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MYSTIC ISLAND
by Jan Evan Whitford
Hilliard and Harris, June 2005
244 pages
$16.95
ISBN: 1591331269


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Nikki O'Connor learns there is a letter to Adolf Hitler written by someone in the United States government, perhaps President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Her grandfather knows where it is but he cannot speak. This is the story of what happens next.

Early on, Nikki gets rid of her current boyfriend. He makes two mistakes, one is alcohol-related and the other is sleeping with another female. This sleeping arrangement is in Nikki's apartment but it is not with Nikki. This was a bad choice on his part and confirms that Nikki needs to move along with her life.

Turning to her 74-year-old grandfather is a comfort even though he has not spoken for more than 50 years. Leading to the story of the grandfather's wretched state of events, the reader learns there was an accident with cruel damage to Nikki's grandfather. Barely surviving, he gives everyone a start when he unexpectedly utters the word, 'letter'.

When this infamous letter becomes public knowledge, many people have an interest in securing it. A death leaves many questions unanswered, but it does not alleviate the quest for the letter written years ago. One of the people searching for it is a United States senator. If he does not secure this document, his political run will most certainly be in jeopardy.

Other characters consist of gritty fishermen and their associates. I never did warm to these players. The transitions between the various storylines are not as smoothly accomplished as I would have liked.

Having commented on this transition struggle, there are many things that I enjoy about this story. The romance between Steve Marshall and Nikki O'Connor is a strong component of the story. They are good for each other. In her eight-to-five job, Nikki is an environmental cop, policing the waters and enforcing the law. She calls herself a clam cop and Steve assists her in some of these endeavors.

In learning about these two people, we see flashbacks to Nikki's childhood which reveal discomfort, pain and abuse. They allow the reader to know more about Nikki; this is a good building block for future books where she will star as the main character. For extra excitement, throw in a hurricane for some frantic moments and some awkward pauses, begging the question of who will live or die.

I especially like the short chapters in this book and the food description. The New England clam chowder (one of my favorites) captured my attention and whetted my appetite. You can look forward to another installment featuring Nikki O'Connor in the future.

Reviewed by Rita Ratacheck, May 2005

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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