As much fun as you’ll have this summer on a boat, in a kayak or floating in the pool, sometimes nothing beats sitting on a couch in a cold room and escaping into a book. In case you don’t have a stack of “books to read” waiting for you, pick up these reads by Gulf Coast authors.
“Grounds for Murder” St. Petersburg writer Tara Lush introduced this new series in December. She tells us the fictional city has a lot of Gulfport in it. Like this? Read “Cold as Cream” next.
“Stingers: A Sharks Incorporated Novel” Although he lives a few hours south of us, with the advent of his new Doc Ford’s on the St. Petersburg Pier, we’re making Randy Wayne White an honorary local. The second installment of his YA series, “Sharks Incorporated,” promises to delight just as much as the first. Also, it’s labeled YA, but we loved it every bit as much as his books for grown-ups. Like this? Read “Fins” next.
“The Newcomer” Mary Kay Andrews may not live along the Gulf Coast anymore, but that doesn’t stop her from visiting and setting her delightful murder/romance stories here. This one takes place at a mom-and-pop hotel in Treasure Island. Like this? Read “Sunset Beach” next.
“Florida Scrub Jay: Field Notes on a Vanishing Bird” Take an armchair road trip across Florida with USF St. Petersburg professor Mark Jerome Walters in his quest to find Florida’s most endangered bird. This slim tome is decidedly un-academic, fascinating and fun. Like this? Read Craig Pittman’s “Cat Tale” next.
“Maximum Insight: Selected Columns” Former St. Petersburg Times columnist Bill Maxwell published a collection of his best columns, with race as one of the central themes. Like this? Read “Kick Ass” by Carl Hiaasen next.
