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The Forgotten Coast #1-4
Forgotten Coast: Books 1-4
Read the first four books that launched the bestselling suspense series. Character driven suspense, rich in coastal atmosphere and dry humor.
Low Tide - Book 1
In Apalachicola, Florida, sinister things are afoot, as sinister things tend to be.
Lt. Maggie Redmond is called to a crime scene on St. George Island, where she is met with the body of Gregory Boudreaux. The medical examiner calls it a suicide, but no one knows that Maggie has a horrible connection to the dead man.
When Gregory’s uncle, Bennett Boudreaux, the richest and scariest man in town, takes a sudden interest in Maggie, people start to wonder, Maggie included. Maggie knows he may suspect her of killing his nephew, but she finds herself slowly drawn to the man.
As Maggie fights to help a young girl escape the clutches of a volatile drug dealer who’d love to see Maggie dead, she also struggles to hide her dark link to a dead man, and her burgeoning relationship with her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton.
Unfortunately, secrets have a way of revealing themselves at low tide.
Riptide - Book 2
Once again, sinister things are afoot in Apalachicola, FL, and one of them is an actual foot.
When a local fisherman finds a severed limb in his net, it sets off a chain of events that no one can anticipate.
Lt. Maggie Redmond soon discovers that the foot belongs to the friend of another recently dead guy, Gregory Boudreaux, the man she never told anyone about. Gregory’s death was thought to be a suicide. That seems less likely, now that his best friend Sport’s foot has shown up out of the blue, as it were.
When it starts looking like town villain Bennett Boudreaux might be responsible for eliminating Sport, things begin to get a little weird. Especially since Maggie’s started to take a liking to Bennett. She’s also taken a real liking to her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton, but both her relationship to Bennett and her secret connection to the dead men threaten hers and Wyatt’s relationship.
Is Bennett protecting or avenging Maggie for some reason, or does he have something altogether different on his mind?
What Washes Up - Book 3
Karma’s alive and well in Apalachicola, Florida, and there are several people who are about to meet it face to face.
When more than a dozen bodies wash up on the beach on St. George Island, the residents of Apalach are outraged, and none more so than investigator Maggie Redmond and Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton. It’s time for the greedy to answer for the lives of innocents.
Meanwhile, a man is found tied to a burning boat in the middle of the bay, and Maggie’s instincts tell her Bennett Boudreaux is behind it.
But if he is, Maggie has to decide whether she really wants him punished, or if justice has already been served.
Landfall - Book 4
Two storms that nobody thought were coming just made landfall.
As a hurricane gathers its power just off Apalachicola’s shore, another storm comes to a head in Lt. Maggie Redmond's home.
Held prisoner by a man bent on avenging the death of a son, Maggie must find a way to save herself and her two children. No one knows where they are. No one is coming to help.
Maggie and her children will have to find a way to survive both the madness inside their home and the madness raging outside.
Low Tide - Book 1
In Apalachicola, Florida, sinister things are afoot, as sinister things tend to be.
Lt. Maggie Redmond is called to a crime scene on St. George Island, where she is met with the body of Gregory Boudreaux. The medical examiner calls it a suicide, but no one knows that Maggie has a horrible connection to the dead man.
When Gregory’s uncle, Bennett Boudreaux, the richest and scariest man in town, takes a sudden interest in Maggie, people start to wonder, Maggie included. Maggie knows he may suspect her of killing his nephew, but she finds herself slowly drawn to the man.
As Maggie fights to help a young girl escape the clutches of a volatile drug dealer who’d love to see Maggie dead, she also struggles to hide her dark link to a dead man, and her burgeoning relationship with her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton.
Unfortunately, secrets have a way of revealing themselves at low tide.
Riptide - Book 2
Once again, sinister things are afoot in Apalachicola, FL, and one of them is an actual foot.
When a local fisherman finds a severed limb in his net, it sets off a chain of events that no one can anticipate.
Lt. Maggie Redmond soon discovers that the foot belongs to the friend of another recently dead guy, Gregory Boudreaux, the man she never told anyone about. Gregory’s death was thought to be a suicide. That seems less likely, now that his best friend Sport’s foot has shown up out of the blue, as it were.
When it starts looking like town villain Bennett Boudreaux might be responsible for eliminating Sport, things begin to get a little weird. Especially since Maggie’s started to take a liking to Bennett. She’s also taken a real liking to her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton, but both her relationship to Bennett and her secret connection to the dead men threaten hers and Wyatt’s relationship.
Is Bennett protecting or avenging Maggie for some reason, or does he have something altogether different on his mind?
What Washes Up - Book 3
Karma’s alive and well in Apalachicola, Florida, and there are several people who are about to meet it face to face.
When more than a dozen bodies wash up on the beach on St. George Island, the residents of Apalach are outraged, and none more so than investigator Maggie Redmond and Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton. It’s time for the greedy to answer for the lives of innocents.
Meanwhile, a man is found tied to a burning boat in the middle of the bay, and Maggie’s instincts tell her Bennett Boudreaux is behind it.
But if he is, Maggie has to decide whether she really wants him punished, or if justice has already been served.
Landfall - Book 4
Two storms that nobody thought were coming just made landfall.
As a hurricane gathers its power just off Apalachicola’s shore, another storm comes to a head in Lt. Maggie Redmond's home.
Held prisoner by a man bent on avenging the death of a son, Maggie must find a way to save herself and her two children. No one knows where they are. No one is coming to help.
Maggie and her children will have to find a way to survive both the madness inside their home and the madness raging outside.
699 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2017
3736 people are currently reading
1412 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Lee McKenna
23 books402 followersI live in small town Tennessee, with three children still at home and two grown kids just blocks away.
I am an unrepentant romantic, a caffeine addict and a true dork. I apologize for none of these.
I am an unrepentant romantic, a caffeine addict and a true dork. I apologize for none of these.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
October 25, 2017
I really loved all four stories. The characters were good and the descriptions of the area was excellent and allow you to see it in your mind. I especially liked the rooster named Stoopid. I would recommend that you read the books in order because it is a on going story.
August 23, 2018
This should have been one book
I took a star away for that annoying thing where all the white people are just people but the black people are black people.
I took another star away for the way the books are separated. They have a babysitters club effect of describing each person to you every 30 minutes, and catching you up on the plot of the last quarter of the story. Having important emotional plots described in an offhand manner is annoying as well as cheapening the emotional impact the plot line just had.
I'm very glad I got these in a set because if I had just gotten the first one, I'd have been so annoyed by the non-ending that I wouldn't have bought the next one. Suspense novels are supposed to have an ending, not just another crime that maked you have to buy the next one.
The three stars are for the really good plot, the likeable characters (even the offhand characters), and some of the humor.
I took a star away for that annoying thing where all the white people are just people but the black people are black people.
I took another star away for the way the books are separated. They have a babysitters club effect of describing each person to you every 30 minutes, and catching you up on the plot of the last quarter of the story. Having important emotional plots described in an offhand manner is annoying as well as cheapening the emotional impact the plot line just had.
I'm very glad I got these in a set because if I had just gotten the first one, I'd have been so annoyed by the non-ending that I wouldn't have bought the next one. Suspense novels are supposed to have an ending, not just another crime that maked you have to buy the next one.
The three stars are for the really good plot, the likeable characters (even the offhand characters), and some of the humor.
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March 14, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/14/2020)! 🎁
April 19, 2019
Having read these first four books in the series, whilst I enjoyed them, they sadly did not blow me away. I liked discovering the answers to many questions that the writer creates and was relieved that several were resolved in the fourth book. Maggie, the protagonist, is a strong character and she is determined not to stop at anything when it comes to solving the relentless cases that are plaguing her small, Florida town. However, whilst I found the second book the most interesting and involving, the rest of the series came across a little dull and lacking plot progression. I probably would continue to read the rest of the series to discover what else happens to Maggie, to see if she gets a rest (!) and what other incidents happen to the locals.
August 2, 2017
I am absolutely overwhelmed! While I have always been a fan of mystery/suspense novels, this series has me hooked! I have had several sleepless nights since I just could not stand to put the book down until I got to a point where I was too exhausted to stay awake.
I know that comparisons can be odious, but I liken this series to some of the best that Robert B Parker ever wrote. This is high praise coming from me, S I have read every single novel that he wrote, and loved them all.
The characters are strong, well described, and utterly believable. I was thrilled to learn that there were 3 more novels in this series, because if there were not, I would have been on your email begging for another issue!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to visit your world, and I will be jumping feet first into the rest of the series.
For those that have not yet read one of Ms.McKenna's novels, start now! You will be craving more as soon as you start! Best wishes for your continued success, and I will be looking for every book you write!
I know that comparisons can be odious, but I liken this series to some of the best that Robert B Parker ever wrote. This is high praise coming from me, S I have read every single novel that he wrote, and loved them all.
The characters are strong, well described, and utterly believable. I was thrilled to learn that there were 3 more novels in this series, because if there were not, I would have been on your email begging for another issue!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to visit your world, and I will be jumping feet first into the rest of the series.
For those that have not yet read one of Ms.McKenna's novels, start now! You will be craving more as soon as you start! Best wishes for your continued success, and I will be looking for every book you write!
July 15, 2017
This was an enjoyable series, set if the Florida panhandle. The writing is excellent, with no typos or incorrectly used words that I found.
The characters are interesting, engaging, and mostly likable. Maggie and her kids are very well drawn. All the main characters are believable. The bad guys, maybe not so much, but still as good or better than most books in this genre.
My only complaint is that it isn't really 4 books. It's one book, padded by repetition to look like 4 books. So, you hear about Maggie's house 4 times, her Cherokee Jeep 4 times, etc. If all that were removed and packed into one, or maybe 2 books, this would be much easier to justify buying.
I probably won't buy the rest of the series unless/until they are put into a cheaper 'boxed set' like this one. I suspect that the rest of the books are also not really of book length.
The characters are interesting, engaging, and mostly likable. Maggie and her kids are very well drawn. All the main characters are believable. The bad guys, maybe not so much, but still as good or better than most books in this genre.
My only complaint is that it isn't really 4 books. It's one book, padded by repetition to look like 4 books. So, you hear about Maggie's house 4 times, her Cherokee Jeep 4 times, etc. If all that were removed and packed into one, or maybe 2 books, this would be much easier to justify buying.
I probably won't buy the rest of the series unless/until they are put into a cheaper 'boxed set' like this one. I suspect that the rest of the books are also not really of book length.
May 29, 2017
I simply could not stop reading this fantastic boxed set. Each book is a page turner. I loved all the characters and the dry sense of humor. Even the pets' descriptions and their personalities made me laugh. The descriptions of the part of Florida where the stories take place were vivid and easily imagined. But, it is each story, with its twists, turns and mysteries, that held me. I am already going to the next book and eagerly anticipate it. I am also thrilled to have found another new author (for me) whose writing I thoroughly enjoyed. Oh yeah, I'm a happy camper now! ;)
April 16, 2019
This suspense series is worth the time.
I love the characters and stories. The quirkiness is great. The interaction of all the characters and the plots makes each book a quick read but made me want more. So, after 5 books I still want to read the next one.
I love the characters and stories. The quirkiness is great. The interaction of all the characters and the plots makes each book a quick read but made me want more. So, after 5 books I still want to read the next one.
April 25, 2018
There was a lot to like about this series. The setting was well done and the characters had decent depth and histories. The plot was easy to follow and the storytelling was good.
For me there were too many hints, which meant that the big reveal lost its impact. The hero-in-peril scenario was repeated too often and some of the relationships felt improbable.
I quite enjoyed these books but I will stop here in the series.
For me there were too many hints, which meant that the big reveal lost its impact. The hero-in-peril scenario was repeated too often and some of the relationships felt improbable.
I quite enjoyed these books but I will stop here in the series.
July 27, 2018
Quick Reads
I really liked the characters and the story line in these books. The only problem was they seemed so short and incomplete until the last book in the series. Until then, I'd feel like I was just getting into the plot when "The End" popped up. So this collection of four books felt like one complete book. If I hadn't read them all at once I probably would have been disappointed.
I really liked the characters and the story line in these books. The only problem was they seemed so short and incomplete until the last book in the series. Until then, I'd feel like I was just getting into the plot when "The End" popped up. So this collection of four books felt like one complete book. If I hadn't read them all at once I probably would have been disappointed.
July 7, 2017
I started reading the first book in series and could not stop until the last page of the last book. I want to move to Northern Gulf Coastal Florida and live out my days there. This writer has a way of making one smell the salt water and hear the water lapping and wind in the trees. Plus she even named a hurricane after me "Faye". Wonderful story told with likable characters.
May 17, 2018
This is,really a review of three books. It was alright. A bit soppy at times, intriguing, not really a mystery. The characters were interesting, not quite believable some of them. No one, except in fiction , could survive so many concussions, a hurricane and all the villains wanting you dead. I would read more of this author’s books
August 2, 2018
Not really a book
The individual "books" in this series really don't stand alone. If you bother reading them you should know that to get the story you must read all four. Each book is more like a section of a novel. It would have been better to write it that way and leave out the repeated descriptions.
The individual "books" in this series really don't stand alone. If you bother reading them you should know that to get the story you must read all four. Each book is more like a section of a novel. It would have been better to write it that way and leave out the repeated descriptions.
Read
October 28, 2021Read the first four books that launched the bestselling suspense series. Character driven suspense, rich in coastal atmosphere and dry humor.
Low Tide - Book 1
In Apalachicola, Florida, sinister things are afoot, as sinister things tend to be.
Lt. Maggie Redmond is called to a crime scene on St. George Island, where she is met with the body of Gregory Boudreaux. The medical examiner calls it a suicide, but no one knows that Maggie has a horrible connection to the dead man.
When Gregory’s uncle, Bennett Boudreaux, the richest and scariest man in town, takes a sudden interest in Maggie, people start to wonder, Maggie included. Maggie knows he may suspect her of killing his nephew, but she finds herself slowly drawn to the man.
As Maggie fights to help a young girl escape the clutches of a volatile drug dealer who’d love to see Maggie dead, she also struggles to hide her dark link to a dead man, and her burgeoning relationship with her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton.
Unfortunately, secrets have a way of revealing themselves at low tide.
Riptide - Book 2
Once again, sinister things are afoot in Apalachicola, FL, and one of them is an actual foot.
When a local fisherman finds a severed limb in his net, it sets off a chain of events that no one can anticipate.
Lt. Maggie Redmond soon discovers that the foot belongs to the friend of another recently dead guy, Gregory Boudreaux, the man she never told anyone about. Gregory’s death was thought to be a suicide. That seems less likely, now that his best friend Sport’s foot has shown up out of the blue, as it were.
When it starts looking like town villain Bennett Boudreaux might be responsible for eliminating Sport, things begin to get a little weird. Especially since Maggie’s started to take a liking to Bennett. She’s also taken a real liking to her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton, but both her relationship to Bennett and her secret connection to the dead men threaten hers and Wyatt’s relationship.
Is Bennett protecting or avenging Maggie for some reason, or does he have something altogether different on his mind?
What Washes Up - Book 3
Karma’s alive and well in Apalachicola, Florida, and there are several people who are about to meet it face to face.
When more than a dozen bodies wash up on the beach on St. George Island, the residents of Apalach are outraged, and none more so than investigator Maggie Redmond and Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton. It’s time for the greedy to answer for the lives of innocents.
Meanwhile, a man is found tied to a burning boat in the middle of the bay, and Maggie’s instincts tell her Bennett Boudreaux is behind it.
But if he is, Maggie has to decide whether she really wants him punished, or if justice has already been served.
Landfall - Book 4
Two storms that nobody thought were coming just made landfall.
As a hurricane gathers its power just off Apalachicola’s shore, another storm comes to a head in Lt. Maggie Redmond's home.
Held prisoner by a man bent on avenging the death of a son, Maggie must find a way to save herself and her two children. No one knows where they are. No one is coming to help.
Maggie and her children will have to find a way to survive both the madness inside their home and the madness raging outside.
Good. Going to read more.
Low Tide - Book 1
In Apalachicola, Florida, sinister things are afoot, as sinister things tend to be.
Lt. Maggie Redmond is called to a crime scene on St. George Island, where she is met with the body of Gregory Boudreaux. The medical examiner calls it a suicide, but no one knows that Maggie has a horrible connection to the dead man.
When Gregory’s uncle, Bennett Boudreaux, the richest and scariest man in town, takes a sudden interest in Maggie, people start to wonder, Maggie included. Maggie knows he may suspect her of killing his nephew, but she finds herself slowly drawn to the man.
As Maggie fights to help a young girl escape the clutches of a volatile drug dealer who’d love to see Maggie dead, she also struggles to hide her dark link to a dead man, and her burgeoning relationship with her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton.
Unfortunately, secrets have a way of revealing themselves at low tide.
Riptide - Book 2
Once again, sinister things are afoot in Apalachicola, FL, and one of them is an actual foot.
When a local fisherman finds a severed limb in his net, it sets off a chain of events that no one can anticipate.
Lt. Maggie Redmond soon discovers that the foot belongs to the friend of another recently dead guy, Gregory Boudreaux, the man she never told anyone about. Gregory’s death was thought to be a suicide. That seems less likely, now that his best friend Sport’s foot has shown up out of the blue, as it were.
When it starts looking like town villain Bennett Boudreaux might be responsible for eliminating Sport, things begin to get a little weird. Especially since Maggie’s started to take a liking to Bennett. She’s also taken a real liking to her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton, but both her relationship to Bennett and her secret connection to the dead men threaten hers and Wyatt’s relationship.
Is Bennett protecting or avenging Maggie for some reason, or does he have something altogether different on his mind?
What Washes Up - Book 3
Karma’s alive and well in Apalachicola, Florida, and there are several people who are about to meet it face to face.
When more than a dozen bodies wash up on the beach on St. George Island, the residents of Apalach are outraged, and none more so than investigator Maggie Redmond and Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton. It’s time for the greedy to answer for the lives of innocents.
Meanwhile, a man is found tied to a burning boat in the middle of the bay, and Maggie’s instincts tell her Bennett Boudreaux is behind it.
But if he is, Maggie has to decide whether she really wants him punished, or if justice has already been served.
Landfall - Book 4
Two storms that nobody thought were coming just made landfall.
As a hurricane gathers its power just off Apalachicola’s shore, another storm comes to a head in Lt. Maggie Redmond's home.
Held prisoner by a man bent on avenging the death of a son, Maggie must find a way to save herself and her two children. No one knows where they are. No one is coming to help.
Maggie and her children will have to find a way to survive both the madness inside their home and the madness raging outside.
Good. Going to read more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2018
What a find!
I know virtually nothing about Florida or the oystering business, both of which figure prominently in this series. I’ve read and loved Carl Hiassen as a mystery writer, and find Dave Barry, the well-known Floridian humorist very funny, but Dawn Lee McKenna is a new author for me, and am I glad I found her. Sometimes when I download a free book, I get just what I paid for, but not this time. I’m a freelance editor, and with some books, I just can’t shut my editor off—as in, «that was a bad sentence,» or «I saw that one coming a mile away.». Not so this time. I downloaded for free the first four books in this series and binge read them, and I’m about to pay for the next ones. The plot lines, involving the main character Detective Lieutenant Maggie Redmond, her boss Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton, and local crime lord/Catholic-seeking-redemption Bennett Boudreaux are interesting and the characters complex and compelling. The writing is taut and intelligent, and the dialogue is believable and often funny, because the main characters are smart and sharp. I am an inveterate mystery reader, but I’m also a former English teacher , (with, I’ve been told, a snarky sense of humor), so I make fairly high demands on my reading. McKenna lives up to my demands on all counts. If I have any complaint, it’s probably that the first four books could probably have been combined into two. Having to start the plot anew means that the author has to bring a new reader up to date, which means having to repeat some information at the beginning of each new volume. This might have been less noticeable had I not been reading them one after another, and McKenna does it deftly and quickly, so it’s not a big problem. Otherwise, the books really worked for me, and I’m going to close this now so that I can begin the fifth book in the series.
I know virtually nothing about Florida or the oystering business, both of which figure prominently in this series. I’ve read and loved Carl Hiassen as a mystery writer, and find Dave Barry, the well-known Floridian humorist very funny, but Dawn Lee McKenna is a new author for me, and am I glad I found her. Sometimes when I download a free book, I get just what I paid for, but not this time. I’m a freelance editor, and with some books, I just can’t shut my editor off—as in, «that was a bad sentence,» or «I saw that one coming a mile away.». Not so this time. I downloaded for free the first four books in this series and binge read them, and I’m about to pay for the next ones. The plot lines, involving the main character Detective Lieutenant Maggie Redmond, her boss Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton, and local crime lord/Catholic-seeking-redemption Bennett Boudreaux are interesting and the characters complex and compelling. The writing is taut and intelligent, and the dialogue is believable and often funny, because the main characters are smart and sharp. I am an inveterate mystery reader, but I’m also a former English teacher , (with, I’ve been told, a snarky sense of humor), so I make fairly high demands on my reading. McKenna lives up to my demands on all counts. If I have any complaint, it’s probably that the first four books could probably have been combined into two. Having to start the plot anew means that the author has to bring a new reader up to date, which means having to repeat some information at the beginning of each new volume. This might have been less noticeable had I not been reading them one after another, and McKenna does it deftly and quickly, so it’s not a big problem. Otherwise, the books really worked for me, and I’m going to close this now so that I can begin the fifth book in the series.
November 10, 2018
Because I write mysteries that strongly identify with place, I am on the alert for other authors that do the same thing. The best I've found recently is the author of the Forgotten Coast Florida Suspense Series. I'd like to give a shout-out to Dawn McKenna!
For example, here is a selection from the beginning of LOW TIDE: "The seagulls bounced around him, lighting just long enough to snatch up the pieces of bread, then hovering in the air, wings whipping, to wait for more...To his mind, it was one of the few places left that actually felt like Florida, with its century-old brick and clapboard shops and houses, the marina filled with shrimp and oyster boats and people who couldn't care less about Disney World."
Ms. McKenna takes an interesting approach to her series, in that the first four books take the time you rarely have with a mystery series to introduce you to a unique set of characters who live on the Florida coast, a romance that delights with its unfolding, and enough suspense to survive a hurricane!
You can buy each of the first four books of the series, LOW TIDE, RIPTIDE, WHAT WASHES UP, and LANDFALL separately. But if you're like me, you'll be hooked after the first one. Save yourself some money and buy the set.
Writing teacher Donald Maass in THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION says the way to pull readers into your writing is to engage them emotionally. Ms. McKenna does just that.
Highly recommended.
For example, here is a selection from the beginning of LOW TIDE: "The seagulls bounced around him, lighting just long enough to snatch up the pieces of bread, then hovering in the air, wings whipping, to wait for more...To his mind, it was one of the few places left that actually felt like Florida, with its century-old brick and clapboard shops and houses, the marina filled with shrimp and oyster boats and people who couldn't care less about Disney World."
Ms. McKenna takes an interesting approach to her series, in that the first four books take the time you rarely have with a mystery series to introduce you to a unique set of characters who live on the Florida coast, a romance that delights with its unfolding, and enough suspense to survive a hurricane!
You can buy each of the first four books of the series, LOW TIDE, RIPTIDE, WHAT WASHES UP, and LANDFALL separately. But if you're like me, you'll be hooked after the first one. Save yourself some money and buy the set.
Writing teacher Donald Maass in THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION says the way to pull readers into your writing is to engage them emotionally. Ms. McKenna does just that.
Highly recommended.
September 5, 2020
An average of four and the four-part-boxset ended on a high :)
Low Tide
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3.5 stars
I'm really glad I have the whole series of these because book 1 ended super abruptly. Not even a cliff hanger. Just a "turn the page to the next chapter and it's the end". It was certainly a page turner (small town intrigue, murder mystery and awkward love interests) though and I'm intrigued as to what happens next. I sense though that this might be one of those "one book in four parts" rather than a series.
Riptide
======
3.5 stars
Certainly a part two of four and this one ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. The mystery plot is thickening and the threat to Maggie is becoming increasingly direct. It's certainly starting to feel like something from the past is catching up with everyone involved. Looking forward to the next installment!
What Washes Up
==============
3 stars
Nothing much happens in this instalment until right at the end. Still enjoyed it but don't really have much to say. One more book left for me... Hoping it ends on some conclusive note.
Landfall
=======
4 stars
This was totally unexpected and I loved it! Also, I didn't see the twist and it was good to finally find out what the connection was to Boudreaux. Sadly this is the last of the books I actually own, but thankfully it ended at a good place for a pause. I'll keep my eye out for some discounted copies of the rest of the series :)
Low Tide
=======
3.5 stars
I'm really glad I have the whole series of these because book 1 ended super abruptly. Not even a cliff hanger. Just a "turn the page to the next chapter and it's the end". It was certainly a page turner (small town intrigue, murder mystery and awkward love interests) though and I'm intrigued as to what happens next. I sense though that this might be one of those "one book in four parts" rather than a series.
Riptide
======
3.5 stars
Certainly a part two of four and this one ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. The mystery plot is thickening and the threat to Maggie is becoming increasingly direct. It's certainly starting to feel like something from the past is catching up with everyone involved. Looking forward to the next installment!
What Washes Up
==============
3 stars
Nothing much happens in this instalment until right at the end. Still enjoyed it but don't really have much to say. One more book left for me... Hoping it ends on some conclusive note.
Landfall
=======
4 stars
This was totally unexpected and I loved it! Also, I didn't see the twist and it was good to finally find out what the connection was to Boudreaux. Sadly this is the last of the books I actually own, but thankfully it ended at a good place for a pause. I'll keep my eye out for some discounted copies of the rest of the series :)
April 25, 2018
I am very impressed with this four book series, although I had real all four novels, individually. They are definitely worthy of another reading. I was born, and raised, in Cedar Key, and the mentioning of my old hometown in any novel certainly makes another reading well worth the second reading. I spent over forty one years in Law Enforcement and Corrections and can certainly relate to the many exciting episodes bbq of these novels, especially the last one involving the hurricane episode.
We worthy of the five stars, as the stories are very solidly developed and the fact they relate to Florida, only increases my enthusiasm and interest!
I and definitely hooked on Ms. McKenna's expert knowledge of a small town/County Sheriff's Department, and the excellent selection of characters and their storylines.
I was captured by her meticulous coverage of each and every episode, from beginning to end and she never wavered from her intentions of a great story.
I, most certainly, recommend this series to all readers of really down to earth reality stories of criminal investigations and heartfelt romance. I will assure you there will be no disappointment in your endeavor. I have already book five, but I have been pulled it from my cloud far a re-read!
We worthy of the five stars, as the stories are very solidly developed and the fact they relate to Florida, only increases my enthusiasm and interest!
I and definitely hooked on Ms. McKenna's expert knowledge of a small town/County Sheriff's Department, and the excellent selection of characters and their storylines.
I was captured by her meticulous coverage of each and every episode, from beginning to end and she never wavered from her intentions of a great story.
I, most certainly, recommend this series to all readers of really down to earth reality stories of criminal investigations and heartfelt romance. I will assure you there will be no disappointment in your endeavor. I have already book five, but I have been pulled it from my cloud far a re-read!
April 18, 2022
Author Dawn Lee McKenna herein introduces her “Forgotten Coast” (currently 10-book) series with the first four entries, set in a small town in Florida’s panhandle, featuring her protagonist police Detective Maggie Redmond. Each tale [“Low Tide”, “Riptide”, “What Washes Up”, and “Landfall”] is really just a longish novella, dominated by plots of nefarious happenings mostly at the beach as well as Maggie’s personal relationships with town “villain” Bennett Boudreaux and her escalating mutual romantic interest in her boss, Sherriff Wyatt Hamilton.
While the plots per se are not really that thrilling, except perhaps a disturbing death close to home in book two, the author’s conversational writing style makes for pleasant reading, even when the serial nature of the ongoing tale would be unacceptable if reading just one of these stories or reading them out of order. Supposedly the remainder of the books are longer and standalone, so maybe this first foursome, typically available in Ebook form at no charge, are somewhat a long elaborate teaser!
Our verdict: four stars for the writing, two stars for the plots.
While the plots per se are not really that thrilling, except perhaps a disturbing death close to home in book two, the author’s conversational writing style makes for pleasant reading, even when the serial nature of the ongoing tale would be unacceptable if reading just one of these stories or reading them out of order. Supposedly the remainder of the books are longer and standalone, so maybe this first foursome, typically available in Ebook form at no charge, are somewhat a long elaborate teaser!
Our verdict: four stars for the writing, two stars for the plots.
February 5, 2019
Mayhem and Misogyny With a Twist of Romance
Dawn Lee McKenna is a masterful alchemist combining action, pensivity, and a love of nature blended with a frustratingly chaste thread of romance and a surreal shadowing of the macabre. She knows her territory, Dawn grew up on the Florida coast where her novels are set. Her use of imagery is one of her strengths: she interleaved imagery and action seamlessly, readers will not be overwhelmed with the use of too much of either mechanism.
Dawn's plot is painfully realistic, the good guys do not always win. While the protagonist does prevail, she has to struggle with a fair amount of cognitive dissonance in the process of doing her job including reconciling some of the traumas from her distant past. The final book ends with an odd plot twist that readers will have to resolve on their own. I very much enjoyed reading "The Forgotten Coast" and was a bit sad when it ended.
Dawn Lee McKenna is a masterful alchemist combining action, pensivity, and a love of nature blended with a frustratingly chaste thread of romance and a surreal shadowing of the macabre. She knows her territory, Dawn grew up on the Florida coast where her novels are set. Her use of imagery is one of her strengths: she interleaved imagery and action seamlessly, readers will not be overwhelmed with the use of too much of either mechanism.
Dawn's plot is painfully realistic, the good guys do not always win. While the protagonist does prevail, she has to struggle with a fair amount of cognitive dissonance in the process of doing her job including reconciling some of the traumas from her distant past. The final book ends with an odd plot twist that readers will have to resolve on their own. I very much enjoyed reading "The Forgotten Coast" and was a bit sad when it ended.
December 22, 2018
Mental vacation
I enjoyed this series very much. As another reviewer said catching up at the beginning is kind of redundant. At the beginning of one of the books I thought I had inadvertently restarted a previous book. I started the books early Thursday morning while waiting for my husband having a colonoscopy. When I read, I kind of go away and don’t hear anything going on around me. The nurse had to call me three times to get my attention and walk me back to recovery. I liked all the characters and could hang out with them. I do feel the author does away with too many good characters who could be peripherally inserted into other stories. Some very amusing lines that made laugh out loud. She needs to be nicer to Stoopid, he loves her in his own way.Good read. 👏👌🏼📚
I enjoyed this series very much. As another reviewer said catching up at the beginning is kind of redundant. At the beginning of one of the books I thought I had inadvertently restarted a previous book. I started the books early Thursday morning while waiting for my husband having a colonoscopy. When I read, I kind of go away and don’t hear anything going on around me. The nurse had to call me three times to get my attention and walk me back to recovery. I liked all the characters and could hang out with them. I do feel the author does away with too many good characters who could be peripherally inserted into other stories. Some very amusing lines that made laugh out loud. She needs to be nicer to Stoopid, he loves her in his own way.Good read. 👏👌🏼📚
August 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this 4 book box set. I read them continuously as one long book which has it's pros and cons. It was good to read them all at once to keep the story line running along, but the repetitive information meant to refresh the reader's memory got a little tedious. I loved the characters, they were well developed, even if their personal situations were a little far fetched. Sometimes you need to make that leap to create an interesting cast. Some of the outcomes were obvious, but there were enough twists and turns along the way to keep me engaged. I was mostly impressed with the author's ability to capture emotion so accurately. Several moments in the book when I felt the main character's feelings were believable and understandable. This series surprisingly had some creative literary tooth to it too. I don't expect that kind of writing in a suspense thriller. My favorite: "Summer had shown up in a particularly humid mood." LOVE THAT! I will look for more books from Dawn Lee McKenna and I would recommend this series to my friends and family.
January 5, 2019
Ms. Dawn Lee McKenna is a master storyteller! She writes in a manner which puts you in her scenes as you read them. The plots are unique while realistic. Her ability to keep the pace of the story moving along without any seeming "drag" is welcomed. She uses "Stoopid" to furnish cleverly-placed comic relief in intense situations. You have to read her books to know about "Stoopid." The characters are appropriately likable or dislikable. It is a bit of a reach to have the teenage characters polite and engaged with their family, but it is very refreshing, too. I didn't want the four books to end, and even if I have to wipe out my KindleUnlimited quota, I'll be looking for more of her work.
January 17, 2020
I can't adequately express how much I LOVE Dawn Lee Mckenna's Forgotten Coast Florida Suspense series.
Enough mystery (not necessarily murder) to keep you wondering surrounded by dialog that will have you laughing so loud you cover your face so as not to scare the neighbors and set in small -- real -- town on Florida's Gulf coast. The characters are so real -- partly because they're based on real people in that real town -- you KNOW them. Cry, bleed, laugh, and hope with them. And if you've ever spent time in a small Gulf Coast Florida town, you'll be immediately transported back there.
I just love this series. Have read all 10 books twice and will read them again and again. You don't have to read them in order, but it helps. No, I won't tell you why.
Enough mystery (not necessarily murder) to keep you wondering surrounded by dialog that will have you laughing so loud you cover your face so as not to scare the neighbors and set in small -- real -- town on Florida's Gulf coast. The characters are so real -- partly because they're based on real people in that real town -- you KNOW them. Cry, bleed, laugh, and hope with them. And if you've ever spent time in a small Gulf Coast Florida town, you'll be immediately transported back there.
I just love this series. Have read all 10 books twice and will read them again and again. You don't have to read them in order, but it helps. No, I won't tell you why.
March 24, 2020
Wonderful saga!!
Just finished "Forgotten Coast" I stretched out reaching the end knowing you would have a few more surprises. You did thank you for a truly engaging series. Well worth the read. I am a transplant from New Jersey and thanks to you (Dawn Lee Mckenna,) Jonathon King and Wayne Stinnett I have gained a tremendous knowledge of my new home state. My favorite method of learning is through historical fiction. Your serious with all its wonderful and quirky cast including "Stoopid" (You are gonna have to read the books to find out who that is). You made everyone human and people I would like to meet. Well most of them anyway. Look forward to reading more of your writing.
Just finished "Forgotten Coast" I stretched out reaching the end knowing you would have a few more surprises. You did thank you for a truly engaging series. Well worth the read. I am a transplant from New Jersey and thanks to you (Dawn Lee Mckenna,) Jonathon King and Wayne Stinnett I have gained a tremendous knowledge of my new home state. My favorite method of learning is through historical fiction. Your serious with all its wonderful and quirky cast including "Stoopid" (You are gonna have to read the books to find out who that is). You made everyone human and people I would like to meet. Well most of them anyway. Look forward to reading more of your writing.
September 17, 2020
This is the best series I've EVER read. This is a welcomed departure from my 'normal' reading. Now I've read all 10 books straight through and just started the prequel. I can't think of the last time I've become so engrossed with the stories, characters and setting. Is there such a thing as reading too much? Laughing at the dry witty banter, crying at the sudden loss of a character and dreading any future deaths. The last time I cried over a book was in grade school with "Where the Red Fern Grows", so I don't cry easily but McKenna's writing can affect you that deeply. I'm obsessed with Dawn Lee McKenna now and will read anything she writes. She's given me a new lease on life and escape from work and other mundane duties.
Thank you Dawn Lee McKenna!
Thank you Dawn Lee McKenna!
November 2, 2021
I absolutely loved these books. I had trouble putting them down. Mr. Boudreaux is a character I would have loved to meet in real life. I hope Dawn writes a series on him and how he came to be in the position he is in. If there is one, I didn't know. First time reading the works by this author. I enjoyed the relationships between the main character and the others in the book. I definitely didn't want the story to end. I have to admit I skipped most of the end of the last book because I wanted to know about Mr. Boudreaux. I didn't want the story to end on him. I had speculated on his connection to Maggie and I guessed right. Definitely an author worth reading. Foul language was minimal and sex scenes didn't exist. Very clean book. I would let my teenager read it.
March 31, 2020
OMG!
This four book set was great! The intrigue and suspense was over the top! Even though each book was a stand alone story the story just picked up where the last left off. The next book had to repeat some of the background info on the characters and some of the history for anyone who was new to the series but it didn't bother me. I just skipped over it. Before starting these stories I read the bad reviews. Apparently, many of them were not understanding the need for this and were quite annoyed. The characters and scenes were amazingly described. Considering it was a real Florida location I found myself wanting to visit the place. I didn't want the story to end! 💕
This four book set was great! The intrigue and suspense was over the top! Even though each book was a stand alone story the story just picked up where the last left off. The next book had to repeat some of the background info on the characters and some of the history for anyone who was new to the series but it didn't bother me. I just skipped over it. Before starting these stories I read the bad reviews. Apparently, many of them were not understanding the need for this and were quite annoyed. The characters and scenes were amazingly described. Considering it was a real Florida location I found myself wanting to visit the place. I didn't want the story to end! 💕
November 25, 2021
Great light reading
I was extremely pleased that this series 1-4 of Dawn McKenna Forgotten Coast series turned into such a pleasant reading experience. Very few editing gaffs, the story line is plausible, the excitement well described, although as in the movies, the heroine takes far too many blows and yet still functions. This is something you read purely for your enjoyment; no deep thought moments. That is exactly what I had hoped it would be. Intelligently written and ideal for reading in between the The History of Mankind and How to Resolve World issues! Plus, I am a Florida woman.
I was extremely pleased that this series 1-4 of Dawn McKenna Forgotten Coast series turned into such a pleasant reading experience. Very few editing gaffs, the story line is plausible, the excitement well described, although as in the movies, the heroine takes far too many blows and yet still functions. This is something you read purely for your enjoyment; no deep thought moments. That is exactly what I had hoped it would be. Intelligently written and ideal for reading in between the The History of Mankind and How to Resolve World issues! Plus, I am a Florida woman.
January 15, 2022
A Truly Good Read
Characterization is a must for me as a reader and these stories are loaded with it! That element is combined with a real gut feel for the relationship between these characters and their unique environment and lifestyle to wrap readers up in a world many will not know. I fell into this real world of the oyster and shrimp fishermen and knew enough of this life to grasp what is important to the people who live there and share in their hopes and fears. 'nuff said. My only disappointment lay in the open ending which left some serious loose ends dangling and teasing me without promise of future answers.
Characterization is a must for me as a reader and these stories are loaded with it! That element is combined with a real gut feel for the relationship between these characters and their unique environment and lifestyle to wrap readers up in a world many will not know. I fell into this real world of the oyster and shrimp fishermen and knew enough of this life to grasp what is important to the people who live there and share in their hopes and fears. 'nuff said. My only disappointment lay in the open ending which left some serious loose ends dangling and teasing me without promise of future answers.
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