Game Drive by: Marie Moore

Title: Game Drive
Author: Marie Moore
Publisher: Camel Press
Pages: 208
Series: The Sydney Marsh Murder Mysteries #2
Format: Paperback
Source: Author

Description:

Game Drive is a cozy mystery by Marie Moore about a New York-based travel agent on a research trip for her agency who suspects foul play after a colleague is killed in a tragic accident. Game Drive is the second book in a series featuring amateur sleuth Sidney Marsh. This time Sidney’s travels take her to Cape Town, South Africa, and a private game lodge near the Kruger National Park.

Sidney Marsh is a Mississippi-born, New York-based travel agent. She and her best friend and business partner, Jay Wilson, are struggling to remain standing in a world where the ground is shifting. Their boss at Itchy Feet Travel has a new scheme to attract customers—safari tour packages. He sends Sidney and Jay on a familiarization trip to Cape Town and safari country to check out the accommodations and confirm that the experience lives up to the hype in the brochures.

Sidney looks forward to the deluxe trip and so does Jay, despite his deathly fear of animals, both wild and domesticated. Their experience will be far wilder than either could have imagined. First Sidney stumbles upon a suspicious rendezvous and possible murder scene in Cape Town. After Sidney’s pocket is picked on a cable-car ride up Table Mountain, she suspects that someone in their group is an imposter, a suspicion that is soon confirmed. At Leopard Dance—the luxury game lodge near Kruger National Park that serves as their base camp—one of the other agents on the “fam trip” turns up dead.

Sidney carries on a risky flirtation with a handsome Afrikaner, who may or may not be the latest manifestation of the “Marsh Curse,” which seems to jinx her every relationship. And Sidney and Jay discover that they have far more to fear from predatory humans than wild animals.

My Thoughts: 

Sidney and Jay are back with their tour group this time heading to Africia to test out Cape Town and Kruger National Park to see if it something that will sell with high rollers.  Early on Dennis goes missing and no one seems to know what happened to him, then George shoots Mabel while attempting to subdue an elephant. 

There is so much going on it's hard to tell if Jay and Sidney are ever going to figure it out.  Lots of ups and downs.  There is the owner of Leopard Dance who has shown up in Cape Town and Leopard Dance and Syndey discovers that there are lots of secrets with the boss.  What is his agenda?

I really enjoy reconnecting with Sidney and Jay and seeing what trouble they are getting into now.  This one had me really guessing until the end who the bad guy was talk about a real page turner I couldn't put it down, such a great adventure and mystery!  I really enjoyed the way it ended, what a great story.  Can't wait to see what Ms. Moore comes up with next for Jay and Sidney!