Pier Pressure

Author: Dorothy Francis
Genre: Mystery
Reviewed by: Kevin Tipple

In this latest, soon to be released novel from author Dorothy Francis, readers are returned to Key West to consider a different heroine and supporting cast than in Conch Shell Murder. This time it is Keely Moreno, foot reflexologist, who faces death, romance, and the daily stress of living in paradise. Despite the fact that her abusive ex husband lives on Key West, and could be ignoring the restraining order against him, Keely has made a new life for herself and is doing rather well.

That is, until on a visit to a patient's home for a scheduled appointment, she finds Margaux Ashford dead from a gunshot wound. While the list of suspects for killing the wealthy woman is long, no one else's gun was used to fire the fatal shot. That fact, as well as the fact that she found the body make Keely the number one suspect in the eyes of the police. Knowing how the local police operate and being not at all impressed, Keely, with a little pushing from her friends, decides to investigate the case herself by asking the suspects, many of whom are her patients, where they were at the estimated time of death. As everyone knows, asking questions can get one into trouble fast, which is exactly what happens for Kelly.

Written in the same style as her cozy, Conch Shell Murder, Dorothy Francis shows her love of Key West. Lush descriptions of the area abound, as do the characters that populate her novel. Many of them are amusingly eccentric and one gets the feeling they are based on real people the author has known. The list of suspects is long and often entertaining as their various eccentricities are covered. At the same time, underneath it all is a tight mystery that provides a rich and enjoyable read for adults of any age.

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