Dressed to Keel

ER nurse Darcy Cavanaugh hopes this cruise will be the perfect vacation - a temporary escape from lewd patients, understaffed hospitals, and a rapidly sinking love life. Champagne, designer gowns, and gorgeous ocean views are just what the doctor ordered.

But when a cabin steward is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Darcy fights a tidal wave of trouble to discover the truth. Suddenly alone in the sea of senior citizens - plus one really cute but possibly homicidal dance host - Darcy must solve the mystery before she's forced to walk the plank.

Who would have thought that a ship full of senior citizens would be dangerous? Definitely not ER nurse Darcy Cavanaugh (I love her name!). She's on the ship for two things, relax and visit her good friend Marie who just happens to be one of the cruise ships nurses. But when a series of mishaps and the death of a crew member happen Darcy finds herself in the middle of things and she needs to find who the culprit is...And she's hopes that it's not the dance host, Luke, who just happens to resemble Matthew McConaughey.

I was actually surprised on how much I enjoyed reading this story, considering that the first couple of chapters were a bore. I'm glad that I kept with it. I found that the setting, especially the cruise ship with seniors was hilarious but considering the ending of the book I was floored when I found out who the mastermind behind the robberies and the death.

I liked Darcy, she was a fun and quirky character, although I found her self-esteem at times a little weak, but the little background that we get on her, I guess it was understandable. Luke was one of those characters that took me a while to warm up to, I wasn't too sure about him but I'm glad that he was redeemed at the end of the story.

I wonder what will happen in the next book...

Dressed to Keel by Candy Calvert (3/5) Contemporary Mystery; Published: Midnight Ink (2006); Series: # 1, Darcy Cavanaugh; New Author;Books 2010 (19);