by Doward Wilson
& Terry Ambrose

This week we have a review of the latest Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mystery by Terry Ambrose, and a special father related guest post by Terry in honor of Father’s Day. Details at the end of this post on how to win a copy of Clues in the Sand, and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Clues in the Sand: A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery by Terry Ambrose
Review by Doward Wilson

Meet Rick Atwood and his precocious ten-year-old daughter, Alex. When a woman’s body is found on the beach near their Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast, Rick is determined to keep Alex away from the murder due to her curious nature. The only problem is that Alex’s role model, Flynn O’Connor, becomes the prime suspect. As she pushes her dad to investigate and the mayor pushes him to stay out of it, Rick is stuck in the middle between two hard-headed females.

The murder victim was clutching a piece of an ancient rice bowl in her hand. As an archaeologist, Flynn was acquainted with the victim. As tensions rise, Rick finally agrees to let Alex in on what is going on, while keeping the mayor appeased. The list of suspects includes a woman whom Rick had dated. She is pushing for her company to have the first rights to salvage the treasure from the sunken Spanish Galleon, “San Manuel,” which is believed to be sunk close to Seaside Cove. We also have the mysterious guest representing the Spanish Cultural Ministry. And then we have Flynn who is dedicated to stopping the vandalizing of archaeology sites. Who else is involved in grabbing the treasure trove for their own gain?

I really enjoyed this second book in the series! The father and daughter make for a wonderful pair of sleuths, even if Alex gets too close to the action for her own safety. The characters leap off the page and pull you right into the action. The setting is inviting and believable. The treasure hunting and murder plot takes many twists and turns before we discover who the murderer really is! I can’t wait to go back and read the first book in the series, A Treasure to Die For, so that I can get to know more about the characters. A must read for any cozy mystery fan!

Doward Wilson is a retired and avid cozy, paranormal, and adventure reader who can’t say no to most books. He recently moved from Independence, Missouri to Gladbrook, Iowa. Located in Central Iowa, Gladbrook (population 900+) is small town, rural farming at its best.

Father’s Day
by Terry Ambrose

Fathers Day! It’s time for grilling, chilling, and cheesy greeting cards. I never have received one of those cards because I’ve never been a dad. That also means I’ve never endured the trials and tribulations dads go through to earn those cards. We did have two dogs once, and we regarded them as our kids. However, that’s not really the same thing, is it? For one thing, by the time a puppy has grown old and died, a child is just getting warmed up. Which leads me to the question of exactly how do you classify the stages of fatherhood.

Terry Ambrose

Daddyhood — It’s a Doody

My theory is that T-shirts provide us with a good way to categorize the stages of fatherhood. The early years can be described by one of my favorite T-shirt slogans, which said something like “Daddyhood — it’s a doody.” Yup. That works, especially for those first few years when dirty diapers are the norm and dad is just learning how much duty comes with all that—never mind.

My Dad Can Fix Anything

From the “doody years,” we move into the “duty years.” This is where “My Dad Can Fix Anything” comes into play. Assembling toys, teaching the kids to ride a two-wheeler, and tending to a scraped up knee all come together during this joyful time when parties, games, and sports are all a part of life. And let’s not forget that soon your little one will be discovering what she wants to be in life. She might change job aspirations frequently. Today she wants to be a doctor, tomorrow it’s a lawyer, and next Tuesday it’s an actor. Or maybe president…it’s one of those for sure. Until it’s something else.

Bank of Dad

The “Bank of Dad” years are when nothing in life is fair and everything is someone else’s fault. In this phase of fatherhood, adorable has somehow been transformed into a being not of this planet. Apparently, even my own dad realized that eventually even I would emerge from this phase. I did…for the most part. The good news is, generation after generation, dads continue to love their kids and look forward to the day when they’ll once again be good for something other than doling out cash faster than the nearest ATM.

Best Dad Ever

Unfortunately, the “Best Dad Ever” phase might just be the most complicated of all. The dirty diapers are gone—until the grandkids show up. The days of fixing things are over—until someone’s toy breaks. And the Bank of Dad is closed—until the kids need a loan to buy a house. Still, I’ve seldom met a father who regretted his decision to become a dad…at least, most days.

So, here’s to all the dads out there. Thanks for your patience, your wisdom, and your love. And please, the next time you see one of those “Best Dad Ever” T-shirts, offer the poor man your condolences because he’s been in the game for a very long time. So how did I do? Does the theory work? If you have a better way to sum up those stages, I’d love to hear it!

To enter to win an ebook or print copy of Clues in the Sand, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “clues,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen June 16, 2018. U.S. residents only for the print copy. If entering via email please include your mailing address (so if you win we can get the book sent right out to you), and if via comment please include your email address. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. BE SURE TO STATE WHETHER YOU WANT EBOOK OR PRINT.

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Terry Ambrose has written more than a dozen books, several of which have been award finalists. In 2014, his thriller, Con Game, won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. He’s currently working on the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases using those links. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.