Beneath the Dune

Beneath the Dune by Walter Ramsay

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "Tucker Lee Anderson's boss needs him to check out a story over on the beachside. Not earth-shattering, it's more of a follow up to the Ed Ventara case, he says. When Anderson, a staff reporter for a local Southern newspaper hears this, a red light goes off in his head. But wait, wasn't Ventara the serial killer convicted of killing five children, even though they only found four bodies a few years back? Following the discovery of a child's skeleton, what at first appears to be a straightforward case of suspected murder is anything but, when Anderson finds himself not only investigating the case, but also dabbling in ancestral research. This laid-back divorced dad's ordinary life soon takes a turn when in the process, he soon discovers family ties that bind him to both the present and the past-but what does this have to do with the child? Set in the Central Florida community of Brevard County, Beneath the Dune features an interesting cast of characters, and what Anderson uncovers is bound to shock a few upper class residents to the core. Steeped in suspense and blended with humor, the book has all the ingredients necessary for the making of mystery that is sure to hold you in its grip to the very end."

AAAhhhhhhh! I have been stressing over this review for a long time. What to do, what to do? I will start with the good. I liked the storyline of this book. I thought it was really interesting and wanted to see what happened in the end. I liked how there was a present and a past story, and really wanted to know how they fit together. I wanted to know more about the past....Osci, a Native American man running away from someone, but who, and why? Tucker, the main character, was an interesting guy. He is one of those guys that can't leave his big sports career in the past, which is annoying, but I have known guys like that, so it is realistic. The character development is pretty good, and it flows well.

Okay......now for the honesty and the bad. In all honesty, I did NOT finish this book. (Which doesn't happen very often) I read to page 58 and just couldn't go any further. The language in this book is awful. Tucker's language is terrible. I kept reading hoping that it would get better, but it just didn't. Tucker not only uses profane language when talking to people, but also when he is thinking. I lost track of how many "f" words were in those few 58 pages. There was also a fairly detailed "physical intimacy" scene. I'm really sorry to Mr. Ramsay, I know this is not a truly fair review if I did not finish the book, and that is why I have stressed about what to do. I have asked a lot of people what I should do, and in the end I hoped to be fair on both sides. I know it is not a fair review because I did not finish it, but I also feel the need to let my readers know so they know what to expect when reading this book. I know that language does not bother some people, and for them I say read it, it does draw you into the mystery. For those readers who are bothered by language, I do not recommend it. If you want to know more, amazon.com had a bunch of really good reviews.

Rating: R (This does not follow the movie ratings exactly, it is my way of saying that it is not appropriate for younger readers.) Profanity on pretty much every page and so many "f" words I lost track. There is also a racy "physical intimacy" scene.

Recommendation: College and up.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.