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Catch island fever with this funny Hawaiian mystery set on the beautiful island of Oahu.
Wilson McKenna’s newest tenant is hot, gives great hugs, and just saw a dead body being thrown from a plane. McKenna’s not one to get involved in other people’s problems, especially those of a woman half his age, but before he knows it, he’s volunteered to track down the plane and its owner. In no time, McKenna has uncovered an island drug ring, pissed off a sociopath, and set himself up as the victim in a beautiful woman’s con that could cost him his life.
Trouble? Oh, yeah. McKenna’s found it. If only trouble didn’t have such great legs.
Five Good Things About Photo Finish Terry Ambrose’s smooth detective story, Photo Finish, actually begins with a photo taken by a female photographer in a “you aren’t allowed to go there” area of Oahu. Well, maybe she’s a photographer. We have our doubts early on. But the hero, McKenna, 60-something, a “grumpy landlord,” not too self-assured, falls for the story the gorgeous woman spins. Naturally, that leads him deep into danger. An old guy falling for a young beauty–what’s so interesting about that? For starters, the story is set in Oahu and filled with island sunsets, ocean colors, and trade winds. We are treated to brief historical trivia. And the hero sometimes addresses the reader, explaining local words and phrases so we get a real sense of belonging on the island. Secondly, Ambrose fashions descriptions that give depth to the storytelling: “Every time her eyelids closed and her facial muscles started to relax, she jerked like a hula-girl doll in the back window of an old Chevy on a bumpy road;” “The air smelled fresh and clear, as though it had taken only a few raindrops to remove the sins of the day.” Thirdly, the hero is a bit naive as the story begins. He is not a cliché, not some hotshot spy or brilliant homicide detective. McKenna’s talents are gradually revealed throughout the story until we finally appreciate his ability to piece together clues. We understand his sense of humor and admire his genuine concern for both his best friend and a crabby, hard-of-hearing geezer, Meyer, whose insights help solve the mystery. There is some great dialogue based on the fact that Meyer does not hear words correctly. Fourthly, except for the suspenseful climax, violence happens off stage. Conflict and confrontation occur as characters face-off and danger escalates but bodies don’t pile up page after page. Fifthly, the story is smoothly unraveled for us as the plot heads straight to a solution of the one mystery. Ambrose does not bombard us with subplot after subplot after subplot. That makes for an easy flow which keeps us turning pages. And the hero’s childhood baseball game as backstory is more than a character development sideline. It surfaces as a nice surprise in the climax. This is great read. Highly recommended.
Outstanding! I have just finished reading Photo Finish and I absolutely fell in love with the strong, well-defined, very humanly portrayed characters. I found myself relating to the places mentioned in the book as I currently live on Oahu. I found myself laughing, being disturbed, mystified, and having “ah-ha” moments as the mystery unraveled. The suspense and action kept you motivated to know what was coming on the next page.I don’t want to give away this novel or the ending so I am going to end this review with this: Photo Finish is a well thought out mystery placed in a beautiful location with characters that will leave you with a sense of having new friends….for life. This story is a must read and I am looking forward to more of Terry Ambrose’s future novels!