Book Review: No Virgin Island by C. Michele Dorsey @crookedlanebks

No Virgin Island
Author: C. Michele Dorsey
Series: Sabrina Salter Mystery #1
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (August 11, 2015)

Description: Sabrina Salter traded a high-pressure job as a Boston meteorologist for life as an innkeeper on St. John. But storm clouds roll in when Sabrina finds Carter Johnson, her most attractive guest, tucked up in a hammock way past check-out time… and he’s not just dead to the world, he’s just plain dead, with a bullet hole in his chest.

This isn’t the first time Sabrina has seen a dead body, and the island police are well aware of that. Thanks to her checkered history, not to mention the fact that she was the last person who saw Carter alive and far from entirely clothed, she finds herself marked as the prime suspect.

The U.S. Virgin Islands may be the sort of place where even defense attorneys wear flip-flops, but the laid-back life is over for Sabrina unless she can clear her name. So, she sets out to solve the crime, only to find herself caught in a tidal wave of adultery, kidnapping, identity fraud and murder in No Virgin Island, C. Michele Dorsey's outstanding mystery debut.

My Thoughts: This story starts with a woman finding a dead body when she comes to clean up a rental to get ready for the next renters. Sabrina Salter has fled to St. John in the US Virgin Islands after being acquitted of murdering her husband.  Both were television personalities in the Boston area and the whole court case caused a media sensation that hasn't died down since the trial ended. She is constantly being vilified by a "legal expert" on one of the cable networks. Sabrina's first response it to leave and hope someone else discovers the body but decides that she has to report it.

She calls her partner Henry who contacts a lawyer turned bar owner named Neil which is a lucky thing since the police would like nothing better than to have Sabrina as their number one suspect. But Sabrina isn't the only one who could have killed the mysterious Carter Johnson. Why was he taking so many pictures of the villa owned by Mara, her husband Rory, and his twins? Why do Dierdre and Sam insist on staying in that villa despite being offered more perks at a better villa? What happened to the gun that next door neighbors Lyla and her Alzheimer's affected husband Evan kept at their home for protection?

This plot had a lot of twists and turns and was very engaging. I really liked Sabrina who just wanted to be left alone to quietly start her life over. Neil and Henry were also looking for new starts on St. John. But before Sabrina can have her peaceful life back, she has to find out who killed Carter Johnson. Unraveling the mystery will expose a lot of secrets.

I enjoyed this story, found it to be a quick read, and recommend it to other mystery lovers.

I received this book for review from a publicist for the publisher. You can buy your copy here.