Longboat Key, Florida’s lone detective, Jennifer Diane (J.D.) Duncan was on her way home from an early meeting when she got held up by the Cortez Drawbridge that spanned the Intercostal Waterway. As she was waiting for a boat to go through, she received a picture via text message. The photo was too small to see so she sent it on to her friend, retired lawyer Matt Royal.

When she arrived at Matt’s cottage, he showed her an enlarged version. She was shocked to see Katie Frederickson holding the current days’ paper in the photo. Also on the photo as was a handwritten message that read “Good morning Jed.” Katie was a friend of J.D.’s, and was presumed murdered a year ago, although her body was never found. Jed was her nickname for J.D.

Matt and J.D. started a basic investigation then went out to lunch. Near the restaurant where they were eating, a speeding Jaguar was fleeing from police. The Jag headed onto the bridge, but kept going although the drawbridge was rising, causing the driver and the car to land at the bottom of the waterway. Investigators later discovered the fleeing driver had killed a local elderly man.

A friend of the murder victim disappeared soon after. The next thing Matt and J.D. realized was that someone was after them. Matt’s friend Jock Algren showed up and joined the two as they tried to sort out the murders – old and new. Their quiet island life was disrupted by the murder of one man, the disappearance of another man, the possible reappearance of a woman who may not have been murdered, and burly men who seemed to want Matt and J.D. dead.

Found was the eighth novel in the Matt Royal mystery series by H. Terrell Griffin. The popular series was set on a Florida island inhabited by retirees and beach bums. Found was written in Griffin’s typical style: fast-paced, enjoyable mysteries with unique characters amidst a beautiful scenic coastal Florida backdrop.

Often compared to John D. McDonald’s Travis McGee series, also based in Florida, Griffin has stamped his own brand with a blend of professional, quirky, and colorful characters.

Although readers can jump into the series at any point and still enjoy the stories, starting from the beginning is a great way to take in the big picture. This series is highly recommended if you are looking for adventures you can get lost in.

A special thank you goes to Oceanview Publishing for providing an advance reading copy of Found for our review. If you are interested in any of H. Terrell Griffin’s books in the series, they are available at Amazon.com.