The third installment of the
Mystery in the Islands series,
AGROUND ON ST. THOMAS,
opens with a grand jury indictment of the sitting governor, his cabinet, and the
entire VI Legislature. Chaos ensues as the FBI attempts to arrest those accused
of corruption. The governor and two VI senators evade capture, leading to a
chase through Charlotte Amalieโs narrow alleyways and steep streets. Competing
conspiracies among the locals hamper the search, leaving a hapless Agent Friday
to sort out whoโs scheming whom.
With the areaโs regional airport, the seat of government, and a thriving cruise
ship port, St. Thomas is the commercial center of the Virgin Islands. Everyone
who lives or visits this part of the Caribbean spends at least a little time in
the islandโs main town of Charlotte Amalie, the primary setting for
AGROUND ON ST. THOMAS
The waterfront streets are mostly flat, but as the city moves inland, it curves
upward, covering the lower slopes of several flanking hills. The result offers a
surreal perspective of neighboring properties and the surrounding city. The
densely populated landscape is both elevated and cupped within the side slope.
The area around Government Hill, in particular, feels like a stage set inside an
amphitheater. Public staircases built by the Danish run up and down the
hillside. The steps are set far apart, designed so that donkeys could navigate
the passages carrying heavy loads. These walkways crisscross through closely
packed housing, providing unique vantage points of the harbor โ and of the
adjacent residences.
During one of my research trips to St. Thomas, I stayed at a hotel on Government
Hill. The structure was built into the slope, so that its upper levels comprised
a series of terraces. I felt like a voyeur as I stood on the buildingโs many
decks and panned my camera lens around the city, zooming in on balconies and
front porches.
I wasnโt the only one peeping.
As I talked with people about local events and listened to the regular island
gossip, I realized that eyes were pointed across Charlotte Amalieโs hillsides,
day and night. The comings and goings of elected officials, the police on patrol
(or not), a robbery among the alley jewelry shops, the arrival of a cruise ship,
and anything else that happened of note fell under the residentsโ close observation.
Making St. Thomas the perfect setting for a mystery of political intrigueโฆ
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