Away with the Fishes
Stephanie Siciarz
It all
starts with an anonymous ad in the local newspaper. A fisherman is
looking for a girl with a bicycle, who can cook, and is willing to
marry him. At the same time, an island girl, Rena Baker disappears
and a mangled bicycle is found in the road. Is Rena's boyfriend
Madison a killer? The police start an investigation, albeit without a
body, which leads to a murder trial. Raul Orleans, the head of
Customs and Excise on the island, finds strange messages painted on
his house suggesting he should look for Rena and the connection she
has to the long dead, Captain Dagmore Bowles, a former resident of
Oh. The Island of Oh is a special place and not everything is always
clear, but the Islanders are used to challenges and maybe even a
surprise or two. As the murder trial nears, the community is a hive
of activity, hoping for justice and answers in the bicycle case.
This
charmingly written book was a delight to read from beginning to end.
It's full of wonderful and memorable characters that really come to
life through the humorous and lyrical prose. I found that Away
With The Fishes was like a
magical spell, taking me away to an interesting place that I didn't
want to leave. The islanders' stories unfold to reveal intricate
connections and surprising twists that made me want to know more
about this exotic place and the lives of the people living there. I
also liked the way the story weaves in and out between the present
and the past, letting the reader really get to know the life of
Dagmore Bowles as well as of the other characters.
This sweet and juicy tale was as satisfying as a dip in a clear blue
sea on a hot afternoon. What a world it would be if only we could all
live on an island like Oh, with a tropical flair and a little magic
in the air. Hopefully, its not too much to wish for more dispatches
from Oh!
This review was originally written for and published by Manhattan
Book Review.
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