Richard Wickliffe

Tropical Windfall Richard Wickliffe 1st edition

A young couple finds a bag containing a fortune off the coast of Key West. In a panic, they report it to authorities -but only half. They're told they can keep the money if no one claims it in 90 days. Confident that dealers will never claim the money, they make plans for their new fortune. The furious dealers send assassins to reclaim their money. The couple can't run to the police because they concealed half. The suspense builds as villains create a nightmare for the couple in their supposed paradise. Imagine every crime cliche turned upside down: The crime boss is the opposite of a typical drug lord. Our intelligent hero is the wife, not her insecure husband. The cops aren't fearless and the good guys have uncertain ethics. The refreshingly-different novel has villains reminiscent of Thomas Harris's "Hannibal Lechter," balanced with satire in the style of Carl Hiaasen. The book depicts criminal violence with mature language and themes.