About Swimming with Manatees
In the coastal town of Crystal Cove, Florida, the sudden death of marine biologist George Stansfield sets off a chain reaction that draws Detective Ava Martinez into a case steeped in scientific intrigue and corporate sabotage. George’s groundbreaking research on a marine sponge with antimicrobial potential may have threatened BioSphere Pharmaceuticals, a company notorious for ecological exploitation and off‑the‑books operations. His lab notes vanish, permits are falsified, and restricted samples surface in autopsy reports. Ava suspects George’s discovery was more than a breakthrough—it was bait.
As Ava investigates, she uncovers a trail of manipulated marina logs, covert funding, and missing data. The case deepens when harbor patrol discovers journalist Paul Klug’s murdered body at the Channel Point warehouse after a dockworker reports a foul odor. Surveillance footage reveals Mavis Leigh, a local with ties to the Marine Institute, watching from a parked car that night—information she never disclosed. Ava begins to suspect that Crystal Cove’s whisper network knows more than it is willing to say.
With help from Rick Stevens, a principled scientist, and Sarah Miles, her neighbor and confidante, Ava connects George’s research to the disappearance of April and the unfinished investigation of Dan Riley. The town’s power players—Mayor Phil Nicoleto, gang leader James Ryder, and BioSphere liaison Dr. Whitaker—guard pieces of the puzzle, each driven by legacy and self‑preservation.
When a sting operation collapses and the annual Manatee Festival becomes the backdrop for a violent confrontation, Ava must decide whether to expose the truth publicly or hold the perpetrators accountable from within. Her choice will determine not only the fate of the investigation but the conscience of the community itself.
Swimming with Manatees is an upmarket mystery that blends investigative suspense, ensemble realism, and environmental intrigue. With its cinematic setting and layered cast, the novel explores how corruption, ambition, and silence threaten both fragile ecosystems and human lives. Ava doesn’t just solve a case—she reclaims a community’s conscience, one truth at a time.
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Author Bio:
A retired military officer, a licensed attorney, and a global IT executive. In retirement, I lean into the rhythms that matter most: vinyl spinning, the roar of a college or professional football crowd, a German Shepherd at my side, and the laughter of friends and family filling the Florida air. I usher at local concert venues not just for the music, but for the stories unfolding in every seat. I regularly visit my son in West Palm Beach and enjoy a tremendous life with my wife.