I want more!

What’s not to love about this book? There is a treasure hunt, pirate legends, a vanishing skeleton and a romance wrapped in a murder mystery. This is easily the best book by Poe that I’ve read (or listened to). Granted I haven’t read that many, but the sentiment still holds true.

For the past few months Aubrey Grant and Jun Tanaka have had an online relationship. A relationship they hope to make real with Jun’s visit to Key West. Things don’t start off too good though, what with Aubrey forgetting to pick up his future boyfriend at the airport. Sure he had just found a skeleton in a closet – and not the figuratively kind, but an actual skeleton. The only problem was, when the police came to investigate, said skeleton had vanished into thin air and the police put it off as Aubrey’s hallucinations due to his narcolepsy. When Aubrey finds and actual body he fears this might not be the relaxing vacation for him and Jun as he hoped it would be.

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. The fact that Aubrey had narcolepsy was an interesting flavour to the book. It’s not something I’ve come across before in my books before – or real life for that matter. So while I can’t speak for its accuracy I loved how it was portrayed. It ruled Aubrey’s life – decided what he could or couldn’t do, what he could eat or drink, where he could go, yet at the same time he didn’t let it stop him from living his life. Sure he might take a nap at inopportune moments and places, but it wasn’t made into this huge deal. Just a fact and way of life. This I can relate to, how an illness or disorder or disability can basically rule every part of your life – yet not be the focus point of it. It just is. What I loved even more was Jun’s treatment of it – also like it wasn’t a big deal, and just a part of Aubrey. So big kudos for Ms. Poe, really nicely done!

The romance between Aubrey and Jun was a sweet one. It’s a relationship we are thrown into, one that has history – years of it. Well not the romantic kind –at least not between them. I kind of loved the fact they had so much history. It gave it, and them, depth. They had a strong bond from the beginning, but it was never one you questioned or felt was rushed. This too, just was.

As far as the mystery goes, it was a good one. I liked how the past was intertwined with the present – not in a flashback kind of way, just that the hunt for the legend and a treasure still had its ramifications in the present. Then again, greed will probably always exist in one form or another, no matter what time we live in.

Wyatt Baker did a wonderful performance of this book. I love the emotions he adds, his inflictions and how he varies his tone and intensity after the situation. He doesn’t distinguish much between characters, but I find I didn’t need it. It was easy to follow along anyway. I’m also a huge fan of his “special effects” and I don’t mean that in any OTT way with drums/music or other sound effects. In this case, I’m thinking of the way he makes the voice of the ghost sound so creepy. It really set the tone of the moment.

I had a great time with Aubrey and Jun, and it’s a book I recommend to anyone loving mysteries with their romances, spiced with pirate stories.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

2 people found this helpful

Narration sucks

The story is decent and I’ve liked other books by this author but the narration is so very bad. It ruined the story for me. A robot could have read it with more feeling. I was extremely disappointed.

1 person found this helpful

Loved it!

Wyatt Baker does suchan excellent job bringing the characters and story to life. Along with great pacing, timing, inflection and tone, while I also oved the character voices...this was really well done.

Sigh. I loved Aubrey and Jun and just how well C.S. Poe makes them come to life.

Note: I hadn't read Poe's Snow and Winter series before I read Southernmost Murder, and didn't have any trouble following along with the plot or characters.

Aubrey's narcolepsy was particularly interesting, especially the way that it was explained organically and not like a dry medical text, and I really love the wonderful way Jun was with Aubrey about his condition - it was heart-melting for me.

I loved the plot, with the exception of a couple of bone-headed moves by Aubrey. The sexual chemistry between Jun and Aubrey was HOT, and I was completely taken in by the mystery. I honestly didn't see the "bad guy" coming!

I really hope this won't be the only book featuring these characters. The only thing I would have liked better is if it had been a dual, instead of single, POV. I would have loved getting Jun's side of things. But other that, I loved it.

Great book - especially on audio - and I absolutely recommend.

1 person found this helpful

Enjoyable

I am new to this narrator, he did a decent job. He improved as the story went on, but he might be better in a different type of story

1 person found this helpful

Key West Mystery

C.S. Poe’s seamless mystery and delightful characters were brought to life by Wyatt Baker. This story used the history of Key West and the dogged pursuit for answers by Aubrey Grant and his boyfriend, FBI agent Jun Tanaka makes me want more of this author and this narrator.

One of my favorites

I have read this book many times.. it is comforting as a murder mystery can be. I won an audible book in a contest, and I picked this one so that I could listen to it when I was driving as well. Although the voices don't match what I imagined for Abury and Jun, Wyatt does a very nice read. very much recommended.

Key West skullduggery

I adored this book and was thrilled when it came out on Audible. The story carries from page to the spoken voice very nicely and had great pacing. Aubrey and Jun's relationship is so sweet that I actually found myself saying, "awwww" out loud a few times. The mystery is engaging and kept me guessing right to the end. My only teeny-tiny complaint was the voices of Aubrey and Jun by Wyatt Baker are nothing like I thought they would sound like in my head - but everyone's different. I really recommend this Audible.

Aubs and Jun are fantastic

I absolutely love this book. I previously read it and it awesome to listen to it as well. This book in either format will remain one of my all time favorites.

Really good

This story is so good. Exciting and full of mystery and suspense. Loved the characters, loved the story, loved the narration, and I’m left wanting more.

Excellent!

Loved the story, the mystery and the romance. Aubrey is a great character, snarky, funny and Jun is perfect for him.
The mystery was well done, kept me engaged from the start.
Wyatt Baker did a great job. I loved his pacing and his voice for Aubrey. The narration is a great way to enjoy the story!