islandvp.com March 2013 | 27A www.siestasand.net • 941.539.0205 • MARCH 2013
Beach Reads
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
|”The One I Left Behind” by Jennifer McMahon c.2013, William Morrow $14.99 / $16.99 Canada 423 pgs
Once upon a time, your parents diapered your behind. They didn’t mind, though, because it was part of being a parent. They fed you, cleaned up after you, put clothes on your little body, toys in your bedroom, and lessons in your head. They made meals, curfews, and sacrifices. Someday, you may need to repay the favor, although it may not be pleasant. In fact, in the new novel “The One I Left Behind” by Jennifer McMahon, it may come at a bigger price than one might think. Thirty-nine-year-old Reggie Dufrane never wanted to return to Monique’s Wish. The old stone house was once a labor of love, built by Reggie’s grandfather for his wife, Monique, who died in childbirth. It was supposed to be a gift, but Reggie only saw it as a place to escape forever. She never wanted to return. But when her Aunt Lorraine phoned, she had no choice. Twenty-five years ago, Reggie’s mother, Vera, was the final victim of a serial killer that the media dubbed Neptune. Though they never found her body, they found Vera’s right hand, amputated neatly, the calling card of a killer. But Vera was very much alive. She’d been living in a homeless shelter all those years, and now she was dying of cancer. Lorraine demanded that Reggie bring Vera to Monique’s Wish for her final days, though returning to a life’s worth of bad memories was something Reggie didn’t want to do. In retrospect, Vera hadn’t been a good parent. Reggie
spent more time with her aunt than with her mother because Vera loved to drink. Lorraine resented that, and she seemed to resent Reggie, too. Because she felt unloved, and because of a childhood injury, Reggie grew up self-conscious, self-destructive, and unable to resist peer pressure from a reckless supposed-best friend. It had taken a long time to overcome that. She didn’t want to return to it. But the fact of the matter was that her mother was alive, and dying. The other fact was that Neptune was never caught and vulnerable Vera was still in danger. Then again, so was Reggie… I really have to stop reading books like this before bedtime. I was okay until I got about a quarter-way through it. But then author Jennifer McMahon made me jump and, well, helloooo nightmares. Though there are some rough spots in editing and a little bit of initial back-and-forth confusion in timeline, “The One I Left Behind” is a pretty fine thriller. The characters are a creepy bunch, even when you may think they’re not supposed to be. There are lots of distractions here to keep you guessing, and plenty of dead ends that should easily foil early-solvers. In fact, I didn’t know where McMahon was going until almost the end of this book, which was mighty satisfying. So if you need to scare up a few scares, this book should be your next read need. For lovers of a high Creep Level, “The One I Left Behind” won’t be left behind anywhere.
Beach Reads Bio: The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 12,000 books.
|Tour by Land and Sea with Just Ducky Tours... It’s a trip on the JD Dolphin LARC V (Light Amphibious Resupply Craft), an ex military vehicle commonly known as a duck. The comfortable, open air boat is U.S. Coast Guard certified for up to 27 passengers. One climbs a ladder to board because the trip starts in a parking lot beside US 41 (the Tamiami Trail) in Nokomis located between Sarasota and Venice. Once aboard, Captain Stewart and son Shane give you the history of “Ducky” and its capabilities. Then you are off down the three lanes of US 41 high above the traffic - much to the amazement of passing motorists. Shane hoots his ancient horn at people and there is much waving by everyone on board. Ducky enters the water at the old railroad station park in Venice. The captain points out nature habitats and other highlights of land and sea as you travel the picturesque inland waterways of Venice and Casey Key down to the Gulf of Mexico. Often dolphins swim alongside and an occasional manatee is sighted.
You’ll see ospreys, other wildlife, and beautiful waterfront sights. The Duck returns to shore at Higel Park boat launch on Venice Island. You’ll then travel by land down scenic Venice Avenue with much more hooting at the pedestrians and storekeepers. Then you’re back over the bridge that you had earlier gone under by water. Back to the lot and you’ll be talking about this cruise for a long time! Small coolers, binoculars and cameras are welcome. Daily Trips Depart from Nokomis at 10, 12 and 2. Location # 15 on our Waterway map located on page 23. 1011 Tamiami Trail South Nokomis, FL 34275 (Just South of Capt. Eddies restaurant) For Reservations contact Just Ducky Amphibious Tours by calling (941) 485-6366