Danger in the Rain: A Ted Danger Mystery by Douglas Boatman is a detective mystery with hypnotizing twists, literally. When Nicole Vavul, aka Nicky, entered Ted’s office with a photograph of a man and her daughter (Haley), both stark naked on a beach, he couldn’t have possibly imagined the toll it would take on his life and the secrets it would unleash. The case seemed simple enough: Nicky wanted Ted to find out the identity of the naked man who was in the photograph. Yet, it turned out to be anything but simple. First, Nicky herself came across as an unstable woman. Second, the more he began asking questions about the photograph, the more threats began piling-up on him. Last but not least, his mind had begun playing tricks on him.
The thin veil between reality and imagination became all the more blurred for him when his quest took him to Miami and introduced him to the strangest of people. Haley’s grandmother, Reva, hinted that Madam Fernando, a psychic, would have the answers. However, the doors to Madam Fernando went through her husband, Derish Flin — a retired stage hypnotist. And, Derish Flin ensured that Ted’s brain remained a slave to his whims. His case surpassed the last thread of normalcy when he came across a half-human and half-bonobo named Boyce.
In frustration, I switched to lip-reading. “Pee Wee slow cooker,” Derish insisted. “Dry socket paddle frost,” Maddy countered.
Or not. Probably not.
Tempers rose. Toe-to-toe, Maddy stood nearly as tall as Derish. Voices louder now, something about a phone call? A threat?
– Danger in the Rain: A Ted Danger Mystery by Douglas Boatman
Ted Danger, rhymes with Banger, is not your everyday detective. He does not exude the aura of an expert detective. For the most part, his brain was more focused on food and sex than on the case. However, this portrayal of the detective is, perhaps, more intentional than accidental. Douglas Boatman, the author, has expertly tied his protagonist’s lack of focus and empathy for his undiagnosed psychological issues. Instead of creating yet another detective who excels in gadgets and solves complex riddles with lightning speed, in Ted Danger, the audience finds a relatable, witty, and confused man who includes more than required people in every step of his investigation. As a result, the readers connect and participate with him throughout the mystery.
To the right, Reva’s daughter, the right-handed child artist. To the left, grown-up Nicki signing the contract in my office. With her left hand.
I know what the dream is telling me.
And Reva’s call had confirmed it.
“Nicki changed when she was a teenager,” she said. “She wasn’t the same girl.”
– Danger in the Rain: A Ted Danger Mystery by Douglas Boatman
The sassy rebuttals of ladies are something to watch out for in Danger in the Rain. The side characters are well crafted and memorable. Undoubtedly, Boyce, with his limited vocabulary and broken speech, is a fascinating addition to the storyline. Although the narrative is light-hearted, the author has highlighted the sickening crimes related to child-trafficking. The first-person narration of people, places, illusions, and emotions was further enriched by the robust vocabulary of Douglas Boatman, the author. With inconceivable — yet intriguing — twists, action, fascinating conversations, and the puzzling mystery of the photograph, Danger in the Rain: A Ted Danger Mystery by Douglas Boatman establishes itself as an entertaining detective story.
” … These very children or others like them are used and abused, physically, sexually, and psychologically, here and around the world every day, every hour. In pain and damaged, in body and soul, thousands of children sold, literally, into slavery and desperation. People suffer, Ted. They die. And you treat it like an intellectual exercise, a who-dun-it, a cozy Agatha Christie.”
– Danger in the Rain: A Ted Danger Mystery by Douglas Boatman
Disclosure: Mojito with a Twist is a professional book review site that receives compensation from the authors whose books I review. However, the compensation has no impact on the fairness and honesty of the review. I present only an unbiased opinion of the book that I read. Mojito with a Twist is independently owned and the opinions expressed are entirely mine, except for a few guest posts, which are explicitly marked as guest posts.
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