Bones of Coral [Mass Market Paperback]

James W. Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2004

Paramedic Shaw Chandler knows Miami's nitty-gritty all too well. But when a routine suicide call uncovers his long-lost father, it's anything but routine-and it appears it's anything but suicide. Then Shaw's mother falls victim to financial fraud, leaving Shaw with no choice but to return home to Key West-and into the arms of his old flame soap opera actress Trula Montoya. Trula's got her own skeletons and reasons for returning to Key West. Rekindling her relationship to Shaw can only complicate her life. But Trula and Shaw are about to learn that they can no longer run from their secrets or the past as they discover a lethal conspiracy and science run amok. And when a psychotic, rhyming killer is added to the mix, they must stop an evil that could spell doom to all.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shaw Chandler, a 30-something paramedic with the Miami fire department, returns to his home in the Keys to come to terms with the suspicious circumstances of his father's suicide. Meanwhile Trula Montoya, his high school sweetheart and once a Manhattan soap opera star, has also returned--to decide what to do with the rest of a life blighted by the onset of MS. Shaw and Trula eventually realize a link between local deaths--of the natural and unnatural varieties--and are drawn deeply into danger as they begin to unravel biological warfare, a cover-up and a double murder involving both of their fathers 20 years before. The dynamic and romantic duo are truly nice people (and well-drawn characters) who deserve a happy ending, but the rest of Hall's ( Tropical Freeze ) cast is an unsavory bunch: not only does Douglas Barnes, still reaping the financial rewards from his part in the evil business, kill with cruel pleasure, but his deranged, foul-mouthed son Dougie tries to win his respect by acting as his hatchet man. By the time the homicidal pair receives its just deserts--in a fast-paced life-and-death struggle in a garbage disposal factory--the body count is as high as the surf. Literary Guild alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Characters struggling to overcome personal flaws, ruthless and bizarre villains, and mountains of garbage are all central to Hall's suspense novel set in the Florida Keys. He has crafted a thriller with an eco-twist: the evil-doer is the owner of an ultramodern incinerator and landfill. Such tools provide him with the perfect means to dispose of the evidence, whether it be dangerous gunk produced by labs seeking to circumvent EPA regulators, or murder weapons and their unfortunate victims. Hero Shaw Chandler, a south Florida paramedic, suffers from an inability to commit to any loving relationship until, in the course of solving the peculiar murder of his long-lost father, he reestablishes contact with his high school sweetheart. They encounter the owner of the landfill; his murderous son Dougie, a flawed boy-man with an appetite for sex and body building; and discover the terrible toxic secret that shaped all of their lives and inevitably brings them together for the gruesome climax. This novel is about secrets and revelations, growth and self-discovery, and is sure to appeal to readers in search of fast-paced chills written in an unchallenging style.
- Carolyn E. Gecan, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (August 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031299950X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312999506
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #716,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nobody does it like James W Hall!, January 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bones of Coral (Mass Market Paperback)

James W Hall has a knack for creating quirky characters and sleazy bad guys. In this book, he has outdone himself with Dougie Barnes, a dimwitted, muscle-bound, rhyme-spouting, trash-talking thug with an appetite for murder and sex. If you think he's bad, wait until you meet his dad, Douglas, Sr.

In Bones of Coral, ambulance paramedic Shaw Chandler of Miami finds his long lost dad dead in an apparent suicide. Then he gets a frantic call from his Mom. The next thing you know, Shaw is headed to his hometown of Key West to learn the truth about his dad's death and some startling discoveries about his past. James W Hall is an excellent story teller and Bones of Coral is a knock down thriller that will stay with you long after you put it down.

FIVE STARS!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Suspense, September 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Bones of Coral (Mass Market Paperback)

James W. Hall not only tells an intriguing story, but his quality of writing is superior to most in this genre.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well crafted., September 9, 2006

By 

Michael G. "mikefromrochester" (Rochester, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bones of Coral (Mass Market Paperback)

Shaw Chandler and Trula Montoya were high school sweethearts growing up in Key West. But they went their separate ways. Shaw became a paramedic in Miami and Trula an actress in New York. Now, some twenty years later, they are both compelled to return to their hometown because of a sinister mystery that has darkened their lives.

Bones of Coral by James W. Hall is a marvelous novel. The very "readable" narrative contains a number of insightful passages about life, love and happiness. The characters are vividly drawn and the intricate plot unfolds in a way that is both smooth and satisfying. Of course no modern South Florida mystery would be complete without some bizarre, over-the-top characters to infuse the proceedings with a black comedy aspect. And Bones of Coral has its share of those. At the top of the list is Dougie Barnes a dull witted, cold blooded killer who speaks in rhymes and is quite proud of his freakishly high threshold for pain.

This is a remarkably well crafted novel that succeeds in telling an interesting story in an artful and satisfying manner. Highly recommended.