DEADLY TIDES

A mystery sequelset in the fictional Oregon coastal town of Misty Pines.

As the story opens, FBI profiler Abby Kanekoa is on a frantic search for her missing mother who has Alzheimer’s disease. After an exhaustive search of her parent’s usual haunts, Abby finds her covered in blood on the beach. However, her mother isn’t injured; she’s holding someone’s tennis shoe—inside of which is a severed foot. That foot, in turns out, belongs to local surfer legend and unique board designer Terry Chesney—and the rest of him is missing. Abby and local sheriff Jax Turner, who’ve been separated for several years after the death of their young daughter, are brought together by the case along with Jax’s 27-year-old niece, Rachel Killian, who’s new to the police force. Chesney’s local surf shop is responsible for surfboard designs that his competitors covet; however, they’re not the only suspects in the disappearance, and possible death, of the mysterious surf pro. Keliikoa has crafted a page-turning second series installment; Abby is a fully fleshed-out character, and the mystery is one that readers will be truly invested in seeing through to the end. The well-paced story offers engaging commentary on the trials of women in law enforcement while avoiding clichés and common tropes. The emotional pain of child loss that Abby and Jax suffer was present in the first installment, and here it’s effectively used to show the long-term effects of loss on relationships. The author’s descriptions of the atmosphere of the Oregon coast may leave readers longing for more: “The sound of the ocean played off the cliffs below and wafted the steady roar into the air….Slices of cobalt sky peeked through the thinning trees.” Still, for a novel whose mystery centers on a legendary surf pro and board designer, the surf settings are oddly sparse. Nonetheless, the novel will leave readers looking forward to the next series entry.

An intense and satisfying whodunit.