"The Newcomer" by Mary Kay Andrews; St. Martinâs Press (448 pages, $28.99)
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On the rare occasions that Iâm driving on the Pinellas barrier islands and spot an OG beach motel â those low-slung, cozy, pastel-painted relics tucked in among the towering condos and raucous bars â I feel a little warm tug of nostalgia for the funky, friendly places I remember.
Mary Kay Andrewsâ imagination works differently. Give her a mom ânâ pop beach motel and sheâll give you fugitives and scam artists, snowbirds in bloody battle over their pecking order, maybe even murder and mayhem along with the sparkling sands and swaying hibiscus.