Noreen Wald, Death With an Ocean View

Death With an Ocean View

Noreen Wald

Berkley, June 2004, $5.99, 208 pp.

ISBN 0425194884

After signing the papers that made Charlie and Kate Kennedy the proud owner of a beachfront retirement condo at Ocean Vista in Palmetto, Florida, he died before they moved in. CEO David Fry of Sea Breezes, Inc is building a fancy resort complex on the waterfront and he wants to tear down Ocean Vista and build a parking garage. Stella Sajak, the president of the Ocean Vista Condominium Board of Directors promises to fight him.

One night Kale is looking out her balcony and sees fellow resident Stanley Ferris on the beach tripping over the murdered body of Stella. After living with a homicide detective for years Kate knows how to conduct an investigation and her path leads her to reporter Nancy Cooper also a resident of the same condo who is breaking three major stories in the weekly next edition. While on the phone with Nancy, Kate hears a gunshot and unable to reach the police she turns over to the paper only to find a gun to her head. She faints and when she comes to she knows that she is the killer's next target and vows to get him before he murders her.

Anyone who reads DEATH WITH AN OCEAN VIEW will realize life doesn't end at sixty. The characters in Nora Charles excellent debut mystery are active, thrill-seeking and fool of a joi le vivre. The heroine, who never wanted to leave New York, finally realizes that Florida is her home and she can be very happy there once the killer is caught. Her conversations with Charlie give insight into the man he was and readers can understand why Kate loved him so much.

Harriet Klausner