February 7, 2022
In Goodwin’s solid sequel to 2020’s Diver’s Paradise, retired cop Roscoe Conklin continues to enjoy life on Bonaire, a Dutch Caribbean island, drinking and spending nights with his lady love, police officer Arabella de Groot. Even running the YellowRock Resort, his 10-room motel, does little to interfere with Conklin’s other interests as his friend and office manager, Erika, ably manages the establishment. When a leg tattooed with the outline of Bonaire and wrapped in wire washes up on the beach, Conklin recognizes the tattoo. The limb is all that remains of Erika’s nephew, Rulio. When offered a job tailing a police inspector’s wife for a chance to see the case file, Conklin takes the deal. Conklin and De Groot follow a bloody trail to Paradise Cove, an upscale resort a friendly American couple are building on Bonaire’s south side. Conklin’s suspicions about Paradise Cove and a money-laundering scheme increase as someone in Paradise Cove cold-bloodedly starts eliminating anyone—undercover agents, lovers, and locals—who gets in their way. Goodwin ably mixes gritty crimes with sun and sand escapism. Armchair travelers will be satisfied.