Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Hardcover; Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781635116106; 9781635116076
Henery Press Publishing
256 Pages
$31.95; $15.95; $16.99 Amazon
June 30, 2020
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Private investigators Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews thought they'd put Darius Baker's troubles to rest -- then his recently discovered son ropes him into a hemp farm investment with his college buddies. When a beloved Charleston professor -- and potential investor -- is murdered, Liz and Nate discover Darius keeps the PIs on speed dial.
A shocking number of people had reasons to want the genteel, bowtie wearing, tea-drinking professor dead. Was it one of his many girlfriends or a disgruntled student? Or perhaps Murray was killed because his failure to invest meant the hemp farm trio's dreams were going up in smoke?
Though Liz's long-dead best friend, Colleen, warns her the stakes are far higher than Liz imagines, she is hellbent on finding the no-good killer among the bevy of suspects. But will the price of justice be more than Liz can bear?
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Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews are married private investigators. They've recently helped Darius Baker out of a tough spot, and now he wants them to help his son Brantley who is mixed up in a murder investigation. When his attorneys retain them to find evidence to prove Brantley innocent, they go to work.
Liz, however, isn't so sure that Brantley's innocent. Darius only recently discovered that he had a son, and it's because Brantley's adoptive parents were killed -- along with every other member of his family -- in a suspicious fire, when none of their smoke alarms signaled anything. Even though he was never charged, she still wonders if he had anything to do with it. But being the professional she is, she's going to help him.
It seems that Brantley, along with two buddies, have invested in a hemp farm and one of them had a college professor uncle that raised him. Tyler, from all appearances, loved his uncle and would never hurt him. But Murray was definitely poisoned, and before anyone could find evidence on his security cameras, his house was demolished in an explosion. Now Tyler is the main suspect, and Liz and Nate are on the trail of a killer -- someone who's killed before and has no problem doing it again...
I have always loved this series and this book isn't any different. It brings me back to Stella Maris Island, just outside Charleston, South Carolina, where Liz and her family lives. We're once again drawn into their lives, along with Liz's teenage friend Colleen, who died when she was seventeen and is guardian of the island. But Colleen's main mission is to protect the island from people who would ruin it, and Liz is only one step in that direction. With only Liz and Nate able to see her, it makes things difficult when she's around.
Liz and Nate have to don disguises to find the information they're looking for, and that includes attending Murray's funeral, where they encounter three women who all insist they were his girlfriend. Finding out that Murray had more layers to him than they thought, they also discover that his current girlfriend Annalise may have been closer to him than anyone. But someone wanted him out of the way, enough to destroy any evidence there might have been. And with what they find out, Annalise might be another target unless they can surreptitiously help her, too.
Among the investigation keeping them busy, Liz discovers that her friend Sonny Ravenel, is heading the police investigation, and he knows something's up with her brother Blake, police chief of Stella Maris. Blake and his girlfriend Poppy have just taken a much-needed vacation, but Sonny refuses to discuss it. Liz, with her natural curiosity, born of the fact of her job, is wondering what's up. But she doesn't have time to worry about it when her mother calls and tells her to find out what's going on with her father -- he's having packages delivered to the house and won't tell her what they are. So Liz, naturally, now has to delve into that somehow while working the murder case.
What follows is a tale of murder, greed, larceny, and lies. Liz and Nate discover more than they expected, and it brings things out into the open that have been hidden without a clue to the truth. There is more to the story, and more people involved than they first expected, It sets forth a chain of events that could cost Liz things she values most; and brings a sadness along with great joy for her.
There is also a hilarious scene between her mother, father, and a horrendous surprise by her father that while funny as can be, almost sets her mother's teeth on edge and when the rest of the family finds out, they're all on her side. Just that one scene alone is worth reading the book.
Since I would love to say more but refuse to give away any major spoilers, I must end this review with what I have already said. When the murderer is found out and everything comes together, it is more than a satisfying story, and it makes it difficult to wait for the next in the series. Highly recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/Lowcountry-Boondoggle-Liz-Talbot-Mystery/dp/1635116074/ref
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3410423785
More on Susan M. Boyer's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/susan-m-boyer/
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