I enjoyed this quick-paced beach book that is mostly set in the beach town of Treasure Island, Florida. Letty Carnahan and her four-year-old niece, Maya, have escaped from NYC to Florida and landed at The Murmuring Surf Motel in Treasure Island. They are fleeing from Evan Wingfield, a wealthy New Yorker who is the supposed murderer of Tanya, Letty’s sister and Maya’s mother.
The family that runs the Murmuring Surf becomes like family to Letty, the family she never had. Ava DeCurtis, the single mother who runs the vacation getaway, embraces Letty, lets her rent a room that has mostly been used for storage, and eventually hires her to assist with several tasks.
The Murmuring Surf is popular among snowbirds, and the same renters enjoy staying there over many years. As the murder mystery unravels, the regular guests provide as much support for Letty as the DeCurtis family, and of course, Letty falls in love with Joe, Ava’s son and a local police officer who becomes involved in the drama of the murder, the motel and Letty’s life.
Although the novel is fairly formulaic, it was fun to read about charming characters and aspects of the stereotypic Florida snowbird lifestyle:
Seasons of Snowbirds, Spring Break, and Shoulder
Expected schedules and routines–adult swim, ping-pong, bingo
Early bird specials
“Reserved” parking spaces
“Free” stuff
Scams preying on old people-selling silver, gold and jewelry at hotels
Hawaiian nights and other dress-up themes
Newfound Florida Friends
The fine line between strangers and friends–especially in Florida
Vagrants on beaches
Police protecting tourism and hiding crime
Feisty older adults use walkers as weapons
