Review: Death by Coconut

DEATH BY COCONUT by Susie Black
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Series
4****

BLURB: Obnoxious Mystique Swimwear sales rep Simon Posnick was universally despised by competitors and customers alike. So the question wasn’t who wanted the lying, cheating scoundrel dead. The question was who didn’t. Mariel Levine, Laurie’s Fashions’ swimsuit buyer and Holly Schlivnik’s career mentor, is wrongly arrested for murdering Posnick by impaling him with the jagged edge of a coconut shell at the base of his skull. The wisecracking, irreverent President of Mermaid Swimwear jumps into action to uncover the real killer. But the treacherous trail holds more dangerous human predators than the alligators and black pythons in the Everglades. Everything turns out differently than amateur sleuth Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a vengeful killer.

THOUGHTS: Susie Black does it again with this addition to the Holly Swimsuit Mysteries series. In this one, Holly and friends are at a large conference. While there, they meet up with old friends, but also old enemies, the worst of which is Simon Posnick. Everyone who meets him wants him gone, or dead. And when that happens, Holly’s friend Mariel is wrongly accused of his murder on highly circumstantial evidence. So of course, Holly pulls out her sleuthing cards and goes to work to find the real killer. There are plenty of suspects and as Holly gets closer to the answer, things get dicey for her.

This is a great addition to the series and we get to enjoy Holly and her friends as they get up to their usual hijinks as they go about solving the mystery. Great characters, well-done world building, and a satisfying ending.

Recommended.