Florida's Tango Key has never been so hot. Especially now with multimillionaire and amateur archaeologist Doug Cooper turning up headless behind his beach house. It seems a number of people stand to gain from his demise, including a stunning young widow, an adulterous son, and two gold diggers from Cooper's South American exploits.
Detective Aline Scott knows a scandal like this could turn the wealthy island paradise into a no-man's land. But when she starts to sift through the facts, she unearths a startling new mystery...one that leads to a missing and priceless archaeological treasure - and the unsolved murder of Aline's closest friend three years before.
I think this book must have been an early effort by this author. I had read a later book and liked it better. I found her use of obscure, archaic adjectives annoying after a point. Her plot was good, if a little cliched; however, I don't think she really thought it through very well, because her setting is totally impossible (a hilly, almost mountainous, key, adjacent to Key West? Why wasn't this book labeled Sci-fi?). Her characters motivations are questionable; what police detective shares details about a murder with a bookie and a private detective, yet doesn't really work with other police on the case? There are several ludicrous plot points that a good editor should have addressed with the author. I probably won't read anything else by her since I disliked this book so much.
Technically wanting, author over simplifies some things and tries too hard to impress with detailed flowery descriptions. The descriptions slowed the pace and I could not finish the book after about 25 percent read.