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Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Book Review: A Time to Swill by Sherry Harris (Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Plot, characters, setting – everything works
Cons: No cons to swill around
The Bottom Line:
A ship on the beach
Fast paced, mysterious book
Ultimate beach read



Chloe Gets Swept into a New Mystery

Last year, we got to meet Chloe Jackson, the second protagonist from Sherry Harris.  There was so much to love about the first in the series that I was looking forward to A Time to Swill, Chloe’s second outing.  I’m glad to say that it is up to Sherry’s usual high standards.

If you haven’t yet met Chloe, she is a former children’s librarian who has moved from her native Chicago to the panhandle of Florida thanks to a request from her best friend.  After Boone is killed in Afghanistan, she goes to help Boone’s grandmother, Vivi, run the Sea Glass Saloon, a beach side bar in Emerald Cove.

As this book opens, Chloe has just returned from packing up her life in Chicago and saying her goodbyes.  Her first morning back, she is running on the beach near her new home when she sees a ship that has beached itself.  Hearing a cry on board, she climbs on board only to get swept out to sea.  Before she is rescued, she’s found a skeleton that reopens a disappearance from twelve years ago.  With some of her new friends under investigation, she is determined to find out what happened all those years ago and why it is coming to light now.  What will she uncover?

Believe me, this teaser is just the start of another wonderful mystery.  There are several other questions that quickly come to light, not to mention a strong sub-plot.  Just how into this book did I get?  I started it on a Friday, and when my Saturday turned out to be fairly quiet, I kept reading until I finished the book, even making myself a little late to go hang out with some friends.  I was rewarded with a climax that left me satisfied.

One reason this plot works is that Chloe is just getting to know these characters.  While she considers them friends, she admits she doesn’t know them well, so as questions arise, she can’t help but question if what she thinks about them is true or not.  And it means that it is a wonderful way for us to get to know the characters better.  I loved the character development we got here.

Not being a drinker, I might not have picked up this series is I weren’t already a fan of Sherry Harris’s Sarah Winston mysteries.  If you are like me, don’t let the hook scare you away.  Yes, we get some trivia on drinks, which I enjoyed, but the mystery is one that will appeal to mystery readers whether they drink or not.

And the setting is wonderful.  Even though it isn’t set during peak tourist season, it is still wonderful to think about spending all day just steps away from the beach.  If you love the beach like I do, you’ll definitely love this cozy setting.

A Time to Swill may just be the ultimate beach read whether you are on the beach or not.  Grab a cool drink of your choice and be prepared to enjoy a virtual trip to the beach.

Have another round with the rest of the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Giveaway!

I'm giving away a copy of this book.  The winner will have a choice of a physical copy (US addresses only) or a digital copy (open to everyone).

If you were on the beach, what drink would you order?  Me?  I'd be boring and order water.  But tell me your drink of choice to be entered in the giveaway.  And please be sure to give me your email address so I can contact you if you win.

I'll pull the winner next Tuesday, August 3rd, so please enter before then.

17 comments:

  1. What if we're not a beach goer? Can we read it in the mountains? LOL.

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  2. Either ice tea or flavored seltzer water.
    Love the Sarah Winston mysteries.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  3. I'd order ice water with a slice of lemon. Lemonade gives me heartburn, sweet tea or iced tea has caffiene and gives me headaches so I stay with the most natural thing, water.

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  4. Flavored water or tea

    bmedrano34@yahoo.com

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  5. As for me, it would have to be Diet Pepsi or Diet citrus green tea.

    Thank you for your review, which confirms my desire to read this book on my TBR list. Love Sherry's books!

    Shared but hoping to be the very fortunate one selected. Appreciate the chance to win a copy!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  6. It would be water. I've been trying to be good and drink more water than Pepsi, especially in the heat! Mickeymania1@aol.com

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  7. I would order a Long Island Iced-Tea. Great review! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  8. I would order sweet tea.Thank you for the chance.Gogo2007@rocketmail.com

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  9. A sip of Irish Mist, if you please!

    And thank you!

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  10. The last time I stayed at an all-inclusive resort, I ordered a frozen strawberry margarita while I was under an umbrella on the beach in Mexico a few years ago. Yum!! Thank you for this chance. pgenest57 at aol dot com

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  11. Lemon Lime Gatorade..thanks for this review, makes me want to read it more!! nani_geplcs(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  12. I'm not much of a drinker either but this one does sound like a fun read plus I love that it's set in an area I'm familiar with! On the rare occasion I have a drink I usually go for a cocktail like an Old Fashioned but that's hardly a beach drink! So if I had to get a drink I'd go with a Bushwacker to be delivered beachside by Flounders in Pensacola - but most likely I'd go with a diet coke or a bottle of water!

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  13. Oh and my email is katherine.e.pitts at gmail dot com

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  14. An Arnold Palmer on ice! (As a former Library page, President of the High School Library Club, and wannabe librarian, I love mysteries involving librarians, and libraries!)

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  15. Your review made me wish I had a copy to read right now! I would order a tall glass of fresh brewed tea over crushed ice served with lots of lemon slices. oh_bother88@hotmail.com

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