I’ve discovered a new favorite writer, and his name is RC Burdick.

The Margaret Ellen is an ocean-drenched mystery, stuffed with vibrant characters, palpable sea breezes, and backbone-tingling suspense. It is a tale that lingers in the reader’s thoughts for days, conjuring up pictures of blustery sky and sea, saltwater-dampened hair, and personalities that spring to life from the quickly turned pages. Like a fantastic movie, it’s more than far as well soon.

Karen &quotSeaweed&quot Cobia is in a problem. Treading h2o in unsatisfactory relationships, Seaweed understands some thing has to change. As the charming, boyish charter boat captain sets out to right the wrongs in her life, she finds herself smack dab in the middle of a juicy murder investigation.

Seaweed and soon-to-be-ex boyfriend, Angus Loman, discover a physique bobbing in the surf off Hangman’s Crucial, an island on the west coast of Florida. Eva Park, nearby well-recognized philanthropist, is found face down in the surf with her hands and feet bound and a bullet in her forehead. Because Seaweed was elevated by her sea-loving father, owner of Cobia’s Bait, Tackle, and Charter Service, her resultant marine expertise aids in the murder investigation. The crusty nearby detective, Myers, begrudgingly accepts her assistance. Nicknamed &quotGrim Lips,&quot Myers continues to look for out Karen’s help as his regard for her skill intensifies.

As the mystery unfolds, a peculiar woman approaches Seaweed for help, embroiling her much more deeply in the intrigue. Seaweed tries to stability the life she craves on the ocean with the promise to help the young woman, but rather is catapulted toward a dangerous liaison with the devious culprit who wants her dead.

Mr. Burdick’s initial mystery is a masterpiece ? the feeling of place is alive and tantalizing the scenes are vibrant and tangible. I nonetheless flavor the salt from the onion rings really feel the condensation on the café tabletop and feeling the rolling of The Margaret Ellen as it moves through the swells. Burdick’s knowledge of boats, waterways, fishing, and life on the Florida coast is dazzling, and lends credibility to the function.

The Margaret Ellen is reminiscent of John D MacDonald’s Travis Magee series. As much as I adore Travis Magee, I must say that I felt closer to Burdick’s characters and much more securely at the helm of The Margaret Ellen than I did with Magee’s houseboat, The Busted Flush. Is that a travesty?

The natural dialogue is brilliantly set to the rustling of sea oats and whistling Austrian pines. The interplay in between Seaweed and her father is priceless, emotive, and real. Evocative of life, it provides to thoughts my own precious relationships with my 3 daughters. When I completed The Margaret Ellen, I was left with the paradox of deep satisfaction coupled with a powerful yearning for much more. I cared about these characters, and want to know what occurs subsequent. Mr. Burdick has hinted at a sequel and will undoubtedly have a long line of visitors anxiously awaiting its launch!

Aaron Paul Lazar resides in Upstate New York with his spouse, 3 daughters, two grandsons, mom-in- law, two dogs, and 3 cats. After composing in the early morning hours, he works as an electrophotographic engineer at NexPress Options Inc., part of Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, in Rochester, New York. Extra passions consist of vegetable, fruit, and flower gardening planning big family feasts photographing his family, gardens, and the breathtakingly beautiful Genesee Valley cross-nation skiing across the rolling hills playing a distinctly amateur degree of piano, and investing &quottime&quot with the French Impressionists whenever possible.

Even though he adored raising his 3 delightful daughters, Mr. Lazar finds grandfathering his &quottwo little buddies&quot to be 1 of the best encounters of his life. Double Forte’, the initial in the series, was published in January 2005. Upstaged, quantity two, is in manufacturing. With 8 books under his belt, Mr. Lazar is presently working on the ninth, which features Gus LeGarde and his family. http://www.legardemysteries.com