The Secret of Rosalita Flats

by Tim W. Jackson

Cal’s a hapless watchmaker. Marina’s a beautiful scuba instructor. They were friends as kids. Now, not so much. Together they’ll solve the secret of Rosalita Flats. If the sharks don’t get them first.

The Secret of Rosalita Flats is about a man trying to unload the football-shaped house he inherited, while dodging the backwater Blacktip Island’s quirky collection of con artists, smugglers and other ne’er-do-wells: an ornery housekeeper who refuses to be fired, a rum-soaked attorney with his own agenda, a chair-wielding resort manager who thinks he’s an avenging angel, and a self-styled psychic who may be able to see the future. There’s also a mysterious someone—or something—trying to scare Cal off the island. Cal has to figure out what his old man was mixed up in, fast, if he’s to sell the house and get off the crazy little rock alive.

Written with Hiaasen-esque humor, The Secret of Rosalita Flats is a beguiling mystery for anyone who’s ever dreamed of chucking it all and running off to the Caribbean. From the author of the award-finalist Blacktip Island.

Genres: Mystery, Humor, Suspense, Fiction, Thriller

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2020

About the author

Tim W. Jackson started kindergarten in Indonesia, graduated high school in Egypt and was educated everywhere in between. His first taste of scuba diving came at the age of six when he sneaked breaths off his dad’s double-hose regulator in the deep end of the pool. Later, as an ex-journalist armed with a newly-minted master’s degree in English, he discovered he was qualified to be a bartender, a waiter or a PhD student. Instead he chose Secret Option D: run off to the Cayman Islands to work as a scuba instructor and boat captain by day and write fiction at night. Two decades later, he still wishes that was half as interesting as it sounds. Or even a quarter . . .

Jackson is the award-winning author of the comic Caribbean novels Blacktip Island and The Secret of Rosalita Flats, as well as The Blacktip Times humor blog. His “Tales from Blacktip Island” short stories have been published in literary journals worldwide. He is currently concocting his next Blacktip Island novel and still enjoys scuba diving with his dad’s old double-hose reg.

For more insider info, visit his website, www.timwjackson.com, the Blacktip Times (www.blacktipisland.com) or follow him on Facebook (Tim W. Jackson) and Twitter (@timwjax).

Reviews

[Kathryn in FL]

Cal returns to Blacktip Island (mythical Caribbean Island) to settle the estate of his late father, Rhodes, whom he was estranged since leaving with his mother, when he was twelve years old. When he returns, he finds that many islanders are interested in the family home, though it doesn't seem a likely retreat or even worth upgrading. When strange behaviors are exhibited by the local folk, Cal, starts to wonder what the islanders know that he does not. His research into the matter delivers close calls and even odder behavior from some.

I enjoyed the panoply of characters offered within the story and their peculiarities. Unique or relatable characters are usually an critical factor for me to enjoy a story, even if it is plot driven. Likewise, I enjoyed the action and interaction as various people try to suss out whether Cal knows what his father was up to. Meanwhile, Cal is trying to determine that for himself and busy trying to determine why some don't want him to ever know. Though the second in the series, this story did not require the reader to be familiar with the first installation, to follow the arc of the storyline (although I wasn't sure this was the case while reading the first third of this story).

At the beginning, there were a number of characters, who were introduced that made it a bit slow and confusing for me but as the story progressed that was not an issue and as the tension heightened in the last third of the story, I was greatly intrigued. I definitely needed to know how it would conclude and what was behind the mystery. I also found the love interest Cal develops intriguing and a tad "forbidden". Thus it all worked for me. At the conclusion, the author leaves the door open for #3, which I would definitely read to see where things are headed.

I hope this author gets some solid recognition for his writing skills. He exhibits strong story development and execution. His characters are interesting and relatable but not outrageously so. Which made it a real delight! I lived in a small beach town when I was a teenager and these people really resounded with me. There were several moments when even the humor of a moment caught me laughing out loud. I like him much more than Carl Hiaasen and so much more than Tim Dorsey (oh, I know I need to tread lightly here) because it wasn't so farcical. I'm just sayin' if beachy stories are your thang, then this deserves a look.

Highly Recommend.

Thank you to Book Sirens and the author, Tim W. Jackson for a digital ARC copy in return for my honest review.

[Stace]

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

As far as I can tell The Secret of Rosalita Flats is Tim W Jackson’s third published novel following Mangrove Underground and Blacktip Island. He has also published some short stories on similar themes. In his writing he draws on his varied experiences with settings and activities that are familiar to him.

The book took my attention from the start through a combination of the attractive setting and Tim W Jackson’s writing style which is clear and comfortable. It was very easy to follow the events, helped by good descriptions of the scenery and locations. The action scenes were lively and delivered without bad language or actual violence although it is implied at times. There is also a little romance but nothing too slushy or detailed. I did not collapse with laughter but the gentle humour kept a smile on my face.

Although the story is told in the third person the action follows Cal exclusively so we really get to know and understand him. His actions were believable and at no time did I get cross with him for doing something stupid. The other characters are a little stereotypical but that only helps to make the story easy to understand.

I particularly enjoyed the diving scenes and descriptions of local life. The island’s scenery drew my attention, not just the expected beauty spots but also the less attractive areas such as the impenetrable bluff and the pungent Booby Pond.

Alongside the characters, the humour and the scenery there is also a rather good mystery. The title and the synopsis make it clear that there is a problem to solve but exactly what is far from clear. Tim W Jackson kept the interest going throughout with little teasers until a grand reveal at the end which still had a few surprises.

I highly recommend The Secret of Rosalita Flats and I hope to read the previous book, Blacktip Island shortly. I have awarded a nearly perfect 4.5 stars.

[Jin]

This book was what I exactly needed right now. It was fast-paced, fun and colorful from beginning to end, including some action, romance, mystery and comedy. In general, it felt like a good holiday trip to a faraway island - to Blacktip in this case - which I have enjoyed fully. I have expected an entertaining page-turner and it has fulfilled my expectations.

It was great to join Cal in his adventurous voyage who actually never seeked for any adventures at all. Throughout the book, it felt like "Rat Race", the movie where everyone is chasing for a treasure.
I liked the mystery part and the chase of the islanders most. In the middle of all the chaos, there was always Cal, slightly confused, not willing to accept. (Seriously, poor him) In fact, I grew to like Cal and Rosie while reading the book even though they were not that sympathetic in the beginning.

If you are searching for a good holiday Summer read for light entertainment, you will enjoy this story a lot!

**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**

[Hobart]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE SECRET OF ROSALITA FLATS ABOUT?
Once upon a time, Cal Batten and his family lived on Blacktip Island (a Caribbean Resort island) in a strangely shaped house. At some point, his mother moves back to the mainland, taking Cal with her. Years later, following a divorce and struggling to keep his business alive, Cal's back on the island. His father, Rhodes, has died and Cal's come to get things in order and sell the house. Hopefully, he can make enough money to bail out his clock repair business.

Cal hasn't been on the island in years, doesn't want to be there now, and honestly hasn't been in touch with his father enough to care about his death. But maybe, just maybe, some good can come out of things. But before he can get to that, he needs to: find the will and make sure he actually owns anything; make sense of his father's financial situation (step 1: find out how he made any money); find someone to buy the house/land. None of these things prove easy.

There are plenty of people on the island who remember Cal (some of whom he has vague memories of), but most just know him as the stranger who's come to sell the house—and either mistrust him as an outsider, or see him as a mark to take advantage of.* There's a couple of childhood friends—Marina, who doesn't seem to care that he's back, and Rafe seems to be jealous of the romantic interest between Marina and Cal. There's his father's neighbors, who seem to be the most normal people on the island, there's the fixit man who has premonitions (and a strange sense of humor) about Cal's future, an eccentric man who will attack sinners with hammers for God, and a whole lot of people who seem more interested in bilking tourists and anyone else they can out of whatever money they have. Oh, and the world's most loyal cleaning lady—who refuses to let Cal fire her (she's been paid in advance for the whole year), and insists on helping him sort through papers and impose order on the house (which she has to break into at least once to do her job).

* Both are probably right to an extent.

Someone doesn't want Cal to get the answers he's looking for—and are acting as if Rhodes has some sort of treasure buried/hidden that they want to find first. The house is broken into and searched repeatedly, Cal's stalked, things are stolen from the house, So now it becomes a race—who will find the will and/or whatever other riches might be left by Rhodes first?

BLACKTIP ISLAND
Years ago, I read some/most of the books by Tom Bodett about a town in Alaska called The End of the Road. Each book was a collection of short stories about an eccentrics living in a small town.* Blacktip Island seems to be the same kind of place, if you look at Jackson's website about it, The Blacktip Times, you kind of get the same feel. An entirely fictional place where any number of odd characters live simply to be used for off-kilter little stories.

* Lake Wobegon, Minnesota would also fit this, but I like Bodett and his town more than Keillor and his.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE SECRET OF ROSALITA FLATS?
Essentially what you have here is a humorous Fish Out of Water story mixed with a Light Thriller, Cal keeps trying to get his answers (and some money) and is stymied by either a well-intentioned (generally) resident or his own ignorance of the Island (its history, culture, residents).

The cast of characters is large enough that you have a hard time getting a real sense for any of them other than Cal for most of the book (the cleaning lady and Marina are exceptions—but it takes most of the book before you really start to get a sense of them). Which is okay, because you don't need to understand these characters to find them amusing.

And that's the key to this book—it's amusing. The Cal's quest is interesting enough to keep you turning pages, but what makes it worthwhile is to see him run into various obstacles along the way and to interact with the residents. That's what gives this book its distinctive flavor and will bring a grin to your face.

This is just the thing to read sitting in the shade (on a beach if you can find it) for an afternoon with a drink or two, enjoying a summer day.

[Dani Urban]

The Secret of Rosalita Flats by Tim W. Jackson is the first book I have read in this series. I was able to follow along easily. The cast of characters is amazing. Many of them are the kind I wouldn't want to be around but they make this mystery book even more real. A man has come to sell off a family home and leave. Instead, the cast of characters only help hinder his plans, causes more chaos than he needs, and there's a mystery surrounding what his family member did. Plenty of quirky characters, suspense, and action to keep me hooked. I enjoyed following Cal as the mystery just got more interesting with every page. Tim W. Jackson has a flair for drama, mystery, and humor. Overall, this book is a must read for all you want some entertaining and realistic characters. Adventure and trouble await in this exciting book.

I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.

[Maria Rivas-mc]

Simon Pridmore, author of Scuba Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Becoming a Better Diver, describes The Secret of Rosalita Flats as “a rollercoaster ride of a tale that zips along and keeps the reader engaged all the way. The colourful cast of island misfits and a charmingly-confused lead character add to the fun."

Frankly, I can’t add much to this pretty accurate description. I was just as confounded as Cal trying to figure out what his father had been up to! Then there were the many laugh out loud moments as Cal (and I) came to a realization of what had caused his fear of the water and sharks and, perhaps, his OCD.

At the end, I had gotten pretty fond of the author’s quirky characters and the somewhat familiar Caribbean location, duppies and all. I do also like Tim W. Jackson’s blog on Blacktip Island (https://blacktipisland.com/) where his fictional characters continue to thrive. That must certainly be a fun project!

My thanks to Book Sirens for the complimentary copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Al]

Throw an apparently normal guy, Cal, into a strange situation, in a strange place, and surround him with people who I don’t want to call strange (only because I’m being overly nice, you’d call them strange). I’ll call them unique, yeah, that’s it. Then have, ummm, … the thesaurus suggests bizarre might be an alternative, so have bizarre things start happening, and you’ve got a high-level idea of what this book is like. At first it seemed like a fairly straightforward situation (at least if inheriting a property … make that maybe inheriting a property owned by your late, estranged father who you’ve been cutoff from for years is straightforward). There was a quirky housekeeper and the house had some idiosyncrasies, but still, things didn’t seem that strange. But as the story went on rather than getting more clear as to what was happening and where things were going it got more confusing and kookier (the thesaurus pointed the way for that word too). Ultimately The Secret of Rosalita Flats was a fun and enjoyable read that kept me entertained and guessing, but be warned, just when you think things are starting to make sense, the story is likely to go in some odd, off-kilter direction.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Nick]

Please find my review for The Secrets of Rosalita Flats by Tim Jackson.

[Rebecca Rosamond]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Secret of Rosalita Flats, by Tim W. Jackson. It was definitely worth the wait! (but please don’t keep us waiting this long for the next one). It was entertaining, exciting, and funny with a touch of sarcasm and a little bit of romance

This book is more of a follow-on to his second book, Blacktip Island, rather than a sequel - you don’t have to read Blacktip Island first (but I recommend that book too). Many of the same island locals appear in this book, including wacky Antonio and eccentric Jarrod, two of my favs, and Sandy Bottoms and Rich Skerrit, two of my least favs. But this novel centers around a new main character Cal, who has his own brand of peculiar, including a dead, estranged, eccentric, island bum father.

My favorite books are mysteries and this book didn’t disappoint. It kept me thinking the whole way through. At one point, the main characters discover something and I think “well, that’s the answer”, but … there was still a lot of book left – and good thing, because that wasn’t the answer. He nicely wrapped up the mystery at the end and everything made sense, didn’t leave things hanging, but left me wanting to know what happens next on Blacktip Island

Another thing I liked about this book was the setting. I love the Caribbean – that is my happy place. I also have enjoyed scuba diving in the past, which is an activity the characters participate in a lot. So there were many parts of the book that stirred up fond feelings and visions of beautiful places. There were a couple of descriptions where a word was unfamiliar (what the heck is ironshore?), but I could typically figure out the meaning due to the context.

Tim W. Jackson’s writing style is funny, sarcastic and a little quirky (just like his characters). His style is casual, but I struggled a little at the beginning with some of the sentence structure, especially the island jargon. But once I got used to it, it added flair to his characters. In the words of Antonio “All your problems’re solved.”

All in all, I would RECOMMEND The Secret of Rosalita Flats. The mystery was puzzling, the characters were interesting, the setting was lovely, the dialogue was unique, the story was engaging, and the ending was happy. I look forward to Tim Jackson’s next book about Blacktip Island. And in the meantime, I’ll continue reading his humorous, satirical blog, The Blacktip Times, also set on Blacktip Island with many of the same Island locals.

[READER VIEWS]

“The Secret of Rosalita Flats,” by Tim W. Jackson, is the perfect paradise to sweep you away. Jackson’s novel has all the ingredients you need if you’re looking for great escapism, good plotting, and interesting characters and relationships found in this humorous romantic suspense story. The author writes with a sense of humor that lends itself well to the themes of sand, surf, and tropical sensuality.

The story is about a man named Cal, who meets up again with his best friend from childhood, Marina, who happens to be an attractive scuba instructor in a Caribbean island. He travels to the island in order to tend to affairs after his father passes away. From the first few sentences, Jackson’s sense of humor hooks you, and you know it’s going to be a fun ride. You also get the feeling that the author knows his way around water. This is important when it comes to world-building in a novel. His expertise comes through naturally; not in an encyclopedic, forced kind of way. You’re caught up in the story, the relationships, and you really want to keep reading to find out how the story ends. Another strong point is that he teases you with the relationship, not giving it all away up front, but releasing it slowly.

Besides being a story of rekindling relationships, and the humor, Jackson writes in a way that commands your attention: His care with detail, the way he shapes his characters, and the descriptive settings. He also adds mystery, suspense, and danger. Don’t let the genre fool you–he has a way with words. It’s one thing to tell a story, but to tell it in a way that causes you to lose yourself in it, to get close to the characters and situations–that takes skill and talent. Once you’re grounded into the story by way of his tangible settings, unique characters, and natural dialogue, you’re on your way through an interesting story that is notches above most humorous romantic dramas today. You get the feeling he really enjoyed writing this story.

If you want a book that will make you feel as though you’ve stepped off of a boat to become part of an island story, “The Secret of Rosalita Flats,” by Tim W. Jackson, is one you can’t pass up.

[Stanley McShane]

The unabridged review here.

Protagonist Cal Batten travels to Blacktip Island to settle the estate of his late father, Rhodes, whom he had not seen since the age of twelve.

Blacktip Island is described as having an ironshore surface with death-defying cliffs and gumbo-limbo trees and cactus, mosquitoes, merquatches, duppies, and boojums. Sounds fun, huh? But all Cal wants to do is sell and head home.

Problem is—he can’t. He must have the paperwork, the legal conveyances that he can’t find in all the mess left behind.

Cal remembers many of the island’s citizens including the one who would reintroduce him to scuba diving. They were friends when children but she doesn’t seem to know much more about his dad than he. The rest of the population all suspect his dad was hiding—what and how much—they are not sure.

As Cal digs deeper into the mystery, the gentle re-acquaintance with Marina begins to develop as the tension tightens into the who and why. Above and underwater scenes prove an exciting push into the conclusion which gradually settles the waters and works things out very satisfactorily.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s tongue-in-cheek humorous writing style (the stench from the booby pond), while working tangible bits of information into a plausible scenario. It’s a Blacktip Island novel, Book 2, but certainly a standalone. Only the island is a constant. It’s a lingering build of conflict coupled with twists and red herrings that keep the pages turning. The characters are thoroughly entertaining and the storyline amusing—comical at times. A lovely get-a-way when we all need one. Recommended and looking forward to Book 3. 4.5/5 stars

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

[Billy Buttons]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The Secret of Rosalita Flats
Author: Tim W. Jackson

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 18
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 18 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
16 thought the cover was good or excellent.
18 felt it was easy to follow.
17 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
13 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
16 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
“This is a fun story; the perfect beach read I’d suggest. I love the setting.” Male reader, aged 40
“This author works so well with speech. It’s often funny, and always rather quirky. I liked the range of characters. They all seem very different and they were fun to get to know.” Female reader, aged 52
“I thought this to be a very relaxing story. It’s charming in many ways, the emphasis always on character and not so much on plot. However, there is a good mystery too, and the scuba diving was well-described.” Male reader, aged 31
“A little slow to get going then after a few chapters, I was totally enthralled. The tropical setting is wonderful, and the often confused hero is a joy to get to know. I would happily read another book by this author.” Female reader, aged 66


To Sum It Up:
‘A cleverly plotted mystery packed with plenty of twists and turns – and lots of charm. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Stephan Morse]

The one thing I loved about Blacktip Island happened to be the built-in humor. This one started off with a bang, featuring a house shaped like a giant football, so that a wife wouldn’t want to take it in the divorce. It keeps on going with the islander’s little quirks and a wide cast of characters, many from the first novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but like it’s predecessor, Rosalita Flats is built around complex relationships with people hiding things.

Which means deliberate mystery behind a billion red herrings while everyone else but he main character knows bits of the puzzle. Trying to guess the end before the book finished was pointless in the first novel, and equally pointless in this one. Sure, you can guess. It’s faster to read and enjoy. This secretive everyone has their nose in everyone else’s business situation only works because the island’s pretty far removed from what most of us consider “modern”. Meaning, no internet, barely any telephones, etc.

My biggest irk, if there could be any, is that the first half of the book is set up to keep Cal on the island by hook or by crook. Some of it feels a contrived, as if everyone’s deliberately obtuse or hiding facts that matter to the main character’s opinion. While reading, I never know if this is a conspiracy of the island to keep people staying there, or because everyone is a secret billionaire or out to get rich. Frequently it makes me pause, but for those who love the mystery, this can be a huge draw.

By the end, as with the first one, all the mysteries are revealed. Questions are answered and I didn’t have any lingering confusion aside from the general annoyance at the main character being strung along. This, again, matches the other book about the island, meaning if you do purchase The Secret of Rosalita Flats and enjoy it, then you should pop back and check out Blacktip Island too.

[Louise]

The Secret of Rosalita Flats is a humorous mystery set on a fictional Caribbean island, populated by a wide assortment of oddballs. I didn’t realize that this was the second book in a series (the first book is called simply Blacktip Island), but the story itself is a standalone. From what I can tell, there’s no real overlap between the two books other than the setting and probably more background on the some of the quirky characters on Blacktip Island.

The descriptions of the island and its inhabitants were delightful and along the way I got a bit more information on scuba diving than I anticipated. The main character, Cal, is on the island because his estranged father died and he has to sort through all the clutter in his dad’s football-shaped house. Something is going on that he doesn’t understand - there are a lot of weird happenings and unusual interest in buying the dilapidated house by various islanders. He doesn’t know who he can trust, including Rosie, the woman who his dad employed to clean the house and who refuses to be fired, as she has been prepaid by his dad for the year. The island itself becomes a character, as Cal explores the nearby bluff and some caves near the house. There are a couple of harrowing incidents in the course of his explorations, sometimes with his childhood friend, Marina, who is teaching him to scuba dive, and sometimes alone. The “secret” is revealed gradually - and there are a few good twists by the end of the book - and it was an enjoyable ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the chance to read this book. All opinions are my own.

[J.E. Barnard]

A slow start to this atmospheric tale of terror and treasure in the tropics.

Cal just wants to get onto the island, sell his dead father's house, and get back to his own life. But his father's housekeeper has other ideas, and his childhood friends, now grown and in positions of some local influence, won't help him get rid of her. The tension ramps up slowly with strange sounds in the night, surly looks from the locals, and his father's chaotic filing system disturbed while he's delayed elsewhere..Eventually pieces start to fall into place, leading to discoveries about his family, his friends, and his own half-forgotten childhood. But someone doesn't care about his past; they seem determined to cut short his future.

The sensory elements of this novel are well done. You'll feel every mosquito bite and taste the stale hot dogs. The stench of the booby colony will taint your nose. However, I found it hard to care about any of the characters or their goals. If you want a simple escapism with some grit and some blood, and a treasure, this will tick those boxes.

[teal]

"The house was named Batten's Down, and Cal Batten had no idea what to do with the damn thing."

You'll find that brilliant line as the first in Tim W. Jackson's "The Secret of Rosalita Flats," and if it made you chuckle like it did me then you are in for an enjoyable time with this sassy little story!

Alongside Cal, we meet other brightly illustrated folk like a fella who hosts open mic night on good days and attempts to smite with a cast iron skillet on bad days, a cleaning woman who won't be fired, and what every good island story needs - a diving instructor who won't back down from a challenge.

Tim W. Jackson's writing style is personable and casual. Though at times maybe TOO casual in the grammatical department, I found myself really enjoying the somewhat choppy prose. This is a series I will keep on my radar!

*This honest, voluntary review was composed after reading an ARC provided by BookSirens.*

[Tammy]

This story ended up being a little different than I thought it would be, but it concluded well and was set up nicely for the next book in the series. It gives an interesting perspective in coming back to a childhood home as an adult, with a completely different view point. It also shows how remote island living brings out strange personalities in the residents.

Be aware that this book has a slow start, so give it until about halfway through for the story to pick up and things to start getting interesting. Also, the backstory with the main characters friends growing up is not defined at the beginning of the story. Instead, this will be slowly defined as you progress through the book.

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DISCLAIMER: I received an advance reader copy of this book provided by the author in exchange for a fair, objective, and honest review.

[Goth Gone Grey]

Trust no one, or thou shall be smited! Smote? Smit?

As with the first book in the series, this is a group of beyond quirky characters. A cleaning lady, smiting ex-minister, jealous policeman, and attractive scuba diver are the most notable, but certainly not all of the cast and crew. A fish returning to water, Cal comes back to Blacktip Island to clean and sell his father's oddly shaped, cluttered home puntastically titled the Batten's Down.

Trust no one quickly becomes apparent, as odd things happen on a regular, constant basis. The football home is broken into, things shuffled around, random things go missing - all this and scuba diving lessons with an old friend.

The book moves quickly - I made a point of waiting to read it until I knew I'd have uninterrupted time to start and finish in one sitting. It's a roller coaster of a ride, tense with anticipation of more shenanigans done to Cal and his home with every page turned, who to trust - anyone?

An example of the writing:
"Just what he needed. Add a psychotic Jerrod to his worries about people breaking into the house, the will being contested, Kat, the clock shop, and diving. He was close to solving the Batten's Down mystery, to getting off this crazy rock. If a defrocked minister didn't whack him with a chair first."

I was given a copy for review purposes.

[Catriona Lovett]

Sharks In the Water, But Sharks On Land, Too


I've heard of duppies, but a mersquatch?


Despite my best efforts I could not foresee where each twist and turn of this novel was leading to, and that's enough for a mystery to garner high praise from me. As each secret was unraveled, the story became more mystifying and suspenseful. Adding to my enjoyment were the tropical island setting, so well-described that I felt like I was on vacation; the likable, offbeat characters; and best of all, a generous dose of humor.


I hope there are more trips to Blacktip Island in store!


I received a free advance review copy of this book via BookSirens in return for my review, which I am delighted to give: it's a great read!

[Jan]

It's been four years since I won the first Blacktip Island humorous adventure, and this one is at least as funny!
Cal's divorce is final, his business back in Illinois is floundering, his estranged father died and Cal is stuck managing the problems of inheriting this crazy house and whatever in an odd island in the Caribbean, and the housekeeper that won't go away but keeps telling him what to do. And then there's the thing about getting a dive certificate. And the sharks. And the way someone keeps getting into the house and tossing it. And a whole lot of situational and verbal humor. Definitely a fun read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Ed Forsyth]

What a great read! I love a book that has quirky characters that may not be what they appear, a unique and beautifully described setting, and a plot filled with mystery that keeps me turning the pages. The Secret of Rosalita Flats has all of these elements and much more. If you want to be taken away to the Caribbean by someone who knows what he is talking about, this is the book for you. Tim W. Jackson has written an excellent second Blacktip Island novel. (If you haven’t read the first novel, Blacktip Island, you will definitely want to do so after reading The Secret of Roslita Flats.)

[Kim Baker]

Lots of twists and turns!

Great read! Very much larger than life. I was hooked! Left me wanting more! What happens next! Cal really developed from a character in which life was kind of happening to.......to a character who was taking action and in charge of his own destiny. Rather like when you go home for the holidays and revert back to your teenage-role in the family. I would have liked to know more about his life on Blacktip Island as a kid. By the end of the book the shadow of his past, is just that, his past. Which allows him to see a future of his own making.

[Louise Gray]

I loved this book! It’s very funny and the characters are so quirky as to be impossible - but somehow the author makes them into real and credible people. This is not a book which is so quirky as to be inaccessible, though. It’s fast paced and engaging. The plot draws you in and I was invested in the characters almost as soon as I met them. If you are looking for a book which brings together a good mystery, intriguing characters and relationships and hilarious dialogue, this is the one for you.

[Tania]

A humorous mystery ride full of colorful characters. It took me a little while to really get absorbed into the story; there was a point when it felt like a cycle of repeating events. Then, at the moment before it would have been too much, Jackson turned the cycle into humor and an entrance into the real action of the book. After that, I couldn’t stop reading. Altogether, I really enjoyed this book and might have to search up more of Jackson’s books.

Note: I received an advance review copy for free via BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mark]

Enjoyable “crime romp” set in the Caribbean. The main character, Cal, returns to the place of his birth after the death of his estranged father who seems to have been involved in all sorts of murky activities.

Good smattering of local atmosphere and colourful characters but all pretty reasonable compared to Hiassen’s whacko’s.

A map of the island and a copy of the map that Cal keeps using would have helped!

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy.

[Carlin]

I really loved this book. Crazy characters with Cal the protagonist an OCD clock worker from Illinois, he inherits his father's football shaped house on Blacktip Island in the Caribbean. But it seems everyone wants to buy the property or get Cal to leave the island. He is understandably suspicious of everyone's motives. The house came with Rosie, a housekeeper who claimed Cal's father had paid her for the rest of the year and who refused to leave. There was a good mystery, a lot of lol humor, a possible romantic interest, and a surprise ending. I would definitely read more if it turns into a series.

I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Review Copy from Book Sirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Janet Graham]

Island Mystery
This is a novel about an island full of mystery. It seemed like the story's set-up took forever. I almost quit reading several times. At about the middle of the book, everything started to come together to a very nice ending. It made me want to read more. That may be my problem with this story; I have never read anything in this series or by this author before. Those of you have read some of this series will probably really enjoy this book.
I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

[Margaret]

The Secret of Rosalita Flats, was a fast, enjoyable read.
The writing style was easy to follow and casual.
The characters were intreging, unique, and crazy.
The setting was a lovely Caribbean island over ran by sharks.
It was entertaining, exciting, and funny, with a touch of sarcasm, lively action, and gentle humour and drama.
This good mystery with an abrupt ending had all your questions answered by the end of the story. You need to make sure you don't miss this funny misadventure. Read and enjoy.
I received an ARC free from BookSirens and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Destiny Bridwell]

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I am always up for a good mystery. Cal goes to a house that he inherited from his father and he knew something was from the moment he arrived. That story does start off a bit slow to start but once it gets rolling it is wonderful. The cast of characters, descriptions of the locations and the intrigue pulls the reader in and does not let go until the last page is turned. It is so crazy and intense at times.

[Carol]

Thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced island living mystery. It had just the right amount of quirkiness, comedy and crazy characters. Just what I needed. It makes me wish I was heading to inland in the Caribbean to dive.