Death on Cozumel Island (Claire O'Keefe Mystery 1), by Cindy Quayle

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Being a seasonal reader who likes to read books during the time of year in which they are set, I was looking for a travel-themed cozy mystery for August. I had Death on Cozumel Island (Claire O'Keefe Mystery 1), by Cindy Quayle, on my radar, but I was unable to obtain a copy of it to borrow. Imagine my delight when I won a copy of the e-book from the author in a giveaway!

Claire O'Keefe is an international English teacher. She travels to various parts of the world as part of her job. The book begins when she is almost at the end of a teaching position in the Middle East. However, it isn't long before she lands in Cozumel, Mexico for her best friend's pre-wedding party.  

While in Cozumel, Claire decides to take advantage of scuba diving opportunities, something she has done many times. Along the way, she meets new friends and even a potential love interest. Unfortunately, someone who Claire believes is innocent is the prime suspect in the death of a fellow diver. Claire decides to extend her vacation to help clear the suspect's name and find out what really happened.

While this book is set in December, it definitely has summer vibes. The author paints a vivid picture of Cozumel, especially when it comes to scuba diving. Cindy Quayle is clearly very knowledgeable in this area and her passion for scuba diving comes through. I have never been scuba diving before and I have no plans to do so in the future, so it was fun to experience it through storytelling. While some of the details were a bit overwhelming at times, I learned so much about it and it made me feel like I was there with Claire and her friends.

I was a bit skeptical about Claire's reason for wanting to clear the prime suspect's name and it took a while for the mystery to get going, but once it did, I was fully invested. I was so eager to find out what happened that I read the last 40% of the book in one day. There were a couple of times when I thought I had the culprit figured out (though not the details of how it happened), only to be completely shocked in the end. Yet, it all made sense. That's my favorite kind of ending.

There is a hint of romance in this first in series. There's plenty of room for their relationship to grow and I'm excited to find out how they'll make it work, if that does happen in future books. Although we get to know Claire's new friends pretty well, she doesn't spend a lot of time with the bridal party while in Cozumel. So I hope in future books we get to know them better, especially her best friend, Julia. I'm also curious where Claire's travels will take her next. I think this series has a lot of potential and I can't wait to read book 2 when it's released next year. In the meantime, if you're looking for an escape this summer (or any time of year), I recommend Death on Cozumel Island, by debut author Cindy Quayle. Just don't forget to pack your scuba gear.

Thank you to author, Cindy Quayle, for gifting me with a copy of this e-book.