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Sidetrack Key: A twisty, complex tale of one woman’s fight for survival in the Florida Keys.
After disposing of her vicious husband in the Great Depression, Elle Woodman returns to No Name Key, a crumbling house, and a woman who knows exactly what she did.
The 1935 Labor Day hurricane ushered Elle into a new life on No Name Key, safely washing Billy’s remains out to sea where he can never hurt her again. But Blanche suspects Elle is responsible for Billy’s demise and Blanche now owns the lodge where Elle works.
When Blanche teams up with Nathan Foreman, who controls the vets building the Overseas Highway, Elle has two formidable enemies, One with the power to take her freedom and the other with the power to take her life.
The 1935 Labor Day hurricane ushered Elle into a new life on No Name Key, safely washing Billy’s remains out to sea where he can never hurt her again. But Blanche suspects Elle is responsible for Billy’s demise and Blanche now owns the lodge where Elle works.
When Blanche teams up with Nathan Foreman, who controls the vets building the Overseas Highway, Elle has two formidable enemies, One with the power to take her freedom and the other with the power to take her life.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 31, 2022
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10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 10, 2023
Sidetrack Key brings the reader back to the hardscrabble world of the Florida Keys of 1936. Elle, the main character, rebuilds her life after the devastation of the hurricane and encounters new relationships and new predicaments. The wide variety of characters include: the lodge's new owners whose zeal for grandeur knows no bounds, road and construction crews run ragged from heat, exhaustion and a ferry boat captain that knows the island's secrets. One line in the book sums it up best: "Heaven and hell cohabitate peacefully in the Lower Keys, one indistinguishable from the other". An engrossing follow up.
January 7, 2023
Elle Woodman, the protagonist of Jessica Argyle's much-loved earlier novel "No Name Key" is one of those heroines who impress you and infuriate you and end up earning your unstinted admiration - not so much for what she does, which includes at least one murder, but for her clear-minded decisions to stay alive, thrive, and be her own woman in a time and place dominated by men - the Florida Keys in the 1930's, when living was hard, mosquitoes legion, and a major hurricane has created chaos, death and destruction for the residents.
The sequel, "Sidetrack Key" is as fast-paced a tale as the earlier book but is also steeped in the history of the time, when unemployed war veterans were sent to work on the railroad that Henry Flagler had planned, from Miami to Key West. A lot of things have to get 'sidetracked' as a result - and we see Elle navigating her way between rich entrepreneurs, a jealous rival, desperate men working for a pittance, an abused wife and child for neighbors, along with fears for her own survival and a story that has to be kept a secret - or else...
Argyle's evocation of the place, these islands of the Keys with their fauna and flora, their particular lure and their hidden menace, is masterly and will continue to draw readers in. Hugely enjoyable.
The sequel, "Sidetrack Key" is as fast-paced a tale as the earlier book but is also steeped in the history of the time, when unemployed war veterans were sent to work on the railroad that Henry Flagler had planned, from Miami to Key West. A lot of things have to get 'sidetracked' as a result - and we see Elle navigating her way between rich entrepreneurs, a jealous rival, desperate men working for a pittance, an abused wife and child for neighbors, along with fears for her own survival and a story that has to be kept a secret - or else...
Argyle's evocation of the place, these islands of the Keys with their fauna and flora, their particular lure and their hidden menace, is masterly and will continue to draw readers in. Hugely enjoyable.
February 5, 2023
Take a trip down US1 to the Florida Keys and meet up with some robust characters on No Name Key in the 1930s. Jessica Argyle brings it all to you through her descriptions of every day life on the Keys and her strong, unique characters. Times were challenging on some of the smaller islands; mosquitos, poison trees, few amenities and even less law and order. Elle is tough enough to survive and thrive despite some obstacles...even murder.
January 11, 2023
I tried to ration my reading of "Sidetrack Key" by Jessica Argyle but this book got a hold of me in such a way that I just couldn't put it down. I became totally immersed in the story of Elle, a feisty young woman trying to make her way in the Depression era Florida Keys (when, we learn, there were protests outside businesses that employed married women) where her abusive husband has disappeared in mysterious circumstances during the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. She's a gifted cook, working for a pittance in the kitchen at No Name Key Lodge and living in an old shack with a one-eyed cat and a rooster called Charlie for company. Elle is no goody two-shoes but her heart is in the right place and she tries to help others, even when it puts her own life in danger. It's no surprise to learn that the author lives in Key West and her love for its apparently magical landscape shines through in this thrilling story.
December 31, 2022
Excellent book! I’ve been waiting for this sequel to No Name Key. Ms Argyles compelling new novel lets us know what happened to the magnetic characters she has created. I highly recommend this book.
February 20, 2023
I think this is a great read and a fine sequel to No Name Key. Love the Keys history following the devastating 1935 hurricane and a woman's struggle to survive in harsh surroundings. Elle Woodman is a force in her own right- strength, ingenuity , and unrelenting persistence keeps her rising to whatever is thrown her way. I really hope there is more to come in the adventure of Elle .
March 29, 2023
Jessica Argyle's sequel is an equally thrilling ride.
You could read 'Sidetrack Key' as a standalone book, but it's even better to read about characters you already know from reading Argyle's first book, 'No Name Key'. Her venue for both these novels is the Florida Keys during the dirty thirties, and she has endowed both stories with a marvelous sense of time and place. Long before the Florida Keys became a playground for tourists and March breakers, they were a storm-swept necklace of tiny, disconnected islands marred by scrub palmetto, stifling sub tropical heat, and the poverty of people struggling to survive. Into this world Jessica Argyle places a motley group of people trying to coax a living from the coral rock. Opportunists and thieves abound, but in the middle of it is the erstwhile abused wife, Elle, a strong woman determined to make her own way at whatever cost at a time when every day was an uphill battle for a woman alone. Elle takes a practical route to solving her problems and those of her friends, and while we sometimes cringe at her methods of problem-solving, we can't argue with the results! Well-written and often riveting, 'Sidetrack Key' is a terrific read. Read as a pair with 'No Name Key,' even better. Highly recommended.
You could read 'Sidetrack Key' as a standalone book, but it's even better to read about characters you already know from reading Argyle's first book, 'No Name Key'. Her venue for both these novels is the Florida Keys during the dirty thirties, and she has endowed both stories with a marvelous sense of time and place. Long before the Florida Keys became a playground for tourists and March breakers, they were a storm-swept necklace of tiny, disconnected islands marred by scrub palmetto, stifling sub tropical heat, and the poverty of people struggling to survive. Into this world Jessica Argyle places a motley group of people trying to coax a living from the coral rock. Opportunists and thieves abound, but in the middle of it is the erstwhile abused wife, Elle, a strong woman determined to make her own way at whatever cost at a time when every day was an uphill battle for a woman alone. Elle takes a practical route to solving her problems and those of her friends, and while we sometimes cringe at her methods of problem-solving, we can't argue with the results! Well-written and often riveting, 'Sidetrack Key' is a terrific read. Read as a pair with 'No Name Key,' even better. Highly recommended.
January 2, 2023
Sidetrack Key, the wait for the sequel to "No Name Key" was well worth it. Jessica introduces the reader to many new characters that are each as believable as the next. You really feel you know or have encountered someone like each one of them at some point in your life. And of course, we get to know our beloved Elle even more. She is as complex as she is simple. I would love to be able to sit and have a nice cold beer with her.
February 16, 2023
It's rare to find a sequel that tops the original, but Sidetrack Key is just that! Our favorite heroine, Elle, is back along with a few new characters! I enjoyed seeing a softer side to Elle as she struggled with the aftermath of the conclusion of book one (no spoilers here)! All the while she uncovered corruption and faced hardships that unfolded during the depression in the Florida Keys. The author does a wonderful job of placing you in another time period. It's a great read!
April 24, 2024
I love this book. I was traveling all day and read it all today.
I hope my dear friend, Jessica, will write a continuing novel. This is delightfully written with precise details of the landscape. Not being from FL this was very helpful acquainting me with the area. Broaching DV is so needed and she did a brilliant job of the struggle women can have deciding to truly leave for good.
Last but definitely not least, Cat and Charlie were 2 of my favorite characters, along with Elle.
I hope my dear friend, Jessica, will write a continuing novel. This is delightfully written with precise details of the landscape. Not being from FL this was very helpful acquainting me with the area. Broaching DV is so needed and she did a brilliant job of the struggle women can have deciding to truly leave for good.
Last but definitely not least, Cat and Charlie were 2 of my favorite characters, along with Elle.
October 27, 2023
Jessica Argyle’s historical fiction Sidetrack Key spins a rapturous, fast paced tale of life after the 1935 hurricane. Set in the Florida Keys, the tragic event had proven helpful for Elle Woodman when nature took care of business. The gruesome details of that scenario are laid out in the prequel No Name Key.
Significant characters accompany Elle into book two including Blanche who has no qualms about sleeping with other women’s husbands, her waffling husband Brushy, and wife batterer, Nathan Foreman. The author introduces a troop of WW1 veterans sent to the Keys to build roads connecting the islands. Although their roles are not always front and foremost, collectively they present a picture of unappreciated, forgotten men whose sacrifice was dismissed by their government. Meticulously researched and with vivid imagery, the author describes the oppressive heat so well you feel it; the bugs so well you hear them; the sapodilla saplings so well you see them; and the deadly poisonous manchineel tree so well you want to read around it. Even the deer and vultures have their roles.
The ending is skillfully set for Book Three in the sequel. What happens now to Ruby and her young daughter, Betty? Will Ruby stay and work for Elle at the diner or will she head back north? What about Ruby’s son, Perry? His behavior has been hinted at but not spelled out. Will he step into his father’s shoes or become a redeeming character? Then there’s ever present Blanche. What conniving measures will she conjure next? And finally, Brushy. Where is he? Ultimately, though, it is Elle who stays with you. Who is this tenacious character, capable of solving problems in ways you wouldn’t think possible for one whose trusted companions are the ever-faithful Cat and funky rooster, Charlie? Elle not only knows what she wants and how to get it, she possesses the rare ability to understand right from wrong, and then, what needs to be done no matter what it takes.
Janette Stone
Author, MWSA Award Winning "Please Write: A Novel"
Significant characters accompany Elle into book two including Blanche who has no qualms about sleeping with other women’s husbands, her waffling husband Brushy, and wife batterer, Nathan Foreman. The author introduces a troop of WW1 veterans sent to the Keys to build roads connecting the islands. Although their roles are not always front and foremost, collectively they present a picture of unappreciated, forgotten men whose sacrifice was dismissed by their government. Meticulously researched and with vivid imagery, the author describes the oppressive heat so well you feel it; the bugs so well you hear them; the sapodilla saplings so well you see them; and the deadly poisonous manchineel tree so well you want to read around it. Even the deer and vultures have their roles.
The ending is skillfully set for Book Three in the sequel. What happens now to Ruby and her young daughter, Betty? Will Ruby stay and work for Elle at the diner or will she head back north? What about Ruby’s son, Perry? His behavior has been hinted at but not spelled out. Will he step into his father’s shoes or become a redeeming character? Then there’s ever present Blanche. What conniving measures will she conjure next? And finally, Brushy. Where is he? Ultimately, though, it is Elle who stays with you. Who is this tenacious character, capable of solving problems in ways you wouldn’t think possible for one whose trusted companions are the ever-faithful Cat and funky rooster, Charlie? Elle not only knows what she wants and how to get it, she possesses the rare ability to understand right from wrong, and then, what needs to be done no matter what it takes.
Janette Stone
Author, MWSA Award Winning "Please Write: A Novel"
January 25, 2023
Jessica Argyle’s Sidetrack Key — a sequel to her equally engaging No Name Key — is a wonderful addition to the anthology of literature depicting the wonders and the hardships of early twentieth century venturers to the Florida Keys. Those include speculators, entrepreneurs, laborers — fortune hunters and adventurers all. Her cast of characters is masterfully brought to like in the minutiae — the flora and fauna of eking out a life on the earth and the water. The lush and literary language will throw you right back into the era. Elle is the heroine we all crave. She’s has a take-no-prisoners attitude despite her escape (no spoilers here!) from an abusive marriage. She’s the prototype for the modern woman: accomplished, articulate, high-spirited and pro-active. I must admit, the first part of the book is a slow ramp up into the story, but after that, it moves along at a fantastic clip. You won’t want to put it down and return to your own icy winter when you can ensconce yourself in the heat and passion of the tropics. It made me want to immediately hop on a plane and head south. And so will you — through the pages of this gorgeous novel. Highly recommended.
July 4, 2024
In Sidetrack Key by Jessica Argyle, Elle's saga has not quite ended. The story unfolds slowly. If you haven’t read the first book, No Name Key, you can become sidetracked by the complexity of events and the character's relationships presented in the opening pages. The clarity of the story’s track eventually becomes straighter and narrower, with a rhythm and tonality that forces you to hear and feel the grit of the Keys and its inhabitants. Once you pick up the storyline's thread, the author subtly exposes, how women dealt with adversity in the Keys of the 1930s. After several hair-raising ordeals for the principle character, Elle, her strength becomes the source of strength for others, particularly Ruby.
Although told through the eyes of the fictionalized characters, the nonfictional realities of those times, such as domestic abuse, alcoholism, and anti-feminism are easily and sadly identifiable today. The universality of the themes makes this an important read and contribution to the history of the Keys. Along with the beautifully developed and picturesque supporting cast of characters, this page-turning psychological thriller ends with a more favorable outcome than No Name Key. I offer one closing caveat, you’ll be hard pressed to find Sidetrack Diner anywhere along US Route 1.
Although told through the eyes of the fictionalized characters, the nonfictional realities of those times, such as domestic abuse, alcoholism, and anti-feminism are easily and sadly identifiable today. The universality of the themes makes this an important read and contribution to the history of the Keys. Along with the beautifully developed and picturesque supporting cast of characters, this page-turning psychological thriller ends with a more favorable outcome than No Name Key. I offer one closing caveat, you’ll be hard pressed to find Sidetrack Diner anywhere along US Route 1.
January 11, 2025
Key West is one of my favorite places to visit and on my last trip there in October I visited the Fort East Martello museum and was lucky enough to find autographed copies of both No Name Key and Sidetrack Key. I saved them for the new year to work to my goal of reading 30 books a year and I made it through both books in 6 days! I couldn't put them down! The story was great and the history of the keys made it an even more interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews