An even larger item is the arrival of Jamaica Nevisson. She has come to seek refuge with her best friend, Genie Pepper. Jamaica is fleeing a stalking photojournalist who has made her soap opera acting career tortuous.

The Peppers are leading citizens of the town, many of whom have benefited by Tom Pepper's ability to make money in his global fund. Jamaica and Genie plan a week's junket to Nantucket for a girl's week out. Tom Pepper refuses to set foot on any boat. However, Genie is a skilled sailor and it is up to her to get them there.

Tom is horrified when their boat is discovered at sea, burned to the sea line. The tender (lifeboat) is missing and the Coast Guard is unwilling to classify the missing women as dead until it is found. Tom hires Rosco to investigate the charter company from whom they chartered the sailing craft and to put pressure on the Coast Guard search.

Meanwhile Belle receives a handwritten crossword puzzle delivered anonymously to her front door. When she solves the puzzle she is certain that it is telling her that the women have been kidnapped. Rosco only half believes this but then the tender is found…empty. Thereafter, another puzzle arrives with additional clues, and off they go.

Six puzzles are worked into the story and the interesting touch is that the puzzle is presented blank with the clues, inviting the reader to stop and solve them. (The answers are set forth at the end of the book).

The plot is an old one, but cleverly presented within the context of these unsolved crossword puzzles. The characters are well developed and equal time is given to character growth and story development in a well integrated fashion.

The authors take the opportunity to spice the action with the flavor of coastal town living. The dialogue ranges from clever to trite, but always managing to move the story along. Crossword puzzle aficionados who love mysteries will have the best of both their worlds in the enjoyment of Two Down.

--Thea Davis