Great sense of place and the makings of an intriguing plot but packed w too much description and too many players. Still looking forward to reading the 3rd in the series. They are getting better. ( )

I probably should stop reading Corcoran's books because they make me miss Key West, but then I would be missing out on some good mysteries and lovely mental connections to a beautiful place.

Our hero (Alex Rutledge, freelance and part-time Key West crime scene photographer) gets a regular beating in this book…in body – spirit and mind… it has that Carl Hiaasen touch…and its like a downhill ride day after day…The scene…(halfway through the book) Our Hero… and his buddy Sam the fishing guide … and his wonderful Cuban next door neighbor Carman are sitting on our Hero’s Key West front porch… Carmen says…. “Like a tourist needs a brain my boys need advice”… the author describes what everyone is wearing… in Sam’s case “Sam wore khaki pants and a T-shirt that said…. “I’m the man from Nantucket”…My mood (Rutledge is thinking) did not dictate beer nor did I want the Cranial cell damage from “Mountain Gay” rum jug. That left one choice I opened a bottle of wine I had chilling… a little more conversation and then Carman…. Carman shakes her head. ”Sam’s love life is one of those billboards, you read it, then a row of vertical panels swivel, right away there is a new message….You on the other hand (Carman meaning Rutledge)…. She shifted to a sharper tone----“you’ve got a crowd control problem. The reason sex is not on your list is…your girlfriends – you could organize a softball team. My momma saw that skinny woman in the tight white shorts ride off in the rain on your red bicycle. She says the female traffic around here is as busy as the Cow Key Bridge.” Rutledge responds with –“Not to mention the bullet traffic”….That put a resigned dismay on her face” Hector (Carman’s father shot at a prowler the night before)…”Hector was so proud” she said “They took away his pistol and give him an evidence receipt” I wouldn’t be surprised if he framed it. He spent all afternoon cleaning his other gun. Of course my mama thinks that the prowler was some woman’s husband, trying to catch you “in the saddle” Can you believe my mama said “in the saddle?” Rutledge says “she grew up with brothers”… Carman says “I grew up with uncles” Well the book has the kind of fun writing I enjoy an interesting story line with weird “Key West “twists. A high-noon murder in the tourist district, the ransacked apartment of a local bartender, and chance encounters of old friends create some weird links in Rutledge’s mind. Not to mention an overnight fire and a drive-by shooting. So another book to enjoy! ( )