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Shad #4
The Rhythm of the August Rain
Shad Myers, the loveable bartender and town sleuth of Largo Bay, hunts down clues to a woman’s mysterious disappearance in this fourth riveting novel in the Shad detective series.
Shannon, a photojournalist on assignment for a Canadian magazine, arrives in the impoverished but beautiful fishing village of Largo Bay, Jamaica. But she’s seeking more than a tropical She wants to know why a Canadian woman named Katlyn went missing there more than three decades ago.
So she calls on Shad—“bartender by trade, investigator by vocation, and unofficial sheriff of Largo Bay” ( Publishers Weekly )—for help. Together, they delve into Rastafarian life and history while preparations are being made for Shad’s wedding and the groundbreaking of his new hotel. But the deeper they get into the story, the deeper they get into trouble. And it’s clear that whoever wanted Katlyn buried all those years ago will do anything to keep the truth buried as well...
As in her previous novels The Sea Grape Tree , The Man Who Turned Both Cheeks , and The Goat Woman of Largo Bay , Gillian Royes transports readers into a beautiful Caribbean setting where life is cheap but religion is strong, and one man is still trying to solve the island’s relentless questions.
Shannon, a photojournalist on assignment for a Canadian magazine, arrives in the impoverished but beautiful fishing village of Largo Bay, Jamaica. But she’s seeking more than a tropical She wants to know why a Canadian woman named Katlyn went missing there more than three decades ago.
So she calls on Shad—“bartender by trade, investigator by vocation, and unofficial sheriff of Largo Bay” ( Publishers Weekly )—for help. Together, they delve into Rastafarian life and history while preparations are being made for Shad’s wedding and the groundbreaking of his new hotel. But the deeper they get into the story, the deeper they get into trouble. And it’s clear that whoever wanted Katlyn buried all those years ago will do anything to keep the truth buried as well...
As in her previous novels The Sea Grape Tree , The Man Who Turned Both Cheeks , and The Goat Woman of Largo Bay , Gillian Royes transports readers into a beautiful Caribbean setting where life is cheap but religion is strong, and one man is still trying to solve the island’s relentless questions.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
3 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Royes
6 books13 followersGillian Royes was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She attended Colorado College and later went on to the University of Wisconsin and Emory University, where she earned a doctorate in American Studies. Royes is the author of The Goat Woman of Largo Bay, Business Is Good, and Sexcess: The New Gender Rules at Work. She lives in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 15, 2015
I received an ARC copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First, the good. Royes draws good characters and she writes well. This is the fourth in the series and although I have not read the first three I can get a sense of the history these characters share and a sense of Jamaica as a place. I will also say that the Rastas are an interesting people and I learned quite a bit about their culture and history.
But, I only gave this book two stars for a reason. As a mystery/thriller it is a complete snoozefest. I was over 70% of the way in and literally nothing had happened but the characters driving around talking to people and reminiscing about past events, none of which were particularly interesting. The one slightly interesting, but completely predictable, “mystery” if you can even call it that, was wrapped up in a few pages toward the very end of the book in an almost comically low-impact fashion. No tension whatsoever. I confess that there were times when I started skimming when characters spent pages explored their feelings for each other for the umpteenth time. Basically, several likeable characters doing pretty much nothing for about 300 pages.
First, the good. Royes draws good characters and she writes well. This is the fourth in the series and although I have not read the first three I can get a sense of the history these characters share and a sense of Jamaica as a place. I will also say that the Rastas are an interesting people and I learned quite a bit about their culture and history.
But, I only gave this book two stars for a reason. As a mystery/thriller it is a complete snoozefest. I was over 70% of the way in and literally nothing had happened but the characters driving around talking to people and reminiscing about past events, none of which were particularly interesting. The one slightly interesting, but completely predictable, “mystery” if you can even call it that, was wrapped up in a few pages toward the very end of the book in an almost comically low-impact fashion. No tension whatsoever. I confess that there were times when I started skimming when characters spent pages explored their feelings for each other for the umpteenth time. Basically, several likeable characters doing pretty much nothing for about 300 pages.
June 26, 2024
If you like Hallmark movies and Jamaica this might be the book for you. The writing is not very good and the plot is saccharine and dull. There are a few likeable characters but they aren’t very interesting.
June 19, 2015
The Rhythm of the August Rain is more than a mystery. It is a wonderful exploration of Jamaica and its people, particularly the enigmatic and often misunderstood Rastafarians. Gillian Royes has not only put an immense amount of research into the development of this novel, she has also put her heart - an act that shows in every description and piece of dialogue.
The characters are wonderfully real, complete with flaws and imperfections. Shad is an amazing man. Although not well educated, he is perceptive and kind, always willing to help a friend. He worries about his upcoming wedding, not because he doesn't love the mother of his children, but because of the expense. In the town of Largo, money is hard to come by. His boss Eric, has his own troubles. The loss of his hotel devastated the town that relied on it for its prosperity. Along with an American investor, he and Shad are building a new hotel. His former girlfriend, Shannon has just informed him she is coming to Largo, bringing his 13 yr old daughter along. Shannon is a photojournalist who is returning to Jamaica in order to write an article about Rasta culture, and to find out what happened to a young Canadian woman who disappeared 35 years earlier.
The Rhythm of the August Rain is a cultural showcase, filled with color. Readers will fall in love with Royes's Jamaica and its unique people. This isn't a novel for readers looking for heavy suspense. Instead it is a mystery that is appealing to anyone who enjoys a good story with interesting people.
The Rhythm of the August Rain is the 4th Jamaican mystery featuring Shad Myers. The books do not have to be read in order.
The Rhythm of the August Rain is available for preorder and will be released July 28, 2015.
5/5
I received a copy of The Rhythm of the August Rain from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Be entranced by The Rhythm of the August Rain
http://muttcafe.com/2015/06/the-rhyth...
The characters are wonderfully real, complete with flaws and imperfections. Shad is an amazing man. Although not well educated, he is perceptive and kind, always willing to help a friend. He worries about his upcoming wedding, not because he doesn't love the mother of his children, but because of the expense. In the town of Largo, money is hard to come by. His boss Eric, has his own troubles. The loss of his hotel devastated the town that relied on it for its prosperity. Along with an American investor, he and Shad are building a new hotel. His former girlfriend, Shannon has just informed him she is coming to Largo, bringing his 13 yr old daughter along. Shannon is a photojournalist who is returning to Jamaica in order to write an article about Rasta culture, and to find out what happened to a young Canadian woman who disappeared 35 years earlier.
The Rhythm of the August Rain is a cultural showcase, filled with color. Readers will fall in love with Royes's Jamaica and its unique people. This isn't a novel for readers looking for heavy suspense. Instead it is a mystery that is appealing to anyone who enjoys a good story with interesting people.
The Rhythm of the August Rain is the 4th Jamaican mystery featuring Shad Myers. The books do not have to be read in order.
The Rhythm of the August Rain is available for preorder and will be released July 28, 2015.
5/5
I received a copy of The Rhythm of the August Rain from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Be entranced by The Rhythm of the August Rain
http://muttcafe.com/2015/06/the-rhyth...
August 10, 2015
Liked this book, have not read any of the others in this series. Still was not hard to get right into the situation. Seems that Gilian Royes must have spent a lot of time and research for this book. The knowledge of the peoples of Jamaica, especially the Roatafarians, their practices and culture is evident. Nice mystery romance, twists along the way to keep your interest. A cozy novel.
April 15, 2019
Well done. A wholesome presentation of life in not-so-plenty Jamaica of people with less than traditional Western view of life - all in a very likable manner. Well worth looking at the earlier “Shad” books.
October 10, 2022
Interesting history of the Rastafari Movement.
The mystery seemed to take backstage to the goings on in Jamaica and the main characters.
The mystery seemed to take backstage to the goings on in Jamaica and the main characters.
July 2, 2015
A nice romance with a mystery subplot
To most people Jamaica is the land of “Don’t worry; be happy”, but for Jamaican bartender Shad Myers and his boss Eric life is far from worry-free. They have gone into partnership with a wealthy investor and are about to close on a deal to rebuild Eric’s former hotel that was destroyed several years earlier, an exciting but certainly worrisome venture. Their lives are complicated further because Shad is about to marry his beloved Beth, the woman with whom he has been living happily for many years and with whom he has fathered four children and Eric is about to be visited by not one but two former lovers---at the same time. Simone, his most recent love, is coming for a visit, but long-ago love Shannon has announced she also is coming for a visit, bringing their twelve-year-old daughter Eve, whom Eric has seen only three times. Shannon is a writer who will be doing an article on the Rastafari religion and culture and also conducting a related investigation involving an American woman who died somewhat mysteriously in Jamaica years earlier and whose body disappeared from the hospital before it could be claimed by her family.
The atmosphere and the characters were the high points of the book. The Jamaican setting and culture were wonderfully portrayed, down to the authentic patois spoken by the characters. As a bonus, I picked up some very interesting information about the Rastafari and their practices, such as their convention of saying “I and I” where other people would say “I”. They do this to emphasize their belief that Jah (God) is always with them. The characters were sympathetic, and the tales of their relationship challenges also kept up my interest, whether it was Shad’s fear of making the final commitment of marriage to the woman he knows he loves or Eric and Eve trying to work out their father-daughter relationship.
In comparison, the mystery investigation took a backseat and was not what held my interest. I don’t know whether this is true for the other books in this series, but the reviews of the earlier Shad Myers novels make me think they are similar in tone.
If you want to chill out Jamaica-style and are looking for a nice summer read that will make you put on the Bob Marley and sip a rum punch, mon, you will enjoy this book. If you want a suspense-filled thriller, this is probably not your best choice.
To most people Jamaica is the land of “Don’t worry; be happy”, but for Jamaican bartender Shad Myers and his boss Eric life is far from worry-free. They have gone into partnership with a wealthy investor and are about to close on a deal to rebuild Eric’s former hotel that was destroyed several years earlier, an exciting but certainly worrisome venture. Their lives are complicated further because Shad is about to marry his beloved Beth, the woman with whom he has been living happily for many years and with whom he has fathered four children and Eric is about to be visited by not one but two former lovers---at the same time. Simone, his most recent love, is coming for a visit, but long-ago love Shannon has announced she also is coming for a visit, bringing their twelve-year-old daughter Eve, whom Eric has seen only three times. Shannon is a writer who will be doing an article on the Rastafari religion and culture and also conducting a related investigation involving an American woman who died somewhat mysteriously in Jamaica years earlier and whose body disappeared from the hospital before it could be claimed by her family.
The atmosphere and the characters were the high points of the book. The Jamaican setting and culture were wonderfully portrayed, down to the authentic patois spoken by the characters. As a bonus, I picked up some very interesting information about the Rastafari and their practices, such as their convention of saying “I and I” where other people would say “I”. They do this to emphasize their belief that Jah (God) is always with them. The characters were sympathetic, and the tales of their relationship challenges also kept up my interest, whether it was Shad’s fear of making the final commitment of marriage to the woman he knows he loves or Eric and Eve trying to work out their father-daughter relationship.
In comparison, the mystery investigation took a backseat and was not what held my interest. I don’t know whether this is true for the other books in this series, but the reviews of the earlier Shad Myers novels make me think they are similar in tone.
If you want to chill out Jamaica-style and are looking for a nice summer read that will make you put on the Bob Marley and sip a rum punch, mon, you will enjoy this book. If you want a suspense-filled thriller, this is probably not your best choice.
August 2, 2015
I was not familiar with this series, before winning an ARC through goodreads. Although it is called a series, it is a stand alone novel. It falls under the mystery genre, but I think that it is weak as a mystery. If I were putting it in a category, it would be my general "reading about other cultures". This is the first book based in Jamaica which I have read and it (the country) sounds wonderful. The story follows two middle age people re-connecting through their 13 yr. old daughter. I enjoyed the transformation of the daughter over her summer of re-connecting with her father and enjoying the Jamaican culture. The story also introduced us to the Rastafari people, their culture and beliefs. I will be looking for another of Royes' books.
September 27, 2015
This was my first read by author Gillian Royes, and I must say that being West Indian by heritage, I truly enjoyed the setting and the characters’ conversation; the patois spoken was on point. With that being said, I must also say that I actually learned a few things from the book as well about the Rastafari.
I liked the characters, and could identify with them; the book was an easy read overall, and I enjoyed it.
To add ambience as I was reading, I put on some instrumental Bob Marley, and could picture myself within the book, conversing with the characters as we tried to solve the mystery that unfolded.
I would recommend this book to someone looking for an easygoing, quick, simple read.
January 20, 2016
This was my favorite of all the books so far.The events were more realistic than in the previous novels and the relationships between the characters has really gelled.I liked the way Royes told the history of the Rastas without stereotyping.MY big compliant is that after 3 books of Beth begging for a wedding we were shorted any details.This book was all about Eric's ex and daughter and Beth and the wedding were almost non existent.Why do I care about Shannon's ridiculous pining for a relationship that has been over for 14 yrs when Beth and Shad are finally having the wedding?!!!
July 2, 2015
I love Gillian's "Shad Series". She brings me back into Jamaica with its musical language and colorful characters, plus the shady government. I like these cozy mysteries, because they avoid the blood and guts and focus on solving a problem. Just gave a copy of her third book to new friends who are natives of Jamaica.
September 1, 2015
I liked this book very, very much. I learned a lot about Rastafarians, and would like to learn more. I love the main character in this series, Shad, and all the support characters. This book was very satisfying as to the developments in some important story lines. I recommend the books in this series highly! I hope the author has another one for us soon.
July 20, 2015
Nice writing but advertising this as a mystery is a mistake. Yes, there's a bit of a mystery but it's a very slow-moving portrait of Jamaican island life. Interesting information, characters I cared about-- but I just kept hoping the pace would pick up and ended up skipping to the end.
January 24, 2016
Yay for discovering a new (to me) mystery series that I like! This one makes me want to go back to Jamaica, especially the Blue Mountain/ Port Antonio areas.
July 28, 2015
Another wonderful book in this mystery series based in Jamaica, A dead body a search for the killer all based ito the rhythm of Jamaica.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews