This book will take you right back to 1959 or thereabouts. Women are air-headed cuties, beautiful money-grubbers, or no-nonsense chunky spinsters, people get dressed up for air travel, men beat up other men for the honor of their women. Everyone knocks back drink after drink. The murderer is sadly obvious - perhaps not when it was written? - but today's reader will nod as soon as introduced. Dany is sweet but oh so gullible - you won't find her attempting any investigation on her own - but she does grow during the story. Some of the plot points are unnecessary, and the ending is funny in way it wasn't meant to be. We're all used to the villain telling the about-to-die hero all the details just before he gets his comeuppance, but this is the first one I've seen with truth serum. Snort. But still, it's an old-fashioned light-hearted mystery, lighter than Agatha Christie IMO. Some funny/witty dialogue, a tiny bit of history, and some great descriptions of the exotic locale. If you have read Kaye's TRADE WINDS you'll recognize the house and the treasure, but don't expect this to be of the same caliber.

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