Death by Bikini by Linda Gerber

Aphra Connolly lives on a tropical island, but it’s not a complete fantasy life. She works for her father at their resort that caters to the rich who want to be out of the spotlight. But when several unannounced guests show up, things start to get weird. One of the previous guests turns up dead on the beach, looking like she was strangled by her bikini strings. The combination of this and Aphra’s father acting distant prompts Aphra to begin her search for the truth.

Aphra’s determination to find the guest’s killer leader to a lot of sneaking, lock picking, and even Internet stalking. Aphra digs up new information and discovers that the newly arrived and secretive family are not who they say they are. Things become even more complicated when Aphra finds out, from their very hot son Seth, that this family is somehow connected to her mother, whom Aphra thought had abandoned her four years ago. It soon becomes apparent that something more sinister and dangerous that Aphra could imagine is taking place on her island home. But how can Aphra find the answers when she doesn’t know whom to trust?

I usually don’t judge books by their titles or covers, but Death by Bikini immediately caught my eye, and I’m very glad that the novel lived up to my high expectations. Death by Bikini is one of the more original novels I have read recently, in addition to Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott. I definitely enjoyed the high action and suspense, especially near the ending of the book, and the maybe romance between Aphra and Seth. It had surprising twists as every good mystery novel should, and everything was more interesting because of the unique setting.

So, if you’re looking for a good combination of mystery and romance, then definitely grab this book when it hits shelves mid-May. I was a little disappointed that the story was not longer, but I look forward to reading the next installment, Death by Latte.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from author Linda Gerber