Part of Doc Ford, book 27
First published 2024
A killer hurricane barrels toward Sanibel Island, and Doc Ford receives a troubling tip from his State Department contact. Paramilitary contractors have been exploiting natural disasters, using the post-storm lawlessness to rob and murder. Ford initially dismisses the warning until the storm arrives and he finds himself alone at the marina. Most residents have fled, but Ford stays behind to finalize business with the marina owner and help a few stubborn liveaboards. He knows the statistics: barrier islands face a twelve-hour window of total isolation after major storms hit. No police, no emergency responders, no witnesses. Ford can handle himself, but he worries about a mysterious new neighbor on Millionaires Row. The man claims to be a British physician and inventor, but Ford suspects MI-6 connections. The timing seems deliberate, especially given his proximity to a retired NSA director's home. As the storm's eye passes and the deadly calm begins, Ford must determine whether these dangerous contractors will strike Sanibel and protect the vulnerable residents who chose to stay.
Genres: adventure, mystery, thriller, action
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, lone-hero
Setting: Sanibel Island, Millionaires Row
Period: Present Day
352 pages · Hardcover · Hanover Square Press