Blood Tide

I bought this book because I'm from Sarasota and now live in GA and I have to admit I sometimes get homesick. I was hoping for a book that would catch the wonderful feeling of my hometown and describe the beautiful places I miss. Barcomb's book does not only that but also has interesting characters involved in an entertaining and plausible murder mystery. Barcomb writes of what has happened countless times before...a Northerner visits Sarasota and falls in love with the place and the interesting mix of people. Developers, marine scientists, little old ladies that make and follow condo owner rules, and more are all found in this great story. What doesn't happen everyday is that the main charater Sam Wallace gets involved in investigating a murder of someone he just met upon arriving in town. Several suspects with various motives keep you guessing throughout the book. This is a great first book in what will hopefully be many more that are about Sam Wallace's adventures in Sarasota. In Barcomb's next book, Undercurrent, Wallace gets his Private Investigator License. If you have been to Sarasota, this book will take you back. If you haven't been to Sarasota, you may find yourself booking a trip in the near future. P.S. With apologies to Randy Wayne White, I think I have found my new favorite Florida mystery writer.

Have a plane trip to take? Or a few days of relaxation planned? Then "Blood Tide" is the perfect book to take with you. The characters and places depicted in the novel are as believable at the descriptions are accurate. Living Sarasota, Florida where all the action takes place, you feel you are right there with Sam as he unravels the secrets of Sarasota "Society". This would make a great holiday gift for the mystery buff on your list.

Blood Tide is a wonderful mystery full of interesting characters, including the most adorable dog I've ever met in print. Sam, the main character, is a likeable fellow who happens upon Sarasota, Florida after a bad turn of luck in his home city. Once he's here, he meets up with many of Sarasota's unique residents (author Barcomb hits the nail on the head in this respect; I know many people just like the ones he writes about). In the book as in life, this diverse group of people needs each other to survive, though many of them would never admit it. The mystery part of the book moves along and keeps you guessing until the end. There are two other elements of the book that I personally found interesting: it's almost like a Sarasota area travel book, mentioning real locations and taking the reader on a tour of this beautiful city as the mystery progresses; and it offers a curious way to learn about red tide, which, if you live in this area, you know can be devastating to human and animal life. Blood Tide offers an insight into another way red tide can wreak havoc, one I never thought of. All three of these elements are beautifully combined in one fascinating book. I found Blood Tide hard to put down.