I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Drowning Lessons
by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds
Series: Red Frog Beach Mystery #1
Series Rating:
on May 21, 2019
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 353
Format: Kindle
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: The Wipeout Affair
You are cordially invited to a destination wedding to die for... Welcome to Bocas del Toro, a remote chain of islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama. Five days of glorious sun and lush rainforest await the forty guests celebrating Bridezilla Olivia’s dream wedding—but will a grisly murder sink the catered affair? Before anyone’s got time to start working on a tan, an unfortunate snorkeling accident eliminates a member of the wedding party. Maid of honor Lexie Marino smells trouble, and takes it upon herself to investigate, hoping to solve the case before her bestie’s trip down the aisle gets tropically derailed. Lexie’s a little too tall, a little too awkward, and a little too brokenhearted, but she’s determined to nail the real killer. Can this unlikely sleuth stay afloat as she’s hit by wave after wave of wildly entertaining characters, including an alpha bride, surfing detectives, and a high school flame long forgotten? You’ll find yourself laughing until the very end of Drowning Lessons, a debut cozy mystery that makes the perfect beach read. Rub in some coconut oil, dangle your feet in the crystal-blue waters of Starfish Beach, and sip a cool drink as Lexie discovers the deductive superpowers she never knew she had. Let the party begin! This is the first book of five in the Red Frog Beach Mystery Series. For information, updates, and mouth watering Caribbean recipes, please check out rachelneuburger.com
Can they keep this death a secret or will it ruin the wedding?
Drowning Lessons by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds is an adventure filled murder mystery, with plenty of suspects trapped on an island paradise.
Likes
- The way the author breaks up the story into the days that the wedding party are on the island works so well.
- Olivia, the bride, has everyone’s cellphones taken at the beginning of the story works well at isolating the wedding party and guests.
- The island paradise and the way that the islanders are portrayed. I thought it was respectful and genuine.
- The La Guardia is open to allowing our reluctant sleuth to help with the investigation.
- The bridezilla, Olivia, is a wonderfully written narcissistic control freak. Who deserved her groom.
- The whole wedding scheme was outrageous, blood red everything, Goth outfits, a costume party, bats, drinking like a college spring break. It was all so crazy, like that train wreck that you can’t turn away.
- The Slam Book as a wedding planner was so utterly, Olivia.
- Emma is another marvelous character even though she is a lot like Olivia only sad. I felt sorry for her.
Lexi, our sleuth
Lexi is a fabulously flawed character. I love that she is this tall, beautiful woman but doesn’t see it herself. Then there is her whole “Left Behind” thing. I am so glad she figured out that she is better than that. Lexi also has a lot of class, and she handled some things that happen with her head held high. Oh, and Lexi is entirely loyal to her friend, Olivia. Which seems like a remedy characteristic but seriously, you have to read about Olivia to realize what a huge flaw that is.
I think that helping solve this murder let Lexi see who was actually on her side and who was using her. The friends that she makes while doing it also help her grow as an individual.
Mystery
The mystery is well planned, with lots of motives, plenty of suspects and such an exotic method of murder. I think my favorite part was learning about each of the suspects and how warped they were. Honestly, the first victim was a straight up arse, but he must have had some redeeming qualities. However, the second victim is sweet and is such a loss to society. Kudos to our sleuth and her temporary sidekick for figuring it out and explaining why via a Scooby Doo wrap up.
5 Stars for Drowning Lessons by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds
My rating for Drowning Lessons by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds is five stars. I loved the setting, the mystery is top-notch, the characters are very realistic, yet humorous, and the plot moved well. This series is one that I will be watching.
I highly recommend this book to all the cozy mystery readers out there.
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Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Drowning Lessons by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
About Rachel Neuburger Reynolds
RACHEL NEUBURGER REYNOLDS is the author of The Red Frog Beach Mystery Series. As a playwright, her plays have had been produced in London, Edinburgh and New York. After 25-years in New York City, she now resides with her husband between London and St Leonards-on-Sea in England. For news about Rachel and the upcoming Red Frog Beach Mysteries, check her out at RachelNeuburger.com.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2019 Cloak and Dagger
- 2019 Craving For Cozies Reading Challenge
- 2019 Cruisin' Thru The Cozies Reading Challenge
- 2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge
- 2019 New Release Challenge
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