One Saturday morning a U.S. Coast Guard commander was heading toward the Coast Guard station to meet up with his crew when he noticed something unusual floating close to shore. The body was of a female caught up on the edge of the channel. J.D. Duncan, a Longboat Key detective, was brought in as chief investigator.

J.D. soon found out the victim was the wife of a friend of Matt Royal and the husband worked in the same agency as Matt’s best friend Jock Algren. Before the case could hardly get started, J.D. received a threatening phone call from the killer. Just a short time later, someone tried to kill J.D. in a restaurant parking lot.

As more bodies appear, it becomes increasingly obvious that a serial killer has returned after a twelve year absence whose original investigator was J.D. Matt and Jock begin to realize that the murders are more far reaching and go higher up the food chain than they first believed, especially when Guatemalan gang-bangers try to snuff them out and Mexican drug cartels seem to also be involved.

J.D. becomes frustrated with Jock’s involvement and the mysterious agency he works for. His boss gives him permission to do whatever he has to do to stop the killing. Frustrated with the feeling that she is losing her grip on the case, J.D. begins to question whether Longboat Key is where she belongs and considers returning to Miami.

Fatal Decree is the seventh novel in the Matt Royal series written by H. Terrell (Terry) Griffin. Most of the regulars are back for this fast-paced mystery. The characters and the continuity of their growing relationships add to the enjoyment of the series.

The setting of South Florida and Longboat Keys, the restaurants, bars, and waterways add ambiance to the mysteries. With every new book it feels like we are returning to a familiar vacation spot where we can relax and enjoy the scenery as we pursue the latest mystery.

Fans will appreciate this latest outing while newcomers to the series can easily pick up on the relationships of the main players and enjoy the ride.

A special thank you goes to Oceanview Publishing for providing us a complimentary copy of Fatal Decree for our review. If you would like to purchase this book or any other the other Matt Royal books in the series, they are available at Amazon.com.