Ocean City Cover-Up

This book is a romp with easy reading, exciting action, colorful characters, and a well-executed plot. Many of the characters are larger than life, which gives the spirit of fun to the whole story. A picky vegetarian boyfriend, gay boss, fashionista sister, small beach town, Russian mobsters, Gangsta Rap Star, spoiled mid-eastern oil brat, security officers of varying loyalty, and an addiction to frozen custard make Jamie Augusts life fascinating. This is an interesting and fun book.

Kim Kash, author of “Ocean City Cover-Up,” is a busy person in real life who travels the world, writes constantly, and takes a lot of pictures. It’s hard to keep up with her as a visitor to her many social pages can tell. And, in a way, her novel reflects that type of frenzy; buzzing with activity, always moving, and sometimes hard to keep track of.

But the protagonist, Jaime August, knows where she’s going. As a reporter, she always wants the big story. Writing for a small town independent newspaper provides many opportunities for reporting on quilting bees or school kids’ accomplishments. So, when a big newsy and exciting story shows up, she’s always willing to plunge in for the gory details. That’s what this story is about.

A brash heiress is being targeted by Russian mobsters who are intent stopping her father’s oil deal with Shell Oil. She’s hiding in Ocean City, a trashy Maryland beach tourist trap, where August lives and plays. And when she’s found, a crime wave develops. There are beatings, torture, and murders galore, bringing excitement to a normally placid place.

There are hot boys, hotter girls, Russian tough guys, a gay newspaper editor, a smart woman cop, a Dubai billionaire, and enough other assorted characters to keep things interesting as the heroine sticks her nose in all the muggings and murders. It doesn’t take long for her to become a target on her own.
Baltimore, Dubai, Assateague on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and a drug infested campground are a few of the spots the author has us visit, a tribute to her wanderlust.

Kash has actually written a travel guide for Ocean City and this book has a lot of information on the places to go, eat, and party. I was somewhat distracted by the attention Jaime pays to her personal appearances; she never meets a mirror she doesn’t love. She’s careful to expose her physical attributes in revealing outfits and languishes in the admiration that follows her around. Too much strutting.

Basically this is a fun story with lots of action and mayhem to keep the pages turning. The characterizations are somewhat formulaic and over developed with the result that no one is a cuddly friend. But I still found the book enjoyable and would recommend it for a quick beach read.

Before reading this I ddin't even realize this was the second book. I enjoyed this one so much I'm going to read the first one. Highly recommended. (Amazon reviewed).

A gang buster of a story and an apt description of Ocean City and any other number of beach side amusement/vacation spots. All of these areas are homes to transient workers, hustlers, and every wannabe that comes to mind. The author does a commendable job of portraying the atmosphere and describing the typical characters, including those permanent residents who derive their living from the temporaries. Add to the mix a little romance, a bit of foreign intrigue and a colorful cast of representatives from all stations of life and you have a five star page turner with an engaging plot sure to leave the reader waiting for the next installment.