The Manatee Did It by Kay Dew Shostak Series: Southern Beach Mysteries #1
Published by the author on April 15, 2020
Source: Purchased
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 306
Format: Paperback
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Jewel Mantelle has never lived in the South, much less on the coast, so moving from Chicagoland to the historic North Florida coastal town of Sophia Island seems like just the adventure to fix her marriage. However, when she arrives she finds that it's awfully hot and humid there and that these Southern folks really like to hug.
Her husband's past on the island includes a creaky old house in the historic district and lots of nosy relatives he'd forgotten to mention. When one of the Mantelle cousins turns up dead, Jewel needs something she's never really had before--friends. As her lunch bunch puts on their detective caps to get to the bottom of this murder, Jewel discovers that she may get more than she bargained for out of Sophia Island.
I picked up The Manatee Did It while I was on vacation on Amelia Island and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a cozy beach murder mystery that takes place on the fictional Sophia Island, which is heavily based on Amelia Island. It’s always fun to be reading a book and think, “hey, I had dinner at that restaurant yesterday.” It’s a lovely place by the way.
Jewel Mantelle and her husband, Craig, have moved to Florida after they inherits a decrepit old mansion. Jewel is also hoping to breath some life into the marriage, but that plan is not working out so well. Jewel is making friends, including a group of women who have lunch together, but settling into a new town is difficult. It becomes more complicated when the ladies find a dead body in the water during lunch and Craig become the chief suspect. Jewel, along with her new friends, start investigating. It’s not that they don’t trust the police- Annie’s son is a cop, but they’re excited for a chance to put their skills and connections to use – and they need to clear Craig.
I like Jewel and her friends, smart, resourceful middle age women who are also dealing with the everyday life stressors- adult kids, aging parents, romantic relationships, careers. They can be a bit gossipy, but how else would they know what was going on?
The mystery itself was okay. I thought the pace was good and we had plenty of red herrings and potential suspects. I will say I was a little disappointed in who the killer turned out to be.
Overall, this was a prefect vacation read. I’m looking forward to reading the second in the series, maybe it will give me a touch of the beach now that it’s turning cold in Ohio.
About Kay Dew Shostak
After being raised in a small-town in Tennessee, Kay lived around the country in a variety of settings. Taking a look at the familiar and loved from new perspectives led Kay to see, and then write about, the absurd, the beautiful, and the funny in her South.
After publishing several stories in compilation books and spending a few years in journalism, Kay wandered into writing fiction and found it hard to leave. She currently is working on her next book and living in Fernandina Beach, Florida with her husband.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges: