a lot of things that were difficult to believe. The end was a neat twist and well wrapped up. Easy to recommend.
August 30, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed Longboat Blues and rushed to start this one when I was done. I was a bit disappointed at first: the beginning was slow taking off and really didn't flow as well as Longboat. But it reached a point where the protagonist tells a story about his time in Vietnam and it all starts to come together. The story flows better, the mystery builds well, until the surprising conclusion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews