Camino Ghosts - an engaging and thought-provoking story filled with great characters.

Bruce Cable's bookstore Bay Books is a popular meeting place on Camino Island in northern Florida. When best-selling local author (and former girlfriend) Mercer Mann returns to wed boyfriend Thomas, she shares with Bruce her need for a great idea for her next book. Bruce tells Mercer to read the ten-year-old, self-published book written by 80-year-old Lovely Jackson, who lives by the local docks. Lovely claims that she was raised and is the rightful heir to the nearby and now-deserted island named Dark Isle which had been home to many generations of descendants of former African slaves. Her ancestor Nalla washed ashore at Dark Isle having survived with several others when the slave ship they were traveling on was destroyed in a violent storm. The island was inhabited mostly by escaped slaves from Georgia plantations and Nalla and the other survivors were warmly welcomed to be a part of their village. For generations, the inhabitants remained mostly isolated. When a real estate developer announces plans to build a casino resort on Dark Isle, Lovely is aided by Bruce, Mercer and others, to try and stop the project. And Mercer decides that this is the perfect story for her next book. 

Camino Ghosts is the third installment of John Grisham's "Camino Island" series. It also works as a standalone. The "book within a book" story of Dark Isle was riveting and tragic, juxtaposed with the present-day story of the effort to save the history of the island, which was exciting and enjoyable. Bruce and all his friends are great characters - the type of people you'd want to hang out with and share some wine. I hope the series continues. 

Many thanks to Doubleday Books for providing an advance copy.

Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Mystery Thriller | Contemporary Fiction.

Publication Date: May 28, 2024.

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