Death by Surfboard by Susie Black is part of the Holly Swimsuit Mystery series. Holly thought the most she’d have to deal with was CEO David Workman relocating her from the juniors and kids’ division to help the struggling private label division. She was wrong. A fisherman pulls a body out of the water, and Holly is surprised to discover that it comes with a surfboard tagging along. Even more shocking is that the body belongs to one of Holly’s colleagues. It’s quickly determined that he was murdered, and the likely suspect turns out to be her boss. While Holly may have issues with David, she doesn’t believe he’s capable of murder, but to prove it, she’ll have to find the actual killer, which is easier said than done.
Holly is a delightful character who helps maintain the humorous tone with her wisecracking attitude and her cheeky personality. She drives the humor with her inability to hold her tongue and clever dialogue that reveals these traits. These parts of her character make her enjoyable and push readers to see what will happen next. Susie Black uses Holly’s personality to keep the mystery light and funny, which pairs well with the compelling dynamics between her and her colleagues. The mystery puts the focus on her work with Mermaid Swimsuit as the victim is a colleague, and the suspect is her boss. This is an interesting twist in the mystery as he’s first presented as an antagonist to Holly and not entirely likable; however, Black does a successful job of making you care about her being able to prove his innocence. While Holly is investigating, she’s also adjusting to being relocated from one division to another, which creates anxiety for her as she fears her career could be sinking. The majority of the characters are incorporated into this environment, which creates a fun buddy sleuth element as Holly has friends to consult with about theories. A charming addition to the series, Death by Surfboard continues the same humor, heart, and personality found in the other mysteries with more twists, murder, and sleuthing antics.
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Congrats on the great review.