Customer Reviews

Cactus Island (Stan Turner Mysteries)

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An accident on a rural Texas road near Possum Kingdom Lake causes the death of a teenager. The driver of the vehicle miraculously emerges without a scratch, and this is too much of a coincidence for some. When it's discovered that there is a motive for murder, the young driver is arrested and charged. His explanation for the accident is even more bizarre - "I was distracted by an alien spaceship."
Now Stan Turner is asked to defend the young man in court and as he investigates matters he finds mystery and confusion while struggling with the possibility that we may not be alone in the universe. Meanwhile, Stan's partner is handling a case just as strange when a divorce proceeding becomes a missing persons case. Her client falls under suspicion when her unfaithful husband disappears and she has no recollection of her whereabouts on the day of the disappearance, suffering a memory loss that can't be explained. Things become entwined when it's discovered that her husband was once married to the mother of the young man who was killed in the car accident.

Yet another twist hits when Turner experiences something he can't explain on the shore of Possum Kingdom Lake and it's this experience that makes him a "believer" - convinced that alien beings played a part in both cases.

While this is a mystery, there is no denying the dash of science fiction adds flavor to the story. It is told in first person narrative by Stan Turner and his partner Paula, who alternate chapters, which makes it somewhat unique in character. The plot contains numerous twists and turns with an occasional chase scene to speed things up a bit. But as the story draws to a conclusion, it loses its mystery character and crosses over into the science fiction realm. Some may like this, others may not, but it certainly hurts the believability of the story. It is entertaining, no doubt, but something tells me the sci-fi crowd will appreciate it more than the mystery crowd. Overall, it kept me interested.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/07)


"Cactus Island" is part of the "Stan Turner Mystery" series. It was the first one that I have read in this series. I enjoyed it so much; I am looking forward to going back and catching up on the other ones. It starts out as a suspenseful mystery. I can't say murder mystery because in one case, the death is suspicious and in the other case, we aren't sure if the person is actually dead or has just disappeared.

Stan and his partner Paula are both defense attorneys on cases that initially appear dissimilar, however, as the plot thickens it is discovered that there is a connection between the two. By the end of the story, they are totally intertwined. The plot also evolves from a mystery to a science fiction tale. I absolutely loved this twist in the story. It made it much more fun to read.

The characters are well developed and each has their own personal issues to deal with. This makes the novel seem more real to you because it adds more dimension to the drama that is occurring within the plot. Because it is a series, they also already have their relationships established and seem very comfortable within their roles.

Mr. Manchee has a gift of leading you to a thought about what is happening in the story, then acknowledging it, and then adding suspense that takes you off in a different direction. This was great. I would finally think I figured things out, and then realize that I wasn't even close. Then with the sci-fi angle, it really changed things. Reading "Cactus Island" is definitely like riding a rollercoaster and it is all fun! I did get a few goose bumps along the way.

If you like straight up, non-paranormal fiction, this book is not for you. However, if you like shows like X-Files and books with paranormal or science fiction elements, read "Cactus Island," and you will be in heaven! I sure was.

Received book free of charge.