Penny Goetjen

Beautiful cover; very average book.

More contemporary fiction than suspense. There was no "chill up the spine" or rush to turn the pages.

Main character, Victoria would explain something to the reader, then change course. I think that was just bad styling, rather than wishy-washiness, as the same character was used to show both sides of a situation. That said, one often got different vibes from Tori on how she felt, in order to advance the plot. Well spelled out internal conflict would have been good, but that wasn't really evident.

On a positive note, it was nice to read a current novel that wasn't chock full of forced-in "diversity points". The characters were simply characters, without having to go into detail on physical characters or sexuality, which was nice.

Overall, it's a decent beach or cozy read.… (meer)

This is an exciting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Set in St. Thomas in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane, Olivia Benning is again caught in a murder investigation in which she is the prime suspect.

I had not read the first book in this series but, after reading a good synopsis of the first book, I had no problem getting into the story. I loved the suspense and the twists in the story. I especially enjoyed the banter between Olivia and Police Chief Barnes. If there is a third book in the series, I could see these two ladies becoming great friends. I gave it a four-star rating because the ending seemed a bit overdone; however, I still enjoyed it. Quick to read, it was a welcome escape.… (meer)

THE EMPTY CHAIR:
Murder in the Caribbean
Penny Goetjen

My Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️
Publisher: Secret Harbor Press
Publication Date November 15, 2016

SUMMARY
Olivia Benning travels to the Virgin Islands to settle affairs after receiving news that her mother has died in a boating an accident. Upon arrival she meets a handsome guy who comes to the rescue when her ride fails to show. Olivia soon discovers that the police have no record of her mother's death or even an accident. Olivia desperately needs the truth even if she has to find it herself.

A bar brawl, a break-in, and her mother's Caribbean bungalow ransacked. Can things get any worse at picturesque Magen's Bay? Olivia search takes a sinister turn when a charming man claiming to be her mother's lover is shot and she's the prime suspect.

Entangled in the same dark web of crime that may have ensnared her mother, Olivia is low on cash, high on mistrust, yet must rely on the ruggedly handsome stranger who seems to surface when she's most in need of saving, but is he her rescuer turned lover or her deadly foe?

REVIEW
THE EMPTY CHAIR is like riding on a roller coaster. The story has up and downs, and twists and turns, it's fast and then it's over, way to soon. An adrenaline pumping, heart pounding ride. Once you start it, it's hard to put down. And you really don't want it to be over.

The descriptive setting in the St Thomas, Virgin Islands was picturesque and idylic. Who wouldn't want to go there! I felt as if I was riding in the blue jeep right next to Olivia, so afraid of going over the side of those narrow mountain roads. I would love to be able to sit in Olivia mom's turquoise adirondack chair at Serenity Villa and absorb the stunning views of the bay and the ocean and feel the sultry heat from the August sun.

Olivia, a five foot two, blond dynamo has a knack for finding trouble. Or rather trouble seems to follow her from the minute she leaves the Cyril E. King airport. In the first forty-eight hours there's a bar fight, a missing car, a strange fax and a visit to the police department that knows nothing about her mom's disappearance and she is rescued by the handsome Colton not once, but twice!. The blue-eyed Colton seems to be everywhere just when Olivia needs him. He might be some kind of knight in shining armor, and don't we all need one of those!

Thanks to Secret Harbor Press and Net Galley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)

Olivia receives a call that her mother was in a boating accident, in St. Thomas where she lives. Olivia flies down from Boston to take care of what needed to be done. Except that the police know nothing of the accident or where her mother may be. Her mother’s car is missing then reappears. Her mother receives a fax which Olivia finds worrisome. Her mother’s bungalow gets broken into and more. Whatever her mother was involved in, Olivia wants to find out what and if her mother could still be alive. It seem like a lot going on, yet I couldn’t sympathize with Olivia. She wasn’t very likable for a main character. I enjoyed the Caribbean setting and people, but overall not really a mystery or a thriller, just an easy read in a tropical location.… (meer)