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Bequia Mystery #1
Dead Reckoning
MYSTERY AND ROMANCE SET IN THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES.
A STUNNING FIRST INSTALLMENT IN THE BEQUIA MYSTERY SERIES.
A must read if you enjoy a page turner featuring compelling characters, a unique setting, danger and romance, written in a style reminiscent of a good hard-boiled mystery that holds you by the throat and doesn't let go until you finish it. Grab your copy today.
Gage didn’t have friends. He’d led an emotionally isolated life, avoiding personal attachments, a mantra for survival. And the last thing he needed was disruption and exposure of the quiet retirement he’d settled into on Bequia, living aboard his schooner Wherever. He’d buried his past. Forged a new life. And in doing so broke his cardinal rule, he’d formed attachments. A burgeoning romantic relationship with the island’s police Superintendent Jolene Johanssen, whose love awakens dormant emotions and reconnects him to the world. A relationship he’s unsure he’s emotionally equipped to handle. And a close friendship with the discerning Commissioner of Police Mike Daniels, who perceives more regarding Gage’s past than Gage is comfortable with, and who lies in a coma, fighting for his life. In pursuing his friend's shooter, Gage becomes embroiled in the vicious world of narco traffickers, money laundering, and a possible nemesis from his past, threatening to upend his new life, resurrect his inner demons, and put the people he’s come to care about in the cross-hairs.
A STUNNING FIRST INSTALLMENT IN THE BEQUIA MYSTERY SERIES.
A must read if you enjoy a page turner featuring compelling characters, a unique setting, danger and romance, written in a style reminiscent of a good hard-boiled mystery that holds you by the throat and doesn't let go until you finish it. Grab your copy today.
Gage didn’t have friends. He’d led an emotionally isolated life, avoiding personal attachments, a mantra for survival. And the last thing he needed was disruption and exposure of the quiet retirement he’d settled into on Bequia, living aboard his schooner Wherever. He’d buried his past. Forged a new life. And in doing so broke his cardinal rule, he’d formed attachments. A burgeoning romantic relationship with the island’s police Superintendent Jolene Johanssen, whose love awakens dormant emotions and reconnects him to the world. A relationship he’s unsure he’s emotionally equipped to handle. And a close friendship with the discerning Commissioner of Police Mike Daniels, who perceives more regarding Gage’s past than Gage is comfortable with, and who lies in a coma, fighting for his life. In pursuing his friend's shooter, Gage becomes embroiled in the vicious world of narco traffickers, money laundering, and a possible nemesis from his past, threatening to upend his new life, resurrect his inner demons, and put the people he’s come to care about in the cross-hairs.
- GenresMystery
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2014
3 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Michael W. Smart
4 books11 followersMichael W Smart writes mystery and science fiction novels. A native New Yorker, he is an experienced blue water sailor and airplane pilot, two passions the protagonists in his novels also share. The Bequia Mysteries are set in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a tropical achipelago in the Eastern Caribbean where Michael lived and sailed for many years. He draws on these experiences to create intimate and lively portraits of the islands and the people surrounding these compelling mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 26, 2015
Dead Reckoning is easily the best indie book I’ve read in a very long time. With a strong, brooding main character endowed with a distinctive, self-assured voice, and vivid and poetic descriptions of both nature and sentiment, it is a tightly written mystery novel. I would even call it a spy/suspense novel, as it has flavours of other well-known espionage type books. The Bourne series comes to mind.
Smart knows his stuff. Whether it be sailing, flying, or island culture, it’s clear that he has intimate knowledge of them all. This adds a sense of authenticity to the story. As someone who hails from Québec, I was thrilled to note that Joleen, Gage’s love interest of Québecois roots, can curse with the best of us. And the island accents, which I also grew up with, brought about stabs of nostalgia. The mission-oriented parts also felt real, as the gear used and ‘shop-talk’ all come off as realistic.
I had difficulty with two things. The story opens with a very distinctive, tersely written style that felt truncated and left me disoriented. I had the feeling the abbreviated phrases were intended as a means of creating tension and, possibly, as a characteristic of the Gage’s inner thoughts. That said, as a whole, the writing is wonderfully rendered and carries the reader from page to page with ease, and it was the strength of the more traditional prose which enabled me to overcome the challenges faced at the opening.
The other issue is that I would have liked more action. There was a lot of dialogue, mission planning, mood/character establishing inner thinking, and smart inter-changes between characters, all of which were good. However, I wondered if those sections could have been trimmed in favour of more action-oriented scenes. The fight scenes are very well handled, choreographed in a way that is easy to follow, and the watching Gage take down the baddies was thrilling. I just wanted more.
Dead Reckoning is a must for anyone looking for an exciting, moody, mystery suspense story told from the point of view of a very compelling main character and played out in exotic locations. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.
Smart knows his stuff. Whether it be sailing, flying, or island culture, it’s clear that he has intimate knowledge of them all. This adds a sense of authenticity to the story. As someone who hails from Québec, I was thrilled to note that Joleen, Gage’s love interest of Québecois roots, can curse with the best of us. And the island accents, which I also grew up with, brought about stabs of nostalgia. The mission-oriented parts also felt real, as the gear used and ‘shop-talk’ all come off as realistic.
I had difficulty with two things. The story opens with a very distinctive, tersely written style that felt truncated and left me disoriented. I had the feeling the abbreviated phrases were intended as a means of creating tension and, possibly, as a characteristic of the Gage’s inner thoughts. That said, as a whole, the writing is wonderfully rendered and carries the reader from page to page with ease, and it was the strength of the more traditional prose which enabled me to overcome the challenges faced at the opening.
The other issue is that I would have liked more action. There was a lot of dialogue, mission planning, mood/character establishing inner thinking, and smart inter-changes between characters, all of which were good. However, I wondered if those sections could have been trimmed in favour of more action-oriented scenes. The fight scenes are very well handled, choreographed in a way that is easy to follow, and the watching Gage take down the baddies was thrilling. I just wanted more.
Dead Reckoning is a must for anyone looking for an exciting, moody, mystery suspense story told from the point of view of a very compelling main character and played out in exotic locations. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.
October 27, 2014
Full of mystery, suspense, and thrills!
Author Michael W. Smart gives readers a fresh voice as he delivers a fully developed story with Dead Reckoning, his debut novel. Descriptions so graphic you’ll feel the sea breezes of the Caribbean, taste the flavors of the local foods, and feel the sensations of earth, ocean, and sky. Mother Nature at her best! But that’s just the beginning. Most of all you’ll meet real-life characters that will take you deep into the unfolding drama of Dead Reckoning.
Smart fills his writing with edge-of-seat mystery, and since he gives his characters a wide berth, their behavior creates conflict and tension page after page. But Smart allows tidbits of humor to add flavor and realism to his plot.
The author has developed a winning character in Nicholas Gage who takes the lead, and has a history that arouses the reader’s curiosity and imagination of who he really is. The author unravels enough details to lay a thread to Deadeye, the second novel in the Bequia mystery series. Nicholas Gage is in a peer group that includes Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, John MacDonald’s Travis McGee, and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.
I wouldn’t dare spoil your read of Dead Reckoning by telling secrets of Nicholas Gage, but I’ll pass this one along. Gage has two love interests that divide his attentions, except when he can intimately enjoy both together. However one is a part of his soul, calming him, and the other stirs his emotions as she is out to claim his soul. Should I mention heart-felt drama at this point?
As if that isn’t enough excitement, Smart lets the undercurrents of the underworld shatter the tranquility of the restful resort world of the Caribbean Islands with deadly mischief, raising the threat level for everyone, and especially for Nicholas Gage, and who and what he treasures the most.
If you love the tranquility, and also the excitement of sailing the seas, then you’ll enjoy that extra bonus and thrill when you settle down to read Dead Reckoning, and Deadeye. Both hit the target of Five-Star reading entertainment.
Keep your writing pen filled with more mystery, suspense, and thrills, Mr. Smart. Give us more Gage!
Author Michael W. Smart gives readers a fresh voice as he delivers a fully developed story with Dead Reckoning, his debut novel. Descriptions so graphic you’ll feel the sea breezes of the Caribbean, taste the flavors of the local foods, and feel the sensations of earth, ocean, and sky. Mother Nature at her best! But that’s just the beginning. Most of all you’ll meet real-life characters that will take you deep into the unfolding drama of Dead Reckoning.
Smart fills his writing with edge-of-seat mystery, and since he gives his characters a wide berth, their behavior creates conflict and tension page after page. But Smart allows tidbits of humor to add flavor and realism to his plot.
The author has developed a winning character in Nicholas Gage who takes the lead, and has a history that arouses the reader’s curiosity and imagination of who he really is. The author unravels enough details to lay a thread to Deadeye, the second novel in the Bequia mystery series. Nicholas Gage is in a peer group that includes Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, John MacDonald’s Travis McGee, and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.
I wouldn’t dare spoil your read of Dead Reckoning by telling secrets of Nicholas Gage, but I’ll pass this one along. Gage has two love interests that divide his attentions, except when he can intimately enjoy both together. However one is a part of his soul, calming him, and the other stirs his emotions as she is out to claim his soul. Should I mention heart-felt drama at this point?
As if that isn’t enough excitement, Smart lets the undercurrents of the underworld shatter the tranquility of the restful resort world of the Caribbean Islands with deadly mischief, raising the threat level for everyone, and especially for Nicholas Gage, and who and what he treasures the most.
If you love the tranquility, and also the excitement of sailing the seas, then you’ll enjoy that extra bonus and thrill when you settle down to read Dead Reckoning, and Deadeye. Both hit the target of Five-Star reading entertainment.
Keep your writing pen filled with more mystery, suspense, and thrills, Mr. Smart. Give us more Gage!
March 22, 2015
At first there are two mysteries to solve: the attempted assassination of the Commisioner of Police, and the disappearance of a tourist, Natalie Holmes. Nicholas Gage feels that the two may be connected although he has no proof.
Mike Daniels' condition is critical, far more serious than the medical facilities on the island of Becquia can cope with. So Gage calls in some favors to get Daniels airlifted urgently to Miami. But that very act exposes Gage to threat, to exposure of what he retired from before he came to Becquia. And it exposes his friends to real danger.
On his return to the island Gage realises that he is being watched, and he sets up his own surveillance systems to protect his friends and loved ones, particularly his lover police Superintendent Jolene Johanssen.
Slowly bits of what Gage is hiding are revealed. The story is action packed, set against the beguiling waters of the Caribbean. There is a strong sense of place, a setting at once enchanting but also a cover to lethal activities including drug running.
Mike Daniels' condition is critical, far more serious than the medical facilities on the island of Becquia can cope with. So Gage calls in some favors to get Daniels airlifted urgently to Miami. But that very act exposes Gage to threat, to exposure of what he retired from before he came to Becquia. And it exposes his friends to real danger.
On his return to the island Gage realises that he is being watched, and he sets up his own surveillance systems to protect his friends and loved ones, particularly his lover police Superintendent Jolene Johanssen.
Slowly bits of what Gage is hiding are revealed. The story is action packed, set against the beguiling waters of the Caribbean. There is a strong sense of place, a setting at once enchanting but also a cover to lethal activities including drug running.
March 3, 2014
Dead Reckoning, the first installment in Michael Smart's Bequia Mysteries Series, begins on the Caribbean island of Bequia.
Nicholas Gage is a man with a secret past and tranquil Bequia is his new home. But when his good friend and Commissioner of Police Mike Daniels is shot down and a tourist disappears at the same time, Gage can't help but wonder if his past has caught up with him. Now he must risk his new life, friendships, and loves in order to find the person responsible.
In a style and voice reminiscent of a good hard-boiled mystery, Dead Reckoning delivers an intriguing story with a tough but appealing hero caught up in a high-stakes chase— all the right elements to keep you hooked and turning those pages till the end.
A good read indeed, and an exciting start to the Bequia Mysteries Series.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.
Nicholas Gage is a man with a secret past and tranquil Bequia is his new home. But when his good friend and Commissioner of Police Mike Daniels is shot down and a tourist disappears at the same time, Gage can't help but wonder if his past has caught up with him. Now he must risk his new life, friendships, and loves in order to find the person responsible.
In a style and voice reminiscent of a good hard-boiled mystery, Dead Reckoning delivers an intriguing story with a tough but appealing hero caught up in a high-stakes chase— all the right elements to keep you hooked and turning those pages till the end.
A good read indeed, and an exciting start to the Bequia Mysteries Series.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.
April 2, 2014
Just when he thought he was out, they pull him back in!
I had a hard time putting this book down. Every time I tried, I found myself picking it back up again so I could once again get immersed in the detailed world of the sights, sounds, smells, and vibe of the Caribbean that Michael Smarts has vividly painted. It felt like I was James Bond on a tropical vacation, one where I flew a Cessna and captained sailboats, dodging bad guys all the while.
The author really drops you in the middle of the action and right inside the protagonist's head as the character works to unravel the central mystery while also trying to keep his past from destroying everything he holds dear.
It was very well written. There is plenty of suspense and action, with some romance and drama. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a great thriller.
June 5, 2015
It is evident that the author is passionate about sailing and the Caribbean. In a setting described so well I could picture it in my head, the author has created a debut novel that is a page turning mystery full of suspense and tension.
The main character (Nicholas Gage) and those he loves are in ever-increasing danger from the Underworld who disrupt the peace of the islands and Gage’s life. Gage’s character develops well through the book, but there’s always a feeling that something is being held back or hidden about him. I think this is good as Gage features in more books and I wouldn’t want to know everything about him in this first one.
I liked how the author added in some humour and prepared readers for the next book in the series. An enjoyable first book by Michael Smart and his Bequia Mysteries.
The main character (Nicholas Gage) and those he loves are in ever-increasing danger from the Underworld who disrupt the peace of the islands and Gage’s life. Gage’s character develops well through the book, but there’s always a feeling that something is being held back or hidden about him. I think this is good as Gage features in more books and I wouldn’t want to know everything about him in this first one.
I liked how the author added in some humour and prepared readers for the next book in the series. An enjoyable first book by Michael Smart and his Bequia Mysteries.
July 10, 2016
The Bequia Mysteries series revolves around a mysterious man with a hidden background, a brilliant police detective, and a yacht anchored at the exotic Caribbean Island of Bequia (close to the setting of the hit TV show, Death in Paradise). Each book is told from a different character's point of view, allowing us as the reader to get to know the main actors intimately and carry that knowledge into the other books. I've never seen this before in a series (usually, the main character is the consistent main point of view) and I found it refreshing, bringing me closer to the action and emotions of all characters.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews