H. Terrell Griffin

Is this a really bad cozy mystery, an pretend thriller, or a truly lame courtroom drama? It's all three so decide which of these descriptions dismays you most and then triple the effect.

The cozy part comes from the aimless and nearly endless description of the hopelessly banal life in the paradise which is west Florida around Sarasota. Matt Royal retired there at an early-ish age and loves it and loves it and it's so perfect he loves it. Endless beer and sunshine and the caresses of his show more sweetie who is so perfect except she loves him for some unfathomable reason. Endless descriptive text of sunrises and sunsets and jogs on the beach and beer with his buddies.

The thriller bit is drawn from Matt's irrelevant prior military service (green beret, medal winner) and his buddy the super spy (who has a direct line to the US President for gosh sake). Three, count them three, unrelated characters who work for military intelligence. Gloried worship of ex-military personnel, and two of the the most pathetic shakedown attempts in print.

The courtroom drama is a simple recitation of the steps of a murder trial of a woman who should never have been arrested. In it we find out that a huge amount of work had been going on off screen without our knowledge. Piles of depositions taken "weeks before" at some never explained spare moment. The defendant's laptop is found and processed without our knowledge. (I had already done a text search to be sure that Royal had not collected it, when suddenly it popped up in the courtroom.)

And finally, the solution to the mystery is so improbable that you will want to cry out in anguish at the lost hours of your life.

I received a review copy of "Vindication" by H. Terrell Griffin (Oceanview) through NetGalley.com. show less

When a murder occurs on Longboat Key Island, Florida, it looks to be the work of a serial killer who terrorized the city of Miami twelve years ago. But why here and why now? Retired lawyer Matt Royal, his friend Jock Algren who is an assassin for a secret government organization, and the island's only police detective JD Duncan work together to investigate. What they find throws all their preconceived notions out the window - the killer is a great deal more dangerous than they thought. show more Catching him may not be the problem; getting out alive is.

Fatal Decree is a taut, fast tale with lots of action and plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning pages. It is also an interesting departure from the usual black-and-white thriller. As the trio of investigators move toward the solution, it becomes clear that each of the three has a different idea of how the story should end. This made the story seem, at once, more thoughtful and more suspenseful.

If you are looking for a thriller with a slightly more nuanced view of outcomes than usual, try this one. it is smart, savvy, and a real wild ride. show less

Matt Royal gave up his law practice to live a quieter life on Longboat Key, Florida. However, his retirement has been anything but quiet. Matt seems to have quite the knack for finding trouble on the idyllic Florida coastline.

Matt’s ex-wife comes to Longboat Key to enlist his help in the search for her stepdaughter, Peggy. Peggy has been missing for weeks but since she’s no longer a minor, the police aren’t taking her parents’ concern seriously. Matt agrees to see what he can do, and show more soon finds himself mired in the dangerous world of organized crime.

His search for Peggy leads him to a posh escort service run by a religious fanatic, where unsuspecting girls are drugged and forced into prostitution. But a closer look at the organization reveals a much darker secret. Operating from the secluded, privately owned Blood Island, the cult’s leader is putting in motion a sinister plot that could have disastrous consequences.

With the help of longtime friends Logan Hamilton and Jock Algren, Matt Royal will have to push the limits of lawful behavior to save Peggy and avert a global crisis.

Griffin portrays the seedy criminal underworld against the backdrop of spectacular coastal sunsets, always reminding the reader that crime exists that no matter how beautiful the scenery. The changes that Matt’s character undergoes – becoming increasingly disturbed by the actions he’s driven to – are incredibly compelling.

I did find it difficult keeping up with all the new characters that were introduced (despite taking thorough notes) but overall, I found Blood Island to be an enjoyable noir mystery. show less

Matt Royal was a high-powered attorney in Atlanta, when his world disintegrated when his wife left him. Deciding that the law wasn't for him anymore, he "retired" to Longboat Key in Florida. When his friend Logan is accused of murdering his sometimes girlfriend, Matt comes out of retirement to find the real murderer and save his friend.

I loved the story and the characters. I'm not sure whether the problems were in the editing or in the writing - grammar errors and spelling errors popped up show more every so often. Once I figured out what the writer intended, I was able to move forward. In the first book that I read which was later in this series, there were no problems, so I'm thinking editing.

I will definitely continue the series. show less