Genre: mystery
Pages: 220
Published: April 2011
Source: for review
Review by Lis
Cindy and Clint are enjoying their dream honeymoon, when paradise quickly turns into hell. Cindy finds her newly beloved taken away from her, drowned in a freak accident in the ocean. The local police are quick to declare it an accident, to insist that he was caught in a sudden riptide. But Cindy, left all alone, is not convinced. Cindy must return to her and Clint’s now-empty home in New York and face her in-laws, who never wanted Clint to marry her, and who did everything to make her engagement and wedding hell.
Cindy is mailed an anonymous photo of a woman she had never met, addressed to Clint. As she tries to unravel the mysterious package, as she begins to dig deeper into Clint’s emails and files, she realizes how many secrets Clint had been hiding from his past. She realizes that she didn’t really know the man she loved. And she also realizes that Clint was murdered. She digs deeper, into the depths of Clint’s massive corporation, DGB oil, and as she starts to unearth information she shouldn’t, she goes too far. Soon her own life is in peril. On the run, she realizes that the only way to get answers, and to save her own life, is to return to where it all began: Barbados. As she heads into the dark underside of the island, into the heart of the local villages, she is shocked to discover what really happened to her husband on their honeymoon.
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When I first received the request for a review, I have to admit that I didn’t find the title very original. It not only reveals a hell of a lot about the book it’s also one of the many pun-titles you see around. However, I was intrigued by the blurb. There are not many stories that begin with the death of a husband on the newlyweds’ honeymoon. So of I went.
The story was good, nothing spectacular, but not bad either. It’s the story of Cindy. After a lot of struggles with her in-laws she finally got to marry her love Clint only to lose him on their honeymoon, when he dies in a supposedly freak accident. This is also where the story starts. You get thrown right into it. No leading up to the big event for this author! The focus of the story is what happens after. Clint’s parents are not the easiest to get along with. Opposed to the marriage from the beginning they’re downright hostile to Cindy.
From the beginning Cindy suspects foul play, but it isn’t until later in the story that she really starts to delve into Clint’s live and death. Something foul is going on and Cindy is right in the middle of it. The question for Cindy is: does she want to know the truth?
Like I said, this story was good. Nothing original, but not bad either. Cindy is not my kind of gal. She’s too easy for me. She lets her life be dictated by her overly bossy sister and hardly (in my eyes) stands up to her in-laws. Of course, she’s suffered a great loss and it’s not easy having to deal with everything.
The characters are standard and the setting is so-so. Though it was nice to see something different than America for a change! However, keep in mind that Death by Honeymoon is a relative short story and doesn’t leave too much page-space to really delve into things. As a result this is why the story fell a bit short for me. The mystery hardly got going before the end is there. It’s too cut out for me. That doesn’t mean this story is not for you as it might just be what gets you through a lazy Sunday afternoon!
Funny I should come across a review of a book with this premise... because I've just been hearing in the news about the village who are burying the husband of the honeymooners. He died by shark attack somewhere in maldives or something. Funeral was in the same church they got married in and within a month of being married there. Tragic! But that one is true.
ReplyDeleteI just like the idea of it being set on a Carribean island.
ReplyDeleteYeah, visit Barbados and die...the premise is perhaps far from original but it sounds ok for a relaxing afternoon! Funny that you can get to know some people only after their death. Thanks for an honest review!
ReplyDeleteWasn't there a real life/or a movie with a story like this?
ReplyDeleteYes, the title leaves nothing to the imagination; you certainly know what you're getting into!
ReplyDeleteI probably won't get to this one since there are so many great books out there to read instead.
ReplyDeleteToo bad it was just so-so....
ReplyDeleteSounds decent enough, but I dont like stories that are predictable. The Barbados setting sounds good though.
ReplyDeleteToo bad it didn't totally work -- the title bored me as well. I hate overly passive characters!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review Lis :D
ReplyDeleteI think I would be put off by the title as well. Too bad that it wasn't great either. Thanks for the honest review!
ReplyDeleteI put this book on my wishlist a few days ago because I liked the storyline and the setting.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't my cup of tea but I did enjoy reading your revie, Lis :)
ReplyDeleteOne thing I can't stand is a weak female lead. This one sounds like it would drive me insane!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't put off by the title but the story doesn't sound like it's for me. thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI love the Barbados setting, but it just doesn't sound like the book is worth my time.
ReplyDeleteI'm not opposed to reading it. But the title is just silly. The premise sounds interesting enough.
ReplyDeleteMmm still, I love a good mysterie now and then. Thanks for the review Lis.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a read to kick back with when needing something good but just to relax with. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a Dateline special that I watch every weekend of someone who is murdered and finding out who did it.
ReplyDeleteAw, this sounds like such a sad story. The husband dying during his honeymoon. Definitely not a book for me. though I think the title would have turned me off anyways. If an author can't come up with a better title than that than how good could the book be?
ReplyDeleteCherry
ReplyDeleteYes I saw that, so horrible and tragic. No wonder I am scared of sharks
Mystica
Hm..can't say
Simcha
Lol, true ;)
i get a little tired of these types of titles too sometimes.
ReplyDeletehmm... sounds like a common enough trope, but one I haven't read about a lot myself. Lovely cover though.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a book I might enjoy! Thanks for the review!
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