Blood Island

Matt Royal was a successful lawyer in Florida. The stress of the job and his drinking destroyed his marriage. He gave it all up and moved to Longboat Key, where he fished and occasionally helped a friend that needed legal help. His ex-wife asked him to meet her at a local restaurant. She needed his help. Her eighteen year old step-daughter Peggy was missing. Matt agreed to investigate. His investigation seemed to bring death. Matt sought help from his friends in both the police department and Special Forces. This is a non-stop action read. The plot involves drug dealers, religious cults, prostitution and terrorism. This fast paced mystery is sure to please the most discriminating mystery fan.

I HIGHLY recommend all of Terrell Griffin's books. I have been a book reader all of my life and especially love murder mysteries. Terrell's books are easy to read, fast paced and captivating. You are hooked on the first page. I never want to put his books down and then can't wait to pick it back up. I had the honor and surprise of meeting Terrell Griffin in Longboat Key, FL., before I had heard of his books. He actually gave me his first one and while I was talking to him I turned the book over and realized he had written the book. Not only is he a great author, but a very nice, down to earth person. When he says on his web site that he reads and answers his e mails, he does. If you like a good murder mystery, I urge you to order Blood Island and then look for all of his books. You will be hooked!

Reviewed by Sandie Kirkland for RebeccasReads (4/09) Matt Royal was a successful, hard-driving lawyer in Florida. Unfortunately, that high-pressure type of life led to too much stress, too much drinking, and the destruction of his marriage. Bottoming out after his wife left, Royal gives up law and moves to Naples. He has put his life back together and spends his time fishing and occasionally helping out friends with legal matters. One day, he gets a call he'd never expected. His ex-wife, Laura, is in town and wants to see him. When they meet, she tells him that her stepdaughter, an eighteen-year-old named Peggy, has gone missing after spring break in Florida. Never having stopped loving Laura, Matt agrees to look into the matter and see if he can find Peggy. The investigation starts a trail of dead bodies. Someone knows Matt is looking, and they aren't happy about it; witnesses who talk to him are turning up dead. Royal has lots of friends in both the police and military from his time serving in the Special Forces, and lots of other male friends he has made while living in the area. They all help him where needed. The investigation leads to Key West, where Matt finds that two men chased down Peggy and kidnapped her while she was trying to make a call to her father. The clues lead to a charismatic evangelist, prostitution houses, and terrorism. Matt and his friends rescue Peggy and uncover a terrorist plot that would rock the nation. Griffin's writing is fast-paced and full of action, yet the reader is not overwhelmed by it. The pace moves nicely, and the relationships revealed move the story forward. The plot is not overwhelmed by coincidences, a feature often found in mystery novels. I enjoyed learning more about the history of Florida, and reading about such a male world and the friendships that propel it. This book is recommended for readers who like action and a satisfactory plot. This is the third Matt Royal novel and I'll be looking for the first two to read more of Matt's adventures.

Cults are not the most reasonable things to deal with. "Blood Island" follows Matt Royal, an ex-lawyer as he searches for his ex-wife's step daughter on Blood Island. Matt finds that Peggy may have been forced to become a prostitute by a crazed cult, but it seems that's not the worst of it, as even finding the cult's prostitution ring, Peggy is nowhere to be found. Matt soon finds that more than sexual exploitation could be out there when he looks deeper into the cult. "Blood Island" is a riveting thriller that'll keep a reader going all the way to the end.