Katherine is looking for her deadbeat husband who lives a short distance from Harry. When they arrive at Will's cabin, they find him dead and his home a mess. Katherine accepts Will's death easily, especially since it means she and her two children will have a new place to stay. When local conservationist Luis Mendoza is charged with Will's murder, he hires Harry to clear his name. A growing attraction to Katherine, also a suspect, puts Harry in an awkward situation, but once he realizes how deep this murder goes, he realizes he has no choice but to see his investigation through to the end to help preserve his way of life, as well as his own life.

Death in a Hammock is a slow moving mystery that picks up the pace a bit toward the end, but never really builds momentum. With all the different aspects of the investigation: drugs, corrupt government, the environment, the plot gets a little murky from time to time. The description of the environment and the flora and fauna is very detailed and authentic, but not necessarily suited for a mystery with such dark overtones.

There is one character, Harry's neighbor Tucker and his menagerie of animals including Oh-Brother, the garden hat-wearing mule, that steals almost every scene he is in. Harry appears to be an interesting character with some serious past issues, but they are not explored fully. His attraction to Katherine, and hers to him, is apparent, though the reasons are not as evident. There are a lot of good elements in the novel with a lot of potential, but they never quite seem to come together, making for a disappointing read.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry