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Liz Adams Mysteries #3
Two Headed Snake of Key West: Liz Adams Mysteries
Seeking adventure, Liz and Garret Adams leave their home port, Mystic, Connecticut, and sail their 36-foot sloop to Florida. The fiery orb melts across the horizon, cannons rumble, cheers resound, and the partying begins as Sloopy sails into Key West harbor.
Malevolence brews amid rustling palms and tropical breezes. Runaway wife, underworld trackers, predator, priest, and friend comprise the cast. Greed, power, and jealousy cause brittle relationships to snap. Liz’s uncontrollable psychic powers kick into gear, thrusting the unsuspecting sailors into a race to save a friend from unjust incarceration.
Malevolence brews amid rustling palms and tropical breezes. Runaway wife, underworld trackers, predator, priest, and friend comprise the cast. Greed, power, and jealousy cause brittle relationships to snap. Liz’s uncontrollable psychic powers kick into gear, thrusting the unsuspecting sailors into a race to save a friend from unjust incarceration.
- GenresMystery
Audible Audio
First published January 28, 2014
4 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Dalla Valle
10 books355 followersA Connecticut native, Marilyn Dalla Valle lives in Williamsburg, Virginia with her rambunctious Sheltie, Randy. Together they play ball, go for long walks and frequent the shore.
Dance Instructor for 5 years and professional photographer for 30, when her two sons left the nest, Ms. Dalla Valle decided it was time to write. A fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Clive Cussler and Sue Grafton, the genre she chose had to be mystery with a twist of adventure.
In March 2000, Murder in Mystic, the first in a mystery series, was e-published at Zeus Publications. Within two months it rose to #2 on the bestseller list, was editor’s choice for October and was nominated for the Frankfurt E-book Awards.
Murder in Newport, second in the series, was e-published in August 2000 and hit #7 on the bestseller list within two weeks. By January 2001, it switched places with Murder in Mystic.
These books are now available on Amazon Kindle, Amazon books and for order at your local bookstore. Murder in Mystic and Murder in Newport Audiobooks are offered at Audible.com, Amazon.com and iTunes.
Two Headed Snake of Key West was published January 28, 2014, followed by Murder in Galveston, published November 2017. Both are available in paperback, Kindle and audio formats.
In February 2021, Westwind Secrets was published in paperback and Kindle formats.
Dance Instructor for 5 years and professional photographer for 30, when her two sons left the nest, Ms. Dalla Valle decided it was time to write. A fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Clive Cussler and Sue Grafton, the genre she chose had to be mystery with a twist of adventure.
In March 2000, Murder in Mystic, the first in a mystery series, was e-published at Zeus Publications. Within two months it rose to #2 on the bestseller list, was editor’s choice for October and was nominated for the Frankfurt E-book Awards.
Murder in Newport, second in the series, was e-published in August 2000 and hit #7 on the bestseller list within two weeks. By January 2001, it switched places with Murder in Mystic.
These books are now available on Amazon Kindle, Amazon books and for order at your local bookstore. Murder in Mystic and Murder in Newport Audiobooks are offered at Audible.com, Amazon.com and iTunes.
Two Headed Snake of Key West was published January 28, 2014, followed by Murder in Galveston, published November 2017. Both are available in paperback, Kindle and audio formats.
In February 2021, Westwind Secrets was published in paperback and Kindle formats.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 3, 2014
Reviewed by Angelica Bentley (for The Kindle Book Review).
A fast-moving tale with lots of unexpected developments that succeeded in keeping my interest throughout. The three different plot lines were brought together with aplomb and the final, pivotal twist was well executed and provided a satisfying ending to this light-hearted adventure story with a dash of romance.
The story opens in a luxurious home in Virginia. Margaret, a wealthy but much neglected wife, has planned a 15th wedding anniversary intimate dinner that, she hopes, will rekindle the love she still feels for her business tycoon husband. Edward, on the other hand, is seemingly so wrapped up in his wheeling and dealing that he once again lets her down. The romantic get-away that was to follow is now also in jeopardy. It is the last straw and Maggie feels she cannot take any more. Heart-broken but determined to reclaim some of her independence, she looks at the packed suitcases and decides to run away alone. At the airport, on a whim, she buys a ticket for Key West and on disembarking bumps into a handsome young man who affects her strangely.
The adventure that follows takes the reader to a remote and secret compound that would feel right at home in a James Bond movie, and to the picturesque harbour-side community of Conch Harbor, in Key West.
Marilyn dalla Valle has created characters that come to life through lively dialogue, putting the reader very much in the heart of the action. There is a good range of personalities but, if I were to find fault, it would be that Marilyn seems to expect her readers to be inattentive and feels the need to lead them a bit much by the nose. Her characters end up being a little one-dimensional and black-and-white. However, this is an intrigue action tale, not a psychological thriller, so for most people who like an undemanding fast read, it might actually be helpful to have things made very clear to them. I just felt that a writer with such skill might risk a bit more ambiguity.
Although Maggie is the protagonist of her own adventure, this is a Liz Adams mystery (the third in the series) and so we soon meet the lady herself, Liz, possibly the most complex character in the book. At 50 something, retired and fancy-free, Liz and her charming husband, Garret, are indulging in the dream of a lifetime sailing their 36-foot sailboat “Sloopy” from their home base of Mystic, Connecticut all the way to the Florida Keys. I loved how the relationship between Liz and Garret is portrayed, they are a real team, full of banter and good-natured bickering but deeply in love. This is as good a depiction of romance between mature adults as I have come across. The rest of the supporting cast are strongly portrayed and make for interesting interactions with the main characters.
The marine setting demands the use of many technical terms that reflect the author's love of the sea and sailing but for me the specific descriptions only added to the realism of the story. I feel this novel fully deserves five stars because of the excellent balance between action, dialogue and character development and the fact that it successfully stands alone, although it is part of a series. That in itself is a delicate skill. This book's great strength is that it is suitable for the widest audience. There is murder, some violence, discreet references to sex both hereto and homo and adultery, but it is so delicately handled that I can't imagine anyone being upset by any of the content. A thoroughly charming and enjoyable tale that has left me wanting to read more Liz Adams mysteries.
The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.
A fast-moving tale with lots of unexpected developments that succeeded in keeping my interest throughout. The three different plot lines were brought together with aplomb and the final, pivotal twist was well executed and provided a satisfying ending to this light-hearted adventure story with a dash of romance.
The story opens in a luxurious home in Virginia. Margaret, a wealthy but much neglected wife, has planned a 15th wedding anniversary intimate dinner that, she hopes, will rekindle the love she still feels for her business tycoon husband. Edward, on the other hand, is seemingly so wrapped up in his wheeling and dealing that he once again lets her down. The romantic get-away that was to follow is now also in jeopardy. It is the last straw and Maggie feels she cannot take any more. Heart-broken but determined to reclaim some of her independence, she looks at the packed suitcases and decides to run away alone. At the airport, on a whim, she buys a ticket for Key West and on disembarking bumps into a handsome young man who affects her strangely.
The adventure that follows takes the reader to a remote and secret compound that would feel right at home in a James Bond movie, and to the picturesque harbour-side community of Conch Harbor, in Key West.
Marilyn dalla Valle has created characters that come to life through lively dialogue, putting the reader very much in the heart of the action. There is a good range of personalities but, if I were to find fault, it would be that Marilyn seems to expect her readers to be inattentive and feels the need to lead them a bit much by the nose. Her characters end up being a little one-dimensional and black-and-white. However, this is an intrigue action tale, not a psychological thriller, so for most people who like an undemanding fast read, it might actually be helpful to have things made very clear to them. I just felt that a writer with such skill might risk a bit more ambiguity.
Although Maggie is the protagonist of her own adventure, this is a Liz Adams mystery (the third in the series) and so we soon meet the lady herself, Liz, possibly the most complex character in the book. At 50 something, retired and fancy-free, Liz and her charming husband, Garret, are indulging in the dream of a lifetime sailing their 36-foot sailboat “Sloopy” from their home base of Mystic, Connecticut all the way to the Florida Keys. I loved how the relationship between Liz and Garret is portrayed, they are a real team, full of banter and good-natured bickering but deeply in love. This is as good a depiction of romance between mature adults as I have come across. The rest of the supporting cast are strongly portrayed and make for interesting interactions with the main characters.
The marine setting demands the use of many technical terms that reflect the author's love of the sea and sailing but for me the specific descriptions only added to the realism of the story. I feel this novel fully deserves five stars because of the excellent balance between action, dialogue and character development and the fact that it successfully stands alone, although it is part of a series. That in itself is a delicate skill. This book's great strength is that it is suitable for the widest audience. There is murder, some violence, discreet references to sex both hereto and homo and adultery, but it is so delicately handled that I can't imagine anyone being upset by any of the content. A thoroughly charming and enjoyable tale that has left me wanting to read more Liz Adams mysteries.
The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.
July 28, 2014
(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I think I'd ideally give this book 3.5 stars. I can't quite give it 4 stars, but it was entertaining enough that I can't just leave it at 3 stars.
When I originally read the blurb of this book, it sounded quite intriguing. I wasn't sure how Margaret at the start fit in with everything, but it made sense as the book went on.
The characters were interesting and I particularly liked Liz's psychic powers. I also really liked her relationship with her husband. It was nice to see him so supportive of her and how much he understood her visions and feelings.
Although this book wasn't the first in the series, I was still able to understand what was going on and the characters. I didn't, however, feel that there was a lot of character growth in the book. It was like the events happened, but nothing affected any changes to the characters.
I also think that the book could have benefited from being a bit longer. The mystery aspect would have worked a bit better with more foreshadowing. Although the book was interesting, I would have liked to see a bit more development and how the events changed the characters.
I did notice a number of errors in the writing, but it didn't affect how fast I read the book. It was an interesting book to read, but I'm not sure if I'd read the other books in this series. I'd have to judge that on a book-by-book basis.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I think I'd ideally give this book 3.5 stars. I can't quite give it 4 stars, but it was entertaining enough that I can't just leave it at 3 stars.
When I originally read the blurb of this book, it sounded quite intriguing. I wasn't sure how Margaret at the start fit in with everything, but it made sense as the book went on.
The characters were interesting and I particularly liked Liz's psychic powers. I also really liked her relationship with her husband. It was nice to see him so supportive of her and how much he understood her visions and feelings.
Although this book wasn't the first in the series, I was still able to understand what was going on and the characters. I didn't, however, feel that there was a lot of character growth in the book. It was like the events happened, but nothing affected any changes to the characters.
I also think that the book could have benefited from being a bit longer. The mystery aspect would have worked a bit better with more foreshadowing. Although the book was interesting, I would have liked to see a bit more development and how the events changed the characters.
I did notice a number of errors in the writing, but it didn't affect how fast I read the book. It was an interesting book to read, but I'm not sure if I'd read the other books in this series. I'd have to judge that on a book-by-book basis.
August 13, 2014
"Two Headed Snake of Key West" is the ideal book to take on your next vacation. It's a light-hearted, easy read with entertaining characters.
Liz and Garret Adams are the central protagonists. Immediately the reader will notice the fondness this couple shares with each other. The fact that Liz has some psychic abilities is just one more thing that makes Garret love her.
Liz and Garret decide to sail from their base of Mystic, Connecticut to Key West Florida for an adventure. Once they arrive, the fun starts.
The reader is presented with a group well described, interesting characters. Meg is attempting to escape from an autocratic, abusive husband and she's a person with whom the reader can easily sympathise with. Jonathan, a friend of the Adams from Mystic, is trying to understand how the man he loves can be interested in someone else. The fact that this interest is in a woman, makes it worse.
Miguel, Jonathan's boyfriend is attempting to work out a scam that will bring him money so he can continue his playboy life.
I won't say more about the story because I don't want to reveal plot. However, I did enjoy the story on a vacation and it proved to be a fun read. I also enjoyed the author's description of Key West and of the Basilica of St. Mary, Star of the Sea.
I received this novel in return for an honest review.
3 1/2 stars.
Liz and Garret Adams are the central protagonists. Immediately the reader will notice the fondness this couple shares with each other. The fact that Liz has some psychic abilities is just one more thing that makes Garret love her.
Liz and Garret decide to sail from their base of Mystic, Connecticut to Key West Florida for an adventure. Once they arrive, the fun starts.
The reader is presented with a group well described, interesting characters. Meg is attempting to escape from an autocratic, abusive husband and she's a person with whom the reader can easily sympathise with. Jonathan, a friend of the Adams from Mystic, is trying to understand how the man he loves can be interested in someone else. The fact that this interest is in a woman, makes it worse.
Miguel, Jonathan's boyfriend is attempting to work out a scam that will bring him money so he can continue his playboy life.
I won't say more about the story because I don't want to reveal plot. However, I did enjoy the story on a vacation and it proved to be a fun read. I also enjoyed the author's description of Key West and of the Basilica of St. Mary, Star of the Sea.
I received this novel in return for an honest review.
3 1/2 stars.
April 25, 2015
Well, I apologize for my delay in writing this review! I had an author attack me for a review and it turned me off of Goodreads for awhile. I do apologize to the author of this book, who chose me as a first reads winner.
I did not realize that this was the third in the series, so I was a little caught off guard when I realized there was story before this one. That being said, the story was fantastic and I am planning on reading the first two in the series, although I understand after further research that this was a stand alone. I still want to read more.
I love stories that have successful character development and really make the characters come to life, which I feel Marilyn Dalla Valle did wonderfully. The relationship between Liz and Garret reminded me a lot of my great grandparents, my grandparents, and my own parents. I think that just made it all the more believable for me.
I don't like spoilers, so I try not to give away the story, but I will say that this book is a must read. The author makes you feel as though you are there and clearly knows her stuff. You will not be disappointed in picking up this book.
I did not realize that this was the third in the series, so I was a little caught off guard when I realized there was story before this one. That being said, the story was fantastic and I am planning on reading the first two in the series, although I understand after further research that this was a stand alone. I still want to read more.
I love stories that have successful character development and really make the characters come to life, which I feel Marilyn Dalla Valle did wonderfully. The relationship between Liz and Garret reminded me a lot of my great grandparents, my grandparents, and my own parents. I think that just made it all the more believable for me.
I don't like spoilers, so I try not to give away the story, but I will say that this book is a must read. The author makes you feel as though you are there and clearly knows her stuff. You will not be disappointed in picking up this book.
June 24, 2014
This is the third in the Liz Adams series.
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series.
The author Marilyn Dalla Valle makes you feel as if you are right there with the characters. The visuals she provides are amazing.
This book will keep you guessing right up until the end and then bam it hits you like a ton of bricks, a totally unexpected ending.
I can not wait to see if a fourth book will be released. I read this entire book in two days because I could not put it down!!
Thank you to the author who provided the full series for the review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series.
The author Marilyn Dalla Valle makes you feel as if you are right there with the characters. The visuals she provides are amazing.
This book will keep you guessing right up until the end and then bam it hits you like a ton of bricks, a totally unexpected ending.
I can not wait to see if a fourth book will be released. I read this entire book in two days because I could not put it down!!
Thank you to the author who provided the full series for the review.
August 31, 2014
This free Goodreads First Reads book was a treat. I have been to Key West and it told me more about this enticing vacation spot. I liked all the discriptions of the sloop they were on. Yet, the dialogue was concise, the suspense was very entertaining and it had a cool twist at the end. This author won my vote and I will definitely read her other two mysteries.
August 24, 2014
I received this book as a Good Reads Giveaway. I waivered between a 2 or 3 star rating; personally, I prefer more character development in the books I read. It was a light, easy read with lots of detail on sailboat hardware. Also, the book could use a good proofreader review.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews