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The Secrets of Good People
A whirlwind romance. An impulsive marriage. A Floridian paradise. And a murder among friends in a twisty whodunit by Boo Walker, the bestselling author of The Stars Don’t Lie and An Echo in Time, and coauthor Peggy Shainberg.
On a tiny island off Paradiso, Florida, in 1970, neighbors gather to toast two new shy Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, who is taking over an old friend’s medical practice. It’s an intimate welcoming for the newlyweds, who have abandoned city life for swaying palms and an ocean breeze. But the morning after is anything but peaceful when Frank is found dead on the beach.
Detective Quentin Jones has his eyes on the island’s residents and the welcome party’s guest list. There’s the retiring doctor and host, as well as his nurse. Volatile marrieds Miriam and her husband, David, constantly at each other’s throats. The Carters, a strangely antisocial young couple. And Sylvie, a blind sculptor to whom Quentin lost his heart years ago.
But which one is a murderer? As the investigation unravels a close-knit group of friends, secrets are exposed—and more than one of them is worth killing for.
On a tiny island off Paradiso, Florida, in 1970, neighbors gather to toast two new shy Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, who is taking over an old friend’s medical practice. It’s an intimate welcoming for the newlyweds, who have abandoned city life for swaying palms and an ocean breeze. But the morning after is anything but peaceful when Frank is found dead on the beach.
Detective Quentin Jones has his eyes on the island’s residents and the welcome party’s guest list. There’s the retiring doctor and host, as well as his nurse. Volatile marrieds Miriam and her husband, David, constantly at each other’s throats. The Carters, a strangely antisocial young couple. And Sylvie, a blind sculptor to whom Quentin lost his heart years ago.
But which one is a murderer? As the investigation unravels a close-knit group of friends, secrets are exposed—and more than one of them is worth killing for.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2025
2256 people are currently reading
9978 people want to read
About the author
Boo Walker
17 books1,213 followersBestselling author Boo Walker initially tapped his creative muse as a songwriter and banjoist in Nashville before working his way west to Washington State, where he bought a gentleman’s farm on the Yakima River. It was there amongst the grapevines and wine barrels that he fell in love with telling stories that now resonate with book clubs around the world. Rich with colorful characters and boundless soul, his novels will leave you with an open heart and a lifted spirit.
Always a wanderer, Boo currently lives in Valencia, Spain with his wife and son. He also writes thrillers under the pen name Benjamin Blackmore. You can find him at boowalker.com and benjaminblackmore.com.
For a free copy of his Red Mountain cookbook, updates, and other goodies, sign up for his newsletter at boowalker.com.
Always a wanderer, Boo currently lives in Valencia, Spain with his wife and son. He also writes thrillers under the pen name Benjamin Blackmore. You can find him at boowalker.com and benjaminblackmore.com.
For a free copy of his Red Mountain cookbook, updates, and other goodies, sign up for his newsletter at boowalker.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
March 26, 2025
2 Stars
One Liner: Didn’t work for me
1970, Florida
Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, arrive at the tiny island of Paradiso for Frank to take over the local practice from a friend. The couple attends a welcome party arranged in their honor, only for Frank to end up dead by the next morning.
Detective Quentin Jones is assigned to the case and immediately realizes that nothing is as it seems. Everyone is hiding a secret and could have a motive. He has to find them all to identify the killer.
The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters.
My Thoughts:
This is my first book by the author, and maybe I didn’t pick the right one.
Since I’m new to the writing style, I took my time to settle into it. Of course, the pacing was also slooow, so it’s not as if I could rush anyway. However, the narration didn’t improve as the story progressed.
While the characters were rather distinct and colorful, none of them made much impact. I could feel sad for Mariam for a while, but even that didn’t last. Sylvia was annoying when she should have been inspiring. Something about her cheerfulness seemed fake and forced.
Catherine had potential like David. She did manage to make a better impression in the last quarter, but it was too late by then.
The inspector, Jones, was so darn annoying. For all the talk about him being good at his job, the dude was pretty clueless and hormonal like a teenager. Though the book was set in the 70s when the police didn’t have a lot of modern technology, the mystery was pretty boring. Given that he was trained for the job, much of it sounded like amateur sleuthing.
I did like the various backstories and the setting. But that’s it, I guess. It’s not often that I debate on DNFing a book multiple times. I would have if this wasn't an ARC.
The detailed author’s note was quite informative and helped me understand why the book ended up the way it was. As much as I admire and respect the emotions and hard work that went into the project, I can’t say I enjoyed the end product. Sorry!
To summarize, The Secrets of Good People is a slow-burn mystery with an interesting premise. A lot about the book didn’t work for me, but it may give better results for you. Check out the other reviews too.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheSecretsOfGoodPeople
One Liner: Didn’t work for me
1970, Florida
Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, arrive at the tiny island of Paradiso for Frank to take over the local practice from a friend. The couple attends a welcome party arranged in their honor, only for Frank to end up dead by the next morning.
Detective Quentin Jones is assigned to the case and immediately realizes that nothing is as it seems. Everyone is hiding a secret and could have a motive. He has to find them all to identify the killer.
The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters.
My Thoughts:
This is my first book by the author, and maybe I didn’t pick the right one.
Since I’m new to the writing style, I took my time to settle into it. Of course, the pacing was also slooow, so it’s not as if I could rush anyway. However, the narration didn’t improve as the story progressed.
While the characters were rather distinct and colorful, none of them made much impact. I could feel sad for Mariam for a while, but even that didn’t last. Sylvia was annoying when she should have been inspiring. Something about her cheerfulness seemed fake and forced.
Catherine had potential like David. She did manage to make a better impression in the last quarter, but it was too late by then.
The inspector, Jones, was so darn annoying. For all the talk about him being good at his job, the dude was pretty clueless and hormonal like a teenager. Though the book was set in the 70s when the police didn’t have a lot of modern technology, the mystery was pretty boring. Given that he was trained for the job, much of it sounded like amateur sleuthing.
I did like the various backstories and the setting. But that’s it, I guess. It’s not often that I debate on DNFing a book multiple times. I would have if this wasn't an ARC.
The detailed author’s note was quite informative and helped me understand why the book ended up the way it was. As much as I admire and respect the emotions and hard work that went into the project, I can’t say I enjoyed the end product. Sorry!
To summarize, The Secrets of Good People is a slow-burn mystery with an interesting premise. A lot about the book didn’t work for me, but it may give better results for you. Check out the other reviews too.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheSecretsOfGoodPeople
March 18, 2025
The history of this story and its journey to publication was for me as interesting as the narrative! I couldn’t tell where one writer had finished and another had taken over. I was wrapped up in a story about radical changes and characters who are able to turn their lives on a dime when the opportunity presented itself. I liked how the authors led readers to question motives and intent and I enjoyed a great mystery. I couldn’t predict the killer.
I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 12, 2025
" Not many people find a home, the place where their souls vibrate. Her
journey had hurt, but she’d made it, nonetheless. Bad things had happened
in her world. Bad things that she could never properly forget. But there
were good things ahead and good people here "
journey had hurt, but she’d made it, nonetheless. Bad things had happened
in her world. Bad things that she could never properly forget. But there
were good things ahead and good people here "
October 2, 2025
A very different and interesting mystery.
November 11, 2024
This was a mystery/thriller set in the 1970's, which I thought was a super cool time period (due to the atmosphere built into that period) to set this type of book. And it happens in Florida...and we all know how much weird stuff happens in Florida, so that was super fitting.
Unfortunately, I didn't find this to be all that exciting or interesting. You are thrown right into the meat of the story (the murder mystery) right away, but I still felt like it was quite slow. I prefer my mystery/thriller reads to be interesting and engrossing the entire time, I want to be kept on the edge of my seat.
This was pretty okay, not bad, but not amazing, so I didn't find it to be super satisfying the way I like for this kind of book to be.
There was an interesting and diverse cast of characters which I think did add to the atmosphere of this book, but I just wanted more from it. But it is pretty short, so you could probably knock it out in a day if you wanted to!
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Unfortunately, I didn't find this to be all that exciting or interesting. You are thrown right into the meat of the story (the murder mystery) right away, but I still felt like it was quite slow. I prefer my mystery/thriller reads to be interesting and engrossing the entire time, I want to be kept on the edge of my seat.
This was pretty okay, not bad, but not amazing, so I didn't find it to be super satisfying the way I like for this kind of book to be.
There was an interesting and diverse cast of characters which I think did add to the atmosphere of this book, but I just wanted more from it. But it is pretty short, so you could probably knock it out in a day if you wanted to!
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
June 11, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
I didn’t care for the narrators of the audiobook and I don’t think the story itself would have held my attention as a physical book to finish the book. I did finish the book as an audio though .
The murder weapon was waaaay too obvious when it’s mentioned 50 million time in a single chapter. The author’s note mentioned the original manuscript was an Agatha Christie like novel, which might explain that and several other details.
Decent plot but just not my style of mystery I guess.
I didn’t care for the narrators of the audiobook and I don’t think the story itself would have held my attention as a physical book to finish the book. I did finish the book as an audio though .
The murder weapon was waaaay too obvious when it’s mentioned 50 million time in a single chapter. The author’s note mentioned the original manuscript was an Agatha Christie like novel, which might explain that and several other details.
Decent plot but just not my style of mystery I guess.
May 2, 2025
The audio just wasn’t for me. Maybe I’ll try reading it with my eyeballs idk.
April 14, 2025
A newlywed couple moves to a small island off the coast of Florida, only for the husband to end up dead the next morning. Detective Quentin Jones investigates their neighbors and friends at a welcoming party, uncovering secrets and potential motives for murder among the close-knit group.
This book was a rollercoaster of twisted and complicated emotions, hitting you like a ton of bricks! The past came back to haunt the characters in a big way, with an ending and twist that left my jaw on the floor.
As a newbie to these authors, I couldn't resist diving into this highly talked-about read. The pace started off a bit slow for me, but boy did it pick up steam. The main character was a likable and intelligent individual, making for a winning combination. It felt like I was reading a classic mystery novel with a cast of characters that were easy to keep track of. Some characters were a bit hard to warm up to, coming off as flat and uninteresting.
If you're a fan of books that keep you guessing, filled with complicated secrets, and even more complicated relationships, then this one's for you. The premise was intriguing, and the execution was spot-on. Trust me, you won't be able to put this one down!
Thank you, Lake Union Publishing, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was a rollercoaster of twisted and complicated emotions, hitting you like a ton of bricks! The past came back to haunt the characters in a big way, with an ending and twist that left my jaw on the floor.
As a newbie to these authors, I couldn't resist diving into this highly talked-about read. The pace started off a bit slow for me, but boy did it pick up steam. The main character was a likable and intelligent individual, making for a winning combination. It felt like I was reading a classic mystery novel with a cast of characters that were easy to keep track of. Some characters were a bit hard to warm up to, coming off as flat and uninteresting.
If you're a fan of books that keep you guessing, filled with complicated secrets, and even more complicated relationships, then this one's for you. The premise was intriguing, and the execution was spot-on. Trust me, you won't be able to put this one down!
Thank you, Lake Union Publishing, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 31, 2025
This wasn’t what I was expecting but like in a good way. This was a good quick read, there’s mystery, murder, a rushed marriage and the suspect slips right under your nose.
I enjoyed this! I’ve been trying to read more of a variety and I found this at the right time.
I enjoyed this! I’ve been trying to read more of a variety and I found this at the right time.
November 11, 2025
I enjoyed this! I didn’t know where exactly it was going until the end and it tied up nicely.
February 20, 2025
This book was started by Peggy Shainberg and was presented to Boo Walker by family members of Peggy in the hopes that he would finish the story. It was a very entertaining “Whodunnit” story set in Florida with a set of quirky cast members. I enjoyed trying to figure it out and spent an entire snow day stuck in the house reading it to see how it all played out. If you are a fan of Boo Walker, you will enjoy reading this, as this isn’t his typical genre.
Thank you to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an early eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an early eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 17, 2025
I have really enjoyed this authors books in the past. This was disappointing and I had to slog through to the end. Kept hoping it would get better.
March 12, 2025
In her late thirties, Catherine grew up in foster homes and has never felt loved. She works in Chicago as a medical illustrator (she does the drawings in textbooks and sometimes for autopsies). She's sitting in her booth one day at a medical conference when she meets Dr. Frank Overlook who happens to be writing a medical textbook. It's over a year later when Catherine meets Frank again, but this time he's come to get to know her and persuade her to marry him. After a whirlwind two-week romance, they marry in the morning and then fly to Florida where Frank has accepted a new job working with his old medical school friend, Dr. Sandy Westerling.
When the newlyweds arrive on Osprey Island in February 1970, they are immediately whisked away to a welcome party with just the inhabitants of the island. At the party Catherine has too much champagne, but Frank stays apart from the crowd and acts sullen all night. In the morning Catherine wakes up and realizes that Frank never came to bed. Embarrassed at her own over-indulgence on her wedding night, she prepares a quick breakfast for them both and calls to Frank from the back porch, assuming he's gone fishing. Instead, she hears a scream from the water where one of the local residents she met last night has just discovered a body. Dr. Frank Overlook is dead and everyone on the island, including his new bride, are suspects. Detective Quentin Jones from the mainland is called in to investigate.
The mystery itself is compelling and the cast of characters is diverse and intriguing. Still, the middle of the book dragged for me. It started strong, then lagged, then came back strong at the end. I enjoyed the twist, which I did not see coming. I was annoyed in the middle by Jones because the only way the reader knew he was a good detective is because he kept telling everyone so. I really saw no evidence of that throughout the book. His one important quality as a detective was persistence.
The other characters were mostly sympathetic, except David Arnett, but he wasn't supposed to be. I found myself enjoying Catherine's character development, but being annoyed by how long it was taking for the huge amounts of secrets the island inhabitants had to be revealed.
The book could have been a bit shorter, there were several side characters from the mainland that were pointless to include. It felt a bit like Agatha Christie in that the reader was amassing the clues along with the detective.
Overall, it was a fun mystery and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or police procedurals.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
When the newlyweds arrive on Osprey Island in February 1970, they are immediately whisked away to a welcome party with just the inhabitants of the island. At the party Catherine has too much champagne, but Frank stays apart from the crowd and acts sullen all night. In the morning Catherine wakes up and realizes that Frank never came to bed. Embarrassed at her own over-indulgence on her wedding night, she prepares a quick breakfast for them both and calls to Frank from the back porch, assuming he's gone fishing. Instead, she hears a scream from the water where one of the local residents she met last night has just discovered a body. Dr. Frank Overlook is dead and everyone on the island, including his new bride, are suspects. Detective Quentin Jones from the mainland is called in to investigate.
The mystery itself is compelling and the cast of characters is diverse and intriguing. Still, the middle of the book dragged for me. It started strong, then lagged, then came back strong at the end. I enjoyed the twist, which I did not see coming. I was annoyed in the middle by Jones because the only way the reader knew he was a good detective is because he kept telling everyone so. I really saw no evidence of that throughout the book. His one important quality as a detective was persistence.
The other characters were mostly sympathetic, except David Arnett, but he wasn't supposed to be. I found myself enjoying Catherine's character development, but being annoyed by how long it was taking for the huge amounts of secrets the island inhabitants had to be revealed.
The book could have been a bit shorter, there were several side characters from the mainland that were pointless to include. It felt a bit like Agatha Christie in that the reader was amassing the clues along with the detective.
Overall, it was a fun mystery and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or police procedurals.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 24, 2025
2,5 stars, because it's not a bad book per se, it's just so overstretched, this could be a 100-pages novella.
The story is super slow, it's like watching custard forming drops and eventually dripping sometime next week. The feeling of the island that you get is not that of a paradise, but of people who pretend to be nice, whereas none of them is nice. And finally, Detective Jones keeps saying that he is really good at his job and he will find the killer, it's just a matter of time. Well, truth to be told, he is not good. He is the most passive and characterless detective in the history. He does nothing, has no information whatsoever, talks a lot, smokes a lot, and nothing happens, literally. We see two events that push the story forward in the entire book! The first is at the beginning, and the next happens at exactly 50%. Then there's nothing happening, just a lot of meaningless text, and then Mr. Jones out of the blue figures out the mystery. The end.
The story is super slow, it's like watching custard forming drops and eventually dripping sometime next week. The feeling of the island that you get is not that of a paradise, but of people who pretend to be nice, whereas none of them is nice. And finally, Detective Jones keeps saying that he is really good at his job and he will find the killer, it's just a matter of time. Well, truth to be told, he is not good. He is the most passive and characterless detective in the history. He does nothing, has no information whatsoever, talks a lot, smokes a lot, and nothing happens, literally. We see two events that push the story forward in the entire book! The first is at the beginning, and the next happens at exactly 50%. Then there's nothing happening, just a lot of meaningless text, and then Mr. Jones out of the blue figures out the mystery. The end.
April 24, 2025
This book was so well written! I really enjoyed the writing style and how the story of each character is interwoven into the plot and how it informs the various shades in their characters. I found myself yelling at my screen because of the truly terrible timing some of the characters had with dropping bombshell secrets they’d been hiding 😅 I was on the edge of my seat just waiting to find out what happens next. I was really surprised by the twist. The story is executed very well in my opinion. I could not put it down. I love mystery books and books like these just make the reading experience so enjoyable and worth it. I would definitely recommend this book!
July 29, 2025
This book was an unfinished work started by a woman born in 1928, Peggy Shainberg. Boo Radley met with her daughters to finish the book. I think that shows in the style of writing. It reminds me a bit of Agatha Christie. It took me a minute to get used to the writing, which is different from many murder mysteries of today. I’m glad I gave it a chance, because I loved it. The characters were complex and compelling, and I was never quite sure who to suspect.
The only thing that bothers me is the new character introduced in the last chapter- Dr. Willoughby. The name sounds familiar, but I can’t seem to find it while skimming back through the chapters. Does that name appear earlier in the book? Help 🧐
The only thing that bothers me is the new character introduced in the last chapter- Dr. Willoughby. The name sounds familiar, but I can’t seem to find it while skimming back through the chapters. Does that name appear earlier in the book? Help 🧐
February 25, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this arc. I hate to rate this book at such a low rating, but this just wasn’t it. I love boo walkers writing, but this just drug so badly. We have a large amount of characters which makes it very interesting hearing everyone’s POV on who-done-it, etc…but as a mystery-suspense type book, I expect to be excited and ready to see what’s going to happen next, but I was truly disappointed. I just don’t think I’m a fan of his “mystery” type books. When I read his work, I’ll stick to his other work.
October 14, 2025
[4.75/5] Absolutely love this one! The co-writers collaborated beautifully and the Author’s Note in the end about the unexpected collab is certainly worth the read.
Each character plays a role in the storyline, and I LOVE that. No character is merely a filler. From the very beginning, this 1970s story grabbed me. The unusual dynamic between Catherine Thomas [37] & Frank Overbrook [50s] struck me. It was refreshing and felt so real. I was so invested in their lives only for it to all change in one wild evening.
The various POVs added so much depth and kept me curious and suspicious about every character. While I’m not a fan of 3rd person writing styles, this one is done well. Detective Quinton Jones [28] keeps consistency throughout, and I liked getting his perspective and backstory while he investigates the murder. The closure in the end is exactly what I needed as a reader, and the Author’s Note was the icing on the cake.
Such a good read!
Each character plays a role in the storyline, and I LOVE that. No character is merely a filler. From the very beginning, this 1970s story grabbed me. The unusual dynamic between Catherine Thomas [37] & Frank Overbrook [50s] struck me. It was refreshing and felt so real. I was so invested in their lives only for it to all change in one wild evening.
The various POVs added so much depth and kept me curious and suspicious about every character. While I’m not a fan of 3rd person writing styles, this one is done well. Detective Quinton Jones [28] keeps consistency throughout, and I liked getting his perspective and backstory while he investigates the murder. The closure in the end is exactly what I needed as a reader, and the Author’s Note was the icing on the cake.
Such a good read!
April 9, 2025
most excellent mystery
The Secrets of Good People kept me up reading two nights in a row. If I could have I wouldn’t have put it down.
It’s a mystery that doesn’t quit The characters are vibrant and alive with energy, personality and secrets. If you like a good mystery, read this one . Highly recommended.
The Secrets of Good People kept me up reading two nights in a row. If I could have I wouldn’t have put it down.
It’s a mystery that doesn’t quit The characters are vibrant and alive with energy, personality and secrets. If you like a good mystery, read this one . Highly recommended.
April 13, 2025
A pleasant surprise!
Well, Boo Walker, after reading all your books to date…….The Secrets of Good People was a pleasant surprise and a great adventure. Thank you.
Well, Boo Walker, after reading all your books to date…….The Secrets of Good People was a pleasant surprise and a great adventure. Thank you.
June 4, 2025
This was quite alright! Slow at times, though. I think it could have been shorter.
September 21, 2025
Not one of my favorites, really only started getting into it towards the end
October 20, 2025
My first book by Boo Walker and it will not be my last. The Secrets of Good People was a great murder mystery thriller that had me guessing all the way through. I really liked the main detective, Quentin Jones. He sure knew “his stuff”. This was a real winner for me!
January 18, 2026
I did like this book, but there were a lot of characters, a lot of back grounds. It took me a really long time to remember everything about everyone. I usually like a good whodunnit, and this was good. Just wasn’t my favorite. I will give the author another try though!
June 9, 2025
So good! I need. Sequel!!!
June 4, 2025
This book. The story absolutely drags on and is much longer than it needs to. The storyline where the detective is the former student of the now blind former art teacher was uncomfortable, especially when they end up together at the end. The book was weird but didn't see the end coming so there's that. One of those books that I wanted to love but didn't like at all
October 19, 2025
Excellent story and writing.
April 4, 2025
Having read a number of this author's other books and thoroughly enjoyed them, I had high expectations that this book would be a solid read. We see a taciturn older man (doctor by trade) marry a younger woman (graphic illustrator) in an expedited fashion, setting off to Florida to help with his friend's medical practice. However, within the first days, the man is found killed in the Gulf waters near their house. The detective is a young man who is determined to investigate this murder and continually grills each suspect, including a former teacher of his on whom he had a crush. While the cast of characters is interesting, the story drags, which is not typical for a murder mystery, one that normally offers intrigue and tension. More life needed to be infused across the board to draw the reader in and keep their attention. It should be noted that the author's other books are very popular with book clubs. Reading the author's acknowledgements at the end will enlighten readers as to how this particular story came to be. Could have been better.
September 16, 2025
On a quiet Florida island in 1970, Catherine and Dr. Frank Overbrook are warmly welcomed by their neighbors at a small gathering. But their fresh start takes a dark turn when Frank is found dead the next morning. Detective Quentin Jones steps in to investigate, uncovering secrets among the guests, from a retiring doctor and his nurse to a fiery couple, a reclusive young pair, and a blind sculptor from Quentin’s past. Each character has hidden motives, and the tension builds as small clues hint at the truth behind Frank’s death.
The book’s writing is smooth and easy to follow, and the story feels like a nod to Agatha Christie, with everyone a suspect and the detective piecing things together alongside the reader. While the pace slows at times and some characters’ suspicious behavior feels overdone, the short length keeps the story from dragging. The big reveal in the final chapters ties everything together in a satisfying way.
The book’s writing is smooth and easy to follow, and the story feels like a nod to Agatha Christie, with everyone a suspect and the detective piecing things together alongside the reader. While the pace slows at times and some characters’ suspicious behavior feels overdone, the short length keeps the story from dragging. The big reveal in the final chapters ties everything together in a satisfying way.
June 7, 2025
Boo Walker Can Write!
What a wonderful story. It’s a murder mystery, a love story, and is set in a Paradise that no longer exists - Florida in the early 70s. There is Catherine, the abused, reclusive painter who has a chance meeting with a doctor, Frank, who is likely Autistic and with whom she falls in love. They have a whirlwind fast courtship, marry and move to Florida. There is Sandy, the leader of the island and the med school friend that Frank will work with. There’s Sylvie, the blind sculptor who befriends a Catherine right away. All these folks along with Miriam, David, and the mysterious young couple that live in a secluded house and don’t socialize. It’s a very eclectic group.
Who gets killed? Who was the killer? Who will fall in love, or stay in love? The plot will keep you guessing as you get to know these very real feeling people.
What a wonderful story. It’s a murder mystery, a love story, and is set in a Paradise that no longer exists - Florida in the early 70s. There is Catherine, the abused, reclusive painter who has a chance meeting with a doctor, Frank, who is likely Autistic and with whom she falls in love. They have a whirlwind fast courtship, marry and move to Florida. There is Sandy, the leader of the island and the med school friend that Frank will work with. There’s Sylvie, the blind sculptor who befriends a Catherine right away. All these folks along with Miriam, David, and the mysterious young couple that live in a secluded house and don’t socialize. It’s a very eclectic group.
Who gets killed? Who was the killer? Who will fall in love, or stay in love? The plot will keep you guessing as you get to know these very real feeling people.
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