Book Review: The Beautiful Island

Title: The Beautiful Island

Author: Bobby Underwood

Genre: Fiction

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

There are connections to each of the previous five entries in the Matt Ransom 22nd-century crime series in this sprawling and exciting entry in which Matt and LeAnn and their friends are touched by tragedy. Matt and LeAnn are in Hawaii for Maria's wedding to Lucas. Matt has been having dreams about the day he rescued LeAnn as they arrive in Kauai, while great changes have been taking place in the lives of those he loves. Leaving Hawaii briefly to fly with Meagan to Paris, and share in her exciting news, Matt discovers that not all is as it seems with someone very close to him, and once he discovers the reason, his world will never be the same. Meanwhile in Portugal, as Matt reels from his discovery, a beautiful Italian girl with whom Matt has only a passing acquaintance is having one last fling at living while she still can. She and her young Portuguese lover stumble upon a conspiracy for genocide on Earth, and must seek out Matt's help. Stunned by personal tragedy unlike any he has ever faced, and with the sad task of informing his friends, they must put their feelings aside as they meet evil head-on.

Review:

I have to admit that I was a little lost in the beginning of this book. But that’s probably because I haven’t read the previous books. That made it a little hard to understand what is going on. And while the feeling didn’t completely disappear, it lessened as I got farther into the book.

It was interesting to see a married couple as the focus of a novel. It’s not something that is quite popular either. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen especially in series’ but a lot of novels tend to be about single or in a relationship but not married yet. Or newly married. It was fresh and newer.

The Beautiful Island was told in third person perspective from several different perspectives. It kept things interesting, new and exciting.

The plot started out a bit slowly, and I almost found myself wishing it would hurry up or something but then I also enjoyed that I did get to know the characters and thus felt more for them and what happened to them. 

The interaction between the friends made for some interesting times. It made the book and the characters seem real and just much more alive. And it also helped me make connections with them.

I do have to say that the book felt like it might have been written for an audience that was older than I am right now. I’m not saying I didn’t like it well enough, just that people are a bit older may enjoy it more. 

I also liked getting LeAnn and Matt’s story as we went further and further into the book. It made me feel a little less lost as well as feeling better connected with the characters.

The ending was certainly exciting and I did like reading The Beautiful Island.

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Book Review: The Turquoise Shroud

Title: The Turquoise Shroud

Author: Bobby Underwood

Genre: Mystery

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb: 

Seth Halliday is an ex Miami cop who is trying to rebuild the image he once had of himself as one of the good guys. He and his old pal, Harry, a drunk who knows something about regret, dock in beautiful Cozumel. When a young girl comes into their lives and is cruelly ripped away, Seth must put on the tarnished armor to discover who killed her, and mete out justice. As he follows a winding trail of clues from Mexico to Miami and the Florida Keys, he begins to wonder if as the proverb warns, he is digging two graves. From the creator of the exciting Matt Ransom crime series set in the 22nd century comes the modern-day tarnished hero, Seth Halliday.

Review: 

The thing I really want to mention about the writing in The Turquoise Shroud is that the descriptions were really vivid and well done. You could almost imagine you were there, seeing what they were seeing even if you’ve been nowhere near where the book is set. It was amazing really. I loved the depth of the descriptions. 

Then there was also the fact that Bobby Underwood humanizes the victim. Many times with murders the author can almost try to distance the reader from the victim or not bring them to life as clearly as the rest of the characters. That wasn’t a problem for Bobby Underwood. He made me feel as if I knew Nancy and had some kind of acquaintance with her. It made Seth’s quest for vengeance much more personal to me as the reader.

One thing I do want to mention is that the romance between Seth and Caroline were kind of a secondary plot that didn’t really have depth. It seemed as if they were thrown together because it felt like there needed to be some sort of romance. It didn’t feel as real as it could have been. 

Seth was definitely jaded, and while I was reading The Turquoise Shroud I felt as if I was reading one of those old time detective novels. You know the type. It was interesting and had a different feel that many of the mystery/murder novels I’ve read to date. That certainly made this book stand out to me.

I sort of had a sneaking suspicion about who was behind everything although I didn’t understand why or know for sure until Seth did. Which was good because I was happy I had guessed correctly but at the same time I longed to curse an author because they fooled me completely. 

The Turquoise Shroud stands out among the mystery/murder novels that are out today.

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