Set in Longboat Key, Fla., Griffin's third mystery to feature semiretired lawyer Matt Royal (after 2006's Murder Key
) proves “bad things” can “happen in beautiful places.” Matt, who's traded suits for shorts, now does mostly pro bono investigative work. When his ex-wife, Laura, shows up, needing help in locating her stepdaughter, Peggy, who went missing in Sarasota while on spring break, Matt dives into a puzzle with a quickly rising body count. Matt becomes really worried after Laura goes missing. Is her disappearance linked to Peggy's? The suspense rises as the trail leads to Key West and the Heaven Can't Wait Spa, where Matt uncovers a connection to Rev. Robert William Simmermon, a crazy preacher with a hidden agenda headquartered on nearby Blood Island. Griffin's breezy first-person narration brings the likable Matt, with his killer reflexes and wry sense of humor, vividly to life. (Dec.)
