Caribbean – Present Day

Isabella Murillo, an heiress to a sugar cane fortune and a friend of Marcella Paraizo, is viciously killed aboard her yacht. When the boat is reported to be drifting, Lieutenant Marcella Paraizo of the U.S. Coast Guard investigates and finds her friend’s body. Police detective Sergeant Kyle Straker informs Marcella that Isabella’s tongue was cut off after she was killed.

Although the police think Nico, Isabella’s estranged husband, may have killed Isabella for her money, Marcella refuses to believe it. She goes to her friend Saul, and he takes her to see Isabella’s brother, Abdias, who may also inherit a considerable amount of money. All the while, Marcella has her own problems -- namely, a cancerous lump in her breast.

Marcella takes a three week furlough to look for Isabella’s killer. She discovers some secrets about Isabella that surprise her; she also finds a stamp that Isabella had hidden. Is the stamp valuable? Could it be significant to the case? And who is Isabella’s lover -- the one she never told Marcella about? Could Marcella be walking into danger by hunting for the murderer? When her chief suspect is killed, Marcella has to take a second look at all the people involved with Isabella.

THE TONGUE MERCHANT keeps readers on edge. The tension builds as Marcella puts herself in danger by hunting for clues. Shocked to discover that her dear friend kept so many secrets, Marcella is determined to find out who the killer is regardless of the tenuous hold she has on her job and her life. Her deceased mother’s warnings and advice come to mind quite often, and one clue leads to another until a picture begins to surface. Several secondary characters march through the story, all possible suspects. One interesting fellow, Leo, who informs her he is a private detective, turns up quite often during Marcella’s search. All the while, a hurricane threatens.

Written in first person, THE TONGUE MERCHANT is a gritty and somewhat grisly book that will keep mystery readers in suspense from beginning to end, not knowing what to expect next. It is a good choice for winter reading.

Marilyn Heyman