Book Review: FLORIDA GOTHIC by Mitzi Szereto
Plot:
Stuck in a twilight world between life and death…
A hit-and-run driver leaves Ernesto Martinez to die by a Miami canal. Then an alligator comes along to finish the job.
Being dead gives Ernesto plenty of time to think. He thinks about his wife, taken from him too soon by illness. He thinks about his daughter, the victim of a drunk driver. He thinks about his death as he watches his body slowly decompose.
Most of all, he thinks about injustice.
The meth head ex-con living in the Everglades. The judge enjoying retirement on the Gulf Coast. The son of a Colombian drug kingpin partying in South Beach. These men care nothing for the pain they’ve caused. But they’ll soon know what it is to feel pain.
Set against the sweltering bug-infested backdrop of South Florida, Florida Gothic weaves a darkly unnerving and visceral tale of sex, drugs, crime and vengeance.
Mitzi Szereto is a lady with her fingers in many pies, from author to blogger and web TV entrepreneur. This is not to say this is a good thing as some may think this would lead to possible disjointed work in certain areas. Her first book in the ‘Gothic’ series is written excellently and is certainly a page turner as I read the book in 2 days. The book is mainly a story about revenge as we follow Ernesto Martinez on his hunt not only for his daughters killer but also the person responsible for his own demise. Mitzi gives us excellent imagery through her power of words as she describes not only Florida in its beauty but also the darker seedy side of drugs, prostitution and the life styles of the lower class. When it comes to the gore it is surprising to find that it is actually quite visceral and some may find disturbing, especially as Mitzi leaves little to the imagination. This was an excellent read and one I would happily read again and again. This is only the first book in this series and it is a strong opener, heres hoping that her further ‘Gothic’ books continue to go this way and up.
Review by Peter ‘Witchfinder‘ Hopkins