Paragraphs: Mysteries of the Golden Booby

MWSA Review

Paragraphs Mysteries of the Golden Booby is a work of collaborative fiction of four authors who have weaved a story played out in South Padre Island Texas.  It all begins with the authorship of the first of four sections of the book authored by Bob Doerr.

The beginning of the story starts with Sam Wiesel who was vacationing on South Padre Island getting involved with a murder of two people who were next door to him at his vacation apartment.  After a fishing trip that he took the next day after the murders, he runs into several fellow fishing companions who tell him about the legend of The Golden Booby.  This object d’art as legend has it, was made by the Aztecs several centuries ago and was last known to be in the possession of a wealthy Mexican family. But as Sam finds out the stories associated with The Golden Booby have been circulated around South Padre Island for many years.

In fact the legend tells of Al Capone wanting to get The Golden Booby back in the 1930’s on the island and so the story goes on.  Much speculation was rumored that The Golden Booby was on the island.  As the story goes further we are introduced to Bella Neuva who has come down to South Padre Island to attend the funeral of her grandfather August Villanova and the real fun of The Golden Booby begins.

One things leads to another and further characters are introduced and the twists and turns of where The Golden Booby is leads to further queries, murders, slow speed chases and the use of a phony rubber gun to obtain this object d’art.

In fact in the fourth part of the book Joyce Faulkner uses a rather unique writing technique when she uses the authors as characters in the book.  In fact Joyce also wrote herself into the fray as “the plump little woman with a red ponytail.”  Also Pat McGrath-Avery is written into the mystery and as luck would have it she is abducted by the “bad guy Booby hunters.

The culmination of the chase and mystery will delight all who read this highly entertaining book.

Reviewed by: Richard Geschke (2015)

Author's Summary

Paragraphs is a romping mystery thriller written by Bob Doerr, David Harry, Pat McGrath Avery and Joyce Faulkner. Set on South Padre Island, TX, and Pittsburgh, PA. Like a winding road, the story climbs and falls, curves back around itself and speeds down the straightaway. The cast of characters includes island celebrities, familiar good guys, hissing villains - and a really, really cool bird!