Aloha to Kate Dyer-Seeley and SILENCED IN THE SURF (Pacific Northwest Mystery Book 3) - Book Review

Covering a windsurfing competition should have been a breeze for reporter Meg Reed, but with a killer in the curl, she’s headed for rough waters…

Hood River in the Columbia River Gorge is the windsurfing capital of the world, and Meg is stoked to cover the King of the Hook event for Portland’s Northwest Extreme magazine. Before the competition gets under way, Meg has a chance to try some windsurfing on her own. But when the current sweeps her downriver, she spots a body snagged on the rocks. The dead man is Justin Cruise, aka Cruise Control, a celebrity windsurfer and not exactly a nice guy. It’s soon clear his death was no accident, and Cruise had no shortage of enemies. As Meg dives right in to discover who wiped out the windsurfer, she’ll need to keep her balance—or she too may get blown away.

Image by Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives (link)

Out of water, I am nothing. - Duke Kahanamoku

Meg Reed is a budding reporter putting her journalism skills to work at Northwest Exposure, an extreme sports magazine. Her latest assignment takes her to the Columbia River Gorge for the "King of the Hook" windsurfing tournament. She invites her closet friends, fellow journalist Matt and law student Jill, to share her rental house for the weekend. Meg ventures out with the "top tiered" journalists for an early morning windsurfing demonstration, only to find that she drifted away from the crowd. As she scrambles to steer her windsurfer down river, she spots the reigning champion, Justin Cruise, floating upside down. Clearly, he was murdered.

Although she is warned to leave the investigation to the sheriff, Meg can't help but snoop around the tournament to find likely suspects. Along the way, she questions her career choice, her father's fatal accident, and her feelings for Matt - issues addressed in previous novels that seem to have no resolution in the near future. Meg's focus on these issues detract from the murder mystery which fails to reach its potential in carrying the plot. Dyer-Seeley offers some comic relief with Meg's challenge to overcome her klutzy tendencies while participating in extreme sports. The author also gives a nod to the "nerd herd" popularized by Comic Con and The Big Bang Theory. 

Dyer-Seeley excels with her vivid descriptions of the Pacific Northwest - its natural beauty, quirky culture, and outdoor activities. I was ready to book my flight to Portland and sample the microbrews, artsy vibe, and, of course, the gorgeous landscape. I learned more about windsurfing - I assumed competitions took place on an ocean beach, not a river gorge. Still, the windsurfing tournament (and the associated hoopla) reminded me of how the Hawaiians celebrate the kai (sea). I also enjoyed the references to holistic healing as practiced by Meg's grandmother.

In the end, I was satisfied with SILENCED IN THE SURF if only for the chance to visit the Pacific Northwest again with the millennials who I now consider book friends. I am hooked on the series and ready for the next adventure with Meg, Jill, and Matt.

I recommend reading this series in order.

I purchased a copy of SILENCED IN THE SURF since I enjoyed Books 1 and 2 in the series. 

Oneonta Creek

Image by Rocketstove (link)

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about extreme sports - have you sampled any?  I was required to participate the "slide for life" at AFROTC camp.  I held on for life to an overhead bar as I slid down a rope from a tower to a lake.  Yes, I jumped into the water!

2. Comments are open through Saturday, April 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Kate and her books at katedyerseeley.com.

Book 1 and 2 of the Pacific Northwest Mystery series