I received a copy of the ARC of this book from the publisher, The Mysterious Press in exchange for an unbiased review on behalf of Rosie’s Review Team. I thank the publisher and Wunderkind PR firm for this opportunity. It comes out in September and you should have it on your list to read, for sure.

The book was quite enjoyable and even educational. I didn’t know one thing about eel migration and spawning nor did I know about how they are harvested or transported for sale. The father/Son writing team clearly are well-acquainted with the process as well as the state of Maine.

But don’t think this is some boring tale about fisheries and eels. It’s a downright interesting mystery and thriller of a novel.

There are a few chapters from the point of view of sea creatures which add to the atmosphere of the story. It’s not like they’re anthropomorphic, but more like we, the readers, are included in the biosphere of the ocean and currents and how they interact with sea life. I thought it was a pretty cool concept that added richness to the story.

Jeanette, the main protagonist, is a woman with strength and conviction. She’s brave to the point of irrationality in some places, but I never felt like she was “too stupid to live” like sometimes happens in novels. She was sensible and bright and one steady-nerved person. She didn’t hesitate to move into danger when she needed to be strong and unafraid.

The other characters in the story who were her friends and close comrades were all well-written and fully realized. I liked all of them and they each added an important element to the story telling. It’s always a good read when the protagonist’s allies are also people the reader can root for and like. This reader is very much someone who needs to care about the characters to full enjoy a story. This writing team delivers that and more.

The bad guys were also well developed and each were a different brand of evil. None were caricatures which is always a good thing.

The story is intriguing and very nicely plotted and laid out.

Environmental issues play a part as well as the treatment of indigenous people in the state historically, as well as in the modern era. The authors didn’t bang the reader over the head with any of those things, though. They seamlessly wove those issues into the tale.

The action was fast and the suspects many and varied.

I truly enjoyed this book and hope to see more from these writers. It was a quick read. Filled with action, great plot points and a satisfying ending.

Five stars

BLURB:

In this gripping debut thriller, struggling divorcée Jeanette King becomes embroiled in a criminal ring when she discovers her ex-husband’s cache of baby eels.

Caterpillar Island is off the central coast of Maine―beloved vacationland of lobster bakes and quaint fried clam shacks, kayaking and country houses. At night, though, by the light of a headlamp, the island is alive with cash, guns, and poachers. Oxy addicts, struggling retirees, and unemployable deadbeats dip their nets in the creeks to catch elvers―two-inch-long baby eels that fetch $2000 a pound on the international black market.

Into this dark and dangerous world falls Jeanette King, who has, up to this moment, been earning her meager living mainly by picking and packaging peekytoe crab meat for shipment to New York and Boston. As Jeanette gets drawn into a fast-moving story of risk and violent consequences, she enlists the aid of a local policeman and an Indigenous activist. Together they try to set things right for the people and the planet. But the deeper they dig, the more dangerous things get. An ensuing procession of colorful locals, corrupt state politicians, and treacherous outsiders weaves a tale that reveals the underbelly of a deadly business.