Mallory Marlowe has reached a turning point in her life and
is looking for a new direction. Recently widowed, with a
college-aged daughter and son, she needs something to fill
her days. When her friend tells her about a job opening
with a travel magazine, Mallory decides to apply for it. At
the interview, it turns out there's an opening for a travel
writer. Despite some misgivings about her ability to do the
job, Mallory decides to take a chance and take the job.
Her first assignment takes her to Florida, and even before
touchdown in the sunshine state, she encounters a glitch.
Her seat is occupied by an unpleasant passenger who wants
her aisle seat, rather than the seat he's been given.
Mallory is discouraged to discover later that the same man
is part of the press junket she's on, and he's as offensive
and obnoxious on the tour as he was on the plane, making
rude and crude remarks to everyone and going out of his way
to offend the young woman in charge of the tour. It's no
surprise to anyone when the guy turns up dead, speared to
death. What is a surprise is that Mallory becomes the
number one on the suspect! She has to discover who the
murderer is before she becomes a permanent resident of the
Florida prison system.
MURDER PACKS A SUITCASE by Cynthia Baxter is a
thoroughly entertaining foray into the world of travel
writers, with a bit of murder and mayhem thrown in for
excitement. Ms. Baxter's flowing descriptions are well-
suited to the travel theme as she whisks readers away to
the gorgeous state of Florida, taking us away from the well-
known Orlando sites to the "old" Florida of years past that
we all remember from our youth and still secretly yearn
for. The mystery is well-plotted, the culprit a surprise
and the tie-in to Mallory's old life will leave the reader
wanting more. Fans of Ms. Baxter's Reigning Cats and Dogs
Mysteries are sure to enjoy the adventures of travel writer
and amateur sleuth Mallory Marlowe.
Mallory Marlowe is ready to turn a corner—one lined with
palm trees, plastic pink flamingo lawn ornaments, and
snack bars shaped like giant ice cream cones. Thanks to
her new job as travel writer for the New York magazine
The Good Life, recently widowed Mallory is zipping
around Orlando, assigned to rediscover the glory days
of “old Florida.” It’s the first of what she hopes will be
many exciting adventures . . . but she’s about to discover
that the Sunshine State has a dark side.
Settled in
among the faux volcanoes and tiki torches of the
Polynesian Princess Hotel, Mallory is on the lookout for
quirky attractions like alligator farms and pirate-themed
diners hidden amid the glitzy theme parks. But she’s not
prepared to find a cranky journalist speared to death in
the Bali Ballroom—or to find herself a suspect in his
murder. With her trip coming to a close, Mallory has no
choice but to figure out if one of her fellow travel
writers is a killer. Because if she doesn’t get out of
Florida soon, her career—and her life—are about to come to
a dead end.
Includes Mallory’s article for The
Good Life, with tips and reviews of real Florida
attractions!
Orlando and most of Florida certainly isn't what it was 45 years ago. My husband's family moved to Orlando in 1963. It was a nice quiet town near an Air Force base. There were the old Florida tourist sites like Gatorland, but not the zoo that the Orlando area has become. (Patricia Barraclough 11:02pm June 3, 2009)
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