Customer Reviews

Dead Wreckoning

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Dead Wreckoning is the third book in the Sidra Smart series. Author Sylvia Dickey Smith describes and develops her protagonist so well, that those who have not read the prequels will quickly feel as though the private investigator is an old friend. It is a time for fresh starts. Sidra has just received her P.I. license and is ready to take on cases without the assistance of her friend and mentor, George Léger. After 30 years in a stifling marriage to a pastor, Sidra is newly divorced and recently engaged to her adoring boyfriend. She has inherited her late brother's detective agency and is rebuilding her office after a firebombing.

A former client, Durwood, visits Sidra and presents a potential case. Durwood's friend, Boo Murphy, has been accused of murdering her cousin's husband, a man named Zeke. Boo has a history with Zeke, as she once fired her gun in his direction. With the climbing costs of rebuilding her office, Sidra has no plans to take on a pro-bono case. Nevertheless, the plight of Boo, the cantankerous senior, catches Sidra's interest. Especially when Boo recounts a fantastic story about seeing an old, lost pirate ship in a Texas swamp and climbing aboard the once sunken vessel. The sheriff doesn't care about pirate treasure or lost ships...he is out to catch a murderer and is certain Boo is the killer.

In her quest to clear Boo of homicide, Sidra must find the lost schooner. Along the way, she uncovers evidence that her mentor George Léger is involved in illegal activities, as well as centuries-old family clan wars, smugglers and the spirit image of eighteenth century pirate queen, Mary Anne Radcliff, aboard a ghost ship. Throw in narrow escapes after several attempts on her life and you have an exciting, page-turning thriller.

Many modern mystery writers use brutal violence, sex, and coarse language to hold readers' interest. Sylvia Dickey Smith has no need for such. She keeps us captivated from beginning to end with her unique humor, knowledge of South East Texas and its history, well-drawn characters, ample conflict, and dialogue realistically suited to her setting. She has penned an entertaining and satisfying read that is sure to keep her fans happy, while undoubtedly gaining her many new admirers. I highly recommend Dead Wreckoning and I look forward to reading more from this author.


by William Potter for Reader's Choice Reviews

Sidra Smart, divorced from her controlling husband of thirty years and present owner of the Third Eye Detective Agency, temporarily keeps her office at her Aunt Annie's house, where she lives with her aunt and dog Slider. Sidra is reluctant to take on the case of Boo Murphy, a woman accused of murdering her neighbor. Sidra isn't too sure Boo's all there, as Boo claims to have seen an 18th century pirate schooner in the Texas swamp, and Boo doesn't have the means to pay an investigator. But when Sidra sees the schooner for herself, she is intrigued and begins to look into the case, only to be warned off by her mentor and assaulted by unknown assailants. With the aid of her dog Slider, Sidra pursues her investigation, which leads her into the past, to the days of pirate Jean Lafitte and Mary Anne Radcliff, Lafitte's partner and Boo's ancestor.

Smith adds plenty of action and adventure to this installment of the Third Eye mystery series, with an interesting dose of piratical history and ghosts. Sidra Smart is an engaging character, a woman fiercely committed to her independence. She is beginning to find her place in life and isn't afraid to stand up for herself, even against the bad guys. She's smart and likeable, and many women will identify with her. Sidra's dog Slider plays an important part, and Smith nicely weaves his abusive past into the story. This page turner will hold readers' attention throughout as they follow Sidra's growth as a woman and investigator.

I went down to Orange Texas this week to again visit with Sidra. I hadn't seen her for awhile and was curious to know what she'd been up to--and she was in one of her usual pickles, of course--that's par for her. Interesting, too, how many "characters" can live in a town of roughly 19000; really makes for unusual happenings. Reminds me to look at and see the people around me in a different light--to try to see what hides behind their façades. Suffice it to say, Sylvia Dickey Smith has once again generously and captivatingly given life to her alter-ego. A VERY good read. If you haven't yet, wrangle yourself an introduction to Sidra and join the fun.

Sidra Smart is looking to start over...fresh from divorcing her husband of thirty years, she inherits a detective agency from her late brother, Warren, and begins life anew as a private investigator. Over the course of her ensuing cases, she gets exposed to her fair share of danger - but nothing can prepare her for the daunting mystery soon to become the focus of her entire world...

When she agrees to help the diminutive, elderly Boo Murphy as a favor for a friend, what begins as a simple case of alleged murder evolves into a twisted, complex scheme of daring heists, shady characters leading double lives - and, on top of all else, a not-so-secret legacy of pirate smuggling. As Sida wends her way through the multi-layered mystery, she is forced to depend on her own wits, as well as the assistance of the unlikeliest of allies - her dead brother - as she strives to stay one step ahead of the nefarious characters behind the sinister plot - not to mention friends who aren't quite as innocent they appear...

Calling Dead Wreckoning an action-packed suspense thriller is making a huge understatement. Sylvia Dickey Smith's compelling tale of drama and intrigue pulls you in from the first few pages and keeps you spellbound as she weaves the tapestry of her tantalizing tale in masterful fashion. Her characters are full-blooded and three-dimensional, and she does an excellent job of preserving the mystery of the storyline, ensuring that you remain transfixed from one chapter to the next.

Moreover, Dead Wreckoning succeeds at pulling off the difficult feat of telling a story within a story, specifically by treating the reader to a little-known fact of history while still maintaining its mystery/suspense thriller edge. For readers who don't know much about the prominent role that some women played in the piracy trade, Smith's tale will come as an enlightening, edifying treat.

Taut and engaging, Dead Wreckoning takes its rightful place among the ranks of other truly outstanding contemporary mystery thrillers. Highly recommended.


Renee Washburn
Apex Reviews

In the third installment of Smith's mystery series, "Dead Wreckoning," Sidra finds herself in a boatload of trouble - pun intended! Strapped for cash and in desperate need of a paying client, the last thing Sidra needs is a pro-bono case. But when Boo, a cantankerous old recluse who resides in the bellows of the Big Thicket, is framed for a murder involving a ghost ship and modern-day pirates - how could Sidra say no? Against the wishes of her mentor, George Leger, and her protective fiancé, the ferociously independent PI probes into the case and finds that even the people she trusts the most are not who they appear to be. Steeped in a humid, eerie deep south atmosphere, "Dead Wreckoning" is a solid who-done-it rife with all my favorite elements - loveable furry companions, ghosts, mystery and romance!

I have read all of Sylvia's books. Living in Orange, the books come alive. Enjoyed all and highly recommend all of them.

Sidra Smart has finally received what she wanted---her private investigator license. Approved and fully licensed by the state of Texas, she is now free to investigate anything she wants at anytime and without supervision. The last part is especially important to her as she continues to move on from her former life as a pastor's wife. At 52, she is relishing her new life and now with her license she has extra incentive to get her office rebuilt. After all, "The Third Eye: Intuitive Investigations" can't be run out of Annie's house forever - no matter what Annie thinks.

It's early June in Southeast Texas and Durwood, one of her first clients back when she was being mentored by George Le'ger comes to see her. Durwood's friend, Boo Murphy needs help and Durwood wants Sidra's professional expertise. According to Durwood, Boo goes squirrel hunting in the swamp every day. Supposedly, one day she saw a pirate ship out there in the swamp somewhere. But, that isn't why the Sheriff is going after her. No, the investigation is for murder.

Boo's second cousin, twice removed, and neighbor is Sasha. Sasha had a husband named Zeke who recently made Boo so mad, she fired her gun over his head. She was plenty angry, wanted to scare him, and let loose with her gun. She didn't think any more about it as it wasn't that big a deal. That was until Boo took Sasha out where she said saw the pirate ship and instead they found a very dead Zeke with a shirt of Boo's wrapped around his neck. Obviously, somebody else killed him. Boo is convinced that what she saw out there was the schooner "Hot Spur" one of Jean Lafitte's pirate ships. If she wanted to kill Zeke, she would have, but she didn't and that is all there is to it as far as she is concerned.

But, others don't see it that way. Not only do some think Boo killed Zeke, some folks also think that she found the treasure that legend says was on board the pirate ship. Not only does Sidra need to find that elusive schooner, she also needs to find evidence to clear her client despite the various forces against her. Especially since somebody has taken offense to her interest and keeps trying to kill Sidra.

This third novel in the series picks up quickly after the last one left off with the engaging Sidra Smart. A little more graphic in terms of language and description with each book, Sidra Smart is evolving and shedding more and more of her pastor wife past. While aware of her past mistakes, she is also fully aware of her effect on her new boyfriend and uses all her assets when she wants to. Along with enjoying all the possibilities of her new life, she is a pretty good investigator.

Creating a modern day mystery tale with elements from the colorful history of Texas, recurring characters, plenty of local flavor, Author Sylvia Dickey Smith has penned another very good book in the series. As this is a series with evolving characters, those inclined to read the book should begin with the first novel, "Dance On His Grave" before moving on to the previous book, `Deadly Sins-Deadly Secrets."



Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2009

Dead Wreckoning is the third book in a series written by Sylvia Dickie Smith. The book held my interest right up to the last page. If you like suspense, then this book is perfect for you to read. It holds your interest, and you can't wait to see the outcome.

Joanne Russell
Edison, NJ

A swashbuckling murder investigation plunges an outspoken Texas private eye into hot water.
In Smith's third book (Deadly Sins, Deadly Secrets, 2007, etc.) featuring plucky wannabe detective
Sidra Smart, her heroine learns that she's passed her Texas state board exam and is now a full-fledged
investigator at The Third Eye agency, a business she inherited from her dead brother. It's been a long road
since Sidra abandoned her stagnant, 30-year marriage to a misogynistic preacher to embark on a treacherous,
if liberated, life of a sleuth. Her first case involves Boo Murphy, a poor, backwoods woman accused of
murdering her second cousin Sasha's husband, Zeke, after returning from examining the remains of a
historic schooner nestled in the murky waters of her backyard swamp. Sidra is unsure whether to take on Boo's case, but after she discovers that
George, a private investigator who mentored her, is involved in both the theft of a museum-quality crystal collection and plans to steal the pirate
ship's sunken treasure, she immerses herself in the case. While boating on the water searching for the elusive schooner, the smart female detective
sees the vision of "pirate-queen" Mary Anne Radcliff materializing on the bow of a boat. Later, another pirate ghost, Jean Lafitte, appears to
guide the daring detective to success. Apsychic, a few smuggling plots, long-buried family secrets and a host of snoops all conspire to keep Sidra
from getting Boo free from her jail cell. The dogged detective has her hands full sorting out whether the mystery ship is real, along with keeping
her wedding engagement to boyfriend Ben intact. An early subplot involving a kidnapped and raped woman is left dangling and isn't weaved
into the main narrative with any clarity, but Smith offers a tidy conclusion, rife with good-natured ghostly humor to round out the innocuous
frivolity. Fans of Smith's spicy Cajun mysteries surely haven't seen the last of Sidra Smart.
A kooky, homespun whodunit rich in Southern wit and charm.

DEAD WRECKONING
By Sylvia Dickey Smith

Texas has swamps and bayous? Who knew? Kind of goes against my image of dusty, dry Texas, with the tumbling, tumbling weeds. But I suppose along the coast you would find swamps and bayous. Author Sylvia Dickey Smith has made the area come vividly alive for me, complete with mosquitos, crocodiles or is it alligators, and Spanish moss.

DEAD WRECKONING is an unusual mystery combining the paranormal, a dog, and an older female sleuth, but Sid Smart is no Miss Marple. She is plagued by doubts and insecurities. She left her abusive husband, and the confining world of being a minister's wife, to build a new life as a private detective. Insecure in her new romantic relationship with Ben and unsure of her abilities as a newly licensed PI, she struggles to save her client from being convicted of murder. Boo, an old woman, claims to have found Jean Lafitte's schooner, Hotspur, out in the bayou, but when she and her cousin, Sasha, return the next day the schooner is gone. Instead they find Sasha's husband's body. Since Boo shot at Zeke the day before, Sasha blames Boo and she is arrested. Sid is on the case, uncovering old pirates, modern smugglers, and ruthless treasure hunters. Visiting the scene of the crime she sees a ghost ship, with a beautiful and buxom lady pirate. Later a gentleman out of the 19th century visits her with a cryptic message. Are they ghosts? Real or just illusions? Sid isn't sure and neither are we.

I really liked Sid Smart and all her baggage as she struggles to break free of the old confining church life where her husband demanded that she be the perfect minister's wife. As a former minister's wife myself, I could relate to her hang-ups and. And her relationship with her dog, almost supernatural. Then there are all the colorful, and I do mean colorful, characters. The writing is good, descriptions vivid. It is well edited, grammar and spelling, but I found myself having to re-read passages to comprehend them a few times.

The solution to why Sasha's husband was killed was rather obvious, and surprisingly Sid nor the cops never seemed to consider it as a possibility. But the unraveling of the mystery moved along nicely, going in some interesting directions, and coming to a rousing conclusion. DEAD WRECKONING is a delightful mystery, well worth your time and attention, if you like mysteries with a touch of Southern charm. I certainly hope Sid Smart gets her detective agency rebuilt and there will be many more cases in the future.

Reviewed by Linda Suzane April 26, 2009 www.midnightblood.com