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SURFACE TENSION
by Christine Kling
Ballantine, November 2002
304 pages
$23.95
ISBN: 0345448286


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Seychelle Sullivan (yes, she is named after the Islands) is in the minority as a tugboat captain in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, or probably anywhere else. She inherited the towing business when her father died and neither of her brothers wanted the boat. When she hears a "Mayday" distress call on her scanner for the yacht "Top Ten" she is more than casually interested. The "Top Ten" captain is her former live-in lover, Neal Garrett. What is shocking though is that a woman's voice is calling the Coast Guard and she claims to be alone on the yacht and heading for trouble. As a salvage boat captain, Seychelle would be on her way regardless of whose boat was in trouble but concern for Neal is upper-most in her mind as she gets under way. When she reaches the yacht there is no sign of Neal, but there is a dead body on the bridge.

Because the police seem to be overly interested in Seychelle and her connection to the captain, and don't appear to be looking for another killer, Seychelle begins some sleuthing on her own. Almost immediately, her once quiet life is filled with terror. Strange men accost her during a walk on the beach, a young woman of her acquaintance is brutally murdered and even her own brother seems to be trying to sabotage her business. Suddenly she doesn't know where to turn or who she can trust.

Seychelle is a strong protagonist, an unlikely candidate for an amateur sleuth, she only wants to run her business and enjoy her quiet life in her small cottage with her dog for company. As a former lifeguard, she is fearless in and around the water, which serves her well, considering the situations in which she finds herself. Too often though she puts herself at risk and goes into dangerous situations alone. This is a pet peeve of mine about amateur sleuths and one reason why I prefer other types of mysteries. However, that is a small gripe, considering that she is very self-sufficient and saves herself each time. She is an unusually attractive character, however, and a sequel would be interesting; she has an eclectic group of friends and the coastal Florida environs provide a good locale.

According to a blurb on the book, the author has spent more than twenty years on and around boats and it certainly shows in the boating portions of the book. Her expertise is obvious, her details are sharp and the writing is crisp and clear. The suspense is intense and this is a "read-it-in-one-sitting" book.

Reviewed by Lorraine Gelly, August 2002

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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