The day after the election Willis quits in a drunken huff and Neely is made acting sheriff. Upon moving into Willis’ office, she discovers evidence that Willis is being bribed, but she doesn’t know by whom or for what.

Within the first few days of taking office, Jan, a marine biologist, is found shot and then drowned at the Oceanographic Center. The medusa pool contains rare jellyfish that Jan was researching and the walls are covered with racial graffiti. Neely not only has to deal with a major personal loss but also a murder investigation and a staff near mutiny.

M. K. Wren has created a wonderful new character. Neely Jones is a strong woman who doesn’t look for the easy way out of a situation. She is willing to fight for issues and for respect. Wren skillfully portrays Neely as a formidable character who will focus first on what is most important. For Neely, finding the killer and obtaining evidence that will stand up in court is vital.

As the new sheriff, Neely’s primary responsibility is to make sure that all crimes are solved and positions staffed. Because of this, she isn’t immediately able to give into her grief about Jan, but she does find it surfacing often.

Race is an issue in the story but it goes beyond black and white. While Neely’s mother is a white university professor, Neely identifies more with her Black, police officer father and his family. She makes references to moving between the different “worlds.” Due to racial differences, Jan’s Japanese parents aren’t sure that they are comfortable with Neely and Jan’s committed relationship. Bigotry is a motivation for several crimes. Wren finds a good balance for including race and bigotry as part of the story while never making it the reason for the story.

In addition to the murder of Jan, other crimes are also solved. I liked seeing this because it gave Neely’s determination to do a good job some depth. I was glad to see this wasn’t a story where all local crime stopped until a murder was solved.

M. K. Wren tells a good story and stops where she needs to. I look forward to the next book in the Neely Jones series.

--Sharon Medley