4 out of 4 stars
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Barracuda by Lee Stone is a fast-paced sequel to the popular novel, Free Fish Friday. This second book continues the adventures of the quirky yet smart fisherman, Slacker Mills. It is a blend of mystery, intrigue and some romance thrown into the mix.
Slacker Mills has become a piece of local flavor in Key West, Florida. After living a nomadic lifestyle for many years, he has finally settled down into a more permanent life as a charter fisherman in a Florida paradise. Slacker has made new, interesting friends and had some romantic trysts in the few years he has been in Key West. He is now trying to put a tragic event behind him and move on to a more promising future. However, he doesn't escape the small town quickly enough. Another tragedy hits again and Slacker is caught in the middle. He feels responsible for the things taking place around him and is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. With the help of his closest friends, and a couple of new characters, Slacker uses his keen mind to help solve this case.
The author, Lee Stone, was born in Pennsylvania, lived in Alaska for over thirty years and now makes his home in Delray Beach, Florida. He is a new author with the two Slacker Mills mystery novels being his first books. His first novel, Free Fish Friday, was voted the Book of the Month for October, 2015, by the Online Book Club. Lee Stone is also known in Florida for his sand creations.
I enjoyed reading the first book by Mr. Stone, so decided to give this one a try. I think this one surpassed the first book! I was captured at the beginning and pulled along for a thrilling ride. The author used the same witty, detailed writing technique, but showed more depth with the character development and a couple of twists in this sequel.
The characters are interesting and memorable. A few new people are introduced in this story. While reading the first novel, I didn't really think I would like Slacker, but he has turned out to be a real, down-to-earth hero. He has both good and bad qualities that blend together to make him the person that he has become.
Mr. Stone has excellent writing skills. He is descriptive in his settings and knowledgeable about Florida and the local fish. He even brings the sport of fishing to life. He pays attention to detail but without any wasted words. There were some typos and a few grammatical mistakes, but they didn't detract from the story.
Based on the reasons above, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Anyone that enjoys mystery and action novels would enjoy this book. I look forward to reading about Slacker's adventures in Costa Rica.
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Barracuda
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