In this "lighthearted and pleasant read for mystery and animal aficionados," murder makes a splash at a small-town aquarium (Kirkus Reviews). Twenty acres of prime Long Island beachfront property are up for sale, and the waterfront community is divided like the Hatfields and the McCoys. Environmentalists are lined up on the side of the local Clam Cove aquarium, and business owners are aligned with millionaire land developer Lucien Moray, represented by attorney Samuel Wong—who has recently disappeared. When a body is found in a nearby inlet, wildlife magazine reporter Kristy Farrell and her veterinarian daughter take up the mystery. They discover deep secrets among the aquarium staff—secrets that point to one of them as the killer. The aquarium is soon plagued with numerous accidents, one of which threatens the lives of the two amateur sleuths. On top of all this, a second murder occurs, adding to the intrigue. Solving...

With its lions, crocodiles, and snakes, a zoo is a dangerous place—a perfect place for murder. When the director of a Long Island zoo is murdered by snake venom, Kristy Farrell, former English teacher turned wildlife reporter, takes a personal interest in the case. Her brother Tim, the zoo's curator in charge of reptiles, is the leading suspect. Although the evidence is circumstantial, Kristy is sure the homicide detective, a childhood nemesis of her brother, is out to frame Tim. Believing that the killer is one of her brother's colleagues, Kristy investigates the internal politics and personal relationships at the zoo. As she delves into each suspect's life, she uncovers weak alibis and powerful motives, including greed, blackmail, infidelity, and revenge. The trail leads her to a Greenwich Village pet store with a shady history, a radical animal rights group, a wildlife art exhibiton Long Island's infamous gold coast, and a bizarre animal auction in rural Ohio where...