Green Flash at Sunset : A Novel

by Nic Schuck

In the tourist-filled streets of Key West, four lives are drawn together by the currents of chance. Janet, fleeing the suffocating grip of an abusive marriage, rediscovers a long-buried passion for art. Randall, a charter boat captain, battles financial ruin and the ghost of his past. Stacy, an aspiring songwriter, yearns for the breakthrough to transform her dreams into reality. And Eli, an escape artist facing the twilight of his career and fading vision, prepares himself for his final performance.

As their paths converge, each must confront the struggles that define them. But when a violent act threatens to shatter the fragile bonds they've forged, tragedy sets the stage for moments of unexpected triumph.

Green Flash at Sunset is a story of resilience, hope, and the search for freedom in facing life's harshest realities. On the shimmering shores of Key West, destinies intertwine in ways none of them could have foreseen, leaving an indelible mark on their lives and their hearts.

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Nic Schuck was born in Pensacola, Florida. He graduated with a MA in English from the University of West Florida. Prior to earning his MA, Nic spent ten years as a public school teacher. In 2012, he started his own business, Emerald Coast Tours, a historic tour company in Pensacola, Florida where he continues to lead tours. His debut novel, Native Moments, was published in 2016.

Reviews

[Thomas]

4 stars for a gritty book that looks at a dark side of Florida. Janet has fled an abusive marriage. Her husband beat her, took most of her earnings, and forced her to have abusive sex. There are two timelines: before Janet flees and after. The first timeline includes Janet's husband, Bobby Drexler, getting arrested for armed robbery. Janet flees Sullivan, in northern Florida, near the Alabama border, for Key West to stay with her high school friend Stacy. Stacy is an aspiring singer, performing at a local bar, where her friend Randall tends bar. Randall has his own demons to wrestle with. Then there is Eli, the owner of the house that they live in. He makes his living performing magic tricks, but has grown tired of doing it.
This book is also a story of resilience and hope. I liked the ending.
Thank You Nic Schuck for sending me this eBook through LibraryThing.

[Jason Allison]

Read this in two sittings while traveling yesterday, and had a blast. Schuck shows off the real Florida keys; none of Hiassen’s extreme wackiness. These characters—especially Randall and Eli—are B-I-G, but believable. Especially if you’ve visited the string of islands off Florida’s southern tip. The sentences pop and the mystery that’s backgrounded for the first act plays out slickly. Give me a sense of place and person and I’m hooked. Schuck does both.

[Scott Satterwhite]

An excellent addition to the body of Florida literature. Nic Schuck is a great writer, and I think this is his best work yet. From Panhandle to the Keys, the reader gets the feel of Florida in all of its contradictions. "Green Flash at Sunset" is a page turner and a really good read. Do yourself a favor and get this book.

[Izodrik D.]

I recently finished reading Nic Schuck’s Green Flash at Sunset. First, I felt the sensation one feels when they read something they wish they would have written, a world they wish they could have created. And I mean this in its truest, complementary sense. The story is rich and thrilling, taught and rhythmic and ultimately moving and redemptive. The characters are beautifully developed and fleshed out, their strengths and weaknesses, hopes and defeats evocatively and generously rendered. The familiar references and turns of phrase are impressive and satisfying. And, if you have a soft spot for anything or everything, Key West, and a penchant for great literary writers, musicians, and local, colorful history, you will discover countless tasty morsels. I recommend this book as a writer and a lover of fiction. And, most importantly, as a human being who appreciates art, story and the power of empathy.

[Gehrig Schultzman]

I had the pleasure of meeting Nic in Panama City, Florida. I had a lovely conversation with him and his wife, who are very nice people. Coincidentally, I’ve had quite the itch to begin reading more. The way the book was described (and my love for weather phenomenon) lead me to picking up a copy of this book. I can’t remember the last time I sat down with a book and couldn’t stop reading it, or even got frustrated because I had to stop to do my daily tasks in life. Nic’s syntax and diction sucks you into the book, making you feel any and all emotions. When I watch or read something and I can empathize and physically feel that emotion, I know the artist has done an amazing job. Why should I hate these fictional characters, feel bad for them, or happy for them? It is because of how intensely these characters were brought to life. I’m very excited to read his other novels.

[Annie Nassis]

This was a fun and compelling read that I enjoyed while sitting on the beaches in the Florida Keys. The characters are interesting and infamous. The storytelling and characters remind me of the characters in Jimmy Buffett’s fictional works. Schuck’s writing paints a realistic and colorful picture of life in Key West. I could envision the places the characters frequented.

[Scott Blackburn]

Green Flash at Sunset is a propulsive yet intimate tale of four characters seeking redemption along the haunting, beautiful shores of Key West. Schuck’s words ooze with authenticity in these pages that you’ll burn through until this novel’s eye-popping ending.

[Stephanie]

What a gritty slice of modern life. Schuck paints a picture of Florida not seen by the tourists. The reader wants Janet, Randall, Eli, and Stacy to be the winners even as they struggle against the lives they were given. This is a beautiful book.

[Shelley]

For various reasons, I will admit that my review is a bit biased. I thoroughly enjoyed this story as the places and characters were familiar yet still kept me guessing! By far, my favorite character was Randall and Schuck does a wonderful job leading the reader to question Randall's development and future outcomes. The ending seemed slightly abrupt, but that was likely due to my reading the novel on a Kindle and being too engrossed in the story to realize the ending was near! Definitely recommend this book, especially to anyone familiar with living in the Florida Panhandle or Keys!

[Texas]

GREEN FLASH AT SUNSET - An interesting read that immersed the reader into another world filled with dysfunction, survival, endurance, family, friends, and wrongs. A good variety of story lines and interesting, flawed characters set to a moving pace. The title grabbed my attention, which introduced me to another gotta read more of his works author. Source: LibraryThing. 5*