Occasional Crimes: A Thriller Book Review

By Suzanne Odom

What begins as an ordinary surfing trip to South America turns into something far more thrilling for three college students from California. Tim, Lee, and Chuck are college friends about to graduate. All have a passion for surfing and are always looking for the next big wave. Disenchanted about looking for a job after graduation, Tim and his friends decide to take one last big surfing trip. They make plans to go surfing in Mexico and possibly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua at the end of the summer. This should be a fun experience, giving them the chance to ride the best waves and hang out together.

Soon August rolls around, and it is almost time to leave for their trip. Tim buys a new truck and has a camper put on the back, so they can campout as they travel. Right before they leave, Tim meets a girl and they begin to date. She is as passionate about surfing as he is, and they agree to keep in touch while he is away. The three friends set out on their trip, excited about the places they will visit.

The trip starts out relaxing with lots of surfing, hanging out, and sampling the local food. At one point, they meet up with a friend of Chuck's. During this meeting, they are offered a job in the drug smuggling business, which after some discussion and thought, they decide to accept. Soon it is very apparent they have bitten off more than they can chew. Danger lurks around every corner and unexpected events keep them on their toes. Will the friends make it back to the States? What other unexpected events will they encounter?

This book is very well written. The dialogue between the characters flows smoothly and the reader can tell that the friends respect each other through their snappy banter. I appreciated the glossary of surfing terms at the end of the book. This was very helpful to me as I am not a surfer and many of the terms used in the book were unknown to me.

Overall, Edwards has written a great read with lots of twists and turns and excitement. I found the book to be easy to read and digest even though I know little about the world of surfing. I expect there will be a sequel, and I look forward to reading it when it is published.

Article Source:  Occasional Crimes: A Thriller Book Review