Sequel exposes dark side of tourism in Florida

SARASOTA, Fla., April 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- If tourism is the lifeblood of Florida, the killers in Jeff Widmer's new novel are intent on draining the state dry. Whether they succeed depends on a female detective who moved to the Sunshine State to escape that kind of violence.

What CW McCoy finds is a tsunami of corruption and deceit as she battles punks and politicians in Tourist in Paradise, the second in the McCoy series of mystery/suspense novels by Widmer, an author who has lived and worked in two resort areas, Sarasota, Florida, and the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

The stakes are high for residents of Spanish Point, a tony resort town located between Tampa and Naples on Florida's Gulf Coast. When a gunman mistakes CW for a wealthy tourist, the real estate agent is thrust into a series of crimes that threaten to destroy an entire industry. Is the violence the start of a full-blown war on tourists? Or are the attacks a smokescreen for an even greater threat? And if CW unmasks the killers, will it spell the end of her career, her friends and her life?

Published by Allusion Books, Tourist in Paradise is the sequel to Peak Season, a book Kirkus Reviews calls "an entertaining mystery romp." The crime novel is available through Amazon, iTunes, Kobo and Barnes & Noble in both e-book and trade paperback formats. Readers can view the book trailer on YouTube.

Widmer said fans of Janet Evanovich, Robert B. Parker, Ruth Rendell and Chelsea Cain should enjoy the work.

Widmer's novels have attracted critical acclaim and accomplished narrators. In addition to the CW McCoy novels, he is the author of the series of crime thrillers featuring a defrocked journalist named Brinker. Kirkus Reviews calls last year's debut novel Mr. Mayhem "eccentricity at its finest in a detective story." The audiobook version is narrated by House of Cards actor Alan Wade.

Widmer has written numerous works of nonfiction, including the Spirit of Swiftwater and Riding with the Blues, a behind-the-scenes look at the Sarasota Police Department. He has contributed to national publications such as National Geographic World, US Airways and Advertising Age and worked for nearly a decade as a marketing professional in the greater Philadelphia area. His blog about the writing life appears regularly at jeffwidmer.com.

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SOURCE Allusion Books