The Caribbean island of Paraiso is the setting for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGONFRUIT TATTOO, the third book in Carrie Doyle’s Trouble in Paradise series.

Plum Lockhart was a successful travel magazine editor in New York City for years. But when her job was eliminated due to corporate cuts, she migrated to the tropics and founded a rental company on Paraiso that’s been thriving. She loves her revamped life, which includes her new beau, Juan Kevin Munoz, the Director of Security at Las Frutas Resort. She also has a reputation as an amateur sleuth and has helped solve a few murders. However, little does she know that she will be called upon to put her investigative skills into action again.

When Plum is invited to join a spectacular cruise on a private yacht, she jumps at the chance to mingle with the rich and famous who make up the guest list. She is approached by Lysette, a server who tries to talk to her about the murders. But she is too busy socializing to take the time to listen, so she gives her a business card. The next thing she knows, Lysette’s lifeless body washes up in the water.

"Tension rises as the forward-moving plot takes twists and turns, leading readers through a labyrinth of action and emotion. The multiple storylines make for interesting and entertaining reading."

Captain Diaz, chief of the Paraiso police force, asks Plum to go undercover to help solve the murder. At first, Plum is afraid that she could be the next victim if she gets involved. In the end, though, she agrees to take on the job of finding a killer among the cruise guests with whom she has been rubbing shoulders.

Captain Diaz is no great help to Plum in her investigation, and since she is “playing a part,” she has to be careful about what she says and to whom. Her role must be kept secret if she is to succeed and survive. No one stands out as a suspect, so she has to be cagey in her pursuit of the truth. Who could be the culprit, and why was the crime committed in the first place?

An interwoven plot arises in the form of poachers stealing an endangered species of sea turtles and their eggs, which deeply disturbs Plum. Could there be a connection between these crooks and the homicide? Did Lysette see them in the act? Could that have been the motive to off her? Captain Diaz shows Plum computer images of two men taking the eggs. He is pretty sure that he recognizes one of them and adds investigating him to Plum’s already daunting assignment.

Tension rises as the forward-moving plot takes twists and turns, leading readers through a labyrinth of action and emotion. The multiple storylines make for interesting and entertaining reading. As the narrative unfolds, secrets and lies are exposed, and the web they form poses a major challenge to those who enjoy solving mysteries. The competition between the rental people who comprise the local community stays at a steadily rising pitch, which adds to the suspense and keeps readers on the edge of their seats.