Baited

Unable to resist what seemed like a fun time, diver Katsu "Kat" Espinoza accepts the invitation of her wealthy mentor Duke to join him and his family on his yacht. Kat might have declined if she knew that her cheating former boyfriend Will Ashton is the captain and that Duke's family hates her because he named her as his heir. Still she vows to have a good time while avoiding Will and refusing to take crap from Duke's angry family members. However, when the vessel is shipwrecked, she, the crew, and much of the family make it to an apparently deserted island. There, as if out of a Christie novel in a Barrie setting, someone begins to kill the survivors one at a time. Taking And Then There Were None and placing it in a different milieu makes for a strong romantic suspense thriller that will have the audience along with the lead couple speculating just who the killer is. The action starts from the shipwreck and never lets up until the final confrontation. Will and Kat are a fine pairing though she has doubts because she believes he is a philanderer and thus untrustworthy at a time in which to survive they must depend and trust one another. Crystal Green keeps the action and reader guessing throughout this strong fun tale. Harriet Klausner

Man, this book is so cool... it grabbed me instantly. The characters were engaging, though the suspicion kept building for all of them at one stage or another. This was like a thrill ride through someone's worst nightmare. When Katsu Espinoza agrees to go sailing with the family of her good friend and mentor, Duke, she has no idea what she's getting herself into. To make matters worse, her ex is the yacht's captain... and if that wasn't bad enough, she ends up on a deserted island where the survivors are disappearing one after the other. The premise had me hooked instantly. As the story built up and the tension got dense, I just had to keep reading. I hated putting this book down, honestly did. The mystery was so engrossing that I would've loved to read this in one sitting... so I did it in three instead. But I swear - the answer, the reason and the killer were a huge surprise. A true bombshell I didn't expect... and Crystal throws you off-course so many times, it's brilliant! Kat is such an honest character too. She reacts like any real person would - horrified, scared but trying to keep everything and everyone together. Her flaws and insecurities stem from her mixed background and I loved her point of view. Anyway, I could go on and on about how excellent this book is but would end up giving something vital away. And that would "wreck" the whole experience. So, if you enjoy a great mystery with a wicked revelation and horrid turn of events, check it out!