Something Fishy: Lois Schmitt

Something Fishy: Lois Schmitt

Entering an aquarium is an exhilarating experience that takes visitors inside the world filled with sharks cruising over your head, envision a multi-colored coral reef and other exotic creatures. Dolphins that jump up and say hi to you and enjoy the wonders that offer everyone excitement. Learning about the world of water, watching the aquatic creatures and their habitats and behavior provides a great real-life experience. Jelly fish, crabs and other creatures can help you escape the outside world and find yourself enveloped in the world of sea life. This will help you get ready for what is about to happen when you visit the Clam Cove Aquarium where Katie Chandler words as a sea-lion trainer. Katie’s is the executor of her grandmother’s will which specified that 12 million dollars be divided among three specific charities. Each to receive no more than 6 million dollars. She planned to donate 6 million this aquarium and hopefully the aquarium would raise the necessary needed funds above this amount to purchase the adjacent plot of land. The land would be used to build a rehab center for marine mammals as well as a research camp. But, not everything goes as planned and there are two others that do not want this to take place.

Scams, greed, fraud and murder are at the heart of this novel as Sam’s employer is interested in the property but exactly where was he when Katie could not contact him? The novel begins with his disappearance and not too long after her co-worker and good friend Jack Patterson is found drowned in a local inlet. Katie is the executor of her grandmother’s will and now things get dangerous. As a sea-lion trainer working at the aquarium she hopes to raise enough money to purchase the 20 acres of land. However, there are others who have their eyes on this property and some hiding right in plain sight.

Kristy Farrell is a reporter for the Animal Advocate and dives in headfirst to learn more about each of those involved in wanting the land. When Jack is killed she enlists the help of her daughter Abby and her boyfriend Jason to research and learn more about everyone employed at the aquarium and with Lucien Moray. The community is divided. But, when another body is found this time in the sea-snake tank Kristy is now more determined to find out who the murderer of two people is and are they connected? She investigates the murders, but Detective Wolfe is out to make her life miserable if she interferes with his investigation. The magazine where she works is in financial trouble, they might merge with another one causing layoff and worse. Her husband’s vet business is in financial trouble due to competition and her mother is dating someone she feels has a mysterious and suspicious background.

Her mother announces that she is about to become engaged to Paul Andre things get tense, and now Kristy is out to learn more about him and stop the marriage before it is too late.

Kristy asks to see more of the aquarium and is encouraged to try and swim with the sharks but who tampered with the tank? Was she supposed to be the next victim? The research that is shared about the different sharks, wildlife at the aquarium is quite interesting and since I love sharks learning more about the many different kinds held my interest.

The suspects increase when Kristy decides to question Oscar the fish keeper in a supervisory position. He appears to know his work, but would he hamper the goals of the aquarium for his own purposes? Bradford Monroe is the new development fund officer and appears to have the skills to raise the money or trying to raise the money so that the aquarium can purchase the 20 acres of land. But at the time of the murder, he was drinking with the Mulgraves who were donating 100,000 dollars to the aquarium. Calvin Chandler would now oversee Katie’s, grandmother’s will and funds and he not intension of giving the money to the aquarium thinking Moray was in his back pocket for the future. Think again.

There motives come to light and then Kristy is in danger as well as her mother who is dating a con artist but how will she prove it? Someone wants the acres for their own self-worth but who and what scheme is this person doing and how does Kristy come face to face with it? Interfering in the investigation and yet connecting with someone in fraud, spying on Paul and learning what his truth intensions are and then hoping her mother will figure what she learns. Added in Marcia is her mother’s best friend, and she wants to have a garage sale since she is selling her house just what role does Paul play and how does this bring Kristy closer to uncovering his plans?
Lives are at stake when someone set a fire at the aquarium and Captain West learns that Kristy was in the house that now belongs to the aquarium and one picture and one note speaks volumes. The ending is tense and the revelation as to how Jack’s murder, the land, the murder of the second person fit together will surprise you as the past comes into the present and lies and betrayals becomes known. Sam Wong is framed for the fire at the aquarium who set him up. An ending with scenes that are well crafted, tension filled and a final reveal you will not believe as author Lois Schmitt teaches readers the true meaning of Something Fishy.

Fran Lewis: Just reviews