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A Lee Smith Mystery #3
Excess Baggage
Two countries. Three police forces. Four bodies.
Travel writer Lee Smith joins her brand new husband Jack Hughes and some of his top executives for what Jack claims will be a fun corporate team building adventure; chasing geocaching clues that take them from the Bay of Fundy, to the French islands of St. Pierre et Miquelon, and across Newfoundland.
Lee hopes the trip will offer her an escape from the intense media interest in her father’s appeal of his six murder convictions.
Instead of fun and escape, Lee finds dead bodies. Bodies with first names that match her father’s list of victims. Soon more than the media is focused on Lee. The combined forces of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the French Gendarmerie Nationale, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary are keeping a close eye on everyone on the Hughes retreat – especially Lee.
A menacing muscle-bound man keeps showing up wherever Lee is. A red car repeatedly appears in her rear-view mirror. And all the while, the body count continues to climb.
Travel writer Lee Smith joins her brand new husband Jack Hughes and some of his top executives for what Jack claims will be a fun corporate team building adventure; chasing geocaching clues that take them from the Bay of Fundy, to the French islands of St. Pierre et Miquelon, and across Newfoundland.
Lee hopes the trip will offer her an escape from the intense media interest in her father’s appeal of his six murder convictions.
Instead of fun and escape, Lee finds dead bodies. Bodies with first names that match her father’s list of victims. Soon more than the media is focused on Lee. The combined forces of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the French Gendarmerie Nationale, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary are keeping a close eye on everyone on the Hughes retreat – especially Lee.
A menacing muscle-bound man keeps showing up wherever Lee is. A red car repeatedly appears in her rear-view mirror. And all the while, the body count continues to climb.
268 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2017
4 people want to read
About the author
Jay Forman
6 books3 followersJay Forman was once a relatively sane television producer. Since walking away from the cameras she's been crazy busy adding mother and mystery author to her list of credits. Her focus is now locked on sending Canadian travel writer Lee Smith and Jack Hughes (Lee's best friend with many benefits, not least of which is that he's a billionaire philanthropist) to wherever bodies are found.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 30, 2021
Excess Baggage is a serial murder mystery that takes us through the tourist spots of New Brunswick and Newfoundland Canada. The protagonists in this novel are Lee Smith who is a well-known travel writer and Jack Hughes who is her billionaire husband. Excess Baggage is the third novel in the Lee Smith Mystery series written by Jay Forman.
The story begins with Lee Smith finding out from a lawyer that her father, who has been convicted as a serial killer, is being allowed to appeal his conviction. Trying to avoid the issue, Lee goes on a treasure hunt with her husband Jack as part of his company team building exercise where they are geocaching in different tourist spots in unknown destinations. As it turns out, the exercise visits various tourist spots across the Canadian Maritimes. The trip takes on a peculiar twist when they start finding women who are killed at their various stops. Even worse, these women have similar names and are killed in a similar manner to the women her father is accused of killing. This opens up a whole series emotional wounds that Lee has tried to suppress.
The story is very fast-paced and a compelling mystery. It is a little bit unrealistic that there are murders at most of the stops and yet the group continues on with their geocaching adventure.
Although I find the story fairly compelling, I am disappointed that we don’t learn anything about the characters involved. They all seem to be Jack’s employees but we really didn't get to know anyone else except Lee and Jack. We do learn about Jack as the boss who is under the stress of losing his company while trying to get the whole vacation on the way but otherwise there is very little character development.
I'd recommend this book to people who like murder mysteries but also because the environment where it takes place is the Canadian Maritimes which is beautiful anytime. I give the story of 3 on 5 primarily because I don't find the plot particularly believable nor am I happy with the way the characters that are developed. I want to thank NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I provide this book voluntarily.
The story begins with Lee Smith finding out from a lawyer that her father, who has been convicted as a serial killer, is being allowed to appeal his conviction. Trying to avoid the issue, Lee goes on a treasure hunt with her husband Jack as part of his company team building exercise where they are geocaching in different tourist spots in unknown destinations. As it turns out, the exercise visits various tourist spots across the Canadian Maritimes. The trip takes on a peculiar twist when they start finding women who are killed at their various stops. Even worse, these women have similar names and are killed in a similar manner to the women her father is accused of killing. This opens up a whole series emotional wounds that Lee has tried to suppress.
The story is very fast-paced and a compelling mystery. It is a little bit unrealistic that there are murders at most of the stops and yet the group continues on with their geocaching adventure.
Although I find the story fairly compelling, I am disappointed that we don’t learn anything about the characters involved. They all seem to be Jack’s employees but we really didn't get to know anyone else except Lee and Jack. We do learn about Jack as the boss who is under the stress of losing his company while trying to get the whole vacation on the way but otherwise there is very little character development.
I'd recommend this book to people who like murder mysteries but also because the environment where it takes place is the Canadian Maritimes which is beautiful anytime. I give the story of 3 on 5 primarily because I don't find the plot particularly believable nor am I happy with the way the characters that are developed. I want to thank NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I provide this book voluntarily.
May 2, 2021
I really enjoyed the first two in the series and was hopeful this form would continue with the third book. Which it did! The difference here being that I’ve actually visited one of the locations in the book and I think the author did a great jobof taking me back there. The only downside is that, just like the last book, it makes me want to get out there and see these locations, and obviously given the pandemic that’s a bit tricky at the moment. Oh well, definitely going on my list of places to visit when the world returns to normal! Jack and Lee are up to some new shenanigans and I really enjoy how the author is developing Lee in particular. Heard this author on a book related podcast recently where she mentioned a 4th book was coming. Can’t wait! If you like mystery you’ll definitely like this series.
January 11, 2018
I really enjoyed this adventure. I could honestly picture the locations in Eastern Canada. Lee continues to be a complicated and interesting protagonist. The story has some fun turns and keeps you guessing. Each new book in the series is definitely getting stronger and the characters are evolving and showing multiple layers and shades of grey.
A fun read.
A fun read.
June 1, 2021
I didn't care for this one at all. A simple plot gets sidetracked constantly without any characters gets I actually cared for. The man in c ghost large seems confused the entire time so that how can he be a billionaire while his l moving wife hides her brains under a bushel Not for me
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me this arc in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me this arc in exchange for an honest review
August 20, 2021
☆ 3.25
I hadn't read the first two, so I was pleasantly surprised this can be enjoyed as a stand alone! Fun mystery that gives us a glimpse of the beauty of Newfoundland! Although we don't go deep into the characters, this is an easy read to enjoy :)
I hadn't read the first two, so I was pleasantly surprised this can be enjoyed as a stand alone! Fun mystery that gives us a glimpse of the beauty of Newfoundland! Although we don't go deep into the characters, this is an easy read to enjoy :)
September 26, 2021
Brilliant read, I want to read more
April 24, 2021
Readers will get two for the price of one with Jay Forman’s Excess Baggage. First, a top notch mystery thriller when women are found murdered at the sites visited by the protagonist Lee Smith while on a geocaching adventure. Second, a splendid travelogue describing the beauty of Newfoundland in Canada. I read it with my atlas open to see the journey Lee Smith takes. This is a page-turner plus.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews