Elizabeth Adler Sailing to Capri

Sailing to Capri

Elizabeth Adler

St. Martin's, Jul 2006, $24.95

ISBN 0312339658

In Lower Sneadley, England, thirty-nine years old American expatriate Daisy Keene attends the funeral of her employer of the last five years, Sir Robert Waldo Hardwick. However, though she and Sir Robert became friends his former personal assistant is a bit surprised to learn that before he died he hired his friend American private investigator Harry Montana to investigate his homicide.

Sir Robert named six likely suspects and prepared a Mediterranean cruise on board the Blue Boat for them, Harry, and Daisy. The invitees are ex-wife Lady Diane Hardwick, ex- mistress Filomena Algardi, ex-friend Charles Clement, ex-business partner Davis Farrell, ex-business friend Marius Dopplemann, and first true love Rosalia Alonzo Ybarra. Let the fun begin as each expects to inherit a fortune once the sea trip ends.

Kind of like a cross between Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians and Murder on the Orient Express, SAILING TO CAPRI is a terrific investigative romantic suspense. The story line paints a powerful portrait of Sir Robert through the eyes of the eight non crew members on board his vessel. Readers also obtain the motives that made everyone of the six suspects an ex with a reason to want Sir Robert dead. The romance between the two Americans is welcome but also unnecessary as they and the audience try to solve who killed Sir Robert Waldo Hardwick as the last twist provides a delightful climax to an intelligent mystery.

Harriet Klausner