TONGUE OF THE OCEAN

An inquisitive Florida lawyer puts himself in danger after stumbling on an insurance scam in this debut novel.

Nick Sanchez, the protagonist of Vincenti’s series opener, doesn’t realize how good he has it until things abruptly change. As a very successful personal injury lawyer who represents plaintiffs at a stuffy Tampa firm, Nick is free to come and go as he pleases. That leaves him time for his true passion: sailing his boat, Laughing Gull. His problems start when he runs into ambulance chaser Seymour “Sledge” Maston in Key West. Sledge brags about settling a large case with Nick’s boss, “Bunky” Dandridge. Since the idea of Bunky’s collaborating with the sleazy Sledge shocks him, Nick continues to look into the case, poking around his boss’s office. Shortly after Nick mentions the case to Bunky, the protagonist determines that the boss and his college buddy Hollis Bradley are committing insurance fraud. For asking too many questions, Nick gets forced out during a “reorganization.” Sledge vanishes. Private eye Al Sambrano, whom Nick had seen at Sledge’s office, turns up at the attorney’s new private practice space to invite him to participate in Bunky’s scheme. So Nick; his girlfriend, Joulie Crane; and his friend Nate Briscoe continue to investigate this scam, remaining oblivious to the perils they face. This naturally leads to a showdown on the high seas. For his creative series, Vincenti, a sailor and retired lawyer, has crafted a multifaceted lead in Nick, who is too curious for his own good and not as devious as he thinks he is. The doggedness that serves him well as a lawyer gets him into trouble as an investigator. He attempts to juggle too many allies and foes and has to depend on luck to save him. He’s fortunate that the author gives him the hard-nosed Joulie and the savvy Nate. The villains are eminently hissable—both the entitled and the shady ones. The narrative is an enjoyable sail, gliding along smoothly with only occasional turbulence for Nick and company.

An intriguing and complex hero follows his gut in this engaging, inventive thriller.