Amateur detective Jessica Popper is on the case again, this
time in the tropical paradise of Hawaii. On a working
vacation with her boyfriend Nick, Jessica hopes for some
relaxing fun in the sun during the veterinarian
conference.
While checking out the conference facilities, Jessica
catches the end of a news conference given by the governor.
When reporter Marnie Burton asks an intrusive question, the
news conference is abruptly concluded and the reporter is
knocked down, so Jessica invites Marnie back to her suite
for an icepack. There she learns that Marnie is after a hot
story involving the governor and possible corruption. When
Marnie is later found dead on the beach and Jessica and
Nick's hotel room is burglarized, Jessica is the only one
who believes there's a connection between the two events.
She's determined to solve the case before the killer
strikes again.
Jessica finds there's no shortage of suspects when she
begins delving into Marnie's life -- from the competitive co-
worker to the boyfriend who swears he and Marnie were no
more than casual friends. The deeper she digs, the more
determined someone is to throw her off the trail.
Unfortunately, the next casualty of the investigation may
very well be her relationship with Nick.
Cynthia Baxter's RIGHT FROM THE GECKO is the best of
the Reigning Cats and Dogs mysteries thus far. It's fast-
paced, cleverly weaving threads of intrigue, humor and red
herrings to create an entertaining tale set against the
stunning backdrop of Hawaii. I enjoyed the arrival of long-
time friends, Betty and Winston, and the further
development of Jessica's relationship with Nick, though I
did miss her furry sidekicks. Fans of Ms. Baxter's stories
are in for a real treat with RIGHT FROM THE GECKO.
Surf’s up . . . and so are the stakes when veterinarian and
amateur sleuth Jessica Popper escapes to the land of hula,
hibiscus, and geckos for a professional conference. The
last time she and boyfriend Nick Burby touched down on the
island of Hawaii, Nick caused a volcanic eruption when he
unexpectedly popped The Question to commitment-phobic Jess.
But this trip proves just as dangerous when Jess befriends
an ambitious young reporter whose body later washes up on
the sand . . . and someone thinks Jess holds the clue to
the killer’s motive.
There’s no end of suspects among the exotic flora and
fauna, from the victim’s journalistic rivals and a mystery
boyfriend to an eccentric beachcomber and a governor’s aide
with ties to a controversial biotech firm bringing progress
to paradise. One of them is a killer with the chameleon-
like ability to stay hidden—and if Jessica doesn’t uncover
hula-dunnit in time, she’ll be saying aloha . . .
permanently.