Customer Reviews

The Serenoa Scandal

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Sara Williams has once again written a fascinating work of fiction. In The Serenoa Scandal, murder, conspiracy, and political corruption not only threaten to destroy Maya Menecal's life, but the entire community as well. Set against a rich Florida backdrop, The Serenoa Scandal delivers a suspenseful, character-driven story that fulfills the promise to dampen the palms, race the heart, and entertain.

With sweeping descriptive details of Florida gator country, Sara Williams drops the reader into the middle of small-town dirty politics gone deadly. Her characters are given equal depth, from Maya Menecal, the fiery widow, to the enigmatic hapahaole investigator, John Spyer.

Williams uses her background in the newspaper industry to craft a complex tale of criminal intrigue that races through the Florida swamps to the asphalt jungles of Wall Street, New York City. She seems equally comfortable portraying the sinister mind of numerous bad guys as she is detailing the complex thoughts of a woman in denial and in love.

This book should work well for anyone who loves a well-crafted mystery set against lush, romantic backdrops.

Reading the Serenoa Scandal was a pure delight. Sara Williams has captured the heart, soul and essence of southern Florida in this work. Time and again, I found myself startled at twists in plot when I was sure I had the culprit bagged and tagged. Sara Williams is now on my must read list along side Jeff Patterson and Sue Grafton.
Jake George, Author, Grandfather's Song

Sara Williams is a former newspaper reporter and columnist. This is evident in her dramatic thriller Serenoa Scandal, a story of small-town reporter in Florida up against corrupt politicos and impossible odds.

Miami Herald reporter Putt Jorgenson has returned to rural Calusa County, Florida, land of swamps, cattle and sugar cane, on the edges of the Everglades, to help his father keep the small-town paper going.

All hell breaks loose when David Menecal, a beloved rancher, is shot in bed in the arms of his wife, Maya. It seems to be a burglary gone wrong, and the alleged culprits are caught fairly quickly.

David was a good friend of the governor, "Cracker" Milne, and had worked hard to get a state college built in the county. Shortly after David's death, the DEA rushes in and seizes the ranch, claiming they have evidence that David was involved in wrongdoing. They let Maya live there and manage the ranch, but they haul off all sorts of "evidence."

Maya turns to Putt for help, and he calls in his old buddy, former DEA agent John Spyer, who flies in from Hawaii to lend a hand. Maya, Spyer, Putt, and his girlfriend Judi Leaming investigate the possibility that David was involved in money laundering, but come up with nothing proving David was aware that his old dormant commodities account was being used.

A secret drawer in an antique desk is discovered when a lace nightgown gets caught in the catch; a trip to New York; a wiretapped woman enticing the truth from the crooks; and alligator attacks--are all part of unraveling the charges against David, and getting the ranch back for Maya.

Spyer is an intriguing character, strong (except when he has to resist stunning women), smart, and fearless.

Armchair Interviews says: The standard "small-town reporter against the crooked establishment" is spiced up with exotic locations, beautiful and alluring women, especially rotten and slimy politicians and judges, alligators, snakes, gorgeous horses, and great characters.

The Serenoa Scandal is a wonderfully complex story that weaves its tale like a warm southern mist through the back woods of a Sm. southern Florida town. The characters are rich and vibrant and at times you feel like you want to just wisper in their ear a word of advise, or scream at them to wake up. The author draws you into the story from the beginning and doesn't let you go until the last slithering words slide across the page...
A must read for any mystery buff and a delightful tale for all.