Cetacea

I'm usually a "nibbler" at books, reading a little now and a little later, whenever I have time, but with Cetacea I kept reading practically without pause. This was an interesting, informative book with exotic locales, well-developed characters, dramatic tension, and realistic dialogue. For the duration of the story, I felt as if I were in it -- seeing, feeling, hearing it all. Besides the gripping story line, Theresa Foley has called up an intriguing image of Key West that makes me want to visit her island at the southeast tip of the United States and perhaps do some dolphin-watching, myself. This is one of those enjoyable books that I'm sharing with my friends!

Cetacea was a real page-turner for me: I found myself holding my breath while cheering and fearing for the dolphins. The variety and depth of Ms. Foley's characters, the richness of her story line, and her knowledge of diving, dolphins, and dialog make this book a fine showcase of her exceptional writing skills. Cetacea truthfully captures the flavors and eccentricities of living and working in the Southernmost City-90 miles from Cuba, while skillfully and passionately blending equal amounts of suspense, ecological awareness, and mysticism. An impressive and hopeful message is conveyed to the reader in a very palatable form. I sincerely hope that Ms. Foley is working on a sequel.

You don't have to know Key West to enjoy this novel by an exciting new novelist because the drama beginning on page one quickly encaptures you. One of these "I couldn't put it down" books. Ms. Foley takes an allegation of training dolphins (cetacean) to kill and writes an intriguing mystery involving national and international politics mixed with adventures of the sea, including sailing and diving, plus a love story to capture your heart. Ms. Foley's skill in developing the characters is exceptional and the dialogue allows you to easily enjoy the story as it unfolds throughout the book to a climatic unexpected ending. Clearly the potential for a movie or TV special.