Palm Beach County Police and FBI are calling a serial killer that has mutilated four women with a machete, the "Cutter." He selects white women. having had a relationship with a black man, and leaves their remains on sugar cane fields belonging to the Cortina Sugar Company. His trademark is specific. He mutilates and then smudges ashes on the faces of his victims.
Abe Beckham is moving up with his career as a star prosecutor for the State of Florida in the Miami office. His personal life, is a mess. Samantha Vine, beyond beautiful, was the love of his live and died of cancer much too early in her life. He married Angelina who he dated before he met Samantha. Too fast. Abe is still grieving his black beauty who stole his heart and left too soon.
Called to a crime scene in the Everglades where he meets FBI agent Victoria Santos. They examine the victim. She is headless and black. When her identity is discovered, Abe goes from being an investigator to being the number one suspect being investigated. He had a one night fling with the victim, Tyla Tompkins, a Miami attorney, when he was married to Samantha. Abe lies about their acquaintance but phone records and pictures of them together put him front and center in the investigation.
This book actually is telling two stories at one time. One is the chase to find the "Cutter"; the second about the sugar cane industry. It has a poor reputation for working impoverished immigrants to unimaginable lengths with inhumane treatment. It hearkens back to the past when machete-wielding men cut sugar cane by hand in the blazing tropic sun. One such worker was Samantha's father, Luther. In 1941 he had his rights violated as a cane cutter and now resides in a rest home. His bi-polar son J.T., is full of problems but Abe is there for both of them in memory of Samantha.
CANE AND ABE is a psychological thriller with zigs and zags that keep you glued and turning those pages. I did not care for Angelina. She had too many problems. Her constant questioning Abe's fidelity as well as his attachment to Samantha's father and brother was selfish, cold, and unyielding. Santos was ruthless and relentless as an FBI agent. Every move she makes is all about her, using anyone and everyone to reach her goal. The ending for me was confusing and left many questions. I will stay to Abe, the next time Angelina makes osso buca, let her try some first before you do. I'm just saying??????
A spellbinding novel of suspense from New York Times
bestselling author James Grippando, in which Miamiβs top
prosecutor becomes a prime suspect in his wifeβs
disappearance, which may have a chilling connection to the
woman he canβt forget.
Unbelievable was the word for her. Samantha Vine was
unbelievably beautiful. It was unbelievable that sheβd
married me. Even more unbelievable that she was gone . . .
Samantha died too soon. Abe Beckhamβs new wife has helped
him through the loss, but some say it was a step back to
marry Angelina, a love from Abeβs past. Abe doesnβt want
to hear it, and through the ups and downs, heβs even
managed to remain a star prosecutor at the Miami State
Attorneyβs Office.
Then everything goes wrong. A womanβs body is discovered
dumped in the Everglades, and Abe is called upon to
monitor the investigation. The FBI is tracking a killer in
South Florida they call βCutterβ because his brutal
methods harken back to Floridaβs dark past, when machete-
wielding men cut sugarcane by hand in the blazing sun.
But when the feds discover that Abe had a brief encounter
with the victim after Samanthaβs death, and when Angelina
goes missing, the respected attorney finds himself under
fire. Suspicion surrounds him. His closest friends,
family, professional colleagues, and the media no longer
trust his motives. Was Angelina right? Was their marriage
not what theyβd hoped for because he loved Samantha too
much? Or was there another woman . . . and a husband with
a dark side who simply wanted his new wife gone?
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