Relative Danger
By Charles Benoit

      Douglas Pearce is just about as ordinary as they come. His career at the brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania had come to an abrupt end as the result of a downsizing move. Up to this point his life had been predictable and very boring. But now he was setting out on an adventure.

       Doug responds to a letter from a lady in Toronto, an intimate friend of Doug’s uncle Russ who had been murdered fifty years ago. The crime has never been officially solved and she wants Doug to do a little investigating, see what he can uncover about his uncle’s untimely death.

    The quest becomes more complicated when Doug learns that there is a very rare red diamond involved, whereabouts unknown. The search takes Doug to many exotic places, like Casa Blanca where he meets a beautiful woman who seems inexplicably attracted to him. And then on to Cairo where Doug spends time in jail for “smuggling” illicit drugs, planted in his luggage. The journey ends up in Singapore, the city in which Doug’s uncle met his demise.

     The story takes a very surprising twist at the end that will definitely appeal to whodunit fans.

     The author has obviously done his homework and research. He paints very clear pictures of the fascinating locations in the book, helping the reader feel at home. The characters all have vivid faces as well.

     I liked the pace of the story, lively and energetic. It was a fun book to read, full of witty dialog and likeable characters. The story is well balanced, featuring intrigue and danger mixed with jaunty humor and even a bit of slapstick.

     Author Charles Benoit has a bright future.